Hormones are crucial chemical messengers that regulate many processes in the body. When hormone levels become too high or too low, you may experience symptoms like fatigue, weight gain, low libido, and mood changes. This indicates a hormone imbalance that should be addressed.
At Balance Hormone Clinic in North Wilkesboro, we specialize in customized hormone therapy to help both men and women regain optimal hormone levels and feel their best again. Keep reading to learn more about common hormone imbalances we treat and how hormone replacement can help.
The main hormones that become imbalanced, especially with aging, include:
Symptoms of a hormone deficit can seriously impact your quality of life. Ask yourself:
If you answered yes to any of these questions, imbalanced hormones may be to blame.
The good news is that hormone therapy can help reverse all these concerns so you feel healthy, energetic and youthful again! Our expert physicians will pinpoint exactly which hormones you need more or less of to restore balance.
Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) involves supplementing your body with bioidentical hormones to mimic the optimal levels you had in early adulthood.
Unlike synthetic hormones, these completely natural hormones have the same molecular structure as the ones your body produces. This allows them to bind properly to hormone receptors and mimic exactly how your peak hormones functioned.
Many adults over 35 start producing fewer critical hormones like testosterone, thyroid, DHEA and growth hormone. This gradual decline causes unwanted symptoms that hormone optimization therapy can improve.
Both men and women can benefit tremendously from HRT under medical supervision. It is not just for women or menopausal women. We provide customized treatment plans based on your unique hormone blood tests and needs.
Some key benefits of HRT include:
In short, balanced hormones keep you looking fit, feeling mentally sharp and upbeat, and functioning at full capacity day after day.
Like any medical therapy, HRT does come with some risks like:
However, these risks are small at the low doses we prescribe and mainly apply if you already have underlying health conditions. Our physicians carefully screen patients to ensure those at high risk are not prescribed hormone therapy.
Talk to your doctor about whether hormone optimization is suitable for your unique health status. For most patients under 65, the extensive benefits clearly outweigh potential side effects.
At Balance Hormone Clinic, advanced hormone blood tests are the foundation for all treatment plans. Testing allows us to accurately assess which hormones you need more or less of.
Every person’s hormone needs are highly individualized based on:
Without knowing exactly which hormones are out of balance through blood, saliva or urine tests, any treatment attempts would be mere guesswork.
We use cutting-edge diagnostic testing to remove all guessing, saving you time, money and frustration. Our physicians then interpret all your hormone biomarkers to create a personalized optimization plan.
Follow-up testing occurs periodically to ensure your levels stay balanced long-term. We make all dosage adjustments based firmly on your latest lab results rather than speculation.
Hormone testing panels can include any of the following depending on your symptoms:
Testing any of the above provides tremendous insights into what is causing bothersome symptoms so we can customize your treatment plan accordingly.
Do not hesitate to ask us about testing if you are not feeling your best lately! Identifying deficiencies early makes treatment easier than waiting until multiple hormones drop to suboptimal levels.
While hormone imbalance occurs in both men and women, low testosterone particularly devastates men’s vitality, health and quality of life.
Let’s discuss common reasons men need hormone replacement therapy (HRT):
Andropause refers to declining testosterone as part of the natural aging process, similar to menopause in women. It can start in some men as early as age 35.
Gradual testosterone decline causes many nagging concerns like low energy, weight gain (especially abdominal fat), loss of muscle mass and strength, reduced endurance, low libido and sexual function, mood issues like irritability and depression, poor sleep quality, and loss of masculine physical characteristics.
Low testosterone prevalence climbs the older men get - up to 50% of 65 year old men have abnormally low levels. Nonetheless, andropause receives far less attention than female menopause.
Studies show traumatic brain injury (TBI) from events like sports concussions, motor vehicle accidents or blast injuries often severely impair pituitary and hormone function. The pituitary gland regulates all other hormone glands in the body, so damage causes an array of deficiency symptoms. TBI-induced hormone changes contribute greatly to “post-concussion syndrome.”
Likewise, strokes in critical brain regions can alter hormone production and regulation.
Serious conditions like type 2 diabetes, obesity, COPD, kidney disease, HIV and cancer often decrease testosterone over time. In turn, low testosterone worsens disease progression and quality of life regardless of age.
For patients battling chronic illness, optimizing testosterone and hormones should be standard medical care - yet it is often completely overlooked.
Many commonly prescribed drugs influence hormones:
If you take regular medication and suffer bothersome symptoms like low energy, weight gain and low libido, discuss medication-induced hormone changes with your doctor. We can often reverse them via hormone optimization therapy while you continue beneficial medications.
Hormone therapy can help transgender individuals match their physical characteristics with their gender identity. Studies show that after hormone treatment, transgender people report improvements in quality of life, lower anxiety and depression, and greater comfort with their bodies, allowing them to live more authentically.
Testosterone replacement therapy (TRT) offers life-changing benefits for low testosterone men suffering from andropause, illness, injury and side effects of essential medications.
With customized TRT, most men rapidly notice:
In addition, most men report:
In summary, TRT can completely rejuvenate your vitality, inside and out! Our skilled physicians develop customized treatment regimens using only high quality bioidentical hormones to restore peak health.
We also help transgender patients develop more masculine characteristics like deeper voice, increased body and facial hair growth, muscle definition, and male fat distribution. This greatly improves confidence and quality of life.
Women also suffer greatly from the age-related decline of key hormones like estrogen, progesterone, testosterone and DHEA.
Let’s review major reasons women pursue hormone replacement:
Perimenopause refers to the 5-10 year transitional phase leading up to menopause when estrogen levels fluctuate erratically. This erratic estrogen, combined with rising follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) levels, causes a number of concerns like:
Menopause officially occurs one year after a woman’s final menstrual cycle in her early 50’s, marking declining estrogen and progesterone production. While symptoms often improve after menopause, some persist significantly lowering quality of life without treatment.
Perimenopause and menopause hormone therapy can prevent years of suffering. Treatment choices differ based on your symptoms and health profile.
Today, safe estrogen and progesterone options exist allowing most women to treat menopause symptoms without elevating health risks. We offer both systemic and vaginal hormone preparations to target symptoms effectively.
And yes - testosterone replacement provides extensive benefits for menopausal women also!
If you are a breast cancer survivor (especially ER/PR type), we know you have extra concerns about hormone replacement safety. Not all breast cancers are the same.
Today, safer estrogen modulation options DO exist even for survivors. We stay abreast of the latest research to customize hormone plans promoting breast cancer remission instead of recurrence.
Please ask us about recent advances in hormone optimization protocols for survivors wanting relief from incapacitating menopausal symptoms without elevated risk. You deserve to feel your best after winning your battle against cancer!
Like men, chronic health conditions often deplete key hormones in women - accelerating disease progression and symptoms like pain, fatigue and mood changes.
Yet standard medical treatment overlooks replenishing hormonal losses to support healing and enhance quality of life. We can help significantly even while you undergo other necessary medical treatments!
While testosterone and estrogen therapies comprise a large part of our practice, customized treatment for other deficient hormones provides extensive benefits:
Your thyroid regulates body temperature, weight, mood, digestion, heart health and energy production. Both high (hyperthyroidism) and low (hypothyroidism) cause numerous symptoms.
We often identify and treat thyroid dysregulation misdiagnosed for years as fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue, obesity or mental illness - completely transforming patient health!
Growth hormone plummets by age 40, accelerating aging. Replacement reverses concerns like belly fat accumulation, muscle loss, thinning skin and hair, low endurance, collagen depletion (wrinkles and cellulite) and emotional fragility.
DHEA enhances exercise performance, immunity, sexual vitality, cardiovascular health, mood stability, metabolism and bone strength. Levels peak around age 30 then steadily subsist.
Melatonin regulates healthy circadian rhythm and sleep-wake cycles. Oral melatonin before bed provides extensive benefits beyond just insomnia relief for memory, metabolism, immune function and biological aging.
We offer advanced therapies for all the above hormones using highest quality preparations. Complete testing and medical examination precedes all treatment plans.
Balance Hormone Clinic stands above other hormone therapy clinics with our:
Hormone regulation involves complex interactions among the brain, glands and target organs. Only highly trained healthcare providers fully understand the intricate balance to optimize your hormones safely and effectively through testing, lifestyle strategies and medications.
Our clinic director Dr. Smith Jones, MD is dually board certified in Anti-Aging Medicine and Emergency Medicine with over 25 years optimizing hormones for men and women.
We also staff nurse practitioners and physician assistants specializing in functional, naturopathic and regenerative therapies to enhance hormonal balance.
Most medical clinics rely on BMI and conventional lab testing, overlooking serious underlying issues like disproportionate belly fat, prediabetes and sarcopenia (age-related muscle loss).
We offer advanced body composition testing using DEXA scanning technology going far beyond simple BMI. This allows us to detect hormone imbalance disease risks sooner when they are most treatable.
You want highly individualized care where your doctor listens and all questions get answered thoroughly, without feeling rushed.
We make ample time for each patient to understand concerns, explain treatment options, describe realistic expectations, answer every question - and follow-up promptly if issues later arise.
You will feel understood, validated and confident pursuing personalized treatment. We are your partners in reclaiming optimal wellness!
If you see multiple doctors, the hassle of keeping track of separate medication refills for hormone treatments can be daunting.
At Balance Hormone ClinicHormons, your dedicated patient care advocate handles all medication management and renewals for your customized hormone regimen, interfacing with your insurance provider and conveniently delivering medications right to your home on time. One less thing to keep track of!
In summary, we make hormone optimization as streamlined as possible - from testing and diagnosis through ongoing treatment and follow up.
We sincerely understand the frustration of not feeling your best physically and mentally or looking less fit despite diligent diet and exercise. Imbalanced hormones sabotage even your strictest efforts.
Yet most people needlessly suffer for years before seeking help reversing declining hormones. Don’t wait any longer!
- Do you feel as energetic, mentally sharp and healthy as you did in your 20’s and 30’s? - Are unwanted symptoms like weight gain, low libido and anxiety creeping in? - Do you want greater vitality, sexual function, endurance, immunity and emotional stability?
If you answered YES, you can benefit from hormone testing and optimization therapies.
We encourage you to
