As you are reading this and the words on this page are going through your mind, you may be wondering if you or someone you know is suffering from a hormonal imbalance. If you are a man or woman over 35 years old the odds are that you do have a hormonal imbalance (and this can be the case even if you are younger).

A hormonal imbalance can present as fatigue, sleep issues, an inability to lose weight, depression, anxiety, a lack of vitality, an increase in aches and pains, difficulty healing and recovering, etc. Hormone imbalances are not just about hot flashes and ni ght sweats, and both men and women are affected by imbalances. The symptoms can come up suddenly or gradually–everyone is different. If left untreated hormone imbalances can lead to osteoporosis, dementia, and other hormone related diseases including a frailty and decline of health in the last few decades of life.

Most people simply feel their slow deterioration is simply a part of aging and they settle for not feeling their best. A great case showing this is the story of Brian. Brian’s wife had great success with bio-identical hormones and she sent her husband to my office. Brian did not think anything was wrong with his hormones–a common issue.

Brian still had a good libido and was exercising. However he was tired and did not want to do much outside of work. He was also slightly more irritable and grumpy. Upon further questioning I found that he was not gaining muscle or recovering from workouts like he should. He was only 45 years old but was slowly losing vitality. He thought this was normal aging but it is not. His regular doctor had told him he was fine and he had accepted his symptoms as normal.

After a personalized evaluation of his symptoms and labwork, Brian was found to have suboptimal Testosterone and a few vitamin deficiencies. There are several options for Testosterone replacement for men: bio-identical cream, injections, and bio-identical pellets. Each man needs to make his own choice for the treatment method that is best for him. Testosterone replacement for men is safe and effective when the estrogen level is properly monitored. High estrogen and low Testosterone is what poses dangers for a man’s health. Optimal Testosterone levels and keeping estrogen levels low help to prevent certain diseases as well as eliminate symptoms for men.

After optimizing Brian’s Testosterone and correcting his vitamin deficiencies, he finds himself having the energy to enjoy his family and life outside work. He is sleeping better and has improved memory, mood, and focus. He runs his own business and has found his productivity and revenue have grown. Brian is saving time and money by functioning at a higher level. He is now living his life at an optimal level.

J.M. is a 55 year old fireman and over the past few years he had noticed that he could not run in and out of buildings like he used to. He found himself getting irritated more easily and felt like he had passed his peak. Even though he was working out he had a difficult time building muscle. He even noticed a little muscle loss and a hard time losing fat.

J.M. had seen his regular doctor and was told that his labwork was normal and that he was just getting older. Luckily he did not accept that as fact and sought out help. His hormone labwork was definitely not optimal. Normal ranges at the labs are determined by testing a part of the population and then coming up with the average numbers. But what happens when the people they are testing are out of balance hormonally? In modern society the average person does have a hormonal imbalance and this results in the “normal” lab values being incorrect.

Your hormone lab values may be interpreted as “normal” when in actuality they are low–the imbalance is missed simply because the “normal” lab values are incorrect. The medical profession gets pressured from many angles and most doctors are hesitant to look outside the “normal” values. They tend to accept the “normal” lab values without question. They forget to really look at the person and see that there is a hormonal imbalance. They are simply not questioning the validity of the “normal” values. This is not their fault–due to the nature of insurances they do not have the luxury of time to treat “outside the box”.

Hormonal imbalances exhibit specific symptoms and it takes time to get to know the patient and determine what he/she requires to achieve and maintain proper balance. Lab work is just a piece of information and it needs to be interpreted looking at optimal values, not the “normal” values. Optimal lab values are the values we see in people who are functioning at a high level and feel great. Unfortunately these values can be flagged as “abnormal” on lab results. This can scare the uninformed. “Abnormal” is often optimal. Look around you at the general population’s health. This is a sad truth.

The goal of proper hormone balancing is to get rid of your symptoms and prevent future medical issues like dementia, heart disease, certain cancers, osteoporosis, etc. This is only possible by taking the time and investing in yourself by seeking the help of a specially trained hormone specialist.

J.M. was found to have a significant Testosterone deficiency. We also found a B12 deficiency and slight thyroid imbalance. Once these deficiencies were corrected he regained his vitality. He has been carrying the fire hose and climbing ladders better than the guys younger than him. His workouts are creating a muscle gain and fat loss. J.M has the energy to enjoy his free time and is now really living his life.