Hormone optimization with bioidentical hormones

Fatigue

Hormone imbalances can cause fatigue and a lack of energy, which can make it difficult to perform daily tasks.

Weight gain or weight loss

Hormone imbalances can cause weight gain or weight loss, as well as difficulty losing weight.

Mood changes

Hormone imbalances can cause mood changes, such as irritability, depression and anxiety.

Insomnia

Hormone imbalances can cause insomnia or difficulty sleeping.

Hair loss or thinning

Hormone imbalances can cause hair loss or hair thinning, particularly with imbalances in androgen hormones.

Acne

Hormone imbalances can cause acne, particularly with imbalances in androgen hormones.

Digestive problems

Hormone imbalances can cause digestive problems, such as constipation or diarrhea.

Hot flashes & night sweats

Particularly with imbalances in estrogen and progesterone.

Reduced sex drive

Lower libido, for women and for men.

Creams and gels

A common method because they’re simple to use and discreet.

However, they can transfer from one person to another through contact with the area where they were applied, exposing kids, pets and partners. They also require application once or twice daily: skipped doses reduce effectiveness, and it can be hard to measure each dose and make sure the exact amount is absorbed.

Pills

Pills allow precise dosing and travel easily, but they can be inconvenient.

Most have to be taken at least once a day, and a skipped dose affects treatment. Pills also have to get through the harsh environment of the gut, so absorption is less consistent than other methods.

Patches

Patches offer “set it and forget it” convenience, but a bulky patch is hardly forgettable and can only be placed on certain areas of the body.

They don’t adhere well with water or certain fabrics, and the hormone in the patch declines toward the end of each cycle, so unwanted symptoms can return before the next patch.

Injections

A popular method for testosterone therapy. Injections enter the bloodstream directly, so absorption is highly effective, but they must be given every 7 to 10 days.

They often cause a rollercoaster effect: a surge in the days after the injection followed by declines until the next one, which can make relief short-lived. Injections can also cause discomfort, inflammation, bruising or pain at the site.

Pellets

Pellets are the preferred method of hormone replacement therapy and have grown in popularity over the last decade.

They’re placed under the skin during a short visit and deliver a steady dose for 3 to 6 months, depending on your cardiac output, sex and dose. There’s no cream to apply, pill to remember or painful injection, and this method most closely mimics the body’s natural secretion of hormones.