MANILA, Philippines ? The key to eternal youth could lie in your hormones, or so say the medical doctors behind Asian Institute of Longevity Medicine (AILM, formerly Asian Aesthetics and Anti-aging Clinic, at 2/F, Liberty Plaza, in front of Trafalgar Bldg., 102 HV de la Costa St., Salcedo Village, Makati).

Longevity medicine, though practiced in Europe for 15-20 years now, is a relatively new field in the Philippines, says one of its practitioners, Doctor Quincy P. Raya.

?Longevity medicine is preventive medicine; it?s a disease-prevention specialization,? says Raya. ?We are not hospitals that are primarily focused on the health care [of a person already afflicted with a disease]. Longevity medicine aims to prolong life, and that includes addressing the symptoms of aging.?

Since hormones affect almost all aspects of physical functions, including the promotion of supple skin and wrinkle-prevention, AILM introduces the bio-identical hormone therapy (BHRT).

Unlike conventional HRT, Raya says BHRT is derived from natural resources such as plants, with customized and tailored doses of hormones identical to the individual?s hormones, which the body would treat as if they were its own. Toxicity is almost nil, and there are almost no side effects, Raya says.

?We reverse the symptoms of aging by restoring the balance of your hormones to that of a 25-year-old,? she says.

Depending on how early one starts on BHRT?ideally it should be between 35 and 45 years old, Raya says?hormones can be restored to what they once were five to 25 years ago.

Raya, who specialized in anti-aging medicine in Paris and Athens, says that with hormones restored to near optimum, or optimum levels, the aging process is significantly slowed down and quality of life improved.

Menopausal menstruation

?We can even make a menopausal woman menstruate again,? says Dr. Christopher Rex Gloria, Raya?s partner in AILM.

Although not necessary, Gloria says some women prefer to menstruate again for psychological reasons.

Hormones govern the body, he continues, so when the estrogen drops, for instance, the skin loses its elasticity and wrinkles form around the lips and eyes. And its effects go beyond the physical.

The male hormone testosterone helps prevent fat clot from accumulating in the arteries, Gloria says. A hormone-related disease, hypothyroid, can cause people to have a hard time maintaining ideal weight and ultimately become extremely overweight.

Gloria, who finished Clinical Endocrinology at Harvard University and specialized in hormone studies in Paris, Brussels, Kuala Lumpur and Jakarta, also specialized in anti-aging medicine in Bangkok and Paris.

The treatment also promotes a healthy lifestyle and diet.

?One of our goals is for patients to grasp the real diet and lifestyle that promotes good hormone production,? says Raya, who also has a specialization in Obesity Treatment from Harvard University.

Diet and exercise programs are tailor-made according to a patient?s likes and dislikes, so that chances of falling off the program is minimized.

Prescription for life

BHRT promises to boost energy, promote good sleep and memory, increase muscle and bone mass, improve mood, enhance sexual function and libido, and diminish body fat and wrinkles. Treatment comes in three stages, Raya explains.

First comes the initial evaluation, an hour-long consultation of medical-related issues, stress levels/factors, sex, mood, exercise, psychological profile; with orientation on bio-identical hormones and its benefits.

After the evaluation comes the physical exam/hormone panel testing, which includes extraction of blood and urine to determine one?s precise hormone levels. Next comes the customized BHRT program, prepared by the clinic in arranged daily dose packets.

Regular consultation during the entire program ensures there is no overdose of the hormone prescription. Effects can be visible as early as six weeks to six months.

The BHRT program is ideally prescribed for life, says Gloria. When patients stop the therapy, its benefits also level off over time.

Right form and dose

AILM?s partners abroad include Ticeba, a life-science company based in Heidelberg, Germany, which works on stem-cell research and regenerative medicine. AILM also offers stem-cell banking and therapy, as well as preventive genetic diagnostics.

?We are giving our patients the right hormones in the right form and the right dose,? says Raya.

BHRT comes in three forms: oral, liposomal gel and injections. Form and dosage depend on a client?s needs and purposes, Raya says.

Although BHRT is an alternative route for people who don?t want to go under the knife, Raya says it can also work together with cosmetic surgery. If the patient and the skin are not healthy, cosmetic surgery will not give one the best results it could have given.

?We work with our patient?s existing doctors, even consult with them,? Gloria says. ?We guarantee results minus the ill side effects. We are very confident since our products are not chemically compounded medications.?

Raya takes a philosophical view: ?Some people just want to be healthy. Others want to be healthy and look younger.?