Are Testosterone Supplements For Men Safe?

Have you considered testosterone supplements as a treatment for andropause? Andropause, or "male menopause," is a common among men over the age of 40. Its symptoms include depression, sweating and hot flashing, fatigue, decreased sex drive, muscle and joint aches and mood swings.

Testosterone supplements or testosterone replacement is used to treat andropause. Testosterone supplements are safe if administered correctly.

What Kinds of Testosterone Supplements are Available?

Testosterone creams or gels and testosterone injections are available. These are common forms of testosterone supplements for men.

When discussing testosterone replacement with your doctor, make sure to ask about thyroid and HGH (human growth hormone) supplements as well as estrogen blockers.

Do Testosterone Supplements Impact Prostate Cancer?

Testosterone supplements do not cause prostate cancer. Prostate cancer is linked to higher levels of certain hormones, such as estrogen, heredity and lifestyle. When testosterone is converted to estrogen, there is an increased risk of cancer. However, estrogen levels can be controlled with medication.

Risk factors for prostate cancer include:
- Age (prostate cancer is most common among men over the age of 65)
- Race
- Family history
- Genes
- Exercise
- Infection and inflammation of the prostate

If you are considering testosterone replacement for andropause treatment, talk to your doctor about the importance of controlling estrogen levels.

How Does Estrogen Impact Andropause?

High levels of estrogen contribute to the severity of andropause symptoms. High levels of estrogen may also contribute to an unhealthy prostate and heart.

High estrogen is usually cause by body fat which contains an enzyme call aromatase that works to convert testosterone to estrogen. If you have high levels of estrogen, estrogen suppressants are available. Estrogen suppressants will decrease the chances of developing prostate cancer and help testosterone levels return to a healthy level.

What is a Normal Range for Testosterone Levels?

Andropause is caused by low testosterone levels in men. Testosterone levels are typically the highest and healthiest in young men between the ages of 20 and 25. As men grow older, testosterone levels gradually decline, causing andropause symptoms such as loss of muscle mass, mood swings and depression and decreased sexual function.

Testosterone levels are expected to decline with age, but men with testosterone levels below 700ng/dl may experience the symptoms of andropause. If your testosterone levels are below a healthy range, hormone replacement is suggested.

What Do I do if I have Low Testosterone Levels?

If you suspect that you have andropause, you can get your testosterone levels checked by your doctor or contact a male hormone specialist company.

Watch out for Scams:

Be careful when reviewing and considering your options First, you only should be looking at this type of program if under a doctor's care. Without proper testing and periodic retesting, this can be dangerous. There are a lot of companies that are not reputable that might be willing to sell you hormones over the Internet without being under a doctor's supervision. Avoid these companies and instead look for a reputable hormone program that has a local doctor in your area that can test your hormone levels.

Next Steps:

If you have low testosterone levels, talk to your doctor about testosterone supplements for men. Testosterone replacement therapy can significantly affect the way you feel on a day-to-day basis. Testosterone replacement therapy has been shown to enhance libido, increase lean body mass, decrease body fat, improve bone density and have positive effects on energy, mood and sense of well-being.

The 7 Warning Signs of Wellness

You may know some or all of the warning signs of a stroke, diabetes... but do you know the 7 lesser-known warning signs of wellness? Why learn them? By knowing the 7 warning signs of wellness we can catch wellness in the early stages when its survival rate is much greater. When, for example, we put our attention on what's right with our body/brain complex and appreciate its ability to keep us well, more Hgh (human growth hormone) is released into the bloodstream to start the process of repair and regeneration of cells; thus, our body's ability and efficiency in keeping us healthy is greatly improved.

When, on the other hand, we focus more on what has gone wrong, or on the prospects of something going wrong (i.e., a major illness getting us), we become worried and anxious, or we feel extremely vulnerable. Noticing one or more of the well-publicized SIGNS of a disease, we imagine the worst, putting ourselves in the all-encompassing worry mode, or worse yet, in the vise-grip of full-blown fear. This kind of thinking, with these accompanying negative emotional states, causes the stress hormone, cortisol, and its friends to enter the picture, essentially blocking the release of the wellness-promoting Hgh. As a result, we actually become at greater risk for serious illness and other maladies!

Following are the 7 Warning Signs of Wellness. By nurturing and fully appreciating them, we can create a case of ongoing, full-blown and unmitigated wellness.

1. Can experience feelings such as love, hope, joy, appreciation and can choose thoughts that bring about these and similar positive wellness-supporting emotions.

2. Have the ability to choose your next thought and make it a wellness- and life-enhancing one.

3. Are upright and vertical much of the day or are capable of same.

4. Have the ability to move from place to place by some means.

5. Are alive! Which means your 10 trillion cells are working on your behalf 24/7 to keep you in life-sustaining balance or to bring you back into wellness/balance.

6. Can take in life-supporting oxygen and heart is pumping the oxygen (and other nutrients) through the cardiovascular system to all the cells of your body and transporting /expelling the cells' toxic waste products out of the body.

7. Have an immune system which is fighting off multitudes of foreign marauders and protecting you from any number of disease-producing invaders, as proven by the fact that you don't suffer from a dozen or more different diseases at one time.

These little-known 7 warning signs of wellness remind us of what is right with us health wise. By focusing on these seven positives and building on them, instead of putting the bulk of our attention on the one thing that has gone wrong or what could get us, we can quickly and easily cause our pituitary gland to spew ever more wellness-producing Hgh into our system until we are suffering from a full-blown case of extreme wellness decade after decade after decade.

A Cliche to Live By: How I Got Healthy and Stay That Way

Have you ever heard that old clich矇 -- "You are what you eat?" Well, I used to be fast, cheap and easy. After all, I live in LA where Pink's Hot Dogs is a revered institution. And what's a girl supposed to do in a town where Dodger dogs are a rite of passage? Plus, with the schedule I kept... let's just say that fast, cheap and easy allowed me to be effective, productive and at meetings on time.

Then my grandmother had a stroke. My mother was diagnosed with cancer and had a double mastectomy. I started paying attention to health-related news all the time.

Three of the top five causes of death are cancer, stroke and heart disease. Suddenly, I was looking at two of them, up close and personal.

Cancer, stroke and heart disease have been linked to genetics, poor eating and exercise habits, and partnered with high stress levels. I didn't have to look too far to know where I was headed. I already had the genetics up at the top rung on this ladder.

The good news is that only 30% is attributed to genetics. That means that I still had control over 70% of the factors that lead to these diseases. I had to look at my eating, exercise and stress habits.

I'm not alone. You might also be one of the 34% of Americans who are obese and 32.7% who are overweight (according to the National Center for Health Statistics). Whether you're overweight or not, I probably don't need to tell you how stressed we all are. These are the danger factors that we can all control.

The problem was that the healthy diets I saw were too rigid for me and the rest were too unhealthy... I felt like Goldilocks, with five bears at the banquet table! Papa Bear loved meat and potatoes and Mama Bear was filling up with fast food - unhealthy and unappetizing. The other bears were health addicts: one vegetarian, one vegan and one raw food only. Their diets were too much work and they were taking so many supplements to make up for missing nutrients that they weren't healthy either!

After some research, I started a diet with balance and a little of everything, an "all things in moderation" kind of diet. All I really needed to do was take one meal and one day at a time, to consider total nutritional value. Now, when I eat meat and potatoes, I include vegetables. If I have ice cream for dessert, I eat fruit for breakfast. I can decide between a Snickers and a banana, between fast food and organics, between water and a Coke.

My research told me that changing my eating habits wouldn't be enough. I would have to move my body, too. Apparently, running from office to meeting and back doesn't qualify as a workout.

Happily, according to the Mayo Clinic, any extra movement makes a difference. "Taking the stairs more often and parking farther away at the store are simple ways to burn more calories."

This means I don't have to go to the gym to get exercise. I have started walking more. I even take my cell phone and use the time to catch up with out-of-town friends.

In addition, my stress levels were through the roof. For me, a high level of stress was actually a success measurement. In L.A., stress is almost a competitive sport. It meant I was in demand, that everyone loved me and wanted me.

Unfortunately, a variety of sources from the Mayo Clinic to the World Health Organization have linked high levels of stress to everything from hair loss to decreased immune system function and heart disease. Stress also impacts our ability to focus and get work done efficiently or effectively. It also leads to some well-known and questionable pseudo-solutions like drinking, smoking and comfort eating.

I started talking to health and wellness experts like hypnotherapist, life coach and stress relief expert Barbara Schiffman, C.Ht., who says we should take steps to balance our stress levels so we don't get thrown off-center too easily: "This includes sleeping well, eating healthy foods, exercising, meditating and focusing on the positive things in our lives." Now, when I'm over-stressed, I take care of myself first by visiting a wellness professional, rather than waiting until I need a doctor! I get a massage so I can avoid needing a prescription.

It's easy for anyone to do what I'm doing ~ one meal, one snack and one day at a time. If I get off track for a day, I get back on the next. I guess if 'you are what you eat,' then I've gone a little bananas.

Today, I feel better, I look better and I work better. I have more energy and enjoy my L.A. lifestyle, even with less stress. I invite you to join me on this journey to becoming a healthier person on a healthier planet.

Energy Sapping Emotions

Do you remember the last time you woke up so lethargic, so listless that you could hardly lift yourself off the bed? It happens to everyone sometime. It's not a matter of being tired after a hard week's work, or being in a healthy state of relaxation. This kind of tiredness comes from being emotionally and energetically drained.

Our emotions have a powerful effect on our energy. You've experienced it yourself. You've had a big argument or worked all day with a particularly challenging colleague, or your self-esteem has taken a blow, and the next day, you feel emotionally weary. You feel listless. You feel physically weak. And you can't even find the energy to think.

