Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) is a treatment that replaces hormones when they are deficient due to aging or other factors. As we get older, hormone levels naturally decline, leading to unpleasant symptoms. HRT can help restore optimal levels, leading to improved wellbeing.
At Revive Wellness in Chillicothe, Illinois, we specialize in customized hormone replacement therapy to help both men and women find balance and vitality. With cutting-edge therapies and a holistic approach focused on lifestyle factors like nutrition and exercise, we empower patients to take control of their health.
The main hormones replaced in HRT are:
Thyroid and adrenal hormones may also be supplemented if testing reveals a deficiency.
The following groups can benefit from customized hormone replacement:
HRT can help mitigate bothersome symptoms associated with hormonal decline and aging. An experienced hormone specialist can determine if HRT is right for you based on symptoms, medical history, and lab testing.
Declining hormones affects every system in the body, leading to wide-ranging signs and symptoms:
Estrogen deficiency is most notable during perimenopause and menopause while progesterone starts dropping off in the late 30s. Symptoms may include:
A customized estrogen/progesterone protocol can reduce these disruptive menopausal symptoms, restoring comfort and quality of life.
In men, low testosterone or "low T" starts in the early 30s, accelerating after 50. Symptoms include:
Boosting testosterone levels through replacement therapy alleviates these symptoms of aging, helping men feel strong and vital at any age.
The thyroid gland controls metabolism. Common signs of low thyroid include:
Thyroid hormone testing can pinpoint the exact deficiency. Customized treatment returns metabolic function to an optimal state.
Catching hormone imbalance early and starting timely treatment prevents progression to more disruptive symptoms. Contact a women's hormone doctor or male hormone specialist like the professionals at Revive Wellness today.
Balancing hormones through customized bioidentical hormone replacement provides whole-body benefits:
From hot flashes to low libido, HRT alleviates years of frustration and discomfort practically overnight. Patients report life-changing relief enabling them to enjoy all aspects of life again.
Hormones affect all body systems - optimization leads to renewed energy levels, sharper thinking, positive moods, healthy sleep, and an overall sense of wellbeing.
Testosterone builds lean muscle mass in men while supporting bone health in both men and women. This leads to more strength for workouts and daily life.
Optimal hormones equate to efficient fat-burning systems. Patients lose stubborn belly fat while gaining lean, calorie-burning muscle.
Satisfying sex lives increase relationship happiness. Hormone balance restores desire and performance enabling intimacy at any age.
Balanced hormones slow cellular aging processes. Patients look and feel healthier and younger from the inside out.
When hormones are low, risk increases for obesity, diabetes, high cholesterol, heart disease, and loss of bone density. Optimizing hormones significantly reduces these risks.
With benefits spanning body, mind, and spirit, rebalancing hormones enhances both length and quality of life.
Maria, 57, came to Revive Wellness with a chief complaint of night sweats and hot flashes causing chronic sleep disruption. She also suffered from low libido, anxiety, weight gain, and lack of motivation.
Comprehensive lab testing revealed peri-menopause along with low testosterone and thyroid hormone levels. Maria began a personalized program including estrogen and testosterone creams, oral progesterone, and Nature-Throid for the thyroid.
Within 3 weeks, the night sweats and hot flashes had resolved and Maria reported feeling "reborn". She described boundless natural energy, sharp mental clarity, and a healthy sex drive for the first time in years. 10 lbs of abdominal fat melted away without dieting due to balanced metabolic hormones.
Maria told us: "I have my life back thanks to the caring professionals at Revive Wellness. My only regret is not starting treatment sooner!"
The providers at Revive Wellness medical center tailor hormone therapy to each patient's unique needs and lab results. We focus on high-quality bioidentical hormones which closely match the body's natural hormones for superior safety and results.
The first steps when providing customized hormone therapy include:
Comprehensive Lab Testing: Diagnosing deficiencies requires checking levels of sex hormones, metabolic hormones, stress hormones, nutrients, and markers of cardiovascular risk and inflammation. Revive Wellness utilizes leading specialty labs for gold-standard accuracy.
Patients fill out detailed questionnaires on symptoms and medical history. Providers conduct comprehensive physical exams assessing areas like excess body fat distribution, hair loss, and muscle wasting.
Personalized Treatment Plans: The practitioner analyzes the lab data taking symptoms and health risks into account, then customizes an appropriate hormone regimen. This often includes bioidentical testosterone and/or estrogen, natural thyroid hormone, supplements to aid absorption, and medication to prevent risks if indicated.
Follow-Up Testing and Monitoring: Patients return for follow-up testing after 4-6 weeks to ensure hormones are optimized within safe ranges, adjusting dosages as needed. Most patients report significant improvement by this point. After hormones stabilize, patients stay on maintenance therapy with annual testing.
Revive Wellness medical providers choose the most convenient, effective hormone preparations tailored for each patient's needs:
Replacing deficient hormones is the first step, but lifestyle interventions amplify the benefits:
Follow an anti-inflammatory diet high in produce, lean proteins, fiber, and healthy fats. Ensure adequate intake of iron, magnesium, zinc, and vitamin D/K2 for hormonal cofactors. Limit sugar, alcohol, conventional dairy, gluten, processed carbs, and trans fats as these worsen hormone imbalance.
Gut health influences systemic hormone balance - eat probiotic foods and consider appropriate supplements if needed for digestion. Stay hydrated with 2-4 liters of filtered water daily.
Engage in HIIT workouts, resistance training, mobility work, and LISS (low-intensity steady-state) cardio for 4-6 hours weekly. This reduces cortisol, boosts testosterone utilization, stabilizes blood sugar, supports detoxification systems, promotes healthy body composition, and improves heart health.
