Bioidentical hormone replacement therapy (BHRT) in Winter Garden, FL

What "bioidentical" means

A bioidentical hormone has the same molecular structure as the hormone your body produces. Estradiol, micronized progesterone, and testosterone are all available in bioidentical forms. Some are FDA-approved products, such as estradiol patches and gels, oral micronized progesterone, and testosterone preparations for men. Others are compounded by a pharmacy when a specific dose or delivery method, such as a pellet, is not available as an approved product.

Bioidentical does not automatically mean safer or stronger. It means the molecule matches yours. What matters most is the right hormone, the right dose, and careful follow-up.

Who it's for

• Women with perimenopause or menopause symptoms: hot flashes, night sweats, sleep disruption, mood changes, vaginal dryness, or low desire
• Men with confirmed low testosterone on two early-morning tests, with symptoms to match
• Adults whose labs and symptoms point to a specific hormone need, after other causes have been ruled out
• People who want a physician, not a protocol, deciding their dose

Labs first: including bioavailable testosterone

Total testosterone alone can mislead, because most testosterone in the blood is bound to proteins and inactive. We measure total, free, and bioavailable testosterone along with SHBG, the protein that binds it, so we know how much hormone is actually available to your tissues. For women we add estradiol, progesterone, and FSH where helpful; for everyone, thyroid, metabolic, and nutrient markers that can mimic hormone symptoms.

How you can take it

If your symptoms and labs indicate a need for a specific hormone, you choose the delivery method that fits your life, as long as it is clinically appropriate.

• Creams and gels applied to the skin daily
• Sublingual troches that dissolve under the tongue
• Pills, including oral micronized progesterone
• Injections, self-given at home after teaching
• Implanted pellets: testosterone pellets for men typically last five to six months; testosterone and estradiol pellets for women typically last three to five months

Good to know

BHRT is prescribed only after a medical evaluation and appropriate labs, and it isn't right for everyone, including some women with a history of breast cancer, blood clots, or stroke. FDA-approved bioidentical products exist for estradiol, progesterone, and testosterone for men; no testosterone product is FDA-approved for women, and compounded hormones, including pellets, are not FDA-approved. In February 2026 the FDA removed the boxed warnings from several menopausal hormone therapies; that changes the conversation, not the need for individual judgment. Dr. Chander reviews benefits, risks, and alternatives with you before anything is prescribed, and labs are rechecked on a schedule. Results vary.