Bioidentical hormone replacement therapy (BHRT) is becoming increasingly popular, but that doesn’t mean that all doctors are equally qualified to prescribe it. To get the most from you bioidentical hormones, you need a physician who has the training and education to fully understand how your hormones work together — and with all the other systems in your body.

Bioidentical vs. Bio-Similar or SyntheticBioidentical hormones are chemically identical, molecule by molecule, to the hormones produced by your endocrine system when you’re young and healthy. They are provided in ratios that mimic natural ones as well. For example, estrogen comes in three forms: estradiol, estrone and estriol. With BHRT, we provide bioidentical versions of only estradiol and estriol (estrone has no health benefits), and we make sure they’re in approximately the same ratio as the hormones that are produced by the ovaries. The administration of bioidentical hormones also mimics your body’s natural production of hormones. We may administer hormones in topical cream or gel, in pellets that we implant underneath your skin, or by injection (which is less common). By bypassing the stomach and liver, these methods of administration mimic the release of your body’s natural hormones into the bloodstream and reduce the formation of potentially unhealthy hormone metabolites.Synthetic hormone replacement therapy, on the other hand, relies on bio-similar hormones including conjugated equine estrogen and medroxy-progesterone that are frequently provided in pill form. These hormones resemble those made by your body, but they’re slightly different. Those slight differences are critical, because they can provide unnecessary stimulating and potentially mutating effects on the breast and uterus. They can increase your risk of various diseases, including cancer.

Providers of Bioidentical Hormone Replacement TherapyThere are many physicians who prescribe bioidentical hormones, but not all have the training and expertise to

provide the best possible care. Many gynecologists or family doctors will prescribe bioidentical hormones by patient request, however they have no specialized training in how to manage or balance these sex hormones and the remainder of the patient’s hormones. Bioidentical hormone replacement therapy is not something that is generally taught in medical school or residency, so physicians may not fully understand how all of your hormones relate to each other in affecting your overall health.

The BodyLogicMD DifferencePhysicians within the BodyLogicMD network dedicate their practice to bioidentical hormone replacement therapy. We undergo extensive training above and beyond our basic medical training. We have a close relationship with each another. What makes us unique among our peers is the fact that the scores of BLMD-affiliated physicians in major cities around the United States all communicate on a daily basis to share our expertise with respect to individual

cases and general academic and clinical knowledge. So by seeing one of us, you are actually able to access the knowledge and experience base or over 60 physicians around the country, what some refer to as a “brain trust.”

The training and testing these physicians undergo to be allowed into the BodyLogicMD network includes board certification via written and oral exams as well as completion of a 180 hour two year fellowship provided by the ABAARM (the American Board of Anti-aging and Regenerative Medicine).

Prior to becoming among the most highly trained physicians in the field of bioidentical hormone therapy and anti-aging and functional medicine, these physicians al began their career in other clinical specialties. I was a family doctor for 23 years in north central San Diego and, in 1995, I began using bioidentical hormones in my large practice while on staff at Scripps Memorial Hospital in La Jolla, CA. Between my board certification and fellowship training I served as a board examiner for the ABAARM for three years.

Another advantage of BodyLogicMD lies in the technical advancement of the network. Everything is digitalized. Patients fill out questionnaires online and have their lab work

Finding the Right Doctor for Bioidentical HormonesThe BodyLogicMD Difference in Bioidentical Hormone Replacement Therapy

Stephen Center, MD

done in advance so that we then have early access to the medical history and labs, allowing us to be well prepared. Therefore, when you become a patient, before I ever meet you face-to-face I have a good understanding of your history, your symptoms and your diagnostic tests. I may already have a tentative treatment plan formulated. When we meet for the first time I then will have more time to spend on your questions as well as more time for explanations and education. Understanding diagnoses and treatments plans that can sometimes be complicated is critical for proper patient compliance, so all visits include a digital or written summary provided to each patient at the end of the visit or that day.

The Importance of TestingProper hormone testing is extremely important. At my practice, we don’t treat patients unless we know their hormone levels. Without testing we don’t have enough knowledge to get your hormones in proper balance. For example, it’s not uncommon to find a woman who is overweight and has plenty of estrogen, even if she’s menopausal, because her fat cells are manufacturing estrogen. So, she does not need any estrogen — and it could even be bad for her. But she may need progesterone and testosterone. However, if we had not checked her hormone levels before prescribing bioidentical hormones, we may have given her estrogen and further unbalanced her hormones, rather than bringing them back into hormonal harmony. Furthermore, if cortisol levels, which are measured 4 times over the course of the day, are high, low or fluctuate wildly, this will have a major effect on the sex hormone

treatment plan as well as any thyroid intervention that may be necessary.We repeat these advanced hormone labs over time to accurately monitor your response to treatment. We check to see how your levels are doing and then adjust your hormone prescriptions based on both those lab results and your clinical response.

Finding HelpI strongly recommend that anyone interested in bioidentical hormones seek out a specialist who has been thoroughly trained and who understands the interactions between the pituitary, thyroid, adrenals, sex organs and internal organs.

BHRT can’t be done in isolation. We have to address the whole patient. We have to take into account your lifestyle, your diet and your physical activity levels. If you’re toxic — and there are easy tests to determine toxicity — we need to detoxify you. If you’re not digesting your food properly or going to the bathroom regularly, we have to work on normalizing that. We may need to detect underlying food allergies and intolerances, whether through tests or elimination diets. We may need to address your brain health and evaluate your neurotransmitters through cutting edge lab testing. Physicians who are trained in anti-aging and regenerative medicine, such as me and my colleagues at BodyLogicMD, have the knowledge and skills that most traditional doctors don’t, so that we can look at you as a whole person, body and mind, and help you feel the best that you can.

To learn more about bioidentical hormone replacement therapy and testing, visit www.bodylogicmd.com or call my office at (866) 693-3291.

Synthetic vs Bioidentical“Synthetic” does not necessarily mean not-bioidentical. Sometimes, synthetics can be bioidentical. For example, Synthroid and Levoxyl are synthetic thyroid hormones that are bioidentical to levothyroxine, the hormone that the thyroid produces. However MANY people do not convert it into its more active metabolite , T3, and are still hypothyroid despite what most doctors consider to be proper treatment. The other major problem tends to lie with synthetic versions of sex hormones — estrogen, progesterone and testosterone — which are bio-similar, not bioidentical, and are metabolized in different ways which can be potentially harmful to the body.

Confusing Studies The public often does not fully understand hormone studies. Unfortunately, most of these studies, such as the Women’s Health Initiative, studied bio-similar hormones, like Prempro. When negative results were found, people began to make generalizations. The media often misinterpreted the studies, saying that hormones are dangerous and they cause cancer. But the studies did not show that hormones caused these problems — they focused on a single, specific drug. For example, the Women’s Health Initiative revealed that prempro is not the best hormone for women to take, not that women should not take hormones.