Bioidentical hormones are identical in molecular structure to the hormones naturally produced in the human body. As we age, hormone levels decline causing undesirable symptoms. Replacing depleted hormones with bioidentical versions can help restore optimal balance, improving quality of life.
Bioidentical hormones used for therapy include estrogen, progesterone, testosterone, DHEA, thyroid hormone, melatonin, and growth hormone among others. They are custom-compounded in a lab from plant sources to match the body’s natural hormones exactly.
Benefits of bioidentical hormone therapy include:
Bioidentical hormones can be delivered via skin creams, sublingual drops/tablets, pellet implants, injectable solutions, oral capsules, vaginal inserts, and more depending on the hormone. Working with an experienced bioidentical hormone doctor provides optimal and individualized therapy.
We will explore key hormones in depth along with their age-related decline, deficiency symptoms, and treatment options focusing specifically on what Harmony Hormone Clinic offers residents in Joplin.
Estrogen and progesterone are pivotal to a woman’s health. Imbalances contribute significantly to menopause discomfort and long term issues like osteoporosis, heart disease, and cognition decline.
Estrogen levels plummet during perimenopause and menopause leading to hot flashes, night sweats, vaginal dryness, irregular periods, trouble sleeping, anxiety, depression, weight gain, low libido, bladder issues, and loss of skin elasticity. Estrogen deficiency also negatively impacts heart health, bone density, cholesterol levels, insulin sensitivity, and neurological function.
Bioidentical estrogen comes in many different forms including estriol (E3), estradiol (E2) and estrone (E1). At Harmony Hormone Clinic, we often use BiEst which is a blend of E2 and E3 as it closely mimics the natural mix of estrogens in a woman’s body. Based on lab testing and symptoms, this can be adjusted to suit individual needs.
Delivered via creams, patches, pellets, or injectable estradiol valerate, patients report excellent relief of hot flashes, night sweats, and vulvovaginal atrophy helping them feel like themselves again.
Progesterone works synergistically with estrogen to regulate the menstrual cycle and support gestation during childbearing years. After menopause, progesterone levels decline upsetting the delicate balance between estrogen and progesterone.
Symptoms of progesterone deficiency mirror estrogen deficiency - hot flashes, night sweats, trouble sleeping, low libido, anxiety, depression, and more. Progesterone also has a key role in bone remodeling and cardiovascular function.
Bioidentical micronized progesterone helps counter the undesirable effects of estrogen decline/dominance. At Harmony Hormone Clinic, we compound progesterone capsules and creams to match physiological needs over the menstrual cycle improving PMS, peri/menopause, and supporting bone and heart health longterm.
Testosterone plays a substantial role in female health that is often overlooked. Levels peak in the 20s/30s declining steadily over time. Low testosterone contributes to low libido, fatigue, weight gain, memory issues, poor muscle tone, bone loss, heart disease, and depression.
Despite being considered a “male” hormone, testosterone is essential for women’s health and wellbeing throughout the lifespan. Even small increases make a noticeable difference helping women feel strong, energetic, and sexually vibrant.
At Harmony Hormone Clinic, we offer testosterone pellet implants and compounded testosterone creams/gels. These bioidentical delivery methods help enhance mood, cognition, muscle mass, motivation, libido, and pleasure safely without masculinization.
Testosterone is the primary sex hormone in males with levels peaking during adolescence/early adulthood then gradually declining approximately 1% per year from age 30 onward. This steady drop causes “andropause” - the gradual male equivalent of menopause.
Symptoms include:
Testosterone deficiency also negatively impacts lipid profiles raising CVD risk, reduces hematocrit concentration increasing anemia risk, and decreases bone mineral density contributing to osteoporosis longterm.
At Harmony Hormone Clinic, we offer pharmaceutical grade injectable testosterone cypionate and testosterone enanthate. Injections every 7-14 days restore physiological levels improving symptoms, health, and quality of life. We also provide Anastrazole to block excess estrogen conversion keeping ratios optimal.
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 compared to conventional hormone therapy.
The thyroid hormones T3/T4 regulate metabolism in nearly every cell supporting growth, development, and wellbeing. Even small deficiencies cause substantial symptoms - cold intolerance, constipation, weight gain, fatigue, muscle weakness, dry skin, hair loss, impaired cognition, and mood disorders. For women, low thyroid also contributes to heavy, painful, irregular periods and fertility issues.
Overt hypothyroidism requires lifelong synthetic T4 (levothyroxine) to resolve symptoms. However, some patients treated within “normal” lab reference ranges still struggle which indicates tissue level deficiency at the cellular level. We call this “functional” or “subclinical” hypothyroidism - patients have vague, hard to diagnose complaints and frustration relief can be complicated.
