Hormone Replacement Specialist

Ann Long, MD Our Services Hormone Replacement

Ann Long, MD

Aesthetics & Anti Aging Medicine located in Lower Manhattan, New York, NY

Hormone replacement therapy is usually associated with treating menopause symptoms, but estrogen isn’t the only hormone that might require restoration. DHEA (Dehydroepiandrosterone) levels severely drop as women and men age. Men also go through a natural decline in testosterone that can cause serious health problems. Dr. Ann Long in Lower Manhattan, New York has extensive experience in testing, diagnosing, and treating low hormone levels with hormone replacement therapy. If you have any questions, please call Dr. Long’s office or book an appointment online.

Hormone Replacement Q & A

What are the body-wide effects of low estrogen?

Low levels of estrogen are well known for causing hot flashes, night sweats, and mood changes, but they have a larger impact on your body. Estrogen helps maintain elasticity in tissues that line your blood vessels and vagina. It plays a significant role in keeping bones healthy and preventing osteoporosis.

Estrogen also has a significant influence on the health of your skin. It affects skin thickness, promotes hydration, and influences the production of collagen and hyaluronic acid. The development of dry, aging skin accelerates when your estrogen levels are low.

What are the effects of low progesterone?

Progesterone is a female sex hormone that’s especially important for regulating menstrual cycles, maintaining a pregnancy, and breastfeeding.

Women need the right balance of progesterone and estrogen. When progesterone levels drop, and estrogen becomes dominant, women are at risk for weight gain, irregular menstrual cycles, fibrocystic breasts, endometriosis, and thyroid dysfunction.

What are the symptoms of low testosterone?

Levels of testosterone in men naturally decline as they age. Just as estrogen has a broad influence in women, testosterone affects diverse aspects of male health. When testosterone levels drop, men experience symptoms such as:

  • Loss of sex drive
  • Erectile dysfunction
  • Loss of muscle mass
  • Reduced muscle strength
  • Osteoporosis
  • Weight gain
  • Development of breasts
  • Loss of beard or body hair

Men may also find it hard to concentrate, experience mood changes, and develop fatigue. After Dr. Long rules out an underlying health condition, the primary treatment for low testosterone is hormone replacement therapy.

What is the role of DHEA?

DHEA is a hormone that your adrenal glands produce. It’s converted into other hormones, including testosterone and estrogen. DHEA provides 75% of women’s estrogen before menopause and 100% after menopause.

Levels of DHEA peak in your 20s, then continuously decline as you age. Restoring your levels of DHEA with hormone replacement may improve age-related health concerns such as osteoporosis, depression, vaginal atrophy, insulin resistance, and other issues that arise due to low estrogen or testosterone.

DHEA also has a role in the health of your skin. It may increase production of collagen and increase oil production, which helps keep aging skin moisturized and supple.

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