You've been told it's normal. It's not.
Fatigue that doesn't respond to rest. Weight that shifts for no clear reason. Sleep that doesn't restore you. A version of yourself that feels just out of reach. Women navigating perimenopause, menopause, and hormone imbalance hear the same thing over and over: this is just part of aging and they need to manage it and push through.
That's not good enough.
ATHENA is Code 1's physician-led hormone optimization protocol for women. Built around where you actually are hormonally, what your symptoms are telling us, and what you want your life to feel like. Not a one-size-fits-all prescription. A real plan, managed by a physician who takes the full picture seriously.
The dismissal is the diagnosis. And it's wrong.
Women are undertreated in conventional medicine at a rate that would be considered a crisis if it were talked about more openly. Hormonal symptoms get attributed to stress, anxiety, or just the natural consequence of getting older. Labs come back within range and the conversation ends there. The patient leaves with nothing actionable and the quiet sense that she's being dramatic.
She's not being dramatic. Her body is changing in ways that are real, measurable, and addressable. The problem isn't the symptoms. The problem is a system that doesn't have time to actually investigate them.
ATHENA exists because that gap is unacceptable.
What the protocol actually looks like.
ATHENA is a physician-managed hormone optimization protocol that lives inside your Code 1 membership. The same physician managing your hormones also knows your metabolic health, your cardiovascular picture, your body composition, and your full history. Nothing gets managed in isolation.
- Comprehensive baseline labs including estrogen, progesterone, testosterone, DHEA-S, cortisol, thyroid panel, full metabolic and lipid markers
- Symptom and history review covering energy, sleep, mood, libido, cycle changes, weight, cognitive function, and quality of life
- Personalized protocol design based on your specific hormonal picture and clinical presentation
- Ongoing monitoring and adjustment with regular follow-up labs and plan refinement as your body responds
- Direct physician access throughout the process
Is this for you?
- You're a woman in perimenopause, menopause, or post-menopause experiencing symptoms that are affecting your quality of life
- You've been dismissed, rushed, or told your labs are normal when you clearly don't feel normal
- You're experiencing fatigue, sleep disruption, weight changes, mood shifts, low libido, brain fog, or any combination of symptoms you can't get a straight answer about
- You want a physician who manages your hormones inside the full context of your health, not as an isolated complaint
- You're looking for a quick prescription without a real clinical relationship
- You're not willing to do the lab work and follow-up monitoring the protocol requires
- You're not a current Code 1 member or willing to become one
Hormone optimization for women deserves the same rigor as anything else in medicine.
The standard approach to women's hormonal health in conventional medicine is reactive and minimal. Symptoms severe enough to disrupt daily life get a low-dose prescription. Everything below that threshold gets a shrug. The nuance, the full hormonal picture, the interaction between estrogen and progesterone and testosterone and thyroid, rarely gets the attention it deserves in a 10-minute visit. ATHENA is built on the premise that women's hormonal health is complex, worth investigating properly, and absolutely worth optimizing. Not managing… optimizing.
"Most doctors say, 'What's the problem?' He says, 'Tell me about you.'" — Code 1 patient
What patients say about the work.
I was looking for a primary care team that would meet me where I was in my health journey as an individual, taking into consideration my background, family history, and health history. Dr. Cashio's approach and philosophy resonated with me from the onset.
Interesting thing to me was how you approached it. Let's be practical. Let's make these life changes rather than treating something with just medicine. That collective holistic view of caring for me and my body was the first time I'd ever experienced something like that.
Questions worth asking before you start.
Is bioidentical hormone therapy safe?
The safety profile of hormone therapy has been significantly clarified since the Women's Health Initiative study that scared a generation of physicians away from prescribing it. Current evidence supports the use of bioidentical hormone therapy for appropriately selected patients, particularly when initiated in the perimenopause window. The key word is appropriately selected, which requires a physician who actually knows your full history and risk profile.
What's the difference between bioidentical and synthetic hormones?
A bioidentical hormone has the same molecular structure as the hormone produced by the human body. A synthetic hormone does not have the same structure but activates the hormone receptors within your body the same way that the bioidentical hormones do. Synthetic hormones can sometimes have additional activity or effects that the bioidentical hormones don't.
How long does it take to feel a difference?
Because hormones take several weeks to make changes in your body, most women begin feeling the effects within three to four weeks of starting the protocol.
Is ATHENA included in my membership?
ATHENA is included within the Code 1 Standard Membership where clinically appropriate.
What if I'm already on HRT from another provider?
That's a common situation. We'd start with a full labs review and clinical intake to understand your current protocol, whether it's optimized for you, and what adjustments might make sense. You don't have to start from scratch.
You deserve a physician who takes this seriously.
If you've been dismissed, rushed, or handed a printout instead of a plan, that's not what care looks like here. The first step is a conversation.
ATHENA is available to Code 1 members where clinically appropriate. Membership starts at $249/month with a one-time $1,999 enrollment fee.