your questions, answered

frequently asked questions

Dr. Brown’s book, “Discovering Your Truebalance with Bioidentical Hormones”, documents his years of extensive research and accumulated knowledge on the subject. This book stands as a valuable informational resource about bioidentical hormones, hormonal health, hormonal systems in the body, and bioidentical hormone replacement therapy. You can get a copy of his book here.
Hormone replacement therapy has been used to treat uncomfortable menopause and andropause symptoms for a long time. HRT traditionally uses synthetic hormones in its process, our process uses bioidentical hormones. What’s the difference between synthetic hormones and bioidentical ones?
Synthetic hormones are by nature, not human identical. Synthetic hormones must be modified in order to qualify for the patenting process and these modifications are responsible for complications with continuous use.
Bioidentical hormones are identical on a molecular basis to human hormones making Bioidentical Hormone Replacement Therapy safer and just as effective as conventional synthetic hormone replacement therapy.
Bioidentical hormone therapy is safer and just as effective as conventional synthetic hormone replacement therapy. We monitor our patients closely and customize their plans to target their distinct imbalances.
This method allows for precise adjustments throughout your treatment. This makes it far more flexible than one-size-fits-all hormones available at generic pharmacies.
Since every plan is different, we are unable to provide you information on if our services will be covered by your insurance. You will need to reach out to your insurance provider to review your coverage regarding Bioidentical Hormone Replacement Therapy by a Physician or Nurse Practitioner.
Alternatively, if you have a health spending account through your employer, you may be able to submit your receipt. If you do not receive coverage through your benefit plan, you can use your receipt on your taxes as a medical expense.
Due to the body-identical nature of the hormones we prescribe, there is no limit on the duration for which you can continue taking your hormones. Conventional HRT in women uses agents that have been shown to increase the risk of breast cancer after five (5) years of use. This has created a misconception blanketing all hormone therapies, in which patients believe they can only be on the program for a maximum of 5 years. This may be true for conventional HRT, but the exciting aspect of BHRT is the suggestion that it can actually both relieve menopause symptoms and reduce the risk of breast cancer.
Most people seek out BHRT to reduce the troublesome symptoms of the menopause or andropause. BHRT is very effective at relieving these symptoms; however, this relief only lasts as long as the hormones are used. You can stay on the program for as long as you choose to or stop at any time. You do not need to ween off your prescriptions, you can simply stop taking them and your levels will slowly decline until they are naturally where they would be for your age or before you began the program.
Yes, currently we can only see patients who live and reside in Canada. Our services currently extend to patients from all Canadian provinces and territories.
Our new patient care team screens all inbound patients for candidacy, this screening process is also reviewed by our hormone specialists.
Our process requires a tailored dosage which is made specifically for you at compounding pharmacies. This allows us to fine-tune prescriptions to meet our clients unique hormonal needs. Fortunately, we are partnered with an excellent, high-quality compounding pharmacy.
Your blood work can be completed at an Alberta Precision Laboratories location or any other lab that is convenient for you. We will fax your blood requisition to your requested lab.

No, BHRT is not only for menopause.
While it is commonly used to ease menopausal symptoms such as hot flashes, sleep disturbances, and mood changes, BHRT can also address hormonal imbalances due to a variety of reasons in both women and men.
Hormones are often linked to cancer—especially breast cancer—because of the Women’s Health Initiative study. This created the belief that all hormones raise cancer risk, but the increased risk in that study was tied to only one specific combination of medications. It does not apply to all hormone therapies.
BHRT and TRT do not automatically increase cancer risk. The relationship depends on the specific medications prescribed, as well as your personal health, lifestyle, and family history.
The BHRT medications we use have not been shown to increase cancer risk in most healthy women. In some cases, they may even help reduce the risk of other health-related conditions that can contribute to disease. Still, all treatment programs carry some degree of risk.
Testosterone therapy in men has not been shown to increase prostate cancer risk. Prostate cancer tends to appear later in life, when testosterone levels naturally drop. We will monitor symptoms and PSA levels to identify any concerning changes. An elevated PSA is not an automatic sign of prostate cancer; factors such as infections and other conditions can cause temporary increases.
It is important to continue regular annual physicals with your family doctor and to report any noticeable changes in how your body is responding.
As with any treatment, risks exist. We avoid overly high doses, screen for pre-existing conditions, collect medical history, and may avoid certain medications when they could present additional risk. Our goal is to improve your quality of life while ensuring you are fully informed about all options and potential risks.
It is never too late to begin BHRT or TRT! So long as you are experiencing symptoms of hormonal imbalance, you may benefit from BHRT/TRT.
No, you do not have to stay on BHRT or TRT forever once you start it. Many people choose to continue because they feel better on treatment, but it is not a lifelong obligation.
You can discontinue or taper off therapy at any time under medical supervision, especially if your goals change, or your health situation shifts. Stopping BHRT or TRT simply means your hormone levels will return to their natural baseline, which may bring back some symptoms of imbalance depending on your body’s needs.
TRT and BHRT can influence fertility, but this doesn’t mean they prevent you from growing your family in the future.
In men, TRT may temporarily lower sperm production while you’re on treatment, but this effect is usually reversible once therapy is adjusted or stopped.
BHRT for women may or may not affect fertility. For instance, Progesterone can interfere with ovulation. Though, depending on the specific hormones and dosages, BHRT generally does not prevent pregnancy.
If you’re planning to have children now or want to keep that option open, your provider can tailor your treatment to support your goals and protect your reproductive health.
Like any course of treatment your body may take some time to adjust to your treatment plan before you begin to see improvement in your symptoms. For most patients, they begin to see a difference in their progress about eight (8) weeks into treatment.
Around eight weeks after your treatment has begun, you will be required to have your hormone levels rechecked to review your blood work and therapy progress, renew medications, and address any continuing symptoms
We also recommend another follow-up approximately four weeks after this recheck to review your blood work, therapy progress and symptom scores. If appropriate, we will make adjustments to your prescription to optimize your treatment plan.
There is no scientific evidence or basis for using saliva levels over blood levels to test hormone levels. There is some value when evaluating baseline levels, but this value diminishes when monitoring a patient actively on treatment.

We acquire accurate results through Alberta Health Care blood testing which allows us to monitor on treatment levels. This in conjunction with the symptom form that we have you fill out at every appointment has allowed us to successfully treat thousands of patients.
Your lab ranges might be completely normal, many of our patients are! Yet they continue to experience symptoms of poor health regardless.

This is because “normal” doesn’t always mean optimal. Lab ranges are broad, and what looks fine on paper might not reflect how you actually feel.
We treat people, not just numbers. If you're still experiencing symptoms despite “good” labs, we can help. Our team specializes in optimizing your health based on your unique needs—not just standardized ranges.