It's OK to have low energy days. Everyone does. But they are telling you that something needs our attention. It could be a health issue, a reaction to certain foods, the effects of sugar or lack of adequate rest. But a great deal of the time, our energy is being sapped by negative emotions.

When it comes to energy, our emotions fall into one of two categories: high energy emotions and low energy emotions. High energy negative emotions such as anger, early stages of grief, panic and resentment rev up your nervous system and throw your body into a state of heightened alert, ready for action. Too much of this and your body's stress mechanisms become exhausted from trying to keep up, and your immune system plummets. You end up not only emotionally and energetically depleted, but also more vulnerable to infections, allergies and disease.

Low energy negative emotions such as boredom, persistent grief, helplessness and depression slow down your body's metabolism, suppress your immune system (by 50% within 5 minutes!), and send you into an energetic slump. Your emotions get bogged down, leaving you emotionally and energetically drained.
Either way, your emotional energy can block your body's energy pathways. No matter what other steps you take to nourish, protect, strengthen and energize your body, if your energy is blocked, you will never achieve the health, vitality and well-being you desire.

The key to regaining your energy is to bring your emotions back to a more balanced state that allows your body to recover. The same solutions don't work for everybody, so you have to find what works best for you: a change in diet, more exercise, tai chi or yoga, doing something you love, talking things out with a friend or getting help.

So when you're finding it hard to energize no matter what else you do, consider whether your emotions are draining your energy. Most of us need help uncovering or clearing the emotions that block our energy, so don't be afraid to ask for help if you need it. Once your emotional balance is restored, you'll feel lighter, everything will seem easier, and your energy will flow as generously and abundantly as it was meant to.

Implications of Insulin Potentiation Therapy in Cancer Management

One such alternative approach to treat cancer is insulin potentiation therapy or IPT, a relatively new procedure in oncology. Dr. Stephen B. Ayre, the main proponent of IPT, first introduced the term when he stated that this procedure causes little to no adverse effects like headache, hair loss, fatigue, nausea and vomiting, which are all common problems experienced by cancer patients receiving chemotherapy and radiotherapy. The principle of IPT is based on how insulin lowers the blood sugar level, thereby depleting the energy source of cancer cells. A significantly low blood sugar level also stimulates the production of growth hormone, which strengthens the immune system to further combat cancer.

IPT allows for the administration of insulin to decrease the dosage of chemotherapeutic drugs. Essentially, IPT works by injecting insulin into the bloodstream, the dose of which is calculated according to the patient's body weight. Because insulin enables the transport of nutrients from the blood to the cells, glucose or sugar is able to penetrate into the cellular membranes. IPT takes advantage of this biological structure because as the cellular walls become penetrable, low-dose chemotherapeutic drugs can be administered and absorbed immediately by the cells. Its effect when compared to the usual dosage of chemotherapy is said to be almost the same, but very few studies support this claim.

The claimed therapeutic effect of IPT is not actively caused by insulin itself, as it only optimizes the effects of chemotherapy in an indirect manner by making the cellular walls more penetrable to drugs. Therefore, metastasis, or the spread of cancer cells from one point of the body to another, is halted not by insulin, but by the chemotherapeutic drugs themselves.

Very few studies have been made to establish the therapeutic effect of IPT. One such study was conducted in Uruguay, where 10 breast cancer patients were given insulin and methotrexate. This group responded with a stable condition, compared to another group of breast cancer patients who received insulin or methotrexate alone. The study was conducted in a span of eight weeks, and although the group of patients who received IPT displayed a decrease in the tumor size, they reported to have suffered mouth sores as an unpleasant side effect. This somehow negates the assumption of Dr. Ayre that IPT causes minimal to zero adverse effects. The appearance of mouth sores is actually an area of concern because a cancer patient's immune system is too weak to heal the wound and prevent infection by harmful microorganisms, especially when the oral cavity has ideal conditions conducive to bacterial growth. Moreover, mouth sores dramatically decrease a cancer patient's appetite, whose weight is almost always compromised by cancer in the first place.

Although IPT is claimed to be likewise effective against other chronic diseases like arthritis, many medical experts highly criticize its therapeutic claims against cancer. The study conducted on the breast cancer patients in Uruguay failed to consider necessary areas in oncologic research, such as patient well-being, quality of life and prognosis. Furthermore, the study did not report any long-term improvements among the breast cancer patients.

Some practitioners may believe that IPT is promising, but other than the Uruguay experiment, only individual reports have been published, which are not even strong enough to support that IPT may be used as a first-line therapy akin to chemotherapy and radiotherapy. The supporters of this alternative approach have argued that their studies are well-researched, but the overall effectiveness and safety of this procedure are yet to be established. The safety concern is indeed relevant, especially when insulin causes clinical hypoglycemia, or low blood glucose levels. This condition can be very life-threatening because it can cause confusion, seizures, heart arrhythmias, coma and even sudden death. It is also not uncommon for some cancer patients to have diabetes, and the sudden change in blood glucose level may pose as an additional clinical threat. It is for this reason that many oncologists and medical experts do not advocate IPT, as the risks clearly outweigh the benefits of the procedure. Lowering the blood glucose levels, according to most cancer specialists, is not recommended, and especially not at the expense of the health of the patients whose quality of life is already affected by the disease in the first place. Hence, any theoretical assumptions that IPT can either increase or decrease the effects of chemotherapy and radiotherapy have yet to be verified.

Until then, the indication of IPT as a main approach to cancer management cannot be approved according to medical standards. As of the time being, chemotherapy and radiotherapy remain to be the two most commonly prescribed treatments to treat cancer. Although they are capable of producing adverse effects of their own, countless research, clinical trials, theoretical studies and even patient testimonials can vouch that these treatments are safer and more effective.

Stop Menopausal Hot Flashes Now, Without the Use of Hormone Replacement Therapy

Hot flashes or flushes are described as a sudden feeling of warmth or heat within the body and often with associated sweating. A hot flash can be an intense feeling of heat usually in the upper half of the body but can be experienced in the lower half as well.

The exact cause of hot flashes isn't known but they do know that factors affecting the regulatory area of the brain, the hypothalamus, regulates body temperature. When the brain senses an increase in body temperature it will release chemicals which cause the blood vessels in the skin to dilate in an attempt to release the heat. It is said that estrogen and testosterone allow the body to tolerate changes in core body temperature, therefore, as these hormones decrease in peri-menopause and menopause so does your body's ability to tolerate increased heat.

In my opinion this is only part of the problem. I believe it is more of an imbalance in the hormone family than just a decrease in estrogen and testosterone. In some women, when estrogen is balanced with progesterone, hot flashes decrease or stop altogether. Knowing what is out of balance will help you determine why you have hot flashes in the first place. Hot flashes are not normal, they are one of your body's very intelligent ways of communicating a larger problem.

Lifestyle, stress and dietary habits play a huge role in the occurrence and frequency of hot flashes and night sweats. Known hot flash triggers are:

Caffeine

Physical, Emotional & Dietary Stress

Alcohol

Nicotine

Over the Counter Medications

Prescribed Medications

Obesity

Spices

Physical Inactivity

Heat

Know what your triggers are and attempt to avoid them as much as possible. Avoid closed, hot rooms and lower the temperature in your surroundings. Dress in layers and do not wear synthetic clothing as they trap the sweat. Cotton clothing allows your skin to breath. Increase your exercise routine to 30 minutes per day and get sound, quality sleep. Decreasing stress is a no-brainer but not so easy to do. Practice stress reducing techniques and mindfulness. Absolutely avoid processed foods including; boxed and canned goods, fast foods, enriched breads, sugars, sodas, etc. These non-foods put undue stress on your digestive system and ultimately your endocrine system (hormones).

So what's the problem with (HRT) Hormone Replacement Therapy? Most of us have heard the stories, read the articles and have seen the warnings. The possible side-effects of HRT are just a bit too scary for me. Breast and/or uterine cancer, heart disease, blood clots, and stroke being the most prominent. Unfortunately, some of you have even experienced one of these yourself. And, watch out ladies, bio-identical hormone replacement therapy can be dangerous as well. Natural progesterone cream is sold over the counter and being used without knowing one's hormone levels. Hormone creams and gels must be used very carefully and monitored closely with appropriate testing. One of the many problems with using the transdermal creams and gels is that they are absorbed into the subcutaneous fat tissue where they build up and can eventually saturate the tissue and over time start to spill back into the system creating an overdose of the 'free fraction' of the hormone in the body. At this point your cells will down-regulate (not accept) the hormone and you will once again have the symptoms of deficiency while you actually have too much of the hormone in your system. Routine (serum bound) blood tests cannot accurately monitor the use of transdermal creams and gels. Testing must be performed in the free state, otherwise a person will be profoundly overdosed with 'free' hormone levels by the time the blood tests detect any significant changes. I have witnessed many a website advising the use of creams and gels without regard to the individual's symptoms, history or tested levels. This is totally irresponsible and a major problem for women looking for an end to the sometimes debilitating symptoms of menopause. When administering a hormone in a 'free' form you must test for and monitor the hormone in a 'free' form (saliva or serum free). Since hormones are interactive, the problem doesn't end here. Depending on the hormone being overdosed, multiple other imbalances will stream into the system. Hormones given in amounts that exceed normal physiologic needs will cause receptor cell down-regulation (the cells will not accept the hormone once the liver can no longer clear the excessive levels). In addition, Brain, HP (hypothalamus/pituitary) dysregulation is created and atrophy of the gland as well.