Aim for 7-9 hours of quality sleep nightly. Optimize sleep hygiene, reduce EMF exposure, create an outfitted sleep sanctuary, and address special needs like hormone-induced night sweats or restless legs. Consider professional sleep studies if chronic issues exist.
Chronic overactivation of the hypothalamic pituitary adrenal (HPA) axis stresses hormonal pathways. Combat high cortisol through sufficient downtime, saying "no", leisure activities, improving time management skills, addressing mindset issues perpetuating anxiety, and adjuncts like meditation, float therapy, massage, nature immersion. Consider adaptogenic herbs and certain medications if high anxiety persists.
Environmental toxins, mold, heavy metals, volatile compounds off-gassed from building materials, conventional personal care products, processed foods, and medications accumulate over decades significantly impacting hormonal pathways.
Follow principles of green chemistry and green building when constructing or remodeling homes. Filter indoor air and drinking water appropriately. Consider evaluating toxin bioaccumulation through tests like fat biopsies or challenge protocols. If high levels exist, engage specialized services for safe elimination.
When hormone levels normalize and foundational lifestyle factors align into balance, patients report life-altering benefits regarding energy levels, body composition, sexual health, mood balance, motivation, stamina, mental clarity, stress resilience, metabolic efficiency, chronic inflammation, rate of telomere shortening, epigenetic expression of DNA, and more. This translates into successfully turning back the clock 5, 10, or even 15 years in terms of looks, fitness, and function.
Men produce testosterone and other androgenic hormones in the testes which stimulate male sexual characteristics and vitality. Testosterone facilitates fat burning while building lean muscle, bolstering energy, supporting sexual function, and determining physique. "Low T" refers to abnormally low testosterone blood levels, affecting 15-30% of men over 30.
As men age, testosterone production slows about 1% per year from the 30s on. Lifestyle factors like chronic stress, obesity, and toxin overload quicken depletion rates. Low T correlates strongly with chronic disease and mortality risks.
Male hormone replacement therapy aims to restore healthy testosterone blood, brain, and cell receptor levels via gels, pellets, patches, or injections. Candidates include men experiencing bothersome symptoms of andropause and those hoping to prolong optimal aging.
Benefits of testosterone replacement therapy include:
Revive Wellness providers implement state-of-the-art testing, medications, dosing methods, and follow-up protocols for safe, effective treatment per Endocrine Society guidelines. We also emphasize nutrition, exercise, stress management, and detoxification for amplifying and prolonging the array of anti-aging benefits. With a holistic approach to men's health spanning body, mind and nutrition, our patients report feeling "20 years younger".
Many symptoms overlap with "normal aging", making accurate testing imperative. In addition to the patient questionnaire and physical exam, Revive Wellness tests total testosterone, free testosterone, estradiol, DHEA, PSA levels, Vitamin D, inflammatory markers, lipids, and hemoglobin A1C.
Results are analyzed in relation to optimal healthy ranges, not the wide "normal" lab reference ranges. For example, a 40 year old man could have a "normal" total testosterone of 500 ng/dL but still suffer low T symptoms because optimal for his age is 700-900 ng/dL. We customize therapy to the patient's needs and risks based on comprehensive data - not a one-size fits all approach.
If testing and evaluation reveal clinically low testosterone, Revive Wellness practitioners work with the patient to choose an appropriate treatment method such as:
Testosterone injections ranging from weekly to every 12 weeks effectively restore levels. We provide teaching on proper intra-muscular injection technique for home self-administration.
Testosterone gels like Androgel or Testim absorb through the skin when applied daily, entering circulation for whole-body effects. Brand, dosage, and added medications are tailored to the patient.
Some patients prefer the convenience of subcutaneous testosterone pellets implanted every 3-5 months, which provide stable release as they slowly dissolve. We counsel patients on aftercare following quick insertion into fat under local anesthesia.
HCG injections may accompany testosterone delivery to maintain testicular form and size. An anti-estrogen or DHT blocker manages side effects in some cases. Follow-up blood draws assess progress, titrating doses to optimal lab reference ranges for your age.
Lifestyle modifications like weight loss, high intensity and resistance training exercise, stress management, nutrient repletion, and toxin elimination magnify the anti-aging benefits of testosterone therapy based on Revive Wellness' specialized training in functional and regenerative medicine. Patients also report increased self-confidence, motivation, mental clarity, emotional stability, success manifestation, and an extra "driven yet laid back" edge regarding health and purpose.
Female sex hormones regulate reproductive health and systemic function. Estrogen and progesterone balance many body systems when flowing at natural ratios. Hormone imbalance manifests as irregular cycles, infertility, unpleasant perimenopause or menopause symptoms, and disease risks like osteoporosis or heart disease. Bioidentical HRT alleviates these issues.
As women age, progesterone production declines slowly until dropping sharply at menopause, while estrogen levels fluctuate wildly during the years preceding this. Some women's ovaries mint functioning hormones well into old age, but most enter menopause in their late 40s to early 50s. The hormonal impact remains the same.
Goals of estrogen and progesterone therapy
Like low testosterone therapy for men, female HRT was wrongly demonized due to studies on artificial hormones with negative health impacts.
The tide has turned in recent years with definitive research proving bioidentical estrogen and progesterone therapy is safe and effective when properly dosed and monitored.
Ideally, hormone therapy begins within 5 years of menopause onset, continuing until at least the mid-50s, or longer based on each woman's needs. When hormones decline early, such as with surgical menopause, immediate treatment remains crucial for sidestepping the increased risks of heart disease, osteoporosis, and dementia faced without replacing what the body can no longer supply.
Some key considerations:
