Bioidentical hormone therapy involves using hormones that are molecularly identical to those naturally produced in the human body to treat hormone deficiencies and imbalances. As specialists in bioidentical hormones and anti-aging medicine, Thrive Hormone Therapy provides cutting-edge diagnostics, customized treatment protocols, and premium bioidentical hormones to help patients regain optimal health, vitality and wellbeing.
Bioidentical hormones are man-made hormones that have the exact same chemical structure as those found naturally in the human body. This allows them to perfectly mimic and replace declining hormones produced by the ovaries and testes.
Some of the most commonly prescribed bioidentical hormones include:
Unlike conventional synthetic hormones, bioidentical hormones are natural, plant-based, and completely identical to endogenous human hormones. This gives them the ability to bind to hormone receptors and promote normal physiological responses in the body.
Key Takeaways:
Balancing hormones with bioidentical hormone replacement delivers extensive health and wellness benefits. Patients report better sleep, improved cognition, enhanced libido, more energy, weight loss, and an all-around greater sense of health and wellbeing.
Some benefits of bioidentical hormone therapy include:
In short, balanced hormones lead to better health, inside and out!
In order to determine if hormone therapy is warranted, accurate testing and diagnosis of hormonal status is essential.
There are two key components in assessing hormone levels:
Patients dealing with hormonal imbalances often present with symptoms such as:
Estrogen Deficiency
Progesterone Deficiency
Testosterone Deficiency
Thyroid Deficiency
DHEA Deficiency
In addition to a detailed history and physical examination, advanced lab testing provides objective data regarding a patient's hormonal status.
Common lab tests include:
These tests establish baseline hormone levels and uncover specific deficiencies to be addressed.
Follow-up testing during treatment allows precision monitoring of hormone dosing. The goal is to optimize levels within the healthy functional range based on lab testing and symptom resolution.
Key Takeaways:
While hormone therapy has been utilized for decades, the methods and modalities available today are more innovative, convenient, and personalized than ever before.
The custom compounded bioidentical hormones offered at Thrive Hormone Therapy provide unmatched precision and quality:
In addition to traditional tablets and capsules, advanced delivery methods allow greater convenience:
Hormone levels need to be monitored throughout treatment and dosages adjusted accordingly. This ensures optimal balance is maintained long-term.
Key Takeaways
If lab testing confirms a hormone deficiency, bioidentical hormone therapy may be an excellent treatment option. Here is an overview of what to expect when getting started:
Work with a qualified provider focused specifically on hormone therapy and optimization. Anti-aging and regenerative medicine clinics offer the proper testing, medications, and ongoing support.
Get baseline blood work done to accurately assess hormone levels. This includes sex hormones, thyroid hormones, stress hormones and key biomarkers.
Your practitioner will design a customized bioidentical hormone therapy protocol catered to your lab results, symptoms, health history and treatment goals.
Follow your practitioner's protocol for taking bioidentical hormones. This may involve oral capsules, sublingual drops, gels, pellets or other modalities tailored to your needs.
Get follow up lab work done at regular intervals (e.g. 6 weeks, 3 months etc.) to ensure optimal hormone balance is achieved and maintained long-term via dosage adjustments.
Beginning bioidentical HRT is a step-by-step process best guided by a specialist. The rewards are well worth the investment for your health and wellbeing!
Key Takeaways:
Maria is a 48-year-old woman who struggled through years of worsening menopause symptoms including hot flashes, insomnia, weight gain, and plummeting energy levels.
"No matter what I tried - supplements, diet changes, exercise - NOTHING helped my symptoms. I felt irritable, distracted, and utterly exhausted 24/7. My sex drive tanked and I started feeling like an old woman, not the vibrant, active person I once was."
After an initial consultation and hormone panel testing, Maria was found to have severely low estrogen and progesterone as well as suboptimal thyroid and adrenal function.
She was started on a personalized regimen of bioidentical estrogen, progesterone and thyroid hormone to gently bring her levels back up into the optimal range.
Within 6 weeks, she reported:
"I cannot believe the difference balanced hormones have made in my quality of life! I feel like myself again - the symptoms that were stealing my health and vitality have virtually disappeared. Friends keep asking me if I've done something different because I look so refreshed and glowing!"
"Thanks to bioidentical hormone therapy, I feel 20 years younger. I only wish I'd done this sooner!" Maria says.