DHEA is also sold over the counter. You can literally go into a health food store and buy a bottle of 25 mg capsules of DHEA. Women should not take DHEA unless absolutely necessary. Women are especially sensitive to DHEA and will not tolerate DHEA if not needed, or if given in too large of an amount. In fact, the majority of men do not need 25 mg DHEA daily. What's the big deal? DHEA can boost estrogen levels or testosterone levels and for women that could mean facial hair, deeper voice, not to mention dys-regulating the steroid hormone family even more. Hormones are very powerful messengers in very tiny amounts. Start playing with the numbers and you could be creating some very serious health problems for yourself. This goes for the men as well. For men, when taking DHEA in higher than needed amounts it will convert to Estrogen.

OK, now that I've gone on and on what are some of the solutions? Medically, I've seen recommendations for prescription drugs such as Effexor, an anti-depressant which has been successful in relieving hot flashes in low doses. The two problems I see here is that #1, it is not solving the problem and #2, there are side-effects to every medication known. You're putting a band-aid on the problem and worse than that you will, in all probability, have a known or unknown side effect from the medication. They are now performing clinical trials on the drug Menerba. From what I can gather it is a plant based drug with 10 or 20 herbs, licorice being the major player. Hmmm, maybe I'll just try some licorice?

Let's look at some of the herbs that may be of value here:

Tribulus -

Indicated for hormonal support. Tribulus is known to boost male and female fertility and libido, enhance athletic performance, stamina and endurance, restore and build vitality, relieve menopausal symptoms and is helpful in male menopause.

Black Cohosh -

Is specific for menopausal symptoms such as reproductive problems, especially when accompanied by pain: amenorrhea, dysmenorrhea, uterine pain, ovulatory pain, post-partum pain, testicular and prostatic pain, and menopausal symptomotology such as anxiety, depression and insomnia. It is mildly useful for hot flashes and is more effective when used with Chaste Tree, Motherwort, Licorice, and Dang Gui. Black Cohosh is contraindicated in pregnancy & low blood pressure.

Sarsaparilla -

This herb is getting a lot off attention for its' role in decreasing hot flashes. Although a cooling herb Sarsaparilla is more specific for inflammatory conditions of the skin, connective tissue, and bowels. That being said, it does clear blood heat and is used with other herbs to reducef hot flashes.

Red Clover -

The isolated isoflavones are being used to treat menopausal symptoms. Since it is a cooling herb it can help reduce hot flashes.

Licorice - Contains isoflavones and is used for menopausal symptoms such as hot flashes and vaginal dryness. More effective when used with Chastetree, Black Cohosh, Motherwort, and Sage. High doses of Licorice is contraindicated in people with high blood pressure.

Soy - I'm going to be very opinionated here. I don't believe soy is meant for human consumption, there is a tremendous amount of controversy about the efficacy of soy and about the fact that is does not digest in the human body. BTW, soy is not an herb.

Wild Yam - What can I say, some experts swear by it and others say that is has no real benefit for menopausal symptoms, including hot flashes.

When using herbs be sure to purchase your herbs from a known and reputable source. Do a bit of research to be sure the herb is not contraindicated with any medications and/or physical challenges you may have.

No matter how long you have been suffering with hot flashes and/or other symptoms of peri-menopause and menopause, it's not too late to stop hot flashes now. The good news is - You can begin by knowing your triggers and avoiding them. Eat a healthy well balanced diet. Find a qualified herbalist or hormone specialist and discover your hormonal levels so that you can begin the balancing act for a healthier and happier you.

10 Ways To Prevent Or Reverse Osteoporosis

Half of all women get osteoporosis by age sixty. 20% of women will have a hip fracture in their lifetime, and 50% of them will never walk again. Men are not immune to this problem. 30% of osteoporosis happens in males, and 50% of men who suffer hip fractures die within one year.

A "New" Disease

Osteoporosis which is so prevalent now, was virtually unheard of a hundred years ago. It was a rarity until the turn-of-the-century. So what happened? Did our genes change in the past one hundred years?

No! Genetic material takes thousands of years to change. The only thing that changed was our environment. Our diet and lifestyle are much different than they were hundred years ago and it has caused an epidemic of osteoporosis. So, what do we do? How can we reverse this process?

Here are 10 ways you can prevent or reverse osteoporosis:

1) Stop the Pop

Carbonated beverages such as soft drinks, Champagne, and sparkling water leach calcium from your bones. A Harvard study on 16 to 20 year-old women showed that half of them were already showing bone loss as a result of excess soft drink intake. Carbonated beverages also have excess phosphates, which accelerate urinary calcium loss.

2) Cut down on Protein

Excess protein intake causes acidity in the body, which in turn causes calcium to be lost in the urine. Most people need only two to 4 ounces of lean protein, three times a day. The average American diet contains two to three times this much.

3) Keep Your Stomach Acid

Many people are on acid blocking drugs, such as Nexium, Protonix, Prevacid, Tagamet, and Zantac, for problems such as heartburn and hiatal hernia. Stomach acid is necessary to absorb minerals such as calcium, magnesium, and zinc. Blocking stomach acid significantly increases the risk of osteoporosis.

These drugs were meant to be used for six to eight weeks at a time, not for years at a time. In fact, most heartburn symptoms are not due to excess stomach acid at all. 60% of patients on acid blocking agents have too little stomach acid.

4) Cut out Caffeine

Each cup of coffee that you drink makes you lose 150 mg of calcium in your urine. Chemically decaffeinated coffee is not the answer either though, because it contains harmful chemicals that interfere with the detoxification process. Naturally decaffeinated teas are a better option, but if you must drink caffeinated coffee, at least increase your calcium intake by 150 mg for each cup you drink.

5) Get the Right Kind of Calcium

Tums is one of the worst sources for calcium. In addition to being composed of calcium carbonate, which is a poorly absorbed form of calcium, it decreases the stomach acid even further. Calcium citrate and calcium hydroxyapatite are the best forms of calcium to take. They need to be taken on an empty stomach for best absorption, and only 500 mg at a time (that's all our bodies can absorb at one time). A total dose of 1000 to 1200 mg per day is adequate for most post- menopausal women.

6) Get Some Sun!

Vitamin D helps absorb calcium and put it in the bones. It is also important for immune system modulation, depression, and autoimmune disorders. It is made in the skin upon exposure to sun light. Vitamin D deficiency is epidemic in our society especially in northern latitudes. The farther away from the equator you live, the more likely it is that you are to have a Vitamin D deficiency. Most multivitamin supplements contain 400 to 800 IU which is inadequate for people in northern latitudes (1200 IU or more is needed).

Using sunscreen blocks over 90% of your vitamin D production. But instead of putting yourself at risk for skin cancer, the best solution is to take supplements. Vitamin D levels can be measured by your physician, and the supplements can be titrated accordingly.

7) Have Your Hormones Checked

Hormonal decline is one of the most common reasons for bone loss after menopause in women. Andropause, the male equivalent of menopause, also causes bone loss in men. Adequate levels of estrogen, progesterone, testosterone and DHEA are important for bone maintenance.

Excess levels of cortisol, insulin and parathyroid hormone can also cause bone loss. Most physicians never check for these levels. An elevated calcium level in the serum is a clue that parathyroid hormone might be in excess.

8) Change Your Diet

Excess refined sugars and starches, elevate your insulin levels and cause an increase in osteoporosis. The ideal diet is one called a "low glycemic index" diet. Glycemic index is a measure of how quickly food turns into sugar in the bloodstream. Low glycemic index foods do not raise blood sugar or insulin levels quickly, and include lean proteins, beans, vegetables, and good fats (nuts, olives, olive oil, fish, fish oils, avocados).

Increasing fiber intake is an easy way to lower sugar and insulin levels. Fiber taken just before meals helps to slow down the absorption of sugars and fats, and can help lower cholesterol and blood sugar levels.

9) Reduce Stress

Stress raises cortisol levels. If cortisol levels are high for long periods of time bone loss can occur. Cortisol antagonizes insulin and leads to insulin resistance, eventually raising the blood sugar and causing calcium loss in the urine. As little as 25 teaspoons of sugar can cause calcium to be lost in the urine.

Stress reduction can include specific activities aimed at invoking the "relaxation response" such as yoga, tai chi, meditation, massage and prayer. It may also include getting more sleep, taking a vacation, getting psychotherapy to help with toxic relationships, and making an effort not to "burn the candle at both ends".

10) Exercise More

When the muscles pull against the bones during exercise, it stimulates the bones and tells them that they are needed. Any weight-bearing exercise such as walking, bicycling, and weightlifting can increase bone density. As little as 15 to 30 minutes a day can be helpful.

Using two to five pound hand or ankle weights can be effective. or you can use your own body weight and let gravity to do the job. Floor exercises such as leg lifts and sit ups, will work just fine. The important thing is to just get moving!

Taking Control of Your Hot Flash Symptoms Before They Take Control of You

Every woman, ready or not, gets to experience menopause. If you're currently one of those women you at least have the comfort of knowing that roughly 50% of the population either understands your situation or soon will. Another upside is that with so many people experiencing those annoying hot flash symptoms, there are many resources available that help relieve them. We've all heard of the dreaded "hot flash symptoms," but what other symptoms will you be experiencing during menopause?

Another major menopausal symptom is the mood swing. One moment you're fine and the next you're definitely not. You may recognize your lack of patience and increased irritability, but find it incredibly difficult to control or care to control. After the hot flash symptoms and mood swings the vaginal dryness, weight gain, energy loss, and skin and hair changes begin. Depending on severity, these symptoms can be relatively simple to alleviate or a little more stubborn. However, compared to hot flash symptoms, osteoporosis and heart and vascular disease are considerably more significant menopausal problems that women need to address.

Almost ninety percent of women in the United States will experience hot flash symptoms of some sort. These symptoms will continue for about a year or two after their period stops. Some 20-50% of these women will continue to have hot flash symptoms for many more years. However, the intensity and frequency usually diminish over time.

