The human body relies on a complex network of hormones to regulate critical bodily functions and maintain good health. As we age or due to certain medical conditions, these hormone levels can become imbalanced or depleted, leading to potentially serious symptoms that negatively impact quality of life.
Bioidentical hormone replacement therapy (BHRT) involves supplementing the body with lab-made hormones that are molecularly identical to those naturally produced in the body. This helps restore optimal hormone levels, thereby alleviating unpleasant symptoms of deficiency and promoting better health.
At Balance Health Clinic in Concord, we specialize in customized BHRT programs to help both men and women recover from hormone imbalance issues. Keep reading to learn more about common hormone deficiencies, BHRT benefits, what to expect from treatment, and why Balance Health Clinic is the best choice for hormone therapy in Concord.
Some of the most frequently treated hormone deficiencies include:
Note that multiple hormone deficiencies commonly overlap in mature adults. Our experienced physicians order the appropriate blood tests to accurately diagnose any imbalances. We then develop fully customized treatment plans to restore health and vitality using bioidentical hormones.
Unlike conventional synthetic hormones, bioidentical hormones:
This all translates into better safety, tolerance, and clinical outcomes from bioidentical HRT.
The first step is diagnostic bloodwork and medical assessment to confirm a hormone deficiency and rule out other possible causes for your symptoms.
Next, our physicians determine the optimal bioidentical hormone formulations and dosage via compounding. The process can take some time to methodically adjust and fine-tune your regimen based on follow-up testing and symptom monitoring.
Rest assured that managing hormone therapy is what we specialize in at Balance Health Clinic in Concord. Our providers are experts at getting patients stabilized on the right bioidentical hormones to finally feel like themselves again.
Most patients start noting an improvement in many bothersome symptoms within the first few weeks. The full benefits continue building over the first few months of treatment, including:
What sets Balance Health Clinic apart is our compassionate, attentive approach focused on optimal outcomes through:
We partner with each patient to ensure their treatment plan remains effective long term. Contact us today to start your journey towards better health with expert bioidentical hormone replacement in Concord!
Accurately assessing hormone levels through comprehensive blood testing is critical for determining if BHRT may help resolve troublesome symptoms.
At Balance Health Clinic, we use advanced diagnostic labs to check many key hormone and metabolic markers including:
- TSH - Free T3 and free T4 - Reverse T3 and thyroid antibodies
- Cortisol (multiple timepoints) - DHEA-S
- Lipid panel - HbA1c - C-reactive protein - Nutrient/mineral analysis
- IGF-1, PSA, SHBG, Vitamin D, and more
These provide invaluable objective data to thoroughly identify any imbalances or suboptimal hormone activity behind nagging symptoms.
We pay particular attention to the interplay between different hormones and downstream impacts they may have. Addressing only one area often is not enough, given the intrinsic feedback loops within the endocrine system.
That is why approximately 75% of our patients present with multiple hormone abnormalities. Our physicians adeptly piece together the big picture and how each deficiency connects to drive symptoms. We then custom-formulate combination bioidentical therapy accordingly.
At follow-up appointments, we recheck vitals along with hormone and metabolic labs to ensure levels optimize in proper balance. This ability to regularly monitor progress and make precise dosage tweaks sets Balance Health Clinic apart.
We also provide ongoing patient education every step of the way - explaining what diagnostic results mean, how custom hormones work, what lifestyle habits support HRT, and more. Our goal is to empower patients with a deeper understanding of hormone health.
The right bioidentical hormone therapy regimen is highly personalized at our Concord clinic. Custom compounding allows for great flexibility to match unique patient needs and lab work instead of the "one-size-fits-all" approach with conventional hormone replacement.
We start with pure plant-based hormones that manufacturers extract and convert into bioidentical compounds. The most common precursor molecules derive from:
These all have molecular structures nearly identical to human hormones. They get further processed in a lab for precision.
We work with specialty compounding pharmacies that expertly alter these bioidentical hormones into varying strengths and combinations. This allows catering dosage, delivery method and ingredients specifically to each patient's biochemistry, symptoms, and treatment goals.
For example, a woman needing help for menopause symptoms may benefit from a tri-estrogen cream with mainly estriol plus smaller amounts of estradiol and estrone. Or a postmenopausal woman with osteoporosis may do better on an oral progesterone capsule with estrogen added in.
Meanwhile, men deficient in testosterone often use a scrotal cream containing both testosterone and DHEA for optimizing androgen activity.
These examples illustrate just a fraction of the unlimited formulation potential when custom-blending bioidentical hormones.
Compounded bioidentical hormones also feature numerous dosage forms, including:
Balance Health Clinic physicians determine the ideal delivery methods for your customized compounds based on your needs and preferences. We can artfully combine modalities as well for optimal restoring and balancing hormone levels.
Creams provide more steady levels while yielding low metabolite byproducts. Oral dosing offers convenient standardization but involves more liver processing. Pellet implants and shots sustain extended hormone release but lack the ability for frequent fine-tuning.
Finding the right fit for the patient both medically and lifestyle-wise is key for compliance and treatment success. Our staff remains available to help troubleshoot questions or problems should they emerge during therapy.
Bioidentical hormones are not necessarily safer or more effective than synthetic hormones for menopause symptoms. Blood levels of bioidentical estrogen can vary widely day-to-day unlike standard doses of synthetic estrogen. More research is needed on long-term safety and effectiveness.
Bioidentical hormone therapy works best as part of a comprehensive approach also integrating prudent nutrition, exercise, stress reduction, targeted nutrient support and other positive health strategies.
Balance Health Clinic physicians provide science-based diet and lifestyle guidance as part of our patient care emphasis on the integrative principles of functional/anti-aging medicine.
We partner closely with local registered dieticians, personal trainers, physical therapists, massage therapists, acupuncturists and mental health counselors. This allows us to make personalized referrals to reputable complementary practitioners that reinforce customized protocols.
Below we highlight helpful diet tips and local wellness resources to better support your hormone balancing efforts with BHRT:
We provide personalized nutrition plans and suggest working with registered dieticians locally like:
Cultivating positive lifestyle habits and community connections potentiates the benefits of our expert bioidentical hormone replacement therapy! Contact Balance Health Clinic in Concord to learn more and get started.
