Gretchen Reis, M.D. – Charlotte BHRT Doctor
Gretchen Reis, M.D. dedicates her Charlotte practice to Anti-Aging and Regenerative Medicine in order to best help men and women prevent the disease process before it begins and naturally reduce illnesses that are due to aging, hormonal imbalances, and poor lifestyle choices. Switching to a functional and preventative medicine model allows Charlotte BHRT (Bioidentical Hormone Replacement Therapy) Doctor, Gretchen Reis, M.D. to give her patients the care that they deserve. Disappointed with the conventional medicine approach that only enabled her to prescribe medications that would treat only her patients’ symptoms, Gretchen Reis, M.D. committed to find a better way to offer her patients help, and began furthering her education in evidence-based medicines. This led her to become a member of the American Academy for Anti-Aging Medicine.
Gretchen Reis, M.D. provides high quality, personalized care focusing on both wellness promotion and disease management. She builds satisfying, long-term relationships with her patients and their families based on communication, integrity, and trust. She aims for excellence through a commitment to continuous improvement. Doctor Reis promotes consumer-directed health care by offering quality services at an affordable cost, thus increasing access to care for the uninsured.
Tired of giving patients multiple medications for chronic conditions, Gretchen Reis, M.D. learned a completely new way to approach patients with long-term health issues, and she now helps patients to get back on track and reduce prescription medicine by going straight to the root of a problem. The Anti-Aging and Regenerative medical approach goes to the source of a health condition and prevents just suppressing symptoms. Through her high level training with the fellowship in Anti-Aging and Regenerative Medicine, Gretchen Reis, M.D. learned that hormonal imbalances are to blame for numerous health issues that can occur throughout the lifespan.
As the most highly trained Charlotte (BHRT) Bioidentical Hormone Replacement Therapy Doctor, Gretchen Reis, M.D. understands that each patient is unique, and she tests patients for hormonal imbalances to determine the root cause of conditions and symptoms. Because multiple hormones are involved in the body’s overall health, Gretchen Reis, M.D. tests the levels of all essential hormones. For example, some women may have hot flashes, night sweats, and insomnia, but their estrogen levels are normal. However, reduced levels of other hormones may be to blame for the symptoms that are occurring.
Bioidentical Hormone Replacement Therapy also called BHRT can also help patients to reduce obesity. Multitudes of nutritional information and different diets are available to the general public, but many people have problems losing weight. Because several hormones interact with the body’s metabolism, and imbalanced hormones may play a role in weight loss resistance. Gretchen Reis, M.D. specializes in using hormones to help men and women lose weight, and then, she prescribes different dietary plans and exercise regimens to help her patients lose weight and overcome obesity.
Bioidentical Hormone Replacement Therapy for Women
Bioidentical Hormone Replacement Therapy (BHRT) Doctor, Gretchen Reis, M.D. customizes programs that help women fight the effects of dwindling hormone levels and imbalances. While several factors are often involved in female hormone decline, the most common factors include aging, stress, lack of sleep, and poor dietary choices. Despite the reason for disproportionate hormone levels, BHRT can rebalance female hormones, such as estrogen and progesterone. These two primary hormones are responsible for thousands of actions in the female body, and in order for women to experience optimal levels of health, estrogen and progesterone must be balanced.
Symptoms of Hormone Imbalance in Women
- Fatigue
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Sex hormones such as estrogen and progesterone work to promote vitality in the body, and when the body cannot produce adequate levels of these hormones, women may feel lethargic or tired all the time.
- Weight Gain
- Disproportionate ratios of estrogen and progesterone often lead to weight gain. In cases of low estrogen, the body holds onto fat to preserve estrogen because adipose tissue contains estrogenic compounds, and low progesterone leads to water retention because it is a natural diuretic.
- Endometriosis
- Estrogen dominance brought on by stress, aging, or dietary factors often promotes endometriosis. Progesterone works to counteract estrogen by inhibiting tissue growth in the breast and uterus, while estrogen promotes tissue growth in these regions of the female body.
- Premenstrual Symptoms
- Feeling irritable, angry, tired, bloated, achy, and hungry are common symptoms that women struggle with before their menstrual periods. Extreme premenstrual symptoms are often the result of hormonal imbalances; however, Bioidentical Hormone Replacement Therapy can balance hormones and reduce premenstrual symptoms.
- Low Libido
- Degenerating levels of sex hormones often lead to a reduced desire for sexual activity, which can put a strain on intimate relationships. Replenishing hormone levels can restore the desire for sex in women and boost overall libido.
- Memory Loss
- Functioning to detoxify the brain, balanced levels of estrogen can help to reduce memory loss and mental fogginess, while potentially preventing Alzheimer’s and dementia.
