Bioidentical hormones are identical in structure to naturally occurring hormones that are produced by the human body. As we age, our bodies produce less of these critical hormones leading to unpleasant symptoms and negative health consequences.
Bioidentical hormone replacement therapy involves supplementing your body with bioidentical versions of the hormones it no longer produces at adequate levels. The most commonly replaced hormones are estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone.
Replacing declining hormones with bioidentical hormones offers significant benefits including:
Bioidentical hormones are structurally identical to the hormones produced naturally by the human body. That means your body recognizes and utilizes bioidentical hormones much more efficiently and safely than synthetics.
Synthetic hormone replacements like birth control pills or conventional hormone replacement therapy drugs often cause unpleasant side effects and increase the risk of serious health issues like blood clots, stroke, and breast cancer. Their chemical structure is different from human hormones leading to communication issues with hormone receptors.
With customized bioidentical hormone therapy from an experienced medical provider like Hormone Harmony Clinic, side effects are rare and risks are dramatically reduced compared to synthetics. Our bioidentical hormones are also completely customized to your individual hormonal needs through advanced testing and precision dosing - something not possible with one-size-fits-all drugs.
If your body isn't producing adequate levels of key hormones, you are likely to experience one or more of the following symptoms:
Estrogen helps regulate hundreds of processes in the female body. When levels drop around menopause or due to removal of the ovaries, this can lead to:
Progesterone works synergistically with estrogen to regulate the menstrual cycle and acts as a contrasting or balancing hormone. Insufficient progesterone can cause:
Testosterone helps maintain muscle mass, bone density, libido, and energy levels in both men and women. When levels drop due to aging or disease, this manifests in many ways including:
In women:
In men:
The many symptoms above often develop gradually over time making hormone decline difficult to recognize before deficiency becomes severe. That's why testing hormone levels through blood, saliva, or urine tests is so important.
Treatment with bioidentical hormones can help mitigate or reverse most hormone deficiency symptoms, improving quality of life dramatically. The sooner treatment begins after onset of symptoms, the better.
There are a few main delivery methods and protocols for bioidentical hormone replacement therapy:
Creams and gels are common delivery methods for estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone. They allow hormones to absorb through the skin directly into the bloodstream.
Hormones are delivered in a consistent daily dose according to your physician's prescription. Most patients apply hormone creams once or twice per day. Absorption rates can vary day-to-day based on factors like skin temperature and hydration.
Benefits: Easy to use; convenient once or twice daily application routine. Avoid liver metabolism.
Drawbacks: Daily application required indefinitely. Absorption can be inconsistent. Potential for cross-contamination with partners/children. Some skin irritation possible.
Specially compounded oral capsules can also effectively deliver estrogen, progesterone, testosterone, DHEA and other hormones. Capsules are taken daily in consistent pre-determined doses.
With oral delivery, hormones travel through the digestive system and liver which impacts how your body utilizes the hormones.
Benefits: Most convenient delivery method; easy for travel. Exact dosing.
Drawbacks: Undergoes first-pass liver metabolism so not all hormone remains bioavailable. Some increased risk of blood clots when taking oral estrogen. Must be taken consistently at same time daily.
Hormones can also be delivered as small rapidly dissolving troches that are placed under the tongue. Also referred to as sublingual tablets, these troches deliver hormones directly into the rich network of blood vessels under the tongue, bypassing the digestive system and liver. This method is often used for estrogen, progesterone, testosterone, and DHEA.
Patients take troches 1-3 times per day as needed to achieve optimal hormone levels. Troches dissolve and absorb fully in 5-10 minutes.
Benefits: Convenient dosing, good for travel. Avoid first-pass liver metabolism. Steady absorption and hormone levels.
Drawbacks: Must remain still with troche dissolved under tongue for 5 minutes. Usually need multiple doses throughout day.
Surgically implanted pellets represent another bioidentical hormone delivery method that has grown increasingly popular. The hormone pellets are about the size of a grain of rice and are inserted via a quick, minimally invasive procedure.
