Home / What is: Hormone Optimization
What is:What is hormone optimization?
The short answerHormone optimization is a personalized, provider-guided approach to bringing hormones like estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone back into a healthy range, based on your symptoms and lab results. At Onus, it starts with a lab draw and a consultation with a nurse practitioner.
Updated November 2026 · 3-minute read
In 30 seconds
Hormone optimization, simplified
Hormones are messengers
They tell your organs and tissues what to do and when.
Levels shift with age
Key hormones often begin to decline in your late thirties.
Labs come first
A blood test shows where your levels are today.
Plans are personal
Your provider builds and adjusts a plan around your results.
Know the signs
Signs your hormones may be off
These symptoms have many possible causes. Labs and a provider visit help sort out whether hormones are part of the picture.
Low energy
Tired most days, even after a full night's sleep.
Mood changes
Irritability, low mood, or feeling flat.
Poor sleep
Trouble falling or staying asleep, or night sweats.
Low libido
Less interest in sex than you used to have.
Weight changes
New weight gain, especially around the midsection.
Brain fog
Trouble focusing or remembering.
Hot flashes
Sudden waves of heat, common in perimenopause.
Less muscle
Losing strength or muscle despite regular exercise.
The process
How does hormone optimization work?
The goal isn't a one-size-fits-all dose. It's finding the range where you feel your best, then keeping you there with regular follow-up.
1. Test
A lab draw measures hormones like testosterone, estradiol, and progesterone.
2. Talk
A nurse practitioner reviews your labs, symptoms, and health history with you.
3. Treat and track
If treatment fits, you start a personal plan, with follow-up labs to fine-tune it.
Options at Onus
Types of hormone optimization
BHRT
Bioidentical hormone replacement therapy uses hormones that are chemically identical to the ones your body makes. Common in perimenopause and menopause.
TRT
Testosterone replacement therapy for low testosterone, available as injections, troches, or cream.
Take a quiz
Our perimenopause quiz helps you spot changes worth discussing with a provider. There's a TRT quiz on our testosterone page, too.
Is it a fit?
Who is hormone optimization for?
Worth a conversation if you
- Have several of the signs above and they're not going away
- Are in perimenopause or menopause
- Think your testosterone may be low
- Want a plan based on your labs, not guesswork
Talk to your provider first if you
- Are pregnant, nursing, or planning to be
- Have a history of hormone-sensitive cancer, like breast or prostate cancer
- Have a history of blood clots
- Take other prescription medications
Step by step
What to expect at Onus
Lab draw
A quick blood draw at any Onus location.
NP consult
Review your results and symptoms with a nurse practitioner.
Personal plan
If treatment fits, your provider recommends BHRT, TRT, or both.
Follow-up labs
We recheck levels and adjust your plan over time.
Myth vs. fact
Common hormone myths
MythHormone therapy is only for women.
FactMen and women both rely on hormones like testosterone, and both can have imbalances.
MythIt's just aging, so nothing can be done.
FactLevels do change with age, and labs can show whether treatment is an option for you.
MythBioidentical means risk-free.
FactBioidentical hormones are still medication, which is why every plan is prescribed and monitored by a provider.
MythEveryone gets the same dose.
FactYour plan is based on your own labs and symptoms, and adjusted with follow-up labs.
Pricing
How much does hormone optimization cost?
Most people start with labs and a nurse practitioner consult. Treatment pricing depends on the plan your provider recommends.
| Service | Details | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Hormone labs | Varies by age and gender | $150 - $170 |
| NP consult | $50 credit toward a BHRT procedure done the same day | $150 |
| BHRT procedure | Women | $375 |
| BHRT procedure | Men | $750 |
| TRT | Injections, troches, or cream | From $130 |
Key terms
Hormone terms, defined
- Hormone
- A chemical messenger made by your glands that travels through your blood.
- Endocrine system
- The glands that make hormones, like the thyroid, adrenals, ovaries, and testes.
- Bioidentical
- Chemically identical to the hormones your body makes.
- Perimenopause
- The transition before menopause, when hormone levels start to shift.
- Andropause
- A gradual decline in testosterone in men, sometimes starting in their thirties.
- Baseline labs
- Your first set of results, used to measure changes over time.
Hormone optimization FAQ
What is hormone optimization?
Hormone optimization is a personalized, provider-guided approach to bringing hormones like estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone back into a healthy range, based on your symptoms and lab results.
How do I know if my hormones are off?
Common signs include low energy, mood changes, poor sleep, low libido, weight changes, and brain fog. These have many possible causes, so a lab draw and a provider visit are the best way to know.
What's the difference between BHRT and TRT?
BHRT uses bioidentical hormones to rebalance levels like estrogen and progesterone, and is common in perimenopause and menopause. TRT focuses on low testosterone in men and women. Some people use both.
Is hormone optimization safe?
Hormone therapy is medication, so it's prescribed only after labs and a consultation, and monitored with follow-up labs. Your provider reviews your health history, including any history of hormone-sensitive cancer or blood clots.
How much does hormone optimization cost?
At Onus, hormone labs are $150 to $170 and a nurse practitioner consult is $150, with a $50 credit toward a BHRT procedure done the same day. BHRT procedures are $375 for women and $750 for men.
Where can I get hormone optimization in Denver?
BHRT and TRT are available at all 7 Onus locations: LoHi, Wheat Ridge, Boulder, Denver Tech Center, Central Park, Highlands Ranch, and Fort Collins.
What states do you serve for telemedicine?
We provide telemedicine services for residents of Colorado.
What is the contact information for the pharmacies?
Olympia Pharmacy: olympiapharmacy.com, phone 407-735-2201, 4600 LB McLeod Road, Orlando, FL 32811, inquiries@olympiapharmacy.com.
Your best days are still ahead.
Start with a lab draw and a nurse practitioner consult at any of our 7 Colorado locations.
Schedule a Lab Draw