So what exactly are hot flash symptoms? Hot flashes vary considerably in each woman. Some women experience hot flash symptoms that last for up to an hour off and on all day long. Others may only have a hot flash that lasts a minute or two once or twice a day. Most women report hot flash symptoms between six and eight in the morning and from six to ten in the evening.

Hot flashes may seem to feed on themselves. During a hot flash, you are already sweating, thanks to the rise in body temperature. But get ready to keep sweating. Once your brain registers that your temperature has risen it sends out a message to your heart, blood vessels and nervous system to "cool down!" In turn, your body gets your sweat glands going even more in order to release sweat to cool you off. These hot flash symptoms can be quite miserable. Your body's drop in estrogen stimulates your brain's response and can change the temperature of your skin by even six degrees Centigrade! It really is a vicious cycle of sweating.

However, hot flash symptoms need not be out-of-control. Since you will be living with hot flash symptoms from one to ten years, action will need to be taken to maintain your body at a comfortable temperature. With the plethora of available resources, you can fight these hot flash symptoms head on.

The old medical treatment was hormone replacement therapy. Because of the recent studies outlining the risks of HRT, most women these days use a combination of herbal remedies and natural strategies. While hot flash symptoms can be very uncomfortable, they are easily controlled with these types of remedies. During menopause, every woman should put together her own hot flash relief strategy. Doing so will insure a much easier and healthier menopause.

Natural Bioidentical Hormone Replacement for Women - Alleviates Menopause Symptoms

Hormone imbalances are a source of distress and can have a significant impact on health, weight, wellbeing and how people age. Hormones decline in both the sexes and many people find it quite difficult to deal with the symptoms of aging and hormone imbalances. They look for anti aging solutions that may or may not be appropriate.

Women who seek various anti aging solutions such as herbs, supplements and medicine for sleep, anxiety, depression and weight as well as, beauty treatments such as Botox, peels, laser therapy and herbs may not be addressing the root cause of the symptoms. While there is no magic bullet, there is hope and help.

For many women the symptoms of menopause such as hot flashes, night sweats, vaginal dryness, loss of hair, weight gain, loss of libido and self esteem are common and can interfere with sleep, memory, productivity and wellbeing. Natural hormone replacement helps alleviate these symptoms by addressing the root cause.

Natural hormones are also known as bioidentical hormones. That means they have the exact same chemical structure as the hormones made in your body. These differ from synthetic hormones made that have similar and different effects. Bioidentical estrogen is available in pills, patches and gels approved by the FDA and manufactured by major pharmaceutical companies. Bioidentical progesterone is available in capsules or vaginal gels. Both can also be compounded into creams, capsules or other forms by compounding pharmacists.

All of your hormones are interrelated and can be affected by diet, stress, exercise, sleep and lifestyle. It may be beneficial to consider an evaluation by a physician who understands functional, anti aging medicine and has experience with natural, bioidentcal hormone replacement therapy as well as the effects of lifestyle and genetics on aging and hormone balance. Having a thorough evaluation and measuring hormone levels is a more holistic approach to aging well.

Reasons to be Evaluated For Hormonal Replacement

1. Symptoms such as hot flashes, night sweats, vaginal dryness and lack of libido. Natural hormone replacement therapy can alleviate these symptoms.

2. Menopausal women may also experience lesser-known symptoms such as anxiety, depression, insomnia and loss of self esteem which can have a profound effect on the quality of life. Many are prescribed anti-anxiety and anti-depressants as well as sleep medication. It is worthwhile to measure hormone levels and replace hormones that are low which may contribute to these symptoms.

3. Conditions such as osteoporosis, weight gain, high cholesterol and memory can be improved with natural bioidentical hormone replacement therapy.

Most people experience significant improvements in a matter of weeks and treatment is covered by most insurance plans. Experience the benefits of sound sleep, relief from hot flashes and night sweats and renewed energy, confidence and libido.

Menopause and Bioidentical Hormones - What You Should Know

Menopause symptoms are frequently due to hormonal imbalance. In this article, I will discuss menopause and bioidentical hormones in details so you can know what to do to find some relief.

Hormones are carriers of messages from glands to cells that maintain chemical levels in the bloodstream in order to sustain a stable internal environment. Hormones are necessary for growth, development and energy.

The prevailing myth in the medical community is that menopause is an estrogen deficiency disease. But estrogen levels drop only 40 to 60 percent at menopause while progesterone levels can drop to nearly zero. The reality is that estrogen and progesterone work together.

When progesterone drops to near zero, we have estrogen dominance which causes a lot of unpleasant symptoms and increases the risk for endometrial cancer and probably promotes breast cancer.

Symptoms of progesterone deficiency include: painful breasts, weight gain, bloating, low bone density, trouble sleeping, anxiety and stress.

The list of symptoms that can be caused or made worse by estrogen dominance is a long one. Among the symptoms are the following: breast tenderness, anxiety, allergies, decreased sex drive, weight gain particularly around the belly, foggy thinking, insomnia, irritability, etc.

For a long time, the preferred remedy for hormonal imbalance was Hormone Replacement Therapy or HRT. However HRT has serious side effects, which include fluid retention, headache, dizziness. The Women's Health Initiative (WHI) study which analyzed the health of 16,000 women aged 50 to 79 years, found after five years, that those women using HRT had a 29 percent higher risk of breast cancer, a 26% higher risk of heart disease, and a 41% higher risk of stroke.

More recently however, there has been more information coming out about menopause and bioidentical hormones. Bio-identical hormones are hormones prepared from plant compounds and are identical in formation to human hormones.

Studies have revealed that Bioidentical Hormone Replacement Therapy (BHRT) is more effective than the familiar HRT in relieving the symptoms of menopause with no side effects.

For instance, taking bioidentical progesterone will protect you against breast cancer, will elevate your mood and improve brain functions. Your energy levels and stamina will also be improved.

Because bio-identical hormones are natural, they cannot be patented by the pharmaceutical industry. In order to get a prescription, you will have to work with a physician who is knowledgeable about bioidentical hormones and who can work with a pharmacy where they will be able to formulate the precise level of natural hormones that are required by your system.

Treating Sensitive and Irritated Scalp in Women (With and Without Hair Loss)

Most women will notice scalp and / or hair changes at some point in their life.  The same holds true for men, but the reasons for the changes can be quite different - although both can be hormonal. Often, changes and sensitivity in a woman's scalp (and therefore corresponding hair changes) stem from hormonal swings and changes.  Most people assume that this can happen after pregnancy and from going on or off of birth control pills. This is very often the case.  But there can sometimes be other issues at play such as sex hormones that decline with age, thyroid and adrenal fluctuations, and raised cortisol caused from stress or other factors.  This article will not only discuss why scalp issues occur for women (and why they differ from the causes for men), but will also tell you how to treat them naturally and why the standard treatments often recommended can sometimes do more harm than good.

Why Women's Hormonal / Scalp Issues Are Different Than A Man's: When a man has scalp sensitivity or pain (often with hair loss), it is often because of a process called AGA (androgenic alopecia.) What happens for men is that, at a certain age, their hair follicles begin to be attacked by DHT (dihydrotestosterone.) This is the hormone that causes male patterned hair loss or baldness.  The DHT is poison to a hair follicle and will cause the follicle to atrophy, shrink, and stop producing a healthy hair.  What you get then is the peach fuzz type of hair that often precedes thinning and baldness.

While women do sometimes have AGA and DHT issues (mostly hereditary), often a women's scalp problems and hair loss are more likely due to hormonal swings that cause inflammation and irritation in the scalp.  Sometimes, these fluctuations can also contribute to or bring rise to infections like yeast or ringworm, but often even mild inflammation can cause pain, itching, scaling, dryness, or redness on it's own, without an infection present.  Hair loss can occur along side this.  Or, sometimes, the hair loss will come first and as the follicles are recycling hairs, the inflammation is the result so the pain follows.  This is sometimes also called "burning scalp syndrome." It is very real and it is not your imagination, despite it's name.  It can be quite painful and troublesome.

If Hormones Are Causing Scalp Sensitivity, Itching, Pain Or Hair Loss, Why Not Just Tweak The Hormones: Many women get very tired very fast of this hair loss and scalp pain.  So, they panic and want to throw all sorts of drastic solutions at the problem.  If sex hormones (estrogen and progesterone) are diminishing, then why not try birth control pills or HRT (hormone replacement therapy - like bio identical estrogen) to replace them? Or if your thyroid is out of whack, why not try to replace what is lacking in the form or raw thyroid or supplements? Most times, these methods will backfire. The reason for this is because if your sensitivity to changing hormones contributed to the scalp issues and the hair loss you might have now, then tweaking and changing your hormones will often just make the problem worse.  Although your system may have righted itself on it's own in time, every time you play around with your hormones, you're likely just starting this cycle all over again and prolonging the problem.

Treatments (Standard And Natural) For Women's Scalp Sensitivity, Irritation, Pain, Dryness, And Hair Loss: Many times, people will try to use the "big guns" to counter scalp issues.  These include steroids, harsh and drying treatments / shampoos (with ingredients that include things like coal tar and zinc.)  These are often much too harsh for women.  An irritated and painful scalp is wounded skin, so pouring harsh chemicals right onto it is often going to harm it even more and prolong the healing.  And, your scalp will grow immune to these things after a while so it will take more and more to "knock it back."

Worse these treatments often clog your hair follicles which can impede or slow your hair growing back. Sometimes a better idea is to use natural, gentle anti inflammations (tea tree oil, chamomile, lavender, etc.).  These can be quite effective but they soothe rather than irritate even more.  And they facilitate healing rather than covering up the issue.  Better, many encourage hair growth and work to nourish, rather than clog, the follicles.

