Women that are pre-menopausal, menopausal, or post-menopausal often experience menopause symptoms.

These symptoms may be the result of hormone imbalances.

Menopause represents the end of menstruation, usually diagnosed when a woman has not had a menstrual period for 12 consecutive months, and there is no other obvious biologic or physiologic cause.

An obvious case of a woman experiencing menopause symptoms is when in her late 40s or early 50s, her periods stop and she experience menopause symptoms such as hot flashes.

Some questions that need to be asked..

Are my menopause symptoms caused by a hormone imbalance?

Which hormones do I need to regain hormone balance?

How do I use the hormones for optimal health and balance?

Estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone are the three hormones that are most often out of balance in women.

These hormones are made mainly in the ovaries, but also to a lesser extent by adrenal glands.

These three hormones are often called the sex hormones or steroid hormones.

What is progesterone?

Progesterone is one of the primary hormones produced by the ovaries. More specifically, it is produced by the corpus luteum just after ovulation.

Progesterone helps the female body regulate its menstrual cycles. Progesterone is essential for creating and maintaining a pregnancy. Progesterone is important for hormone balance. Progesterone works with other hormones (especially estrogen) to keep your hormones balanced.

What is Estrogen?

Estrogen is not one hormone but a group of hormones. The three most important estrogen hormones are estrone (E1), estradiol (E2), and estriol (E3).

Estrogen is important to a woman her whole life.

Estrogen is the female hormone responsible for ovulation. Special estrogen receptors are located in the cervix, brain, breasts, lining of the uterus, vagina, and in your bones.

What is testosterone?

Testosterone is a hormone produced by both men and women. Testosterone is more commonly referred to as a male hormone, but women also make testosterone in small amounts.

Testosterone is primarily produced in the testes in men and to a lesser extent in the adrenals.

In women testosterone is produced in the ovaries, adrenal glands and to a lesser extent in the liver, brain and skin.

What is DHEA?

Dehdydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) is a steroid hormone produced chiefly by the adrenal glands, but is also produced by the testes, ovaries, and brain.

DHEA is important because it's a precursor to testosterone and the estrogens, meaning that those hormones are made from it.

DHEA is made primarily in the adrenal glands and is important for building and repairing protein. DHEA levels decline as we get older.

What are androgens?

Androgens are male sex hormones produced by the testicles and, in small amounts, by the adrenal glands. DHEA is often considered an androgen but converts readily to estrogen in many women.

If you experience symptoms of menopause you may benefit from Bioidentical hormone replacement therapy.

Bio-Identical Hormone Replacement Therapy (BHRT), uses natural hormones to replace hormones that are out of balance. BHRT can safely relieve symptoms of menopause and PMS in women and also symptoms of andropause in men.

If you are considering BHRT treatment, you should be screened for relative risk factors and have a thorough physical examination by a physician knowledgeable in the use of BHRT.