Achieving optimal patient outcomes in hormone balancing and neuroendocrine health relies on a foundation of thorough intake and accurate lab testing. These essential tools enable practitioners to guide patients toward long-term wellness. Urine hormone testing, which includes hormone metabolites, offers distinct insights compared to saliva or serum tests. Each testing method reveals unique aspects of patient physiology, making it important to understand their differences and when to apply each effectively. 

This presentation will explore the science behind current hormone testing methods and provide guidance on interpreting results from salivary, urine, and serum testing. We’ll examine these results in relation to commonly used hormone therapies and administration routes, enhancing clinical decision-making and patient care. 

Neurotransmitters: How are they made?  How do they function? Where do they act?  Most importantly, how do neurotransmitter imbalances present clinically? Patient symptoms rarely stem from just one hormone or one neurotransmitter. Neurotransmitters always interact with the endocrine and immune systems. Understanding the biochemical pathways and interconnectivity of neurotransmitters is critical before determining clinical applications.  After the completion of this course, participants will be able to assess neurotransmitter levels and understand interactions with adrenal profiles.  Obtain treatment considerations which utilize proven nutraceutical options combined with diet and lifestyle programs. Learn to employ an integrative approach which has been shown to be more effective in addressing mood disorders and more both for the short term and long-term sustained improvement.   

The gut microbiome is associated with a myriad of health outcomes and research in this area is rapidly growing. Equally, the public interest in health and biohacking is inspiring an increasing interest in the gut microbiome. There exists a sufficient need for physicians to guide their patients as they employ the gut microbiome for its health benefits. Yet, exactly how can one evaluate the gut microbiome and then what can be done about markers outside the reference interval? During this presentation, microbiome abundance and diversity, dysbiosis, functional guilds, pathogens, parasitology, short chain fatty acids, inflammatory markers, immune markers, markers of digestion and beta-glucuronidase will be addressed. The gut microbiome has far-reaching implications for clinical practice and attendees will walk away with an understanding of this system. 

A review of the role of the HPA axis in Chronic Disease Management will focus on common misconceptions about the HPA axis in general, and also as a stress-response system. Our focus will then turn to the adrenal hormones cortisol and DHEA(S), where we will discuss the many ways that the cellular-response of cortisol can be modulated, one of which is through the counter-regulatory signal of DHEA. We will then review the known and some of the unknowns about this important (and most abundant) steroid hormone and ways clinicians might be able to leverage this information through testing (of DHEA and/or DHEA-S) and through supplementation of DHEA. 

The Gastrointestinal System has often been called the Digestive Tract based on one of its most basic functions. In this lecture, we will be discussing the basic processes of digestion and absorption and discuss the causes and consequences of poor digestion and malabsorption. Key factors such as hydrochloric acid production, pancreatic and brush border enzyme activities and bile secretion will be discussed, along with ways of improving or supplementing these key factors to improve nutrient digestion and absorption. In addition, we will contrast the necessary absorptive functions of the gut with its need to maintain a barrier against unwanted immunological or harmful compounds. Evidence for non-pharmacological approaches to improve barrier function will be given. 

In this session, we will explore how clinicians were historically turned away from hormonal therapies and how to now redirect testing, tracking, and treatment strategies. We will also examine the efficacy, safety, and blood parameter markers essential for monitoring BHRT.

Translating the latest scientific insights into practical clinical applications, we'll cover topics such as: 

• The vilification of estrogen and its subsequent vindication. 

• The roles of receptors, hormones, genomic and non-genomic pathways, and the expanding significance of GPER (G-protein-coupled estrogen receptor). 

• The intimate relationship between nutrients and hormone receptor binding, as well as their impact on signaling duration. 

• Receptor functionality as a key factor in hormone health. 

• The role of endocrine disruptors in disrupting hormones at various life stages, including prenatal development. 

• The growing clinical presentation of hormonal dysfunction, including in young adults and the rise of gynecomastia in young males. 

• The foundational principles of hormone therapy, including bases, dosages, and delivery methods. 

By the end, you will have a deeper understanding of current approaches to hormone health and how to optimize care for your patients. 

There is significant misinformation circulating on social media regarding the role of estriol in BHRT. Is estriol safe? Is it necessary? What benefits does it offer to peri- and postmenopausal women? Can it also be used as a clinical tool for treating diverse conditions, from multiple sclerosis (MS) to inflammatory bowel disease (IBD)? 

Dr. Jan-Ake Gufstaffson, PhD, who discovered the ER Beta receptor, has been a passionate advocate for its clinical applications in cancer treatment, inflammation management, and even in psychiatric conditions like schizophrenia. He questions why many physicians are hesitant to use ER Beta agonists in clinical practice. 

In this session, you will learn why estriol should be a key tool in your practice, and what the latest scientific research reveals about its potential benefits for your patients. Additionally, we will explore which therapy—estradiol or biest—most closely mirrors the natural hormonal balance found in the body. 

Dr. Esposito systematically transitions into the pathology underpinning cardiovascular disease (CVD), focusing on the impact of dyslipidemia, atherosclerosis, and related metabolic and gut dysfunction. Attendees gain critical insight into both basic and advanced lipid testing methodologies, enabling a more nuanced approach to lipid management. The session underscores the clinical utility of markers that offer enhanced precision in assessing cardiovascular risk beyond traditional lipid panels.  

Pharmacological management strategies are explored in depth, with a focus on the evidence-based application of lipid-modifying agents while concurrently emphasizing the integration of lifestyle and dietary interventions. Nutraceutical interventions are discussed as adjunct therapies with potential synergistic effects alongside conventional treatments. Additionally, Dr. Esposito outlines exercise protocols tailored to reducing cardiovascular risk, from aerobic and strength training to high-intensity interval training, each contributing to improved lipid metabolism.  

This lecture delivers a robust, integrative framework for lipid management, equipping healthcare professionals with evidence-driven strategies to optimize cardiovascular health outcomes. The insights shared bridge the divide between lipid science and clinical application, fostering improved patient care through precision medicine and individualized interventions. 

Hormonal and endocrine health is a central component of the presentation, focusing on the assessment and management of hormone imbalances in men, including testosterone deficiency and adrenal hormone dysfunctions. Dr. Esposito provides a comprehensive overview of the role of sex and adrenal hormones in men’s metabolic, cardiovascular, and cognitive health. Evidence-based strategies for evaluating and optimizing hormonal balance are discussed, including pharmaceutical, nutraceutical and lifestyle interventions aiming to enhance overall health, reduce chronic disease risk, and improve quality of life.  

By integrating advanced clinical diagnostics, precision medicine, and lifestyle interventions, Dr. Esposito offers an actionable framework to optimize men’s health. The session underscores the value of prevention and early detection, positioning healthcare professionals to extend and improve both the quality and length of their male patients' lives through a multifaceted and integrative approach. 

Clinical theory is a wonderful thing, but the practice and application of that theory is where the rubber meets the road. Diving deep into real world clinical cases, participants will assess difficult symptom pictures, including intake, patient history and test results, as well as identify the in-depth questions that will lead to a more precise and tailored testing and treatment plan.  Pulling from a knowledge base of seasoned clinicians’ private practices, providers will be able to obtain advanced treatment considerations, including bioidentical hormones, nutraceuticals, amino acids and lifestyle modifications, and review follow-up test results to learn how the patient responded to treatment.