- Fibroids
- Increasing levels of estrogen or uneven ratios of estrogen and progesterone can promote the development of fibroids. Balancing hormones with Bioidentical Hormone Replacement Therapy may help the development of more fibroids or the enlargement of existing fibroids.
- Insomnia
- Difficulty falling or staying asleep are common challenges for women under high levels of stress or women going through perimenopause or menopause. Restoring hormone balance can help women to easily fall asleep and avoid waking up multiple times during the night.
- Mood Swings
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Outbursts of anger, anxiety, or depression may develop due to hormonal imbalances; correcting and optimizing hormone levels can reduce mood swings and promote a general sense of wellbeing.
- Hot Flashes & Night Sweats
- Working to signal the hypothalamus, which is the body’s temperature control center, estrogen and progesterone must be at optimal levels, or the signals going to the hypothalamus may get confused. Balancing hormone levels can help women to prevent or reduce hot flashes and night sweats.
- Depression
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Overcoming depression can be a difficult task when hormonal imbalances are present because lower levels of hormones can reduce the presence of neurotransmitters that create feelings of contentment and calmness.
- Sexual Dysfunction
- Imbalanced hormone levels can cause women to experience one or many symptoms of sexual dysfunction, which can greatly affect libido and self confidence. Optimizing hormone levels can promote healthy sexual function, strong libido and restore energy and excitement to your relationship.
Bioidentical Hormone Replacement Therapy for Men
More men than ever before are recognizing that they have symptoms of low testosterone. Falling hormone levels typically signify that men have entered into andropause, and usually, testosterone is not the only hormone that men have out of balance. Multiple hormones, such as DHEA and cortisol may be deficient, and for this reason, Dr. Reis looks at the whole picture and does not just supplement one hormone. Through optimizing the levels of all essential hormones, men can maintain cognitive function, improve cardiac health, and reduce risk for strokes, heart attacks, and diabetes.
Symptoms of Hormone Imbalance in Men
- Muscle Loss
- Declining levels of testosterone can cause men to lose several pounds of muscle mass because testosterone plays a huge role in the development and maintaining of muscle.
- Weight Gain
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Decreasing levels of testosterone often means increasing levels of estrogen, which suppresses testosterone. Lower levels of testosterone slow down metabolism and can cause body fat to accumulate.
- Fatigue
- Playing a large role in the way energy is extracted from cells, hormones that are deficient or out balance can lead to lethargy or ongoing fatigue.
- Sleep Problems
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Challenges falling or staying asleep can occur in men due to hormonal imbalances; restoring hormones to optimal levels can greatly reduce sleep disturbances and improve sleeping patterns.
- Gynecomastia
- Growth of breast tissue in men can occur due to falling testosterone levels and rising estrogen levels; however, Bioidentical Hormone Replacement Therapy may be able to reduce gynecomastia.
- Hot Flashes & Night Sweats
- Signals going to the hypothalamus, which is the body’s temperature control center, can become disrupted when hormones are imbalanced. Bioidentical Hormone Replacement Therapy can balance hormones to reduce hot flashes and night sweats.
- Low Libido
- Maintaining intimate relationships can become difficult when men encounter low libido; however, replenishing hormone levels can help to increase the sex drive.
- Depression & Irritability
- Commonly, men with hormonal imbalances experience depression and irritability because hormones play a role in balancing brain chemistry and influencing moods.
- Hair Loss
- Dwindling levels of healthy testosterone can lead to rising levels of a particular form of testosterone that causes hair follicles to die away. Optimizing testosterone and other essential hormones can reduce hair loss and preserve hair follicles.
- Erectile Dysfunction
- Blood flow is greatly affected by hormones, and if blood cannot flow smoothly because hormones are imbalanced, men may suffer from erectile dysfunction. Restoring hormonal balance may improve sexual function and reduce instances of erectile dysfunction.
- Urinary Problems
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Less than optimal hormone levels can cause muscle atrophy, and because the urinary bladder is a muscle, its strength can become reduced with hormonal imbalances, leading to urinary issues in men.
- Memory Loss
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Reduced concentration, mental fogginess, and decreased cognitive functions can all result from hormonal imbalances; restoring hormones to ideal levels can help to improve overall brain function.
As a Charlotte BHRT Doctor, Gretchen Reis, M.D. emphasizes the prevention of disease and helps patients work towards the restoration of optimal levels of health. As a result of Gretchen Reis, M.D.’s advanced treatment plans, many women and men have been able to rise above the challenges that occur due to hormonal imbalances. Doctor Reis continues to be an active member of the American Academy of Anti-Aging Medicine and the Institute for Functional Medicine, and she stays informed on the latest advances in Regenerative Medicine.