Hormone imbalance has become increasingly common in both men and women, affecting energy, weight, mood, and overall quality of life. Many individuals begin noticing symptoms in their 30s, 40s, and beyond—often assuming these changes are simply part of aging. However, persistent fatigue, unexplained weight gain, mood changes, low libido, and brain fog are not normal and may signal deeper hormonal imbalances.
A frequent frustration among patients is that conventional hormone treatments don’t always bring meaningful relief. Standard approaches may focus on isolated lab numbers or offer synthetic hormones with limited personalization, leaving many people still feeling unwell despite treatment.
At the Stengler Center for Integrative Medicine, we take a different approach. Bioidentical hormone replacement therapy (BHRT) offers a more natural, individualized option designed to restore balance using hormones that are structurally identical to those produced by the human body. This personalized strategy focuses on how patients feel—not just what a lab report shows.
Dr. Mark Stengler is a nationally recognized authority in hormone balance and integrative medicine, with decades of experience helping patients regain vitality through evidence-based, natural therapies. His patient-centered approach emphasizes root-cause evaluation, safety, and long-term wellness.
Hormones are powerful chemical messengers produced by glands such as the thyroid, adrenal glands, ovaries, and testes. They regulate essential functions throughout the body, including metabolism, energy production, mood, sleep, sexual health, and cognitive performance.
Hormone imbalance occurs when the body produces too much or too little of certain hormones—or when hormones are not properly utilized at the cellular level. Even subtle imbalances can disrupt multiple systems, leading to a wide range of symptoms.
Balanced hormones are essential for:
Hormonal imbalances can affect nearly every aspect of health. Common symptoms include:
Hormone needs change throughout life, and different stages bring unique challenges:
Perimenopause and Menopause
Women may experience fluctuating or declining estrogen and progesterone, leading to hot flashes, sleep disturbances, mood changes, and weight gain.
Andropause (Low Testosterone in Men)
Men experience a gradual decline in testosterone over time, which can contribute to fatigue, loss of muscle mass, reduced libido, and cognitive changes.
Stress-Related Adrenal Hormone Disruption
Chronic stress can significantly disrupt cortisol and DHEA levels, which in turn affects thyroid, sex hormones, and overall hormonal balance.
As part of the aging process, levels of estrogen, progesterone, testosterone, and DHEA naturally decline. However, the rate and impact of this decline vary widely and can often be managed effectively with personalized care.
Long-term stress elevates cortisol levels, which can suppress other hormones and disrupt normal feedback loops. Over time, adrenal dysfunction can contribute to fatigue, sleep issues, and worsening hormone imbalance.
The thyroid plays a central role in hormonal regulation and metabolism. Thyroid dysfunction can worsen symptoms of sex hormone imbalance and contribute to weight gain, fatigue, and mood changes.
Poor diet, chronic inflammation, lack of sleep, and sedentary lifestyle habits can interfere with hormone production, conversion, and receptor sensitivity—making it harder for the body to maintain balance.
Exposure to chemicals found in plastics, pesticides, and personal care products can disrupt hormone signaling and mimic or block natural hormones, contributing to long-term imbalance.
Conventional hormone therapy frequently relies on non-bioidentical (synthetic) hormones that are chemically different from those naturally produced by the human body. These treatments are typically prescribed using standardized dosing protocols, with limited customization based on individual biochemistry or symptom patterns.
While synthetic hormones may improve lab values, they do not always restore balanced hormone signaling throughout the body. As a result, patients may continue to feel “off” even when tests appear normal.
Bioidentical hormones, on the other hand, are structurally identical to the hormones produced by the human body. Because their molecular structure matches natural hormones, the body is better able to recognize, utilize, and regulate them effectively.
This close match helps support more natural hormone signaling and may reduce the risk of unwanted side effects when properly prescribed and monitored.
Bioidentical HRT works by supporting the body’s natural hormone signaling pathways rather than overriding them. The goal is not simply to raise hormone levels, but to restore balance and optimize how hormones function at the cellular level.
By mimicking the body’s own hormones, BHRT helps promote:
Depending on individual needs, bioidentical HRT may include:
In many cases, individualized formulations are used to ensure precise dosing and optimal results based on each patient’s unique physiology.
Many patients pursuing BHRT do so because they continue to feel unwell despite “normal” hormone tests. Bioidentical HRT prioritizes clinical improvement alongside laboratory findings, often leading to:
By restoring balance at the cellular level, patients often notice improvements that extend into daily performance and overall vitality.
Hormones play a central role in emotional health and interpersonal well-being. Balanced hormones through BHRT can support:
As hormone balance improves, many patients report a renewed sense of motivation, emotional well-being, and engagement in life.
In addition to symptom relief, bioidentical HRT supports long-term physical health:
These benefits contribute to healthier aging and sustained physical resilience.
Each patient begins with a detailed symptom and health history, allowing Dr. Stengler to understand how hormone imbalance is affecting daily life, energy, sleep, mood, and metabolism.
When appropriate, advanced hormone testing—including blood, saliva, or urine testing—is used to assess hormone levels, patterns, and interactions. This comprehensive evaluation ensures therapy is tailored accurately and responsibly.
Based on evaluation findings, Dr. Stengler designs customized bioidentical HRT programs tailored to each individual’s biochemistry and health goals.
This careful monitoring helps optimize results while minimizing unwanted side effects.
True hormone balance requires more than hormone replacement alone. Dr. Stengler integrates additional support to enhance long-term success, including:
This whole-person approach helps patients achieve lasting wellness, not just short-term symptom relief.
Balanced hormones are essential for long-term health, energy, emotional well-being, and healthy aging. When hormones are out of balance, the effects can be felt throughout the entire body—impacting metabolism, mood, sleep, and overall quality of life.
For patients who have not found lasting relief through conventional hormone treatments, there is hope. Bioidentical hormone replacement therapy, when guided by comprehensive evaluation and personalized care, offers a more natural and effective path toward restoring balance.
By taking a proactive, individualized approach to hormone health, patients can move beyond symptom management and toward sustained vitality, resilience, and wellness at every stage of life.
If you are experiencing symptoms of hormone imbalance and are ready for a more personalized, integrative approach, we invite you to schedule a consultation at the Stengler Center for Integrative Medicine.
Stengler Center for Integrative Medicine
324 Encinitas Blvd
Encinitas, CA 92024
Phone: 760-274-2377
Toll-Free: 855-DOC-MARK
Email: clinic@markstengler.com
Website: https://www.markstengler.com
