Bioidentical hormone replacement therapy (BHRT) can help both men and women find relief from unpleasant symptoms caused by hormonal imbalance. Horizon Hormone Therapy in Wheeling offers customized bioidentical hormone treatment plans to help patients feel their best. Read on to learn all about the benefits of BHRT and what you can expect from treatment at our clinic.
Bioidentical hormone replacement therapy (BHRT) involves using hormones that are molecularly identical to those naturally produced by the human body. This differs from traditional hormone replacement, which uses synthetic hormones. At Horizon Hormone Therapy, we specialize in prescribing bioidentical hormones to bring your levels back into balance.
When your hormone levels drop due to aging or other factors, you may start to feel foggy, irritable, fatigued, and simply not your usual self. Restoring optimal hormone levels can result in renewed mental clarity, increased energy, more restful sleep, and an overall improved sense of wellbeing.
There are a few key advantages that bioidentical hormones have over their synthetic counterparts:
Overall, bioidentical hormones tend to fit seamlessly into the body’s delicate hormonal orchestra. Our specialized providers stay up to date on all the latest research to create treatment plans using the most physiologically friendly hormone preparations possible.
Before exploring the specifics of bioidentical hormone replacement, let’s go over some background on why balancing hormones matters in the first place.
Hormone levels that are too high or too low can negatively impact nearly every bodily system. Some of the key signs that your hormones may be out of whack include:
Mood changes like increased irritability, anxiety, sadness, or general emotional instability
Sleep disruptions making you tired despite adequate rest
Weight fluctuations that are difficult to control
Cognitive fog impacting your memory, focus and concentration
Low libido causing relationship strain
Hot flashes and night sweats disrupting sleep
Fatigue/low energy making it tough to complete your usual tasks
If any of those symptoms ring a bell, BHRT may help get you back on track! Schedule a consultation at Horizon Hormone Therapy to explore whether treatment is right for you. Identifying and addressing a hormonal imbalance early on can prevent long term effects on your quality of life.
You may be wondering - why consider bioidentical hormone replacement therapy specifically at our clinic?
There are a few key reasons Horizon Hormone Therapy stands out from other providers:
Ultimately our goal is to help you look, feel and live your absolute best. We’re confident in our ability tocreate custom BHRT treatment plans that produce lifechanging results.
If you decide to pursue bioidentical hormone replacement therapy (BHRT) at Horizon Hormone Therapy, you can expect exceptional care throughout each step of the treatment process. Here’s an overview of what you can anticipate:
Your treatment journey starts with a comprehensive one-on-one consultation. We’ll review your signs, symptoms, medical history, and lifestyle to help determine if BHRT is right for you. If we believe you’re a candidate, we’ll order key lab tests to pinpoint any specific hormone imbalances.
Hormone levels fluctuate frequently throughout the day. To get an accurate baseline reading, we’ll have you complete diagnostic lab work first thing in the morning when levels are most stable. Testing typically involves bloodwork and may include saliva tests.
We’ll assess critical hormones including:
Testing gives us objective data to analyze when crafting your individualized treatment plan. We’ll call to review results and next steps once the labs are complete.
After assessing your diagnostic labs, clinical history, and symptoms, your provider will determine the ideal bioidentical hormone therapy regimen to help you regain balance and optimal function.
Hormones like testosterone and estrogen may be prescribed in pill form, as creams, via injection or through sublingual drops or troches that dissolve under the tongue.
For thyroid hormone imbalances, synthetic T4 medication is bioidentical, so we may prescribe brands like Synthroid or generics containing pure thyroxine. The goal is restoring levels within an optimal range.
We’ll teach you precisely how and when to properly administer your bioidentical hormones to achieve stable blood levels. Convenience and ease of use are important tosupport compliance.
Hormone therapy requires an ongoing partnership between patient and practitioner. We’ll schedule frequent follow up visits and lab work to ensure your treatment plan remains optimized as you age or life circumstances change.
Making small but impactful dosage tweaks at critical time points is key to maintaining ideal hormone balance long term. We consider follow up and adjustments just as integral to the treatment process as the initial diagnosis and prescription.
At Horizon Hormone Therapy, we’re committed to tracking your hormone levels and progress carefully over months and years to come. We’ll be here to provide exceptional care and continual adjustments throughout your bioidentical hormone replacement therapy journey.
We touched briefly on the types of hormones we often focus treatment plans around including estrogen, testosterone and thyroid. Let’s explore the specifics of optimizing each key hormone in a bit more detail.
Bioidentical hormones are not necessarily safer or more effective than synthetic hormones for menopausal symptoms. However, some women report preferring them because they more closely mimic the body's natural hormones. More research is still needed to fully understand the risks and benefits.
In both men and women, balanced testosterone levels are essential to energy, sex drive, lean muscle mass retention and emotional wellbeing.
Testosterone levels start declining around age 30. Low testosterone (medically termed “hypogonadism”) has escalated to epidemic proportions impacting a staggering 40-50% of men over 50. Androgen deficiency becomes increasingly common in women over 40 as well.
Symptoms of low testosterone span physical and psychological realms including:
Testosterone replacement therapy (TRT) can reverse this descent, restoring vibrancy and strength literally from cellular and tissue levels upward.
With treatment men remark feeling “on top of the world” with mental clarity and energy they haven’t experienced in years. Libido rebounds and erectile dysfunction resolves allowing passionate intimacy once again. Renewed motivation inspires getting back in shape and dropping extra weight.
Women undergoing testosterone replacement similarly report better mood, motivation and an emerging inner confidence and glow. Sexual enjoyment heightens embodied pleasure. Enhanced lean muscle mass spikes metabolic rate to torch excess fat.