At Harmony Hormone Clinic, we offer complete thyroid labs plus clinical evaluation for functional hypothyroidism and customize compounded thyroid hormone including T3/T4 ratios to resolve residual issues. Restored metabolism and cellular energy relieves frustrating lingering symptoms that diminished quality of life.
Age related hormone decline contributes profoundly to undesirable symptoms that disrupt wellbeing and health span - increased BMI/body fat, inflammation, insulin resistance, hypertension, atherosclerosis, impaired immunity, arthritis, and congestive heart failure. If left untreated, consequences accumulate causing rapid aging, disease risk, and reduced longevity.
However, clinical experience confirms restoring optimal hormone balance safely significantly reduces morbidity reclaiming health and quality lifespan. People report feeling decades younger - vibrant, motivated and active with pain free mobility, sharp cognition, emotional stability, passionate vitality plus lower disease and cancer risk long term.
We encourage testing hormone levels wheneverfeeling “off ” with vague unrelenting symptoms. Treatment options like bioidentical hormone therapy offer solutions that for some will add years back to life. Harmony Hormone Clinic provides cutting edge therapies that help people enjoy living again instead of just existing.
Why Choose Harmony Hormone Clinic Bioidentical HRT Clinic?
Practical Information
Comprehensive lab analysis is crucial for accurately assessing patient hormone levels and biomarkers plus identifying risks, deficiencies and dysfunction. This establishes objective baselines guiding precise individualized therapies.
We utilize advanced specialty labs providing more expansive, sensitive data than standard commercial labs. For patient convenience, we coordinate required labs drawn locally before your initial appointment to accelerate the precision medicine process. Confidential results will be reviewed in depth during your first consult.
At a minimum, our “Youth Health Panel” includes:
Understanding your current hormone physiology is key to solving undesirable symptomsguided by science not speculation. We oversee required labs then provide thorough patient education to establish healthy foundations enabling your best life!
After comprehensive diagnostics, Harmony Hormone Clinic custom formulates treatment regimens tailored to each patient’s unique physiology and lifestyle using various bioidentical delivery methods:
Hormonal Creams - Transdermal creams absorb best in thin skinned regions rotating sites to maximize assimilation balancing blood levels. Easy to adjust dosing makes creams ideal for peri/menopause while the skin receipt stimulates collagen benefits. Creams may contain one or a blend of bioidentical estrogens, progesterone, testosterone, DHEA.
Injections – Delivered subcutaneously or intramuscularly depending on hormone type, injections offer extended release balancing hormones for 1-2 weeks. Testosterone via injection avoids potential liver toxicity of oral forms. Pellet implants placed under the hip skin sustain consistent testosterone for months convenient for those wanting few office visits.
Sublingual Drops – Hormones like progesterone, DHEA and melatonin are well absorbed directly into the bloodstream via mucus membranes in the mouth avoiding first pass liver metabolism similar to nitroglycerin.
Oral Capsules - Micronized progesterone, DHEA and melatonin are effectively absorbed orally in oil based soft gels best taken before bed.
Vaginal Inserts - Localized ultra low dose estriol or testosterone effectively treats vulvovaginal atrophy and associated sexual discomfort without systemic effects.
Pellets – Bioidentical estrogens or testosterone compounded into tiny rods are placed under the skin of the hip every 3-5 months releasing steady pre-programmed doses of hormones. Pellets avoid spikes/valleys of gels/patches enabling convenient long term therapy.
Patches & Rings– Transdermal patches transfer bioidentical estrogen/progesterone across the skin in consistent doses changed out twice weekly. Vaginal rings provide ultra low concentration of estrogen directly to vaginal tissues for several months to relieve atrophic symptoms.
After years of experience and patient feedback, we have extensive evidence determining what therapy delivery methods work best long term for each unique clinical scenario. Follow up blood tests ensure dosing remains ideal – not over, not under – to alleviate troublesome symptoms enhancing day to day health span.
Implementing positive lifestyle habits provides the best opportunity for hormone therapy to deliver transformative results:
Harmony Hormone Clinic also offers adjunct therapies like PEMF, vibration plates, red light therapy to amplify benefits. Consistently adopting positive lifestyle habits makes hormone optimization increasingly impactful - you feel progressively healthier, years younger plus authentically express your best self!
Joplin offers wonderful amenities to support healthy living during your transformative hormone therapy journey including:
Treating hormone deficiencies and imbalances with bioidentical therapy tailored to the individual using optimal delivery methods – we help patients resolve often multiple undesirable symptoms to reclaim their performance edge and passion for living.
By accurately diagnosing and correcting depleted hormones causative of “feeling off”-- poor sleep, low energy, emotional swings, brain fog, stiff joints--our pioneering protocols ignite lowered potential expanding practical health span so people enjoy life vigorously as long as possible.
We invite you to explore further how Harmony Hormone Clinic’ personalized precision medicine would benefit your unique situation. Please contact our friendly staff with any questions on services offered or to schedule new patient appointments.