This is a much safer option which will help you buy some time while trying to heal your scalp and encourage your hair to grow back.

Menopause Symptoms Reduced by BHRT: My Wife Is In Her 3rd Week of Treatment

As you will remember, I wrote about my wife beginning Bioidentical Hormone Replacement therapy. Our decision for her to do this, came about because my wife and I are both dealing with her perimenopause. This process for her has been an ongoing research for 10 years. It seemed that every time we learned something useful there would be some improvement, but still we could not get her feeling and acting like herself. It has always been in the back of her mind that she had the symptoms of hypothyroidism. But, curiously the symptoms of perimenopause and thyroid low function are nearly identical. She has been considering Bioidentical Hormone Replacement Therapy (BHRT) for 2 years, but putting it off due to the fact that she was unsure if she had learned enough about it.

She has found the medical group that she wanted. They specialize in BHRT. She started treatment two weeks ago.

The way we got here, was through the belief that the blood tests that our primary physician was looking at for her were showing a normal thyroid. But it was in the very low normal range. Therefore the doctor did not look at other hormone levels. We understand the doctor's actions, but we disagreed. We wanted to know what her HORMONE levels were. Well this new medical group added the full range of hormone levels to their very comprehensive blood tests. My wife was completely out of wack on 9 out of 10. She signed up for their program and began it immediately.

Her first treatment included a B-12 shot, which she will continue weekly for some time. There was an immediate energy boost that was mirrored by a reduction in fatigue. At the same time she had some very small capsules (the size of a grain of rice) in a time release configuration implanted just under the skin of her buttocks.

The tests had showed she was way off of the scale on: Estradiol; FSH; Progesterone; TSH; Testosterone; Vitamin B12. No other physician had tested for these. Yet, these are some of the supplements she is being given now. I will find out more about each and write another article on the progress next week.

The daily changes were subtle but noticeable and all positive. But, each day I could not be sure that it was not just my perception of change since that was what I was looking for.. But the "overall changes" during the entire two weeks are noticeable and dramatic. She is waking up earlier. Making a lot more jokes. Laughing harder and working harder. It is my initial judgement that the balancing of hormones is real and it is working. In the next week she will go in for an evaluation. I expect it to be positive.

We still have not found out how much of the cost is covered by our insurance, which is Blue Cross Blue Shield. But, we expect to hear soon and I will include this in the next article.

I'll let you know how the evaluation goes too. Expect to hear from me next week again.

If you want to share your experience, or ask questions you can visit the website mentioned below.

How to Build a Great Body

Do you sometimes think that the body you have is the one you were born with and that there is nothing you can do about it? If so, you are certainly not alone. Millions of people who are struggling to get into shape feel that they are fighting against nature and that there is little that they can do to change what they were born with. If you are one of these discouraged people, you are about to find out why there is a LOT that you can do about building a great body...in spite of what your genes might have to say about it...

How is a Body Built?

• DNA
This is the "blueprint" of your body, and there is nothing that you can do to change it. However, DNA is also the one thing which plays the most minor role in your physical health.

• Metabolism
If your DNA is your body's blueprint, your metabolism is like the building crew that puts your body together. Your metabolism is controlled by your hormones and it is what determines the manner in which your body breaks down nutrients and also the manner in which it uses those nutrients to build the living cells of your body.

• Food
Food is like the building materials which are used to create your body. The best thing about food is that you are 100% in control of how much you eat, what you eat and how you eat. Best yet, your eating habits are mainly what determine your metabolism.

Your Renovation Project
Most people believe that there is nothing that can be done about their metabolism and so they blame their low energy level and their body fat content on their metabolism claiming that it's "just the cards they were dealt." However, you can control your metabolism by means of adjusting your diet and lifestyle. This is because your diet and lifestyle directly impact the hormone levels within your body. Here are just a few examples of these hormones which control your metabolism:

• Insulin
Insulin is released by the pancreas in response to having high levels of sugar in the blood. Insulin is what controls the manner in which your body uses and stores sugar. Eating too much sugar can lead to overproduction of insulin and eventually to your cells being resistant to insulin. This is the precursor to Type-Two Diabetes.

• Thyroid
Thyroid is produced by the thyroid gland and it determines your energy level and the rate at which your body burns calories. If your body is subjected to extreme low calorie diets or diets which completely cut out nutrients such as fat or carbohydrates, the thyroid can become underactive. This leads to low energy levels, moodiness and difficulty losing excess weight.

• Cortisol
Cortisol is a "fight or flight" hormone which is produced by the adrenaline gland during times of extreme stress. It controls both how and where fat is stored in your body. Excessive amounts of cortisol can also cause your body to break down muscle tissue and bone tissue in order to burn it as energy instead of allowing your body to draw upon its fat storages.

With a few minor changes in your diet and lifestyle, you can bring these hormones under control and therefore encourage the building and maintaining of a healthy physique...

Three Things to Change Today

• Cut Back on Sugars and Simple Carbs
Remember that your insulin levels are determined by the level of sugar in your diet. Too much sugar in your system always leads to too much insulin. However, cutting back on sugar and simple carb consumption will work wonders for your body.

• Avoid Extreme Dieting
Extreme dieting, such as starvation diets or diets which completely cut out fat or carbohydrates are not good for your thyroid. Focus instead on controlling the kinds of foods that you eat. One thing you can do starting today is avoid processed foods and go organic whenever possible. Cutting back on sugar and simple carb consumption will also eliminate the need for extreme dieting.

• Exercise to Relieve Stress
Stress is nearly impossible to remove from your life. However, you can get control of your fight or flight hormones like cortisol by putting them to good use through physical activity. This will keep these hormones from building up in your system and will help you to build a healthier body as a result.

Make these changes today and over time you will notice a dramatic change in your health, your weight and your energy level.

John and Linda Ballis

Everything You Need to Know About Bioidentical Hormones Side Effects

Bioidentical hormones are a relatively new science that has changed the way that women experience menopause and other hormonal symptoms of aging. Through the use of these specialized simulated hormone doses, women are able to ward off or at least lessen the effects and symptoms of menopause. Bioidentical hormones are created from plant materials to create substances that are identical to the hormones found naturally in the body. Since this is a new form of technology, there is little that consumers know about possible bioidentical hormones side effects.

Are There Side Effects Involved

The short answer is that since the created hormones mimic the ones found naturally in the body, there are no adverse side effects. Not enough research has been done on this treatment method yet to be 100 percent certain, but at this time when the hormones are given in the right dosages for an individual there are very few or no side effects at all.

Why do Some People Suffer Adverse Bioidentical Hormones Side Effects?

It has been found that when the dosage of bioidentical hormones is too high for an individual there are many adverse effects. Just as if your body naturally produced too much of any one hormone, you would suffer ill effects as well. These side effects can generally be eliminated when the dosage is returned to a normal level that balances out the hormones once again.

You should always check with a doctor before undergoing any type of bioidentical hormone therapy, but when the dosage is given in the correct amount you can reap the many benefits that this treatment has to offer.

There are very few if any bioidentical hormones side effects. If you wish to take advantage of this option in an effort to minimize the horrible symptoms of menopause, then the information above can help you learn more about what to expect. As long as you consult a physician and do not take too much of a dose at one time, these hormones are capable of helping you live a healthier and happier life.

How to Detox the Body of Synthetic Progesterone

If you are wondering how to detox your body of synthetic progesterone then this article should give you some tips to get started.

When dealing with this type of subject It is always best to start off by giving you a bit of information on what progesterone actually is.

Progesterone is one of two primary hormones mainly produced by the female body. Progesterone triggers estrogen dominance, and causes the body to store fat. Synthetic progesterone works exactly the same way except it also causes your body to release stress hormones as well.

Firstly, in the evening before going to bed, put some detoxing foot patches under the soles of your feet, which can work extremely well.

You can start a diet that eliminates chemical calories. Cook up some brown rice, butternut and radish, and within 24 hours you will start feeling better.

Hot mineral baths, exercise, as well as mental visualization, have been known to help the process along also.

The following foods and substitutes will detox your body of synthetic progesterone - 1 cod-liver oil tablet daily, soaked whole grains, fresh vegetables and fruit, coconut oil for cooking, fresh beef or lamb daily, fresh sea food twice a week, and fresh liver once a week Eat more plant based foods - broccoli, kale, brussel sprouts as well as garlic and flax seed.

Now you know how to detox the body of synthetic progesterone, and if you can use this once in a while you are well on your way to living a full and healthy life.

5 Initial Signs of Pregnancy

Have you been planning for a baby for a while now? Do you think you might already have a tiny little seed of life in you? Well then, it is time to know what the initial signs of pregnancy are, so you can more or less judge whether or not you might be pregnant at this very moment!

We are listing out below certain very common and obvious signs of pregnancy, which can occur as early as a week into your pregnancy. Take a look at these, so that you understand to differentiate them from other everyday symptoms.

1. Missed period

The most important sign of pregnancy is a missed period. Of course, it could also happen due to some transient hormonal fluctuation in the body or due to some kind of stress. If that is the case, your normal period would occur within the next 10 days of its expected due date. If that does not happen either, then you should think of a possible pregnancy.

2. Light spotting

The zygote trying to get a life within you can be very industrious and persistent in its efforts! Though microscopic yet, it has the sheer grit to survive and live inside you for the next nine months. So it does everything in its power to gnaw its way into your endometrial lining. This fight to lodge itself safely inside you can result in slight spotting or bleeding in you. Remember, this is not your regular menstrual bleeding, so it will also be different in color. This event usually also occurs round about the same time of your expected period. If your bleeding this month has been too light, visit your doctor to ascertain if you are truly pregnant.

