If you are someone who suffers from anxiety or depression, then you know how debilitating the symptoms can be. These conditions can interfere with your day-to-day life, leaving you irritable, unmotivated, and fatigued. But did you know that your anxiety and depression symptoms may be caused by a testosterone deficiency? Bioidentical hormone replacement therapy (BHRT) can be one effective way to treat your symptoms for a better quality of life.
How do Testosterone Deficiencies Lead to Anxiety or Depression?
Testosterone is important for both men and women. This hormone helps regulate mood, weight, and libido. That is why many symptoms of testosterone deficiencies look similar to those of depressive episodes:
- Low mood
- Low energy and motivation
- Anxiety
- Irritability
- Difficulty sleeping or staying asleep
- Poor concentration
- Brain fog
- Body pains
- Hair loss
When it comes to bloodwork, most labs will dictate that normal testosterone levels are between 10 – 49 ng/dL for women. The maximum number they dictate for men is 800 ng/dL.
However, optimal testosterone levels are usually higher for both men and women. For women, over 150 ng/dL of testosterone in women will usually resolve testosterone deficiency symptoms. For men, it should be 900 ng/dL or more.
When a patient optimizes their hormone levels, many begin experiencing relief. Energy, motivation, mood, concentration, sexual health, and body pains improve. For women going through menopause, they experience fewer hot flashes and less moodiness or irritability.
Part of the reason your psychiatrist should bring up BHRT is that it can resolve your anxiety and depression. With this treatment, there is a chance you do not need psychiatric medications at all.
How Do I Receive BHRT at Mind and Soul?
When you come in for a session and find that you meet all the signs of a testosterone deficiency, we may encourage you to get bloodwork done at our office. If you wish to go through with BHRT, we can review your blood work and administer treatment within our office the same day. Your practitioner will administer your treatment by inserting small, rice-sized pellets underneath your skin, which will be numbed by local anesthetic. The procedure usually takes anywhere from five to 10 minutes, depending on how many pellets you will be receiving.
We can also set up a consultation if you wish for a more comprehensive overview of the therapy.
What Happens After Treatment?
Many patients report that they begin to feel better within two to six weeks. The pellets dissolve within a certain time frame so you will need to come back in to replenish your hormones.
For men, these testosterone pellets usually last five to six months. For women, they tend to last around three to four months.
Talk to Us About BHRT Today
If you experience any of these symptoms, you may be a good candidate for BHRT. At Mind and Soul, we want to find the root cause of your anxiety and depression — which may or may not be hormonal. While medication can be helpful in certain instances, it may be more of a band-aid than a true cure.
Our approach to mental health is holistic. For a consultation, reach us online or call us at (305) 456-1014.