If you have noticed unexplained weight gain, low energy, mood swings, or a drop in sex drive, a hormone imbalance could be the cause. Bioidentical hormone therapy is one of the most requested treatments at Total Health Systems, and it is designed to correct these imbalances using hormones that match the molecular structure of what your body already produces. Here is what bioidentical hormone therapy involves, who it is for, and what to expect if you start treatment at one of our Macomb County clinics.
What is bioidentical hormone therapy?
Bioidentical hormones are derived from plant sources, usually soy or wild yam, and processed to match the exact molecular structure of the hormones your body makes naturally. The most commonly prescribed bioidentical hormones are estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone.
At Total Health Systems, bioidentical hormone therapy starts with lab work, not a prescription pad. Before any treatment plan is built, our medical team reviews your blood work, symptoms, and health history to confirm which hormones are actually out of range. That evaluation is what separates a targeted treatment plan from guesswork.
Signs your hormones may be out of balance
Hormone imbalance shows up differently depending on your age, sex, and which hormones are affected. Common signs include:
- Persistent fatigue, brain fog, or trouble sleeping through the night
- Mood swings, irritability, or low mood that does not track back to an obvious cause
- Weight gain, particularly around the midsection, that resists diet and exercise changes
- Hot flashes or night sweats in women approaching or in menopause
- Low sex drive, reduced muscle mass, or low energy in men with declining testosterone
If any of these sound familiar, our hormone therapy team can run bloodwork to check where your levels actually stand. We also cover related patterns on separate pages, including mood swings and low energy, low libido, and hormone-related weight gain.
How bioidentical hormones differ from traditional HRT
The core difference is molecular structure. Bioidentical hormones are chemically identical to what your body produces. Traditional hormone replacement therapy has historically relied on synthetic or animal-derived hormones, such as conjugated equine estrogens, which are structurally similar but not identical to human hormones.
In practice, this means bioidentical hormone plans can often be dosed and adjusted more precisely to your lab results, rather than relying on a standardized dose. That said, bioidentical hormone therapy is not automatically the right fit for everyone. Patients with a history of certain cancers, unexplained vaginal bleeding, active blood clots, or uncontrolled liver disease typically are not candidates, and your provider will screen for these factors before recommending treatment.
What to expect at Total Health Systems
Your first visit includes a full review of your symptoms, medical history, and bloodwork results. From there, your provider builds a treatment plan around your specific hormone levels and goals, adjusting the approach as your labs change over time.
Because hormone health is closely tied to diet, sleep, and stress, your plan can also draw on our functional medicine and nutrition teams when it makes sense, so you are not treating hormone symptoms in isolation from the rest of your health.
Hormone therapy is currently available at our Center Line, Chesterfield, Clinton Township, and New Baltimore locations, all within Macomb County. Total Health Systems has been treating patients across the county since 1993, and our chiropractic roots go back through four generations of the Gallagher family, so hormone therapy patients are joining a practice with a long track record in this community.
Cost, insurance, and getting started
Cost varies based on which hormones need to be addressed and how your treatment plan is structured, since bioidentical hormone therapy is often individualized rather than a flat-rate service. Insurance coverage also varies. Diagnostic bloodwork is more commonly covered than compounded hormone prescriptions, so our team will walk you through what to expect financially before you commit to a plan.
The first step is simple: get your hormone levels checked. Schedule a hormone evaluation at Total Health Systems to find out what is actually going on with your levels and whether bioidentical hormone therapy makes sense for you.