Do Women Need Testosterone?

I thought That Was For Men 

If you or someone you know has dealt with menopause, then you’re probably familiar with the hormones Estrogen and Progesterone. These are the most commonly talked about hormones in menopause. There’s a good reason these are some of the most commonly talked about hormones in women. Estrogen and Progesterone are two of the hormones that truly make a woman feminine vs. masculine. They also regulate a woman’s natural cycle and make it possible to bare children. 

However, one of the most overlooked hormones in menopause is Testosterone. That’s right… Testosterone. Most women that I talk to don’t even realize that they have this hormone, yet it’s just as vital as Estrogen and Progesterone when it comes to menopausal health. 

Testosterone in women is important in the following ways: 

• Improving well-being 
• Improving energy 
• Improving strength and endurance 
• Improving body composition 
• By decreasing visceral fat (fat around the middle) 
• By increasing muscle mass 
• Improving bone density 
• Improving sexual function (libido) 
• Improving metabolism 
• Improving hot flashes 
• Improving mood 
• Improving vascular headaches 
• Increasing collagen 
• Increasing skin thickness 
• Improving skin texture 
• Decreasing wrinkles 
• Decreasing cellulite 

Aside from the benefits mentioned above, there are known benefits in preventing heart disease. A study published in the American Journal of Epidemiology (2002) noted that, “Carotid artherosclerosis was significantly lowest for women in the highest quartile of total testosterone compared with those in the lowest quartile”. In layman’s terms, this means that healthy levels of testosterone, in the upper 25% of the range, have significant benefits in lowering heart disease risk, specifically arterial blockages. 

As a general rule-of-thumb, if you have the opposite of the benefits mentioned above, you are likely deficient in testosterone. A simple blood test can confirm whether or not this is the case. If you suspect this is the case with you, ask for help to determine if you are a candidate for biologically identical testosterone replacement therapy. 

To Your Health, 

Brian Brown

Bio-Identical Hormone Replacement Therapy

How Is Bio-Identical Hormone Replacement Therapy Different Than Conventional Hormone Therapy? 

The meaning of bio-identical hormone replacement therapy (BHRT) is two-fold. 

On one hand, it’s meaning is derived from the natural substances from where it derives. For example, BHRT compounds are usually created from plant sources such as soybeans and wild yams; occasionally, these soybean and wild yam extracts will be synthesized, but only to make them more closely mirror the chemical structure as your own hormones. These substances more closely replicate human hormones in the body than Conventional Hormone Therapy (CHT) do. In many cases, CHT such as synthetic estrogen is derived from synthesizing compounds from horse by-products (ie, estrogen is synthesized from pregnant mare’s urine & contains numerous extra estrogens that the human body cannot process). 

Secondly, BHRT refers to the flexibility of dosing for the clinician. Because of the clinician’s ability to specifically compound the hormone exactly to a client’s individual needs, BHRT more closely replicates the biological states in the body. 

SAFETY 

BHRT and CHT differ greatly in their safety profile. In recent years, there have been two large studies – Million Women Study In the UK and US Women’s Health Initiative Trial -- that have shown the link between CHT and breast cancer, endometrial cancer, & ovarian cancer. Other studies have shown lack of benefit for preventing Alzheimer’s and have shown increased risk of heart disease and stroke. 

Allow me to interject a provocative thought: If puberty brings with it very high hormonal surges, then why don’t we see the incidences of female cancer, heart disease, and stroke increase during this time? This leaves us with the conclusion that there’s something significantly wrong with CHT. In the studies mentioned above, Progestin (on the market as Provera) was the culprit for increases the cancer risks and not conferring vascular protection. 

If you were to look at the research completed for BHRT, you would not find the same risks. One study (Hargrove et. al.; An alternative method of hormone replacement therapy using the natural sex steroids. Infert Repro Med Clin N Am. 1995;) demonstrated that BHRT reproduced identical benefits of synthetics with better outcomes and fewer side effects; because of this, BHRT improved patient compliance. Progesterone (do not confuse with Progestin/Provera) was shown to always be cancer and cardiac protective. 

What can I do about this? 

Trust me when I say that this is only the tip of the iceberg. There’s a lot more to treating hormone imbalances than meets the eye, but when done right, can give a person protection against numerous age-related illnesses such as Alzheimer’s, Osteoporosis, Heart Disease, Stroke, & Cancer. It will also likely help you feel more youthful and energetic, like you did in your 20’s. Each person’s treatment is customized to his or her own individual needs. The first step is to get a proper consultation and lab work. From there, a plan can be developed to get back in balance.

What Your Primary Care May Not Know About Your Thyroid May Hurt You

This past week, I accidentally recorded the Fox News Channel’s show, Sunday Housecall. Just as I was about to delete it from my DVR list, the show’s description caught my eye. One of the lead segments was on thyroid health. Out of curiosity, I decided to watch the recording. 

Dr. David Samadi made the following statement: “Your doctor may say that your thyroid hormones are normal, but they could be a low normal, not optimal enough. So, you may have to have a conversation (with your Primary Care Provider) and boost it toward the higher normal.” 

I see this all the time with our clients at Matrix Wellness Solutions. Sub-clinical hypothyroidism, as Dr. Samadi is referring to, is more common than one might think. It’s also one of the most overlooked disorders of aging. Now, don’t get me wrong. When I speak of “aging” in the last statement, I’m referring to anyone over 30 years of age. Few people realize that from age 30 to 50 years our thyroid hormone declines about 20-30% -- decline measured as decreased production, decreased conversion, decreased sensitivity, or a combination of these. It may still be in the normal range, but it’s definitely NOT optimal. 

