By Robin Gibson 

"Our hormones are decreasing because of environmental factors but hormones are the foundation of health." — Dr. Brannon

A North Carolina practice rooted in hormonal and holistic health recently expanded its successful operation to the Lowcountry.Optimal Biowas founded by Dr. Greg Brannon in 2012 following a thirty-year career as an OB/GYN in the Raleigh area. He did so out of a desire to treat the whole body and now adults here can take advantage of his research, expertise and personal experiences. We recently learned more about who he is, what his practice entails and what patients can expect from his new location in Mount Pleasant serving the Greater Charleston area.

Tell us a little bit about BHRT in general and why it’s so important.

Bioidentical Hormone Replacement Therapy (BHRT) has the unique ability to naturally bring your body to the optimal levels it was designed to maintain. The “normal” range on lab levels is the average of our sick population, and each year this range decreases. Our hormones are decreasing because of environmental factors but hormones are the foundation of health. BHRT acts as preventative healthcare, using the exact same, all-natural hormones that your body already produces to treat deficiencies in levels like testosterone, estrogen and your thyroid. BHRT is the most effective and precise means of treating a hormonal imbalance. BHRT is atom for atom, molecule for molecule, 3-dimensionally and rotationally identical to the natural form and structure that is created in our bodies. The Mayo Clinic states that the body recognizes it as the same. Function, metabolism, elimination and strength are the exact same and operate exactly how the hormones created in our bodies naturally do.

What made you want to start your own BHRT medical practice?

I saw a need for people to become healthy and a need for people to become more educated about their health. I wanted to help my patients through education and help them to understand that “liberty” is a verb. Knowledge is power. The cornerstone and foundation of ethical medicine is informed consent. Optimal Bio takes that literally.

How have you seen BHRT affect your patients’ lives and your own?

Being the Medical Director and a patient of Optimal Bio has given me the opportunity to see firsthand how transformative BHRT is. I have seen those struggling with brain fog and fatigue from everyday life and past illnesses regain their clarity and energy, Veterans with PTSD begin treatment and reclaim their lives, and people dealing with anxiety and depression take back their wellbeing. Everyone truly is a candidate for BHRT, and I have seen it in action as one of the most effective, safe and reliable ways to improve your quality of life.

What has working with BHRT taught you about taking care of yourself and your body? Has it changed your lifestyle at all?

I personally thought that I was in good shape. I was training for triathlons, exercising 3-5 times throughout the week, and thought I was doing everything correctly in order to maintain a healthy lifestyle. It wasn't until I took a deep look into my own labs that I realized I was diabetic. Learning about how to eat properly and fully understanding the foundation of our health, which is your hormones, has completely changed my life. I want to be an example of what we do here at Optimal Bio. I’m stronger now at 60 than I was at 40, my blood sugar is better now compared to when I was in my 30’s. On a physiological level, my body is better in all metrics compared to when I was in my younger years.

"I saw a need for people to become healthy and a need for people to become more educated about their health." — Dr. Brannon

Why did you want to expand your practice to Charleston?

We want to spread our message and knowledge everywhere! Charleston is a perfect place for our medical practice, being home to a very active community, a large military presence and a population of men and women, young and old, that demonstrate traits of vitality and the want to better themselves. Charleston is a great area for Optimal Bio to educate patients on the importance of health and wellness as a whole and provide a holistic and all-natural means of treatment!

What do you want people to take away from your work with BHRT education?

Symptoms are not just symptoms; they are signs that something is wrong. On a cellular level, your body is hurting and there needs to be an adjustment to relieve these symptoms. At Optimal Bio we treat symptoms and the individual, instead of basing our treatment strictly off numbers from a blood panel. Symptoms are not necessarily linear with the results from a sex hormone and thyroid blood test. The lab panels that we require all of our patients to complete help us to construct a treatment plan; but the symptoms that one experiences are the true starting point!

We understand that you have a second book coming out in 2024. Any details you can share with us at this point?

My first book, 'The Hormone Handbook,' provides readers with a great foundation of the importance of hormones! But the new book will provide readers with the ability to truly understand the foundation of their own health. We want our longevity and our health span to be congruent. The perfect combination is, “The health of your youth, with the benefit of our wisdom,” and my second book will contain the science and methodology to do so. My new book will explain the benefits of BHRT that have occurred over the last 10 years. 

About Dr. Brannon

Dr. Greg Brannon, MD., FACOG, ABAARM, FAAMM, FAAMFM, founded Optimal Bio in 2012 and now acts as the medical director for the North Carolina locations, in addition to his continued work as an OB/GYN. He became interested in bioidentical hormone replacement therapy (BHRT) methods in 2006 during his 30-year career as an OB/GYN in the Raleigh area. After seeing the success that many of his friends had experienced with BHRT, he performed his own research, concluding that it was viable and effective, and started the therapy on himself. He was inspired by the improvements he saw, and Optimal Bio was born. Since officially launching in 2012, the team at Optimal Bio has treated thousands of patients, both men and women, ages 18 to 86 and the results have been astounding. Dr. Brannon personally attends to patients in each of the six locations to provide the best possible care.

Optimal Bio is now serving the Greater Charleston area at 590 Lone Tree Dr. Suite 103, Mount Pleasant, SC 29464. 843-872-8134. Email office@opitmalbio.com.