There are many myths and misconceptions surrounding bioidentical hormone therapy. Here we separate fact from fiction:
| Myth | Fact |
|---|---|
| "Bioidentical hormones are completely risk free" | As with any medication, there are always risks involved with using bioidentical hormones, especially with improper dosing, delivery method etc. However, they demonstrate an excellent safety profile when prescribed and monitored correctly under doctor supervision. |
| "Bioidentical hormones are weaker and less effective than anabolic steroids or synthetic hormones." | This is completely false. Expertly-compounded bioidentical hormones are exceptionally effective at balancing hormones when dosed properly. In fact, their identical molecular structure often makes them more potent than synthetic or analog hormones. |
| "Compounded bioidentical hormones are untested". | This is misleading. All bioidentical hormones themselves have undergone extensive testing for safety and efficacy and have been FDA approved in their isolated form. What's different is that the combinations and strengths are customized for each individual. |
| "The risks are the same as synthetic hormone replacement". | Numerous studies have shown favorable differences in safety profiles between bioidentical and synthetic hormones. Bioidenticals demonstrate fewer risks as long as hormone levels are maintained within optimal ranges based on testing. |
| "Blood, saliva and urine tests are all equally effective for measuring hormone levels". | While convenient, salivary and urinary hormone testing can be highly variable and less accurate. Serum blood testing via LC/MS-MS is considered the clinical gold standard for accuracy and reproducibility. |
Key Takeaways:
While bioidentical hormone therapy provides immense health and wellness benefits, optimal results are only achieved by combining it with a healthy lifestyle plan.
Here are 5 key areas to address:
Follow an anti-inflammatory diet high in produce, lean proteins, healthy fats with reduced sugar intake. Support gut health with fermented foods. Stay hydrated with purified water.
Take quality supplements like fish oil, vitamin D3, zinc, magnesium, probiotics etc. based on lab testing. Nutrient therapy optimizes hormones.
Chronic stress raises cortisol which opposes proper thyroid, reproductive and growth hormone function. Practice meditation, yoga, etc. to chill out.
Inactivity causes hormonal imbalance and muscle loss over time. Aim for 4-5 light weight training sessions and 2-3 cardio workouts weekly.
Poor sleep sabotages metabolic and neuroendocrine health. Follow good sleep hygiene with 7-9 hour/nightly target. Consider melatonin if needed.
Making positive lifestyle upgrades while undergoing bioidentical HRT maximizes therapeutic results. We encourage all of our patients to invest time and effort into their self-care habits for optimal wellness on all levels - body, mind and spirit.
Balancing key hormones via bioidentical testosterone therapy and lifestyle upgrades provides immense benefits for men:
Especially as men age, supporting healthy testosterone levels enhances male health and virility through the decades.
Bioidentical hormones don't just make you feel better day-to-day. Optimizing hormones can slow aging processes and extend healthspan - our quality years of life.
Balancing hormones significantly decreases vulnerability to illness and chronic diseases that spike in older populations like cancer, diabetes, neurodegeneration and cardiovascular disorders.
Telomeres cap our DNA strands and shorten each cell division. Maintaining youthful hormone levels preserves telomere length, extending cellular vitality.
Hormones drive hundreds of regenerative processes related to healing, circulation, muscle retention, bone density, oxygen utilization, libido and much more
By supporting our body's innate anti-aging, self-renewal capabilities with cutting-edge medical techniques, we can prolong our health, function and lifespans. Balanced bioidentical hormone replacement plays a pivotal role in the longevity equation.
Bioidentical hormone therapy is a safe, effective and customizable treatment for restoring hormonal balance and optimizing overall health and wellbeing. By precisely evaluating hormonal status through testing and symptoms, practitioners can design personalized bioidentical hormone regimens to address each patient's unique needs.
With a wide range of delivery methods, follow-up testing, and dosage adjustments, Thrive Hormone Therapy provides fully tailored bioidentical hormone therapy to achieve ideal hormone levels long-term. When combined with a supportive lifestyle, bioidentical HRT can revitalize energy, cognition, sexual vitality, body composition, and overall quality of life for both men and women.
Beyond enhancing day-to-day wellness, balanced bioidentical hormones promote anti-aging mechanisms that reduce disease risk, extend telomeres, and support a healthier physiology. As part of a proactive and preventative approach to healthcare, bioidentical hormone optimization is a foundational component of the longevity equation.
If you are experiencing symptoms of hormonal imbalance or deficiency, consider scheduling a