Treating thyroid hormone to “optimal” levels is one of the most beneficial things we can do in medicine. It only takes a slightly different approach and mindset, but the benefits are numerous: weight loss, blood sugar regulation, osteoporosis prevention, mental clarity, short-term memory improvement, mood enhancement, and the list goes on. 

I’ve included the link to the Sunday Housecall segment, so you can check it out for yourself. 

Enjoy… 

Watch Video Here:
http://video.foxnews.com/v/2186625153001/

PART 1 - Hormones: Are They The Fountain Of Youth?

When I received my medical training, very little time was spent on hormone management…. may I repeat, VERY LITTLE TIME WAS SPENT ON HORMONE MANAGEMENT. It was actually about 4 hours of lecture. In the grand scheme of things, that’s a drop in the bucket, considering most body systems were covered over days. 

I have to be honest though; it really didn’t matter to me at the time that our training was so sparse… This was probably because hormones didn’t affect me personally. However, as I’ve gotten past the magical “40” number, it’s become VERY important to me. In fact, you might say it’s become a passion of mine. 

When I read things like, “Alzheimer’s is a preventable disease” and it all boils down to proper hormone management, I get fired up. I’m fired up for two reasons: One, hormones play such a crucial role in disease prevention, vitality and youthfulness, yet my medical education DID NOT teach me this; Two, I’m excited to live in a time where information is king and I can get the education I need to make things right again. 

It goes without saying that the management of hormone imbalances is an art. It takes a specialized skill set and a willingness to think outside the box. Because we use Biologically Identical Hormone Replacement Therapy (BHR), it takes a little time to get all of the stars to line up just right, but when they do, the results can be astonishing. 

In my personal quest to better understand the management of hormone imbalances, I have discovered that there is no shortage of solid proof, in the medical literature, that BHRT is safe, and it’s also very effective in the prevention of things like: 

Alzheimer’s Disease 

Heart Disease 

Stroke 

Osteoporosis 

Cancer 

Premature Skin Aging 

Age Related Weight Gain 

In most cases, BHRT can also reverse some of these illnesses and help restore us to a more youthful state. I know that it may seem like I’m making this out to be the next fountain of youth or the next anti-aging miracle, but that’s not my intention. The fact of the matter is, we can’t stop aging and there’s no such thing as the fountain of youth, BUT we can slow the effects of aging and wind back the hands of time just enough to make us feel vibrant again, like we did in our 20’s. 

You may be asking, “How do you do this? I have my hormones checked every year, and my doctor says that my hormones are just fine.” I’ll answer this question in the next segment later this week. 

Stay tuned next week for Part 2.

Side Effects of Surgical Menopause

When it comes to menopause, things can get complicated pretty quickly. For the sake of this article, we will talk about surgical menopause… that is, menopause caused by hysterectomy.

More women are having hysterectomies today than ever before in the history of medicine. Some women are able to keep their ovaries, hormone producing glands, while others are not. Generally, those who are fortunate enough to keep their ovaries don’t struggle with the immediate effects of sudden hormone loss that comes from a total hysterectomy.

When a woman experiences hormonal loss, whether through natural age-related decline or surgical intervention, the results are the same: loss of energy, decreased libido, weight gain, mood instability, skin and hair changes, mental fogginess, and decline in memory function. The only difference is that the women who have surgically-induced menopause experience their symptoms more severely and more abruptly. 

Biologically identical hormone replacement therapy (BHRT) is becoming more widely accepted by women who struggle with these symptoms because there is growing evidence that it is safer than synthetic alternatives. Hormone management is essential for feeling rejuvenated & youthful, promoting weight loss, and preventing weight gain. If you have questions about how BHRT might help you, feel free to contact us for more details. 

Brian Brown, APRN-BCCEO / Co-Owner

Melatonin May Help With Weight Management

There is growing evidence of the important role that Melatonin plays in the management of obesity. Melatonin is a natural hormone that our body produces to promote sleep. A small pea-sized gland in the brain triggers its release when the suns starts going down. Age can play a crucial role in the level of Melatonin that we naturally produce. As we age, our Melatonin levels naturally drop. Other problems arise when we over-stimulate our brain with artificial light…. much like I’m doing now by writing this article close to my bedtime. 

All joking aside, the artificial light from our computers, T.V.’s, iPods, iPads, or any other “high tech digital poison” can interfere with the release of Melatonin. If Melatonin isn’t properly released at the right time or in the right amount, you probably won’t sleep well… and you may have more difficulty losing weight. 

Now, scientists have linked lack of sleep to obesity, and this form of obesity has partially been linked to low levels of Melatonin. Although all of the reasons aren’t entirely understood, there seems to be a growing body of evidence that supports adding a Melatonin supplement to aid in the treatment of obesity. 

In my mind, it’s certainly a “no-harm no-foul” treatment. It’s all-natural and seems to help in some cases. The additional benefits of achieving healthy Melatonin levels include improved immune function, potent anti-oxidant effects, & healthy balance of hormones such as Leptin, Human Growth Hormone, Insulin, Estrogen, Progesterone, and Testosterone. 

The ideal form of Melatonin is pharmaceutical grade and is “micronized” as well as “sustained release”. Generally speaking, low doses are all that’s needed to achieve the benefits mentioned above. These doses can be as low as 1mg to 3mg in most cases. 

Good Luck and Happy Sleeping, 

Brian Brown, APRN-BCCEO / Co-Owner