Hormone health decoded: Choosing bioidentical hormones for safe and effective vitality

October 30, 2025

Healthcaretoday, Dr Kheng Kien Soo, Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Anti Aging, hormone balance, nutritional supplementation, Longevity, progesterone, testosterone, anti aging therapy, optimal health, hormone replacement, wellness, preventive medicine, Anti Aging nutrition, cellular health, hormone health, longevity medicine, Natural hormone support, vitality, healthy aging, Life extension,

Stem cell therapy has emerged as a groundbreaking field in regenerative medicine, offering hope for treating a variety of illnesses and conditions associated with aging and systemic decline.

By Dr Kheng Kien Soo, Family physician,
anti-ageing /aesthetician;
Clinic Dr Kheng,
Kota Kinabalu, Sabah

In the pursuit of anti-aging and life-extension, an aggressive program of nutritional supplementation stands as the cornerstone of my approach. These are ambitious goals that require conscious commitment and dedicated nutritional intervention. Rather than waiting for disease to manifest, we should proactively provide our bodies with the nutrients they need at the cellular level—where health truly begins.

Starting with the basics: High-potency supplementation
Disease begins at the cellular level long before symptoms appear. It's precisely at this cellular level that nutrient therapies offer the most significant benefits. The conventional approach of waiting until illness strikes to provide proper nutrition is fundamentally backward and disease-oriented.

A high-potency multivitamin and mineral formula forms the foundation of this approach, but not the once-a-day formulations found in typical retail stores. These commercial products simply cannot contain adequate nutrient levels in a single capsule or tablet. Attempting to compensate by taking multiple once-a-day vitamins would result in unhealthy excesses of certain nutrients like iron or copper, while still providing insufficient levels of crucial antioxidants and B vitamins.

Moreover, commercial formulations often use cheaper, synthetic vitamins or mineral salts that are poorly absorbed by the body. A proper anti-aging regimen requires specifically formulated, high-potency supplements that provide optimal nutrient levels without the risk of toxicity.

The critical role of antioxidants
Antioxidants play a vital role in preventing free-radical-associated diseases. Even with a high-potency multivitamin, additional supplementation is typically necessary to achieve the levels recommended for antioxidant protection. Vitamin C and vitamin E are particularly important in this regard.

A mixed carotenoid supplement complements the vitamin A and beta-carotene in your multivitamin, creating a balanced approach. Coenzyme Q10 and alpha-lipoic acid support cellular antioxidant levels, while additional zinc promotes the activity of antioxidant enzymes throughout the body.

Essential fatty acids: The Omega-3 advantage
Fish oil supplements provide omega-3 fatty acids, which the body converts to active compounds called prostaglandins that fight inflammation. These fatty acids maintain healthy cell membranes, particularly crucial for the brain, heart, and blood vessels. Fish oil also improves blood flow.

Begin with one capsule (1000mg) daily and gradually increase to 3000-5000mg per day. While omega-3s are also found in vegetable sources like flaxseed, fish oil offers a distinct advantage: it already contains the biologically active compounds EPA and DHA, whereas flax must convert these compounds first, making fish oil typically more effective.

Implementing your basic supplement program
For optimal absorption and minimal digestive upset, divide your daily supplements into two or three doses. Most patients find it convenient to take nutrients with breakfast, lunch, and dinner or before bed.

Generally, take stimulating vitamins with breakfast and lunch. Fat-soluble vitamins like CoQ10 should be taken with fatty acids to enhance absorption. Minerals are better absorbed when taken separately and can have a calming effect, making them ideal for dinner and bedtime.

If taking supplements three to four times daily proves unmanageable, combining morning and lunch supplements into one group, and dinner and evening supplements into another, is perfectly acceptable. As you advance through the program, you'll experience an upward spiral of increasing health, vitality, and well-being.

Restoring hormonal balance for optimal aging
As hormone production declines, the body's ability to rejuvenate and repair tissues and organs diminishes. Disease resistance weakens, and aging accelerates. In fact, hormone levels represent one of the most telling biomarkers of aging.

By restoring hormones to optimal, youthful levels, the body can be rejuvenated both internally and externally. Your nutritional status significantly influences hormone production, and working with a knowledgeable physician can help restore these hormones to their optimal levels. While the anti-aging benefits of hormone replacement are often rapid and dramatic, achieving the perfect balance may require several weeks or months of fine-tuning.

Hormones: The modern anti-aging solution
We live in an era with unprecedented access to hormone therapies—options unavailable to previous generations. However, it's crucial to understand the difference between natural, bioidentical hormones and synthetic alternatives.

