Perimenopause / Menopause / Hormones
Bioidentical hormones instead of antidepressants, anti-anxiety medication and sleeping pills
Have you been feeling increasingly irritable, anxious for no clear reason, exhausted, or lying awake for hours at night? Do you feel like you are “no longer yourself” and are being told that it is “psychosomatic” or simply stress?
- Many women in (peri-)menopause are prescribed antidepressants, sleeping pills or anti-anxiety medication. However, these treatments do not address the underlying cause – a deficiency of progesterone and estradiol.
- We do not treat symptoms. We treat the root cause – naturally, with bioidentical hormones.
“Menopause is not a disease that needs to be numbed with psychiatric medication.
It is a phase of transformation for which your body needs the right support.”
Dr. Katja Aschenbrenner, M.D.
Do those symptoms
sound familiar to you?
Hormonal changes develop gradually over many years. They often begin with inner restlessness or exhaustion and later progress into classic menopausal symptoms. Do you suffer from:
newly developed anxiety, low mood, exhaustion or irritability?
difficulty to fall asleep or staying asleep, frequent nighttime awakening (often between 2 and 4 a.m.)?
hot flashes, heart palpitations, joint pain, weight gain, hair loss, muscle pain?
“brain fog,” loss of libido, dry mucous membranes, dry eyes?
If this applies to you, it is very likely not burnout and not depression, but rather a hormonal imbalance (deficiency of progesterone, estrogen, testosterone and/or DHEA, pregnenolone, thyroid hormones).
I am Dr.
Katja Aschenbrenner. M.D.
I differentiate carefully, because every woman responds differently.
A woman in perimenopause requires a different therapeutic approach than a woman in menopause. Our approach combines modern laboratory diagnostics with the power of bioidentical hormones.
The solution:
bioidentical
hormones
The solution lies in nature:
Bioidentical hormones. Unlike conventional synthetic hormone preparations (which involve chemical alterations and may cause side effects), bioidentical hormones have exactly the same structure as the hormones your body naturally produces.
Lock-and-key principle:
They fit perfectly into your cell receptors, without the pronounced side effects associated with conventional synthetic hormone replacement therapies.
Derived from the yam root:
Processed in the laboratory in a way that allows your body to recognize them as “its own.”
The goal:
Relief of your symptoms as well as long-term prevention of conditions such as osteoporosis, arteriosclerosis and dementia.
I understand you
My personal
story
For me personally, hormone replacement therapy with bioidentical hormones has been an absolute game changer – one I would not want to miss for a single day.
This is what treatment looks like
step by step
Status quo:
We begin with a comprehensive medical history and, if necessary, a precise blood analysis to accurately determine your current hormone status.
Treatment plan:
You receive an individualized plan. In most cases, we use transdermal, bioidentical creams, gels, or capsules, which are dosed specifically to meet your personal needs.
Adjustment:
Hormones are a dynamic system. After a few weeks, we review both your hormone levels and how you are feeling, and adjust the dosage accordingly.
Ongoing support:
Follow-up monitoring, supplements, and lifestyle adjustments (fitness, nutrition, weight management programs).
“Don’t hormones cause cancer?”
In 2025, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) removed the general “black box warnings” for heart attack, stroke, dementia and breast cancer from menopause hormone therapies. This indicates that the risks were significantly overestimated over the past 20 years. What matters most is an individual risk–benefit assessment. For many women, the benefits clearly outweigh the risks when hormones are carefully selected and properly dosed. Bioidentical hormones also have a more favorable side-effect profile compared to synthetic hormones.
Who is this therapy
suitable for?
This offer is aimed at women from approximately age 35 who:
- do not want to be dismissed with “you just have to get through it,”
- are looking for a natural alternative to psychiatric medication and sleeping pills,
- want to take preventive action for bone, heart and brain health,
- are willing to take responsibility for their health,
- as well as younger women with PCOS, endometriosis or PMS.
Bioidentical hormone therapy in our practice is not the right path for you if:
- you have active breast cancer or other hormone-dependent tumors (we do not provide hormone therapy in these cases),
- you are looking for a “magic pill” – hormonal balance is a process that requires time, patience and your active participation (e.g. regular application of creams or capsules),
- you are unwilling to undergo laboratory monitoring – we work in a data-driven way, and safe hormone management is not possible without regular blood tests.
I am already taking synthetic hormones. Can I switch to your practice?
Yes, absolutely. Many patients come to us because they do not tolerate synthetic hormones or experience side effects. We create a safe and gentle plan to transition from synthetic therapy to bioidentical hormone treatment. Abrupt discontinuation is usually not necessary; instead, we taper and transition step by step.
How quickly will I notice improvement?
This varies individually. Many women report improved sleep and greater inner calm within just a few days (often the first effect of progesterone). Other symptoms such as hot flashes, hair loss or depressive mood may take 4 to 12 weeks until the hormonal system stabilizes.
Will I gain weight from hormones?
This is one of the most common concerns. Weight gain during menopause often occurs because of hormone deficiency, not because of hormone therapy.
Untreated progesterone deficiency can lead to fluid retention, while estrogen deficiency slows metabolism. Thyroid function is also frequently impaired. Properly dosed bioidentical hormones often help restart metabolic processes and can support weight stabilization or even reduce water retention.