Hormone therapy (HT), also known as hormone replacement therapy (HRT) or hormonal therapy, involves using medications to supplement hormones when your body is not producing enough on its own. This can help alleviate unpleasant signs and symptoms of hormone deficiency and provide protective long-term health benefits.
At Renewed Balance Clinic in Lebanon, we offer cutting-edge diagnosis and treatment to help patients regain optimal hormonal balance. Keep reading to learn all about the types of hormone therapy we provide and why it's so important to seek timely treatment if you suspect your hormones are out of whack.
There are two main categories of people who can benefit from HT:
Natural transitions where your hormones shift include:
Hormone therapy can relieve unpleasant symptoms from these transitions like hot flashes, night sweats, low sex drive, erectile dysfunction, weight gain, lethargy, and mood changes.
A clinical hormone deficiency means your hormone levels are below normal for your age and sex. Some potential causes include:
Without enough hormones circulating in your body, you may deal with symptoms like fatigue, low stamina, mental fog, irritability, anxiety or depression, trouble sleeping, and more.
Hormone therapy is often prescribed to get levels back up into the healthy range so patients feel like themselves again.
The first step with any hormone therapy is always to get thorough lab testing done. This way, your physician can see precisely which hormones are low or high and craft a tailored treatment plan.
Some of the key hormones we test for deficiencies include:
Estrogen and progesterone regulate a woman's menstrual cycles and reproductive health. When levels are too low, it can cause unpleasant perimenopause or menopause symptoms.
Blood tests check estradiol, estrone, and estriol (types of estrogen) along with progesterone levels.
Testosterone helps maintain muscle mass, bone density, red blood cell production, and sex drive in both men and women. Low testosterone is behind symptoms like erectile dysfunction, vaginal dryness, fatigue, and mood changes.
Bloodwork analyzes total and free testosterone levels.
The butterfly-shaped thyroid gland in your neck produces triiodothyronine (T3) and thyroxine (T4) to control metabolism and energy. High or low levels lead to weight fluctuations, cold sensitivity, hair loss, and fatigue.
Tests check levels of T3, T4, and thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH).
DHEA, or dehydroepiandrosterone, originates from the adrenal glands resting atop your kidneys. It acts as a precursor that your body uses to manufacture estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone. Low DHEA can trigger mental health issues like depression.
We test DHEA-S (DHEA sulfate) from blood samples.
Based on your lab results, we can determine which hormones need support and the optimal methods for balancing them out again.
For women navigating perimenopause or menopause, the sudden drop in reproductive hormones like estrogen and progesterone can make life rather unpleasant. Some bothersome symptoms include:
Rather than gritting your teeth and bearing with these changes, we offer customized menopausal hormone therapy (MHT) to relieve the transition. This can include:
Benefits can include reversing unpleasant symptoms so you feel youthful and vibrant again with balanced estrogen levels. It also provides major protective effects against conditions like osteoporosis and heart disease.
We tailor your hormone therapy to match your lab results and health history to enhance effectiveness while minimizing risks.
Hormone therapy can help transgender individuals align their physical characteristics with their gender identity. Studies show that after transitioning with hormones, most transgender people report improvements in quality of life, life satisfaction, self-esteem, and overall mental health. This suggests that access to hormone therapy can have profoundly positive impacts for those undergoing a gender transition.
By the time most men hit their 50s, it's common for testosterone production to decline, leading to uncomfortable symptoms:
Rather than chalking it up to normal aging, know that testosterone replacement therapy (TRT) could get you feeling young again by restoring healthy hormone levels. Treatment options include:
The benefits of optimizing your testosterone levels include:
We also carefully monitor your prostate health, red blood cell levels, cholesterol profiles, and other biomarkers when prescribing TRT to enhance benefits and avoid side effects.
While hormone therapy works biochemically to restore balance, certain lifestyle habits also profoundly impact hormone health:
Focus your diet on whole foods like vegetables, fruits, lean proteins, nuts and seeds, whole grains, beans and legumes. These provide nutrients your endocrine glands need to produce hormones, while avoiding inflammatory refined carbs, sugars, and excess calories can lower inflammation and insulin resistance that disrupt hormones.
Get your vitamin D from seafood, eggs, and moderate sunshine to feed the thyroid. Zinc and magnesium also aid hormone production - eat oysters, spinach, almonds, avocadoes for your dose.
High chronic stress levels raise inflammation and cortisol, which can throw reproductive hormones out of whack leading to unpleasant perimenopausal or menopausal symptoms. Do your best to regularly unwind through yoga, meditation, getting outdoors in nature, massage, counseling sessions, or whatever self-care regimen works for you.
Aim for 150 minutes per week of moderate exercise like brisk walking or gentle cycling, plus strength training sessions 2-3 times weekly. This helps regulate estrogen, testosterone, thyroid hormones, cortisol and more for optimal balance.
Strive for 7-9 hours of quality sleep each night. Not getting enough can negatively impact hormones - leading to lower testosterone and higher cortisol for instance. Getting sufficient rest ensures your hormones can restore overnight.
Lebanon offers stunning Mediterranean beaches, mountain villages, and bustling modern cities for the perfect therapeutic backdrop while undergoing hormone therapy.
The sunny climate here with over 300 days of sunshine annually makes it ideal for outdoor relaxation while treatments take effect. Go for long nature walks along the coastline or through the countryside, try beach yoga, join group bike rides through quaint villages, explore farmer’s markets picking seasonal fruits and vegetables - healthy living is a celebratory affair!
In winter from December through March, ski resorts like Faraya Mzaar and Cedars draw visitors to the slopes. The temperate weather allows comfortable layering for nordic walking, apres-ski dining, and passes through charming mountain towns.
Lebanon’s culinary fame as the foodie capital of the Middle East means no shortage of flavorful, fresh fare to sample at restaurants, wineries, distilleries, and local markets - fruits, Mediterranean seafood, wines, arak liquor, and more! Allow yourself to indulge as you recover your joie de vivre through hormone therapy.
You can easily access top medical labs in major cities for initial testing and ongoing monitoring. We also have world-class fitness centers and spas where you can continue healthy habits during treatment.
Through our personalized care, advanced hormone testing, cutting-edge therapies, and convenient location, Renewed Balance Clinic offers a premier clinic for hormone balance, vitality and wellbeing so you can feel your best while reveling in Lebanon’s natural and cultural riches.
What truly sets Renewed Balance Clinic apart is our specialized expertise exclusively focused on balancing hormones for vitality at every age. Our practitioners hold advanced certifications in age management medicine, regenerative therapies, and specialized fields like gynecology, urology, endocrinology to provide care you can trust.
We take pride in thoroughly listening and seeking to understand your unique health history and lifestyle to create customized treatment plans. At our state-of-the art clinic, you’ll have access to advanced testing like genetic assays and telehealth options for accessible precision care.
Our exclusive focus on optimizing clients’ hormones and vitality means we constantly invest in the latest research, innovative products like bioidentical hormones, and new modalities like peptide therapies so you benefit from scientifically-proven therapies.
We also realize treatment is just the first step - helping you implement positive lifestyle changes improves adherence for better outcomes long-term. Our practitioners and health coaches offer practical nutrition, exercise, and stress reduction protocols tailored to your needs and preferences so you feel empowered in sustaining your progress.
Ultimately our goal is for you to thrive energetically and mentally with balanced hormones for many years to come. We consider it a privilege to help you through natural transitions and challenges on your journey, providing compassionate support each step of the way.
If you’re seeking individualized care to resolve hormone imbalance and reclaim your vibrancy, choose Renewed Balance Clinic for optimal treatment and beyond. Experience the difference of top expertise focused wholly on your endocrine health and wellness needs.
