Virtual care for women in Irvine
Functional Medicine & Menopause Doctor in Irvine, CA
Who is a functional medicine and menopause doctor serving Irvine?
Physician-led functional medicine and menopause care is available to Irvine women by telehealth from Dr. Christine Maren, D.O. A board-certified family physician (ABFM), she also holds IFM certification (FMCP-M) and Menopause Society certification (MSCP), so one plan can address perimenopause and menopause, HRT when appropriate, PCOS, thyroid problems and weight gain tied to insulin resistance.
School schedules, kids' practices, a commute on the 405 or the 5: if your life in Irvine runs on a calendar, you probably appreciate a plan. So does Dr. Maren. Her rule is simple: we don't guess, we test. Your hormones, full thyroid panel, metabolic markers and gut health are measured, then combined with your history into a step-by-step plan that fits your schedule. Visits happen by video, so care slots into your week the way everything else does, and the plan is adjusted as your results and symptoms change.
Read how she approaches perimenopause and menopause, hormone replacement therapy and thyroid care, or start with Christine's journey.
What does Dr. Maren treat for women in Irvine?
Hormones, thyroid, gut, metabolism and the immune system all influence one another, so she treats them as one connected picture.
Sleep, mood, hot flashes, cycles and weight, treated as one connected picture.
Bioidentical estrogen, progesterone and testosterone when appropriate, prescribed and monitored by a physician.
A full thyroid panel with antibodies, not just TSH, and medication tuned to how you feel.
Testing for SIBO, dysbiosis and infections, then a plan to remove, repair and rebuild.
Insulin resistance, muscle and body composition, with GLP-1 therapy when appropriate.
Irregular cycles, androgen excess and estrogen dominance, traced to the root cause.
Finding the triggers that keep inflammation going, alongside the care you already have.
How is Dr. Maren's care different from a typical visit?
She combines the power to prescribe with the precision of functional medicine, and she looks for the root cause instead of treating one symptom at a time.
| What you get | Dr. Maren | Typical general visit |
|---|---|---|
| Training | Board-certified physician, IFM certified (FMCP-M) and MSCP | Varies, and menopause training is often limited |
| Hormone therapy | Prescribes bioidentical HRT when appropriate | May avoid it or offer one option |
| Testing | Hormones, a full thyroid panel, insulin, nutrients and gut health | Often one hormone level or TSH alone |
| The big picture | Sleep, mood, weight, gut, libido and energy together | Symptoms treated one at a time |
| Time with you | A 90-minute initial case review | Often a brief appointment |
| Follow-up | Regular follow-ups and portal messaging between visits | Often a one-time prescription |
When should women in Irvine see a hormone or menopause specialist?
- Hot flashes and night sweats
- Irregular, heavier or closer-together periods
- Trouble falling or staying asleep
- Anxiety, irritability or low mood
- Brain fog and forgetfulness
- Weight gain around the middle
- Bloating, reflux or a gut that will not settle
- Exhausted, but told your labs are normal
These symptoms are common, but they are not something you simply have to live with. See the early signs of perimenopause.
How does virtual care work if you live in Irvine?
Apply online
Share your symptoms and goals in a brief application. The team confirms you are located in California and that the practice is the right fit.
Talk it through
If it looks like a fit, you will be invited to a complimentary discovery call with the team.
Meet from home
Your 90-minute initial case review and initial nutrition consultation happen by video, from home in Irvine or wherever you are in California.
Test and personalize
Any conventional blood work happens at a lab in central Orange County, close to home or work, and then every result is reviewed with you. Your step-by-step plan follows, with regular follow-ups and secure portal messaging between visits.
What is Dr. Maren's approach?
Her signature three-pillar approach: address root causes, optimize hormones and build resilience. We don't guess. We test.
Address the root cause
We go deeper to uncover and treat what is driving your symptoms, starting with gut health and its links to the immune system, hormones, metabolism and nutrients.
Optimize hormones
With comprehensive labs and clinical expertise, we dial in bioidentical hormone replacement therapy, thyroid medications and innovative therapies like peptides and GLP-1s, when appropriate.
Build resilience
By integrating individualized nutrition, movement, lifestyle and mindset strategies, we help you strengthen your foundation for long-term health, energy and vitality.
Serving Irvine and nearby communities
Care is virtual, so where you live in California does not limit your options. Dr. Maren sees women in Irvine, and throughout central Orange County.
Nearby communities
Helpful reading
Functional medicine and menopause care in Irvine: FAQs
Can I get my hormones, thyroid and gut checked without seeing three different specialists?
Yes. Dr. Christine Maren's physician-led team looks at hormones, a full thyroid panel, metabolic markers and gut health together, because each affects the others. For Irvine women, that means one coordinated plan by telehealth, with nutrition, strength training, sleep support and medication when appropriate, instead of separate appointments scattered across Orange County.
Can a functional medicine doctor prescribe hormone therapy?
It depends on the doctor's license. Dr. Maren is a board-certified family physician as well as a certified functional medicine practitioner, so she can prescribe bioidentical estrogen, progesterone and testosterone when appropriate, along with thyroid medication and other treatments, and adjust them as your labs and symptoms change.
I'm in my 30s with irregular periods and breakouts. Could it be PCOS or early perimenopause?
It could be either, and testing is how you tell them apart. PCOS often brings irregular cycles with acne, unwanted hair growth or insulin resistance, while perimenopause more often begins in the 40s with changes in sleep, mood and cycle length. Dr. Maren checks hormones, thyroid, insulin and metabolic markers, then treats what the results show with nutrition, strength training and medication when appropriate.
Do I need to be in California during my visits?
Yes. State licensing laws require you to be physically located in California, or in another state where Dr. Maren is licensed (California, Colorado, Illinois, Michigan and Texas), at the time of each video visit.
Will Dr. Maren work with my OB-GYN in Orange County?
Yes. Your OB-GYN and other doctors stay in place, and Dr. Maren's care fits alongside theirs. The team can share lab results and recommendations, and if hormone therapy or another medication is part of your plan, it is coordinated so everyone caring for you is on the same page.
How do I become a patient in Irvine?
Start with the brief online application. If it looks like a good fit, you will get an email inviting you to book a complimentary discovery call with the team. If it is a match, you will be scheduled for a 90-minute initial case review and an initial nutrition consultation, all by video from home in Irvine.
Do you accept insurance?
We do not contract with insurance, Medicare or Medicaid. This allows us to provide personalized, unhurried care without the limitations of insurance-based models. However, the vast majority of patients use their insurance to cover conventional lab work, and many also use HSA or FSA funds to pay for our services.
Can Dr. Maren be my primary care doctor?
No. The practice functions as a specialty consulting service. You will still need a primary care provider near Irvine for general medical needs, physical exams and urgent issues like infections or injuries.
Ready to feel like yourself again, only better?
Dr. Maren and her team see women in Irvine and across California by telehealth. Start with a brief application so we can understand your goals.