Virtual care for women in Golden
Functional Medicine & Menopause Doctor in Golden, CO
Who is a functional medicine and menopause doctor serving Golden?
From Genesee in the foothills to Golden and Applewood below, Dr. Christine Maren, D.O., reaches women by video. She is a board-certified family physician through the ABFM, FMCP-M certified by the Institute for Functional Medicine and a Menopause Society Certified Practitioner (MSCP). Her approach starts with advanced testing, then treats perimenopause and menopause, thyroid and gut problems, and metabolic health with a plan built on that data, including bioidentical HRT when appropriate.
Golden sits right where the plains meet the foothills, with Clear Creek running through downtown and trails climbing Lookout Mountain and both Table Mountains. If you like to understand how things work before you commit to a plan, Dr. Maren's approach will feel familiar. Instead of generic protocols, she uses advanced labs and your own story to build a step-by-step plan, and she explains the reasoning behind each recommendation. From Genesee to Applewood, visits happen by video, so the conversation comes to you. Dr. Maren lives in Colorado and spends her own free time on its trails, so she knows why staying strong for them matters.
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 Golden?
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 Golden 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 Golden?
Apply online
Share your symptoms and goals in a brief application. The team confirms you are located in Colorado 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 Golden or wherever you are in Colorado.
Test and personalize
Conventional labs can be drawn in or near Golden, or elsewhere in Jefferson County if that is easier, and Dr. Maren's team reviews each result with you so you see exactly what the data shows. 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 Golden and nearby communities
Care is virtual, so where you live in Colorado does not limit your options. Dr. Maren sees women in Golden, Genesee and Applewood, and throughout the foothills on the west side of the Denver metro.
Nearby communities
Helpful reading
Functional medicine and menopause care in Golden: FAQs
Does Dr. Maren see women in Genesee and Applewood?
Yes. She sees women in Genesee, Applewood and Golden itself, along with the rest of Jefferson County and the state, all by video. Living up along I-70 or down closer to the city makes no difference, and conventional labs are drawn wherever is most convenient for you.
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.
What kind of testing does Dr. Maren do beyond standard labs?
Testing is tailored to your history, but it goes well beyond a basic panel. It can include detailed hormone testing, a full thyroid panel with antibodies, stool and SIBO breath testing, metabolic and immune markers, nutrient levels, and hidden factors like mold, heavy metals or environmental toxins. Dr. Maren interprets everything together, because your systems influence one another.
Do I need to be in Colorado during my visits?
Yes. State licensing laws require you to be physically located in Colorado, or in another state where Dr. Maren is licensed (California, Illinois, Michigan and Texas), at the time of each video visit.
Can Dr. Maren help with sleep problems in perimenopause?
Yes. Perimenopause can disrupt sleep through night sweats, early waking and anxiety, and poor sleep then affects mood, appetite and energy. Dr. Maren looks at hormones, blood sugar, stress and gut health as possible drivers and builds a plan that may include sleep habits, nutrition and progesterone or other hormone therapy when appropriate.
How do I become a patient in Golden?
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 Golden.
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 Golden 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 Golden and across Colorado by telehealth. Start with a brief application so we can understand your goals.