If you're currently on hormone therapy, particularly if you're a woman taking estrogen and progesterone, pay close attention to the type of hormones you're using. Many women and men receive synthetic, chemically altered versions that don't match what their bodies naturally produce.

Bioidentical vs. synthetic hormones: A critical distinction
Natural, bioidentical hormones are created in laboratories to exactly match the hormones your body produces. They cannot be patented because they're identical to natural compounds. Synthetic hormones, however, are manufactured to be as close to natural as possible while still being patentable. Even slight molecular alterations can result in unwanted side effects and potential harm.

The controversy surrounding hormone therapy often stems from misunderstanding this crucial distinction. Recent studies have demonstrated significant differences between chemically altered and bioidentical hormones. The scientific evidence supporting natural hormones and cautioning against synthetic versions is well-documented in peer-reviewed medical literature.

The Women's Health Initiative Study: Context matters
The Women's Health Initiative (WHI) Study showed increased risks of breast cancer, heart disease, and stroke in women treated with synthetic hormone combinations like Premarin® and Provera®. Consequently, many physicians now oppose female hormone therapy.

However, this study doesn't apply to bioidentical hormones, which have different molecular structures and biological effects than the synthetic hormones studied in the WHI. The medical literature contains substantial evidence supporting the use of natural hormones while cautioning against synthetic alternatives.

The essential role of progesterone
In early hormone replacement therapy, the importance of progesterone wasn't fully recognized. Without progesterone's balancing effects, estrogen can become dominant, potentially leading to uterine cancer or endometrial cancer. Younger women naturally produce sufficient progesterone to balance estrogen, but after menopause, progesterone production plummets to almost zero.

Progesterone offers numerous benefits beyond uterine protection. It acts as an antidepressant, mild tranquilizer, and natural painkiller. It's remarkably effective for treating premenstrual syndrome (PMS), alleviating symptoms like moodiness, irritability, bloating, menstrual cramps, and headaches. Many physicians mistakenly prescribe antidepressants for PMS when progesterone replacement would address the root cause.

Progesterone and sleep quality
One of the most disruptive symptoms of menopause is sleep loss. Many women report feeling lethargic during the day and anxious at night. Progesterone has been shown to help eliminate sleeplessness in most patients, highlighting its profound influence on overall health and well-being.

The progesterone myth: "I don't have a uterus"
A common misconception is that women without a uterus don't need progesterone. This myth persists because many physicians were taught that progesterone's sole purpose is uterine protection. In reality, progesterone receptors throughout the body respond positively to progesterone stimulation, offering benefits far beyond uterine health.

To achieve optimal health, women need both estrogen and progesterone in their natural forms, regardless of whether they have a uterus. Progesterone's benefits extend to mood, energy, sleep quality, and overall vitality.

Synthetic vs. natural: The clear choice
While estrogen and progesterone protect women from many age-related diseases, most prescribed hormones today are synthetic. Popular options like Premarin® (derived from pregnant mare urine) and Provera® differ molecularly from human hormones, leading to the side effects commonly associated with hormone supplementation.

Bioidentical hormones provide all the benefits without the side effects because they're an exact match to the hormones your body produces naturally. They offer relief from menopausal symptoms while protecting against diseases that could compromise longevity and quality of life.

Testosterone: The male vitality hormone
For men, testosterone is a life-sustaining hormone produced primarily by specialized Leydig cells in the testes, with small amounts from the adrenal glands. Testosterone travels through the bloodstream, binding to receptors throughout the body, including important brain regions.

Much of a man's testosterone is bound to a protein called sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG), making it unavailable to the body. Only about 4% of testosterone remains bio-available or free. Research shows that free testosterone becomes increasingly bound with age, leading to declining available levels even when total testosterone appears normal.

Understanding total vs. free testosterone
The distinction between total and free testosterone is crucial. While total testosterone may remain normal with age, free testosterone levels decline due to increased SHBG. Factors elevating SHBG include aging, alcohol use, obesity, lack of exercise, and certain medications.

Additionally, there's a significant difference between "normal" and "optimal" hormone levels. Normal for one's age isn't necessarily optimal for health and vitality. Medical literature supports replacing hormone levels to those of younger adults (typically 20-30 years old) to achieve optimal health and the associated "feel-good" effects.

Most medical studies use hormone dosages resulting in levels at the upper end of the physiological range—those found in young adults. Unfortunately, many laboratories now report only age-specific "normal" ranges, which don't indicate optimal levels for anti-aging purposes. Our goal is to restore free testosterone levels to those of a younger male, promoting vitality and longevity.

EXPLORE FURTHER