Horizon Hormone Therapy specializes in advanced TRT protocols personalized for your physiology and lifestyle utilizing testosterone gels, pellets and injections to optimize absorption. We also incorporate comprehensive testing, cutting edge hormone balancing agents and proven integrative therapies to amplify benefits.
Through precise restorative treatment, both men and women can reclaim peak performance, confidence and offers exceptional regenerative care through customized testosterone optimization.
Estrogen keeps practically all physiological processes humming smoothly in the female body from reproduction, brain function, heart and bone health to emotional regulation and body weight control.
Sufficient estrogen also minimizes unpleasant menopause symptoms like hot flashes, insomnia, osteoporosis, mood swings, stress urinary incontinence, and vaginal atrophy.
However, at menopause (around age 50) estrogen falls dramatically resulting in the troublesome vasomotor issues and degeneration plaguing women at midlife and beyond.
An estimated 6,000 women enter menopause daily in the US. This translates to over 2 million women annually becoming dependent upon external estradiol supplementation to remain functional, comfortable and healthy.
Unfortunately, traditional hormone replacement therapy only treats the menopause symptoms of estrogen deficiency. For most women it fails to directly restore optimal estradiol levels to sustain vitality as they age.
At Horizon Hormone Therapy, we dig deeper - measuring your individual estrogen and hormone levels with precision down to a picogram level. We formulate fully personalized bioidentical estrogen creams precisely calibrated to balance your unique physiology.
Custom bioidentical estrogen regeneration can not only resolve hot flashes, brain fog and bone loss, but promote high level wellness and disease prevention well into your 70’s and 80’s. Experience renewed energy and passion for life through rebalancing your estradiol with bioidentical hormone therapy at Horizon Hormone Therapy.
Progesterone opposes estrogen in a delicate synchronized rhythm within the female body. At menopause, waning progesterone aggravates falling estrogen levels.
Failing progesterone presents unpleasant symptoms like insomnia, anxiety, severe PMS, susceptibility to stress, heavy periods, fibroids, ovarian cysts and even breast cancer risk.
Adequate progesterone is also essential to stabilizing the uterine lining and priming the body for pregnancy. Thus, low progesterone disrupts menstrual cycling causing light/absent periods, mid-cycle spotting and even infertility.
Additionally, progesterone enhances brain function promoting neurotransmitters linked with positive mood, impulse control and peacefulness.
Customized progesterone replacement through oral tablets, transdermal creams or suppositories restores emotional balance, comfort and confidence for women throughout perimenopause and beyond menopause.
Bioidentical progesterone reestablishes hormonal harmony, regular menstrual cycles and even lends powerful cancer protective and anti-aging effects.
Horizon Hormone Therapy optimizes progesterone level to balance other key hormones, alleviate symptoms, support fertility and promote vitality at any age.
Your thyroid regulates metabolism, energy level, body temperature, heart rate, digestion, brain function, mood and much more. It controls the functioning of almost every cell in your body. Your thyroid even impacts the aging process itself!
However, few people recognize developing thyroid imbalance resulting in widespread under diagnosis and undertreatment of the condition.
A shocking 25 million Americans unknowingly suffer the debilitating symptoms of low thyroid function (hypothyroidism) and many millions more remain misdiagnosed and mismanaged with ineffective treatment.
Hypothyroidism develops gradually with vague nonspecific symptoms like fatigue, brain fog, dry skin, constipation, weight gain, muscle aches, hair loss and susceptibility to cold. Due to the slow onset, many simply write off these annoyances as normal aging.
Eventually without adequate thyroid supplementation severely low thyroid causes low body temperature, fluid retention, high cholesterol, systemic inflammation, accelerated heart disease and loss of ovulation leading to infertility and even miscarriage.
At Horizon Hormone Therapy, we identify mild thyroid deficiency early often before symptoms fully develop to halt progression and disability. We customize treatment using sustained release thyroid supplementation beyond standard care.
Hormone deficiency can develop slowly without overt symptoms until health and quality of life suddenly seem to unravel. Don’t write things off as just aging!
Getting tested and pursuing treatment early provides the best opportunity to get back on track before impact compounds over months and years.
Through precision assessment, customized bioidentical hormone balancing and proactive follow up care - Horizon Hormone Therapy in Wheeling optimizes hormone function for restored zest, strength and joyful living at any age.
We also help patients modify supporting lifestyle factors like nutrition, movement, stress reduction and toxin avoidance to amplify and sustain hormone therapy benefits long term.
Below are a few key lifestyle modifications to support your hormone treatment success:
Nutrition - An anti-inflammatory diet lower in sugars, refined grains and processed foods stabilizes hormones and amplifies energy. We provide a Micronutrient Miracle Plan to correct deficiencies and optimize wellness.
Functional fitness - Continue cardio but also incorporate strength training, core engagement, stretching and balance exercises. Check out LifeSpan Fitness Center and Wheeling Country Club.
Stress moderation - From meditation, massage and nature immersion to fun hobbies and social connection, regularly engage in relaxing activities. High adrenaline perpetuates low hormones.
Toxin reduction - Limit plastics and canned goods that leach hormone disrupting chemicals. Opt for glass food storage and natural beauty/cleaning products.
Paying attention to nutrition, movement, stress and environmental exposures provides a launching pad for bioidentical hormones to restore vibrancy. Contact Horizon Hormone Therapy today to further discuss lifestyle approaches that mesh well with your therapy.
We hope this guide offered you valuable information regarding bioidentical hormone replacement therapy and why Horizon Hormone Therapy in Wheeling provides ideal treatment options to help you regain optimal hormonal balance.
Please reach out with any additional questions! Our friendly staff looks forward to helping you look and feel your absolute best by regaining your peak hormone levels.
