Androgen – Any natural or synthetic compound that stimulates or controls the development and maintenance of male characteristics. This includes the activity of the primary male sex organs and development of male secondary sex characteristics.
Andropause – Also known as male menopause – is said to be the result of a gradual drop in testosterone, which is an androgen.
Bio-Identical Hormone Therapy (BHRT) – Also known as bioidentical hormone therapy or natural hormone therapy, is a term referring to the use of hormones that are identical on a molecular level with endogenous hormones in hormone replacement therapy.
Corpus Luteum – A hormone-secreting structure that develops in an ovary after an ovum has been discharged but degenerates after a few days unless pregnancy has begun.
Endogenous – Substances and processes are those that originate from within an organism, tissue, or cell.
Estrogen – the primary female sex hormone and is responsible for development and regulation of the female reproductive system and secondary sex characteristics.
Hot Flashes – Hot flashes are a symptom which is often caused by the changing hormone levels that are characteristic of menopause. They are typically experienced as a feeling of intense heat with sweating and rapid heartbeat, and may typically last from two to thirty minutes for each occurrence.
Hypogonadism – A failure of the gonads, testes in men and ovaries in women, to function properly.
Low Sex Drive – Characterized as a lack or absence of sexual fantasies and desire for sexual activity.
Menopause – The time in most women’s lives when menstrual periods stop permanently, and the woman is no longer able to have children. Menopause typically occurs between 45 and 55 years of age.
Mood Swings – An extreme or rapid change in mood.
Night Sweats – The occurrence of excessive sweating during sleep. The person may or may not also suffer from excessive perspiration while awake. One of the most common causes of night sweats in women over 40 is the hormonal changes related to menopause and perimenopause.
Osteoporosis – A disease where decreased bone strength increases the risk of a broken bone.
Palpitations – A perceived abnormality of the heartbeat characterized by awareness of heart muscle contractions in the chest: hard beats, fast beats, irregular beats, and/or pauses.
Progesterone – A steroid hormone released by the corpus luteum that stimulates the uterus to prepare for pregnancy. Progesterone is known as the “Happy Hormone” because it enhances calm mood and helps with sleep. It is important to maintain a proper balance between progesterone and estrogen in females since progesterone offers protection against certain cancer risk.
Prostate – The function of the prostate is to secrete a slightly alkaline fluid, milky or white in appearance, that in humans usually constitutes roughly 30% of the volume of the semen along with spermatozoa and seminal vesicle fluid.
Testis – The primary functions of the testes are to produce sperm and to produce androgens, primarily testosterone.
Testosterone – A hormone produced by the human body. In men, testosterone plays a key role in the development of male reproductive tissues such as the testis and prostate as well as promoting secondary sexual characteristics such as increased muscle, bone mass, and the growth of body hair. In addition, testosterone is essential for health and well-being as well as the prevention of osteoporosis. On average, in adult males, levels of testosterone are about 7–8 times as great as in adult females.
Vaginal Dryness – Vaginal lubrication is a naturally produced fluid that lubricates a woman’s vagina. Vaginal lubrication is always present, but production increases significantly near ovulation and during sexual arousal in anticipation of sexual intercourse. Vaginal dryness is the condition in which this lubrication is insufficient.