In a major effort to reduce the risk of disorders resulting from ageing, Belle Santé Diagnostic and Therapeutic Institute Pvt. Ltd has invested Rs 2 crore to set up a state-of-the-art treatment and hormone analysis centre at Bangalore to offer Bio-identical Hormone Therapy (BHT). The lab is built according to National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration Laboratories (NABL) standards.

Belle Santé affiliated to the Fort Wayne Endocrinology, Indiana, USA is also a licensee of American Hormones Inc.

BHT is recognized globally as safe and efficacious. It helps to optimize multiple hormones that are responsible in playing a major role in the ageing process for which a combination of skin application and oral formulations using natural ingredients are prescribed. Plant sources like soya and yam extracts are used in the preparation of skin creams. The oral formulations of Omega Fatty Acids and Antioxidants are developed from marine fish oil, raspberry and blueberry extracts. BHT can slow down ageing process but cannot reverse it, Dr Vivek Kadambi, managing director, Belle Santé told Pharmabiz.

All the active ingredients in the compounded formulations have been US FDA approved. The creams bases are endorsed by Professional Compounding Centres of America, Dr Ashok Kadambi, president and founder, Fort Wayne Endocrinology Inc in an email interaction.

In the West, BHT is much sought after to treat and prevent age-related disorders with no side-effects. Indian patient profile between 40 and 60 years is now showing high incidence of age related diseases like cancer, cardiovascular diseases and diabetes, besides degenerative disorders like Parkinson's Alzheimer's, osteoporosis and dementia. Much of the diseases and disorders can be controlled if hormones are maintained in normal levels. Belle Santé is the first initiative in the country to provide BHT, stated Dr Vivek Kadambi.

The Institute is also focusing on the management of diabetes and prevention of complications arising out of it. This is a growing concern in India, he added.

The lab at Belle Santé utilizes chem luminescent assay known to accurately and reliably measure the hormones and vitamin levels. Global majors like Siemens, Roche and Becton and Dickenson are known for their range of chem luminescent assay analyzers.

The therapy is US FDA regulated. The treatment could be either skin applications or oral therapy or a combination of the two depending on the severity of the condition to optimize the levels. The cost of diagnosis is Rs. 15,000 for the entire hormone and vitamin profile. The treatment costs is from Rs, 25,000 to Rs 1 lakh annually.

Bell Santé will soon have a tele-medicine link to Fort Wayne Endocrinology, US. Efforts are also on to train medical practitioners in India to incorporate anti ageing therapies in their practice. There will also be a series of seminar to create an awareness on BHT and prevention of ageing problems.