Hormones aren't the answer to everything, despite this spa's claims

What's this medspa actually claiming?

Jose Mendieta from important MedSpa tells his 15.5K Instagram followers that fatigue, anxiety, insomnia, weight gain, low libido, and mood changes aren't normal. His solution? Hormone evaluation and "personalized therapy" at his Miami clinic.

The post specifically targets women over 35, using hashtags like #Perimenopausia and #TerapiaHormonal. He's positioning hormone therapy as the fix for feeling like "you're not yourself anymore."

This is classic medspa marketing. Take common symptoms, blame hormones, offer expensive testing and treatments.

Are these symptoms really hormone problems?

Sometimes, but not always. The symptoms Mendieta lists have dozens of potential causes beyond hormones. Depression, thyroid disorders, sleep apnea, iron deficiency, and chronic stress can all cause identical symptoms.

The Women's Health Initiative (Rossouw et al., JAMA, 2002) actually found that hormone replacement therapy increased risks of stroke, blood clots, and breast cancer in postmenopausal women. That's why the North American Menopause Society now recommends the lowest effective dose for the shortest duration.

Yes, perimenopause and menopause cause real symptoms. But jumping straight to hormone therapy without ruling out other causes is backwards medicine.

What about the science on hormone optimization?

Here's where things get murky. The term "hormone optimization" isn't really used in legitimate medical literature. You'll find "hormone replacement therapy" for documented deficiencies, but not this vague "optimization" concept.

The KEEPS trial (Harman et al., Menopause, 2014) followed 727 recently menopausal women for four years. Even with bioidentical hormones, the benefits were modest and came with cardiovascular risks.

For testosterone in women, the Global Consensus Statement (Davis et al., Climacteric, 2019) only recommends it for postmenopausal women with sexual dysfunction, and only after other causes are ruled out. The evidence for testosterone treating fatigue or mood in women is weak.

What's wrong with this approach?

Mendieta's clinic appears to be selling a solution before properly diagnosing the problem. Real hormone disorders like hypothyroidism or adrenal insufficiency have specific diagnostic criteria, not just "you don't feel like yourself."

The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (2021) warns against hormone therapy for vague symptoms without clear deficiency. Many women's symptoms improve with basic lifestyle changes, stress management, or treating underlying conditions.

Medspas often order expensive hormone panels that aren't medically necessary. Your regular doctor can order the same tests for a fraction of the cost if they're actually indicated.

What should women actually know about hormones?

Hormone changes during perimenopause and menopause are real and can significantly impact quality of life. But they're not the only explanation for feeling off.

If you're experiencing these symptoms, start with your primary care doctor or gynecologist. They can rule out common causes like thyroid disorders, anemia, or depression before considering hormone therapy.

When hormone therapy is appropriate, it should be the lowest effective dose for the shortest time. The goal is treating documented deficiency or specific menopausal symptoms, not optimizing levels to feel like you're 25 again.