Frequently Asked Questions

The Comprehensive Assessment is your first visit at Meliora — a 60-minute deep dive into your health history, symptoms, and goals. Dr. Chua reviews your full lab panel, examines your hormones, nutrients, and metabolic markers against optimal ranges, and builds a personalized treatment plan. It is the foundation of everything we do.

Meliora is a direct-pay, concierge-style practice. We do not bill insurance directly. Many patients use HSA/FSA accounts or submit claims to their insurance for potential reimbursement. This model allows Dr. Chua to spend meaningful time with each patient rather than being constrained by insurance-mandated visit lengths.

Labs must be drawn at least 14 business days before your first appointment. You should fast for 12 hours before your blood draw (water is fine). Bring a list of any current medications and supplements. Come ready to have a thorough, honest conversation about how you have been feeling — nothing is too small to mention.

Meliora Integrative Medicine is located in Evanston, Illinois. Comprehensive Assessments and follow-up visits are conducted through telemedicine (video visits), so you can meet with Dr. Chua from anywhere. We see patients in person at our Evanston office for blood draws, pellet therapy, IV therapy, DEXA scans, B12 injections, and similar in-office services.

Meliora is best suited for adults who are tired of being told their labs are "normal" when they still feel unwell — fatigue, weight changes, brain fog, mood instability, sleep disruption, and hormonal symptoms are the most common presentations. We see both women and men. Most patients are in their 30s–60s but we see patients of all ages.

Most patients notice meaningful improvements within 4–12 weeks of starting treatment, though this varies by how many systems need to be addressed. Hormonal optimization typically shows early results in sleep and energy within 4–6 weeks. Nutrient repletion and gut work can take longer. Dr. Chua sets clear expectations at your first visit.

BHRT uses hormones that are molecularly identical to the ones your body produces naturally — estradiol, progesterone, testosterone, DHEA, and others. Unlike synthetic hormones (which have a modified structure), bioidentical hormones are designed to bind to your receptors exactly as your own hormones would. Meliora uses only bioidentical formulations.

When properly dosed and monitored, BHRT has a strong safety record. The risks most people associate with hormone therapy were primarily found in older studies using synthetic, non-bioidentical formulations. Dr. Chua reviews your personal health history and monitors your levels regularly to keep your hormones in a therapeutic, safe range.

Synthetic hormones (like Premarin or Provera) have a molecular structure that differs from the hormones your body makes. Bioidentical hormones match your body's own chemistry exactly. This distinction matters for how hormones are processed, how they interact with receptors, and how your body clears them.

Depending on the hormone and your clinical picture, delivery options include pellet therapy, topical creams, oral micronized progesterone, and DHEA capsules. Dr. Chua will recommend the delivery method that best matches your physiology and lifestyle at your Comprehensive Assessment.

Many patients notice improved sleep and energy within 4–6 weeks. Mood stabilization, libido, and body composition changes typically take 2–4 months. Follow-up labs are scheduled at regular intervals to fine-tune dosing.

Absolutely. Men experience a gradual decline in testosterone starting in their 30s — affecting energy, muscle mass, mood, cognitive sharpness, and sexual function. Dr. Chua evaluates total testosterone, free testosterone, DHEA, and estradiol in men and offers testosterone replacement therapy when clinically indicated.

The Meliora lab panel is comprehensive and goes well beyond what most primary care providers order. It includes a full sex hormone panel (estradiol, progesterone, testosterone, DHEA, SHBG), thyroid panel (TSH, Free T3, Free T4, thyroid antibodies), adrenal markers (DHEA-S), metabolic markers (fasting insulin, glucose, HbA1c, lipids), and nutrient levels (ferritin, B12, folate, vitamin D).

TSH (thyroid stimulating hormone) is a signal from the pituitary — it tells your thyroid to produce more hormone. Most doctors check only TSH to evaluate thyroid function. Free T3 is the active thyroid hormone that actually enters your cells and drives energy, metabolism, and mood. Many patients with "normal" TSH have suboptimal Free T3 — which is why Dr. Chua evaluates the full thyroid panel.

Yes. A 12-hour fast (water is fine) is required before your blood draw. This is especially important for accurate fasting insulin, glucose, and lipid results. For hormone labs, draw timing also matters — your Meliora coordinator will advise you on the best day of your cycle for female hormone testing.