3. Dizziness

You might have heard of pregnant women having regular fainting spells, earlier on into their pregnancy. Why does this happen? The increased pressure that the uterus puts on your entire system leads to a compression in the arteries in your legs. This leads to a steep fall in the blood pressure, which gives rise to dizziness and / or fainting. This is temporary and seems to come in sudden spells, when you least expect it!

4. Frequent urination

The uterus starts expanding soon after conception, so as to make space for the little one. This puts pressure on the bladder, making you want to use the washroom more often. If you have been getting an unexplained urge to answer nature's call too often, then you could possibly think of pregnancy.

5. Heartburn

Many women experience severe heartburn early into their pregnancy, a condition that they never ever experienced before. How are heartburn and pregnancy related? Well, the expanding uterus also puts pressure upwards on the heart. Further, the increasing levels of the HCG hormone inside you hamper the normal process of digestion. This gives rise to stomach acids accumulating in you, which in turn give rise to acidity and heartburn.

The above-mentioned signs of pregnancy very closely mimic normal everyday symptoms. If these signs carry on for longer than just a couple of days, you should think of a possible pregnancy and visit your doctor immediately.

Aging Healthfully

Nobody leaves this planet alive, unless you happen to be an astronaut. Generally, we don't think about aging though until we reach middle-age, usually considered to be about 50 years old. Then we may begin to notice changes in our body that indicate that we can't do the things that we used to quite as easily. Perhaps we don't move with quite as much flexibility. Perhaps we begin to notice that our ability to read the phone book decreases as the print is out of focus. Perhaps our energy is less than it used to be. In one sense, aging is natural; and yet from another perspective we can certainly slow it down, compress it so to speak, so that there is more time for healthy living later on in life. There seem to be certain parts of the body that age more easily than others -- bones, eyes, ears, brains, and general metabolism, seem to be areas that are hardest hit.

The latest research shows that a number of factors can be introduced through simple lifestyle changes and supplementation, so that some of the problems of aging can be considerably reduced or at least delayed. Below you will find some tips for different organ systems -- tips that you can use on yourself, or tips that you can use to help aging family members. As always, a healthy diet low in animal fat, moderate in healthy fats from cold water fish, high in fibre, with moderate sensible exercise underlie all of these suggestions as a foundation.

Age-Related Macular Degeneration and Cataracts. These are common diseases of aging that can affect up to 20% of the population over the age of 65. Because the eye is continually exposed to light, it is particularly susceptible to oxidation. Research has consistently shown that age-related macular degeneration can be modified, and prevented, by increasing antioxidants particularly those that contain lutein and zeaxanthin, as well as vitamin A, zinc, and riboflavin (vitamin B2). Lutein and zeaxanthin are a part of the carotene family found in eggs, and red, orange and yellow vegetables and fruits. Vitamin E is also critical to delaying the development of cataracts -- 400 international units per day of mixed tocopherols taken with dinner should be used. Carotenes can be found in supplements but are best obtained from fresh vegetables and fruits. Lutein is also found in the brand of eggs known as Omega Plus®

Energy, Fatigue, and Cognitive Decline. As we age our metabolism changes. Our ability to digest decreases and as a result our ability to absorb nutrients decreases. Stomach acidity frequently goes down and our ability to absorb vitamin B12 from our diet decreases as a result. Many elderly people are suffering from GERD, also known as acid reflux, and taking drugs to decrease stomach acid to prevent those symptoms. These people are particularly susceptible to vitamin B12 deficiency. In this age group vitamin B12 can lead to significant cognitive decline, tinnitus and even hearing loss. There are a number of studies to suggest both energy and cognitive ability can be raised through the injection of vitamin B12 on a weekly basis. Unfortunately, blood testing for vitamin B12 does not always yield useful results, and only a trial of 1000 mcg vitamin B12 injected weekly will tell us whether it is necessary - you should notice a significant increase in energy for example, if you really need it. There are some oral vitamin B12 preparations that can be taken but if the stomach is low in acid, B12 may not be absorbed. If you are taking vitamin B12 by mouth it should preferably be in the form of methyl cobalamin. Methyl cobalamin works in the brain better than the standard cyano-cobalamin. The herb Ginkgo Biloba has also been found to be helpful here for mental alertness as well as the macular degeneration noted above.

Osteoporosis. A disorder of aging that is far more common in women than in men, osteoporosis is the new epidemic in women after menopause. It is more prevalent in short, slightly built, light-haired women. Fortunately it can be detected by bone scan, and I recommend all women who are in menopause get a baseline bone scan. Although Premarin® used to be recommended for post-menopause, most doctors rightly shy away from using this treatment anymore as a result of the long-term negative heart effects of synthetic estrogen. Regular exercise, calcium carbonate (1000 mg/day) and magnesium gluconate (500 mg/day), and Vitamin D3 (1000 IU/day) can all help bone loss. Natural progesterone cream may also be helpful. Check with a doctor who prescribes bioidentical hormones. Bone maintenance after menopause is critical; once bone is lost it is really hard to get back.

Depression. A common problem with age, depression can often be helped by taking more B vitamins, especially Folic Acid (Vitamin B9), instead of anti-depressants. In addition, S-adenosyl methionine, (fondly known as Sammy), in doses of 200mg can often beat depression single handed. It's available over the counter in many stores. The herb St. John's Wort can also be used in mild to moderate depression.

Attitude. Obviously attitude plays a huge role in how we feel at any age. If you can laugh and joke and be grateful it goes a long way. The aphorism "If you don't use it you lose it" is true particularly as we age. Mental challenges like games, crosswords, puzzles etc. keep us on the ball and using those brain cells. It all helps.

Obviously aging is a huge topic, and I have covered only a few issues. If you want more detailed information I highly recommend the Life Extension Foundation as a reliable source of information about aging. It has a generous website too. Almost any aspect of aging can be read about on the site, and you can easily search for any further information you might need.

©Edward Leyton MD 2007 © Accessing Resources for Empowerment(TM) 2007

Mood Swings During Perimenopause: De-Stressing the Natural Way

Mood swings is experienced by over 50 percent of perimenopausal women. Physical, emotional and mental symptoms are also quite normal in a woman at perimenopause and menopause. Perimenopause symptoms may also affect women on in so many ways, women feel it is normal. Sometimes they may feel like the pendulum that has gone out of control. Going through the transition into menopause may be quite unsettling for any woman especially when her emotions are topsy-turvy and she feels out of control. This article will focus on a woman's emotional level during her journey into menopause. By understanding that she is not going out of her mind, a woman may try a natural treatment to calm her emotions and ease her mood swings. Remember, it is not in your head, it is your hormones.

Women may usually experience a mood swing when their hormones are out of balance. A mood swing is when a woman overreacts emotionally. It is actually a normal and very common symptom of perimenopause. It may be an upsetting phenomenon for her and those around her. She may drive her family crazy at times. It is usually helpful to understand why a woman is actually experiencing these moods during menopause. A woman may go through extreme fluctuations in her moods and may experience a drastic shift in her emotional state.

Mood swings and feelings during perimenopause All women may experience the various symptoms of a mood swing differently. Many of these symptoms of mood swings are also quite common.

• Frequent mood change


• Extreme moods


• Sadness


• Depression


• Irritability


• Anxiety


• Aggression


• Less patience


• Nervousness


• Melancholy

Stress during perimenopause Stress may be reduced in a woman's life. Stress may stimulate a body to produce more adrenalin and cortisol. Cortisol may inhibit the production of progesterone in the ovaries. Stress also makes a body produce a high level of cortisol, which may reduce the production of progesterone causing estrogen dominance. An excess of cortisol may reduce progesterone levels, which may also cause high blood pressure, diabetes, weaken the immune system and eliminate essential vitamins and minerals from the body. You may improve your wellbeing when your hormones are balanced and the process of aging may slow down and be less debilitating.

Hormone imbalance during perimenopause Hormone imbalance may cause signs and symptoms that are troublesome to a woman. It may be a relief to know that often these imbalances may be successfully treated in a natural and healthy way. In fact, a woman may be quite surprised at how quickly a symptom like mood swings may improve by just using natural approach. Estrogen Hormone Replacement therapy, (ERT), until recently was often prescribed to treat hormone imbalance for just about every hormonal issue. From PMS, depression, irregular periods, mood swings or hot flashes; doctors wrote ERT or HRT prescriptions for women.

You may be surprised to know that the hormone medications were the top-selling drugs for decades. However, ongoing studies show HRT has serious health risks from ovarian cancer, breast cancer, blood clots or heart disease. The high risks for disease has women and healthcare professionals rethinking the use of drugs in HRT and ERT. In fact, when the Women's Health Study showed women at a much higher risk of cancer, women became scared and stopped using ERT. Then they began a search for natural solutions.

Natural solutions to correct hormone imbalances that physicians recommend are a healthy lifestyle, diet, exercise, natural remedies, and natural progesterone cream. A diet may be improved by including whole grains, protein, vegetables and fruits. Healthy diets improve long-term health, reduce the symptoms of hormone imbalance, and allow for a longer life.

The benefits of exercise Exercising and increasing physical activity aids in better sleep, being more energized, looking younger, enjoying a better sex life, and improving mood swings. Exercise helps improve connective tissue and makes bones stronger. Exercise increases the stress hormone that helps amplify a positive outlook in addition to weight loss. Exercise should be a lifelong habit. Exercise improves a woman's mood and boosts her immune system.

Natural progesterone cream is a safe natural solution Natural progesterone cream is a safe and effective hormone replacement therapy that may gently balance a woman's hormones and provide relief for mood swings. Natural progesterone may help relieve many of the symptoms caused by perimenopause including mood swings. Bio-identical or Natural progesterone cream contains molecules that are the same molecule as a women's natural producing progesterone.

