Morning Rose Integrative Health & Aesthetics

Hormone therapy—especially testosterone in women—still carries a lot of fear and misinformation.

But this is exactly why I believe we need to keep looking at the research.

In this long-term study, more than 1,200 women receiving subcutaneous testosterone therapy were followed over time. At both the 5-year and 10-year follow-ups, breast cancer occurred less often than expected compared with population data.

That matters.

It doesn’t mean testosterone is appropriate for every woman, and hormone therapy should always be individualized based on symptoms, history, risk factors and appropriate monitoring.

But it DOES give us important and reassuring information when discussing testosterone therapy and breast health.

Women deserve hormone conversations based on current evidence—not outdated fear.

This is also why continuing education matters so much to me. Medicine evolves. Research evolves. And the way we care for our patients should evolve with it.

HRT is becoming more accessible — and I LOVE seeing more women finally getting the care they deserve.

But prescribing hormones is only the beginning.

What happens when your labs look “good”…but you still don’t feel good?

That’s when I start asking WHY.

Serum hormone testing is extremely valuable and something I use routinely. But sometimes I want to look beyond how much hormone is circulating and better understand how your body is METABOLIZING those hormones.

That’s one reason I may use DUTCH testing.

It can give me another layer of information about estrogen and androgen metabolism, progesterone metabolites, and cortisol + cortisone patterns throughout the day.

Not every patient needs DUTCH testing. Sometimes the answer means looking somewhere else entirely — thyroid, iron, insulin, nutrients, sleep, stress, gut health and more.

Good hormone care isn’t just about writing the prescription.

It’s knowing how to individualize it, monitor it, troubleshoot it — and when something isn’t working, keep asking WHY.

Let’s talk about 5-Amino-1MQ. 👇🏻

This is one of the compounds I may incorporate into a metabolic plan when our goals go beyond simply losing weight — and start focusing more on BODY COMPOSITION, insulin sensitivity and metabolic health.

So what exactly does it do?

5-Amino-1MQ targets an enzyme called NNMT (nicotinamide N-methyltransferase).

Think of NNMT as one of the enzymes involved in how our cells handle and use energy.

NNMT is especially interesting because it is active in fat tissue and interacts with pathways involving nicotinamide, NAD+ metabolism and cellular energy regulation. Higher NNMT activity has been associated in preclinical research with obesity, insulin resistance and metabolic dysfunction.

5-Amino-1MQ is designed to INHIBIT NNMT.

Why would we want to do that?

By reducing NNMT activity, researchers are studying whether we can shift cellular metabolism toward more efficient energy utilization rather than energy storage — while potentially supporting NAD+ availability, insulin sensitivity and healthier fat metabolism.

That is what makes 5-Amino-1MQ so interesting to me.

It is NOT an appetite suppressant.

The interest is in what may be happening deeper at the CELLULAR + METABOLIC level.

I may consider it when we are working toward:

→ healthier body composition
→ improved insulin sensitivity
→ better fat metabolism
→ cellular energy support
→ long-term metabolic health

And yes, I also like considering it as an adjunct for select patients using GLP-1 therapy because it targets a completely different pathway. The goal isn’t always MORE medication or MORE appetite suppression.

I want to think about muscle, fat mass, insulin sensitivity, nutrition, strength training and what we’re doing to improve metabolic health LONG TERM.

🧠 What if the conversation about estrogen and brain health needs to happen BEFORE women are well into menopause?

One of the most interesting areas of menopause research right now is not simply whether a woman uses hormone therapy — but WHEN she starts it.

A large 2026 study following more than 183,000 postmenopausal women found that hormone therapy use was associated with a lower risk of dementia, with the benefit seen when therapy was initiated around the menopause transition.

This adds to the growing conversation around the “window of opportunity” — the idea that starting estrogen during perimenopause or early menopause may have very different effects than beginning therapy many years later.

Does this mean estrogen has been proven to prevent dementia? No.

But it DOES reinforce something I talk about with women every day:

Menopause is about so much more than treating hot flashes.

Estrogen affects the brain, bones, cardiovascular system, metabolism, sleep, mood and overall health. The decision to use hormone therapy should always be individualized, but women deserve to have that conversation EARLY enough for timing to be part of it.

We shouldn’t wait until a woman is 10–20 years beyond menopause to start talking about her long-term health.

🌹 Menopause care is preventative health care.

Did you know that low ferritin isn’t always just about not getting enough iron? 🧠

Ferritin is your body’s iron storage protein 🧲, but if your ferritin stays low despite taking iron, there may be more to the story.