You can share prior labs and they will be reviewed as part of your history. However, most external panels are incomplete for Meliora's purposes — a standard physical rarely includes Free T3, fasting insulin, ferritin, DHEA-S, or a full sex hormone panel. A fresh draw ensures we have all the data we need in a single, consistent snapshot.

"Normal" lab ranges are set by averaging a large population — which includes many people who are unwell, medicated, or simply symptomatic. An "optimal" range represents the levels at which people actually feel well, have good energy, healthy body composition, and clear cognition. Meliora interprets all results against optimal ranges, not just population averages.

Yes. GLP-1 therapy is part of the Meliora Metabolic Gold program for appropriate candidates. However, Meliora does not use GLP-1 medications in isolation — they are prescribed alongside hormonal optimization, nutrient repletion, and gut support. This combined approach is why patients see durable results rather than regain.

Diet and exercise are important, but they cannot fix a hormonal imbalance, a thyroid that is producing insufficient Free T3, or a ferritin level too low to support energy production. Many patients who struggle with weight despite eating well and exercising have one or more of these underlying drivers. Meliora identifies and addresses the root cause — which is why the outcomes are different.

The Metabolic Balance program is the entry-level weight optimization tier at Meliora — it includes hormonal and metabolic testing, a personalized protocol, and structured follow-up. It is designed for patients whose weight challenges are primarily driven by hormonal or metabolic dysfunction rather than requiring pharmacological support.

Most weight programs treat weight as a calorie problem. Meliora treats it as a hormonal, metabolic, and physiological problem. Before any weight protocol begins, we address the underlying drivers — hormone imbalances, thyroid dysfunction, insulin resistance, nutrient deficiencies — because without correcting those, weight loss is nearly impossible to sustain.

DEXA (Dual-Energy X-ray Absorptiometry) is the gold standard for body composition analysis. It measures fat mass, lean muscle mass, bone mineral density, and visceral fat with precision. A scale tells you your weight; DEXA tells you what that weight is made of. This data is essential for building a weight and metabolic protocol that protects muscle and targets fat.

IV infusion therapy delivers nutrients, vitamins, and hydration directly into the bloodstream — bypassing the digestive system for near-complete absorption. At Meliora we offer targeted IV flows plus NAD+, high-dose vitamin C, and glutathione — all mixed fresh and tailored to your labs. IV therapy is used to accelerate recovery, support energy, enhance immune function, and complement ongoing treatment plans.

Peptides are short chains of amino acids that act as signaling molecules in the body — telling cells to produce more growth hormone, accelerate healing, reduce inflammation, or improve metabolic function. Meliora uses clinically validated peptides like BPC-157, CJC-1295, and Ipamorelin for specific therapeutic goals including tissue repair, body composition, and anti-aging support.

NAD+ (nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide) is a coenzyme essential for cellular energy production, DNA repair, and metabolic function. Levels naturally decline with age. IV NAD+ therapy is used at Meliora to support mitochondrial health, cognitive clarity, and recovery from burnout — and is often incorporated into comprehensive treatment plans for patients with persistent fatigue.

Meliora uses medical-grade, pharmaceutical-quality supplements dispensed directly from the practice. Common recommendations include magnesium glycinate, vitamin D3/K2, methylated B12 and folate, iron (in forms tailored to your ferritin level), omega-3, and targeted adrenal or thyroid support formulations. Every supplement recommendation is based on your specific lab findings.

After your Comprehensive Assessment, most patients have a follow-up at 4–6 weeks to review initial lab results and adjust the treatment plan. Subsequent follow-ups are typically every 3 months for the first year, then 2× per year for stable patients. More frequent check-ins are scheduled as needed during active protocol changes.

Follow-up visits review your labs, symptoms, and progress. Dr. Chua adjusts dosing, adds or modifies interventions, and tracks trends over time. Visits are typically 30–45 minutes — long enough to have a real conversation about how you're doing and where you want to go.

Meliora coordinates lab draws through our preferred lab network. Your coordinator will provide the order and instructions. Labs must be completed at least 14 business days before your appointment to ensure results are available for Dr. Chua to review. Specific timing instructions for female hormone testing will be provided.

Meliora is open Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday from 9 AM to 5 PM. The office is closed on Wednesdays, Saturdays, and Sundays.

You can reach us by phone during office hours. For non-urgent questions between visits, established patients use the patient portal. New patient inquiries can be submitted through the website or by calling the office directly.