In the 1950's, Dr. Dalton, of England, found that natural progesterone cream was the cause and treatment for depression, post-partum depression and mood swings. In another study, Dr. Prior, of Canada, discovered that runners had low progesterone levels that stopped their periods. Ray Peat, microbiologist and researcher along with Dr. John Lee found natural progesterone therapy helped women with most issues related to hormone imbalances. He found the issues range from infertility, PMS symptoms and symptoms during of menopause.

It is important for a woman to understand that her mood swings can be eased. There may also be other factors involved causing her moods. Other symptoms of menopause such as night sweats, hot flashes, fatigue and physical changes may cause or intensify a woman's mood. By knowing and understanding her hormonal fluctuations, a woman can start with natural progesterone cream to help her control her mood swings. Bio-identical progesterone cream as a natural hormone replacement therapy has replaced traditional HRT, mainly because it safely reduces most of the symptoms caused by menopause.

Progesterone balances the ratio of low estrogen or high or low progesterone. Natural progesterone cream is the only bioidentical hormone that may efficiently achieve relief for your symptoms. Natural progesterone cream addresses the cause of hormone imbalance, therefore may help relieve your symptoms.

Natural Progesterone Cream with Wild Yam and Chaste Tree Berry is a recommended approach. Natural remedies may be effective, safer than drugs and a valuable option. It has no side effects. It is economical and effective. Natural progesterone cream addresses the cause a hormonal imbalance.

This is for education only. It is not intended to treat, prevent or cure a medical disease. If you have a medical condition, please consult a health care professional.

Testosterone-Hormone Therapy For Men

Hormone replacement therapy is one of the hottest topics in bodybuilding today. It involves the use of synthetic hormones to allow the body to produce higher levels of the sex hormones testosterone, estrogen, and progesterone. Originally designed for people with low hormone levels due to a condition, it quickly caught on among elderly people who were able to match the vitality of a person decades younger. Hollywood noticed next, and was followed by groups of 30-, 40-, and 50-something professionals seeking to regain their youth. Hormone therapy is today's fountain of youth - allowing people of all ages to return to the testosterone levels they enjoyed in their twenties, even if they are decades older.

As men age, their body's natural level of testosterone (male sex hormone) decreases, and their production of estrogen (female sex hormone) increases. As a result, men experience muscle loss, fat increases, Gynecomastia, and other issues. In other words, they get old. HRT reverses that.

To get approved for HRT (Hormone Replacement Therapy), one must visit a doctor and make the case for an actual need. HRT agents like testosterone and growth hormone are highly controlled. Telling your doctor that you want to win a local NPC contest will not get you the prescription you desire. Typically, a patient will undergo a series of examinations to determine what sex hormones are out of balance. A hormone panel is completed, and cancer screening is done. If patient is cancer-free, has a measured lack of sex hormones, and exhibits the mental characteristics of low testosterone, he will likely receive the prescription.

Initially, aromatase Inhibitors (AI's) may be used to offset the estrogen rise. This is the simplest treatment, and is actually the same compounds used in post-cycle-therapy (PCT) for steroid users, to negate the post-cycle spike in estrogen that occurs when synthetic testosterone levels suddenly drop. The very consistent and expensive Arimidex is most commonly prescribed. Recently, Femara and Aromasin have begun being used because they are more potent.

If AI's fail to fit the bill, prohormones are often introduced next. Adione and 4-Adiol are most frequently used, along with 1-AD and others. Prohormones, unlike actual testosterone, do not convert to estrogen, so they can boost testosterone levels and improve quality of life without the side effects that follow estrogen levels jumping.

Transdermal Testosterone is the third step in correcting low sex hormone levels. Pulse therapy (2-3 time per day) or patch/gel testosterone therapy are very effective for raising testosterone levels in the body. They are effective, but do completely or partially shut down the body's natural ability to produce testosterone, so their use may remain permanent.

Finally, Human Growth Hormone (hGH) is used in a small percentage of patients whose bodies don't produce adequate growth hormone, or if the patient hasn't responded to the first three treatment methods. HGH is expensive and difficult to store and administer.

Finding the right hormone replacement method is an important decision that you and your doctor should complete together. Use the above descriptions as a starter point, do your research, and see if hormone replacement is right for you.

Hashimotos: The Iodine-Iodide Issue

Hashimotos is known as an autoimmune condition which is accompanied by thyroid inflammation. What most people don't realize is that thyroid inflammation happened long before their development of Hashimotos. This fact is different from the conventional point of view which believes that a person's thyroid antibodies are the cause of thyroid inflammation.

Therefore if we can step back and understand the origin of thyroid inflammation we then have a much better idea about how to reverse Hasimotos.

The Role of Iodine and Iodide

From my clinical experience iodide and iodine play a role in the cause or etiology of thyroid inflammation and the perpetuation of Hashimotos.

To understand this I need to briefly review a little thyroid physiology.

There are two primary thyroid hormones. One is Thyroxine or T4 and the other is Tri-iodothyronine or T3. The 4 and the 3 refer to the number of iodine atoms attached to each hormone.

Yet iodine does not enter thyroid cells. It's iodide which is absorbed and enter thyroid cells through what are called 'Iodine Traps.' I have no idea why they've been given this term when they actually absorb iodide.

Yet iodide is absorbed, waiting to be converted into iodine which is then used to make thyroid hormones. And when the time comes to these hormones thyroid cells produce hydrogen peroxide to pull off one atom from the iodide to make iodine.

When thyroid cells are stimulated to make their hormones, their production of hydrogen peroxide increases, converting iodide into iodine, and the assembly line of making thyroid hormones advances.

What stimulates thyroid cells to make hydrogen peroxide is the hormone TSH or Thyroid Stimulating Hormone. This fact is very important because of its connection with thyroid inflammation.

TSH and Thyroid Inflammation

When levels of thyroid hormones decline in the blood the gland which produces TSH increases its production in an attempt to stimulate thyroid cells to make more hormones. So when thyroid hormones decline, TSH goes up.

Then what will happen when a person has a deficiency of iodide?

When there's a lack of iodide there will be a lack of iodine inside thyroid cells, so thyroid hormone production goes down. And when thyroid hormone production goes down, TSH goes up.

This TSH stimulates thyroid cells to produce more and more hydrogen peroxide, and if levels of hydrogen peroxide remain high, which they will if thyroid hormone levels remain low, hydrogen peroxide will eventually lead to irritation and eventually inflammation.

Lab Testing

Both TSH and the thyroid hormones T4 can be checked through lab testing. As in our previous example of an iodide deficiency, when TSH is high and T4 is below the lab's reference range then the person is diagnosed with Hypothyroidism.

If the TSH is high and T4 is low but still within the lab's reference range then the person will likely be diagnosed with Subclinical Hypothyroidism. Research has shown that about half the people with Subclinical Hypothyroidism will eventually develop Hashimotos. Why is this?

Elevated TSH leads to increased hydrogen production within thyroid cells leading to inflammation. Inflammation speeds up the metabolism of cells leading to their aging prematurely. This means that inflamed thyroid cells have a shortened life expectancy and when they die they release their contents including Thyroperoxidase and Thyroglobulin. This enzyme and protein trigger an immune response with the development of antibodies.

Therefore an iodide deficiency will lead to thyroid inflammation. The means of helping thyroid inflammation is through the use of iodide. This will improve thyroid hormone production which will lower TSH.

But is this same approach true for Hashimotos?

Iodide for Hashimotos?

Here's the double edge of the iodide sword.

As far as the body's intelligence is concerned iodide and iodine are absolutely essential for health and are considered precious commodities. And over hundreds, maybe thousands, of generations we developed an ability to store these trace elements in case of a shortage, similar to how our livers store vitamin B12 for years.

When we ingest iodide and iodine they are readily absorbed into those same Iodine Traps which exist in the thyroid as well as other tissues throughout the body. These traps are also known as Sodium Iodine Symports. Storage in these symports allows us to use iodine and iodine later on as needed.

These symports don't have the intelligence to automatically know when iodine and iodide are available. They must be stimulated by the same hormone that stimulates those traps in thyroid cells, TSH.

So when iodine and iodide are ingested this triggers an increase in the production of TSH. This TSH will stimulate the symports in the thyroid and throughout the body to absorb iodide and iodine respectively. Yet remember, with Hashimotos we do not want elevated TSH since it also stimulates thyroid cells to produce hydrogen peroxide.

The Danger of Iodine & Iodine

Here's a story from before I knew better than to use high doses of iodine and iodide. A 53 year old woman had symptoms of Hypothyroidism. She had a TSH of 3.65 (slightly high) and a T4 thyroid hormone level of 6.5 (very much on the low side of the lab's normal reference range). So I put her on a high dose of iodine and iodide, about 12 mg of each. We repeated her labs after six months to find a TSH of 107. I was shocked to say the least.

For this reason, and because it is vital to get TSH below 1.0 for people with Hashimotos, I avoid using iodine and iodide completely in the first phase of treatment which is to lower thyroid inflammation.

As you can see, a deficiency of iodide is the primary cause of thyroid inflammation. Yet once this inflammation has progressed, causing thyroid cell destruction, the release of Thyroglobulin and Thyroperoxidase and the activation of antibodies, iodide and iodine must be avoided.

Steps to Reducing Thyroid Inflammation

Here are the steps in the first phase of reducing thyroid inflammation.

• Avoid supplements with iodine and iodide.


• Reduce TSH by providing thyroid hormones. This is done primarily through a thyroid prescription. There is no other way of increasing thyroid hormone levels in order to reduce TSH to at least 1.0.


• Provide selenium in the methionine form which has proven to reduce thyroid inflammation.


• Improve glutathione levels to also quench inflammation. Selenium helps to improve glutathione levels. Glutathione can also be applied topically over the thyroid using pharmaceutical grade DMSO.


