Hormones in wellness and disease prevention: common practices, current state of the evidence, and questions for the future.

Confusion and controversy surround the use of estrogen, progesterone, testosterone, growth hormone, and thyroid hormones. This article discusses age-related hormone loss and supplementation therapies for age-related hormonal deficiencies as possible first-line therapeutic modalities to be considered in our search to improve quality of life, prevent chronic illnesses, and maintain wellness. The well-informed use of hormones in wellness and disease prevention will result in symptomatic improvement and should be considered an integral part in the armamentarium of options we offer our patients.