Your red blood cells (RBCs) 🩸 carry oxygen throughout your body 🌬️. They rely on healthy, resilient cell membranes to survive their normal lifespan. If those cell membranes become fragile, red blood cells may break down sooner than they should. When that happens, your body has to recycle the iron from those damaged cells 🔄, which may contribute to disrupted iron metabolism rather than efficiently supporting the production of healthy new red blood cells.

This may be one reason why some people continue to struggle with low ferritin even when they are taking iron supplements 💊.

One area of emerging research is C15:0 (Fatty15) 🧬, an essential fatty acid that has been shown to support healthy cell membranes, including those of red blood cells. By supporting cell membrane integrity, C15:0 may help promote healthier, more resilient cells throughout the body 💪.

In functional medicine 🌿, we don’t just chase lab numbers—we look for the underlying causes and support the body at the cellular level 🔬.

✨ Healthier cells support healthier aging ✨

If you’ve been struggling with low ferritin despite supplementation, it may be worth having a deeper conversation 🗣️ about the factors that could be contributing.

🩸🧬

Retatrutide is generating a lot of excitement—but it is not currently available for routine patient treatment.

Retatrutide is a once-weekly “triple agonist” targeting three receptors:

🍽️ GLP-1 for appetite control, fullness, and reduced food intake
⚙️ GIP for insulin response, glucose control, and metabolic regulation
🔥 Glucagon for energy expenditure and fat metabolism

Semaglutide targets GLP-1, while tirzepatide targets both GLP-1 and GIP. Retatrutide adds the glucagon receptor, which means it may both reduce calorie intake and influence how the body uses and burns energy. This triple action is why it is gaining so much attention.

Eli Lilly plans to submit retatrutide through a Biologics License Application, or BLA, in early 2027.

Why does this matter?

Biologics are regulated through a separate federal pathway and are not eligible for the usual 503A or 503B compounding exemptions. A compounding pharmacy cannot legally purchase bulk retatrutide and prepare it for patient use.

Today, there is no legal pharmacy source of retatrutide for routine treatment. Anything currently sold online as “retatrutide,” “Reta,” or “research use only” is not FDA approved or legally compounded for human use. Its identity, strength, sterility, and quality may not be verified.

The planned BLA also raises questions about how other peptides may be classified and whether this could limit future pharmacy compounding and patient access.

We will be watching this closely while continuing to prioritize legal sourcing, quality, and patient safety.

✨ Now booking: The Lip Booster ✨

This new treatment is designed for patients who want softer, smoother, more hydrated lips—without adding noticeable volume or creating a “filled” appearance. 💧

It can help improve:

💧 Dry or dehydrated lips
✨ Fine lines and creasing
🤍 Rough or uneven texture
👄 Overall softness and lip quality

For best results, we recommend beginning with a series of 3–4 treatments spaced approximately 2–3 weeks apart. After completing your initial series, maintenance treatments can be scheduled every 2–3 months.

Your lips—just smoother, healthier-looking, and naturally refreshed. 🤍

We are now booking Lip Booster appointments and treatment series! Contact Morning Rose or book through our patient portal to reserve your appointment. ✨

Day 2 is complete, and the results are encouraging.

After two days of FDA Pharmacy Compounding Advisory Committee meetings, 6 of the 7 peptides reviewed received favorable recommendations to move forward in the regulatory process.

This doesn’t mean they’re FDA approved or immediately available, but it does represent meaningful progress. It’s a positive step toward creating a clearer, more regulated pathway for access through licensed compounding pharmacies instead of the gray market.

This has been a long time coming, and while there is still work ahead, it’s exciting to see movement in the right direction.

I’ll continue sharing updates as the FDA works through the next phase of the process.

This is a big step in the right direction for peptide medicine. 👏

Yesterday, the FDA’s Pharmacy Compounding Advisory Committee voted to recommend several peptides—including BPC-157, TB-500, KPV, and MOTS-C—for consideration on the 503A Bulks List. Today, the committee is reviewing additional peptides, including Semax, Epitalon, and DSIP (Emideltide).

While these votes do not mean FDA approval or immediate availability, they are an important milestone. It signals that these peptides are continuing to move through the regulatory process rather than being dismissed outright.

For those of us who have been following peptide research and their potential role in regenerative medicine, recovery, gut health, metabolic health, and brain health, this is encouraging news. There is still work to be done, but this is a meaningful step toward expanding access through legitimate, regulated compounding pharmacies in the future.

I’ll continue following today’s meeting and any future FDA decisions so I can keep you updated with clear, evidence-based information as things develop.