The pellet implants continuously release hormones steadily over 3-5 months. As one set of pellets dissolve, new pellets must be implanted to avoid deficiency. Some patients use pellets for one hormone and a cream/gel/troche for others.
Benefits: Avoid frequent dosing needed with creams or capsules. Steady hormone release over extended period (months). Just two 15 minute procedures per year.
Drawbacks: Additional minor surgical procedure required every 3-6 months for pellet removal and replacement. Usually only useful for one or two key hormones so supplementation likely still needed. Potential for infection or pellet extrusion.
Hormone levels decline slowly over months and years. This gradual drop means symptoms sneak up without people realizing what's truly causing issues like hot flashes, low libido, anxiety, belly fat, or insomnia.
Without adequate hormones, many processes in the body and brain will begin deteriorating causing this diverse range of unpleasant symptoms. The negative impacts of hormonal decline and deficiency grow more severe over time.
Treating hormone imbalances promptly can help mitigate or reverse deficiency symptoms. It helps the body and mind to function optimally. The sooner treatment begins after symptom onset, the more effective it tends to be.
As hormone specialist physicians, our goal is to accurately diagnose and address the root hormonal causes of health issues using cutting edge testing and completely customized treatment programs.
We see dramatic improvements in quality of life every day when people's critical hormones are restored to optimal levels. Conditions that have persisted for years -- low libido, hot flashes, belly fat, anxiety, brain fog -- often resolve quickly with proper bioidentical hormone therapy.
While aging naturally reduces hormone levels, deficiency symptoms should not be an inevitable part of aging. Our regenerative therapies can help you feel and function at your healthiest regardless of age.
Unlike synthetic hormones, bioidentical hormones have the same molecular structure as the hormones naturally produced by the human body. This allows them to bind more efficiently to hormone receptors and potentially cause fewer side effects. Some even argue bioidentical hormones can help slow aging and promote well-being when used appropriately under medical supervision.
With advanced Fellowships and board certifications focused on hormones, our physicians have an exceptionally deep knowledge of these complex messengers -- far beyond most doctors.
We understand the varied causes of hormonal decline and imbalance along with tailoring personalized precision treatment programs for men and women struggling with suboptimal hormone levels. Our expertise spans hormones roles in metabolism, reproduction, mental health, aging, and whole body wellness.
Accurately assessing your unique hormone levels and imbalances is critical for effective treatment. We utilize advanced saliva, blood, and urine testing at specific times of day to paint a complete picture of your hormonal environment. These are far more precise than the limited hormone tests done through typical labs and doctors.
You get a customized full panel of hormone labs assessing levels of key messengers like estradiol, testosterone, progesterone, cortisol, DHEA and many others based on unique symptoms and needs. We can accurately pinpoint specific deficiencies or excess.
As hormone specialists, bioidentical hormones are the gold standard in replacement therapy. They are structurally identical to your innate human hormones, so your body recognizes and utilizes them efficiently.
Synthetics often create side effects or tolerate poorly. We custom formulate personal creams, troches, capsules and pellets tailored to your individual deficiencies and needs, not a one-size-fits all approach. Our bioidenticals work with your biology optimally.
Hormones regulate hundreds of processes from reproduction to metabolism to cognition. We understand how addressing your hormone needs can translate to better health from head to toe - not just relieving a few symptoms.
While hormones are our specialty, we look comprehensively at lifestyle, environment, nutrition, genetics and more that interrelate to create imbalances. Our goal is helping you thrive long-term through a personalized precision medicine approach.
If you're struggling with symptoms related to perimenopause, menopause, andropause or other hormone decline, we can help. With advanced testing, optimal bioidentical therapies, and tailored lifestyle recommendations, our specialized programs work when other treatments fail. We look forward to helping you restore energy, sleeping soundly, enhancing intimacy and passion for life.