• Improve the ecology of the gut. Any gut inflammation for some reason parallels thyroid inflammation. Maybe one reason for this is that both the intestines and the thyroid have the same embryonic origin, the endoderm.

If you are interested to learn more about Hashimotos we have produced a series of videos on its origin, effective ways to reduce thyroid inflammation and thyroid antibodies, and why a broad, holistic approach is essential.

Positive Thinking - How To Think Positively When Everything Is Going Wrong

For a better quality of life it is important to understand how to think positively when everything is going wrong. The outlook that an individual embraces effects almost all areas of their life. Adopting an optimistic way of thinking will create an atmosphere of calm and control.

When everything seems to be going wrong it is easy to begin thinking negative thoughts. However, one way to turn pessimism into optimism is to change the way that the events are being looked at. Negative events tend to leave an individual feeling drained and helpless. However, each occurrence that is experienced has a bright side. Focusing on what is or what will be positive as a result of the negative event will help the individual to regain a positive energy.

Having a positive role model who has overcome some of the circumstances being experience can be helpful. If an individual sees that they are not the only person that has gone through bad times, and that there are people who have risen above their same circumstances it can elicit hope. When a person feels hopeful they typically begin to feel more confident that they will overcome challenges.

Individuals may want to take the time to assess their strengths. Focusing on what is good about their abilities will allow the person to gain reassurance that they have the necessary fortitude to get through hard times. Taking an inventory of challenges that were faced in the past and remembering how they were overcome will help the individual be reminded that they are strong enough to succeed again.

Changing diet and lifestyle can be effective in overall mind and body connection. If areas in life are adverse, individuals tend to fall into a destructive pattern of skipping exercise and eating unhealthy meals. This can cause fatigue and sometimes depression. Consuming foods high in protein and nutrients and avoiding sugars, salts and processed foods will help the mind and body become more focused and energized. Additionally, exercising at least three times a week will increase confidence.

Setting realistic goals and time-lines will help an individual gain control of their circumstances. Evaluating each negative situation individually will help the individual to avoid feeling overwhelmed. Writing ideas down on a piece of paper will help to maintain focus and accountability.

It can be difficult to know how to think positively when everything is going wrong. However, when individuals focus on what they have control over and let go of what they cannot control they will feel more empowered and optimistic.

How to Adjust BHRT?

Bioidentical hormones, also referred to as natural hormones, are used to treat menopause, perimenopause, and post-menopause symptoms. These hormones are much like the hormones that are produced in the body. They are metabolized, stored, and converted into other hormones naturally. The primary advantage of BHRT is that treatment doses are individualized.

Most bioidentical hormones are chemically-synthesized from diosgenin, a cholesterol-like molecule found in plants and then altered to be identical in molecular structure to the body's natural hormones. They are available as a cream, oral, suppository or injections.

For most women, if they have been on BHRT for a lengthy period of time, or just began treatment, the dosage may have to be adjusted because women's bodies and hormone levels are prone to changes.

Symptoms that may indicate that your BHRT may require adjustment include hot flashes night sweat, insomnia, vaginal dryness, reduced sex drive, yeast infections, and painful intercourse. As well, there have been incidents of heart palpitations and dry skin and hair. If one's estrogen level is too high, symptoms can include a desire to eat sweet foods and there will be an increase in weight. There can also be such symptoms as water retention, swelling and tenderness of the breasts, as well as anxiety related symptoms. If one's progesterone levels are too low, symptoms can include: weight gain, depression, mood changes, migraines, anxiety, acne, joint pain, and a low sex drive. As well, there can be drowsiness, bloating, and yeast infections. The individual symptoms are associated with either low or high progesterone and estrogen levels. Your doctor will have you tested to find out what hormone level that is lacking, or in surplus.

Testosterone is another hormone within BHTH treatment that may require adjustment. Low testosterone levels can result in fatigue, low sex drive, muscle weakness, heart palpitations, bone loss, fibromyalgia, bladder leakage, vaginal dryness, as well as some memory difficulties. Too high testosterone levels can cause acne, insomnia, irritability, loss of scalp hair, facial hair growth, and mood swings.

The symptoms will be reversed once the appropriate hormone levels have been adjusted. The main value of hormone replacement therapy is that it can be adapted to fit your own individual hormone needs. Because everyone is unique, they require an individualized hormone replacement therapy customized to meet their individual hormonal needs. As well, eating healthy foods and exercising regularly are important aspects of successful bio-identical hormone treatment. If a woman's hormones are out of balance, her body will not effectively respond to better nutrition and exercise. As your hormones level off, one will begin to feel much better and will have improved energy, spirit, and thought processes.

Bioidentical hormones are considered one of the most effective treatments for menopausal symptoms. Many women look to bioidentical hormone replacement therapy to relieve their symptoms. Research has shown that menopausal treatment with BHRT reveals important distinctions between bioidentical and non-bioidentical hormones and replacing lost hormones because of menopause drastically relieves menopausal symptoms and improves and enhances one's quality of life.

Natural Hormone Replacement Therapy - Does it Really Work?

I know, the title sounds a little scary right? It's like imagining a team of medical doctors surrounding you as you lie on a table and they are performing natural hormone replacement therapy. They start to stick tubes in your body and then give you estrogen that comes from the lab. It kinda sounds like a movie from "Frankenstein", but in actuality, this is the best way I could describe hormone replacement therapy.

If that made you feel a little eery, then you should be happy that I have good news for you. There are other replacement therapies that are much safer and no hassle is needed. Also, herbal supplements are becoming the more favorable option for people who are uncomfortable with lab grown hormones being inserted in their bodies.

The soy seed is among the more essential natural supplements. This ingredient contains naturally occurring plant estrogen that can be described loosely as "weaker forms of female estrogen". It addresses estrogen imbalance by attaching these plant estrogens to the body's estrogen receptor sites. Surprisingly, these phytoestrogens can both increase and reduce the levels of estrogen in women. If a woman is in the perimenopausal stage, where there is a surplus of hormones, the soy seed decreases estrogen. In postmenopausal women, it increases them.

It is important to realize that what is being treated is not really the estrogen levels in the woman's body, but the accompanying symptoms that comes from it. I suggest using herbal supplements and not natural hormone replacement therapy because it is safer.

Phenomenon and Causes of Bearing Fatigue Failure

Bearing fatigue failure can bring a lot of trouble to the proper performance of the machines. Therefore, it is rather urgent to learn something about it. At first, we would like to see something about the analysis on the phenomenon of bearing fatigue failure.

First of all, the length of the period between the beginning of bearing usage and the emergency of the fatigue phenomenon has a close relationship with the rotation speed, bearing loads, and the lubrication.

Secondly, fatigue is a result of the cyclic shearing stress under the loads. After a period of time, the shearing stress will lead to small cracks which then gradually extend to the surface. When the rolling parts are through these small cracks, then some will split off the block and form the so-called "peeling phenomenon". If this situation becomes worse, then the bearing will be damaged.

Let us take the bicycle bearing as an example. At the primary stage, it is difficult to feel the bearing damage when rotates. Because the bicycle bearing adopts the mode of low speed and extreme pressure, it is not unusable even if the "peeling phenomenon" is very serious. Thus, before the complete destruction of the bearing, users have enough time to find its symptom. Do not ignore the existence of the friction which can decrease the speed of riding. As a result, the speed will slower and the consumption will be more.

What are the causes and solutions of the bearing failure? One cause is the improper lubrication. Although you can install the "maintenance free" sealed bearings, there are still about 36% of early failure of bearings are due to the improper lubrication. Inevitable bearing failure will occur if there is any improper lubrication.

Another reason for the bearing failure is the improper assembly. It can lead to 16% of bearing failure. The improper assembly can cause the damage before the packing of the products. For example, bikes usually use sealed deep groove ball bearings. These products are afraid of percussion. Because bicycle bearings have small interference, it is safer to knock with a rubber hammer.

Growth Hormone Treatment: Its History and Future

Perhaps you have heard of the term growth hormone treatment, but you are not quite sure what it really means. A form of hormone treatment, this therapy involves the use of the human growth hormone to treat certain conditions and deficiencies. As there are many factors, pros, and cons in the use of such treatment, it would be fit if you'll try to get to know first how this type of treatment works and to which conditions it is generally recommended. So without further ado, we are now going to talk about this type of treatment.

First, we are going to take a little bit of history lesson. This type of treatment started in the early 1950, when humans have learned how to extract human growth hormones from human sources. Sure, hormone treatment has already existed for decades during that time (one notable hormone treatment is the use of insulin for diabetes treatment), the use of growth hormones from different sources such as other animals is deemed ineffective because the hormone found in humans is largely different from typical "donor" animals such as pigs and cattle. Ever since the successful purification by Maurice Raben from human sources, this type of hormone treatment has now become a viable option for the treatment of various diseases, most notably dwarfism resulting from hormone deficiency.

Only a few people can receive human growth hormones to use for treatment back then because they are extracted from human pituitary glands during autopsy. Because of the short supply of people willing to go through autopsy to extract hormones from their endocrine glands, supply tends to be short. In some cases, patients are even rejected from receiving treatment unless their case is of the severe kind. However, a breakthrough was accomplished in 1981, when recombinant technology was developed. After the refining of the recombination technique, it was finally sold in the market in 1985 under the brand name Protropin. Because all of a sudden pharmaceuticals can synthesize their own hormones, a competition ensued among different pharmaceutical companies on who can sell the best (or at least the most) hormone treatments.

The main use of human growth hormones is to treat those who are affected with dwarfism caused by hormonal deficiency. The causes of deficiency may vary, but this is usually caused by the inactivity of the pituitary gland. Children who are subjected to this treatment are observed to have dramatic growth within months of use. In addition to growth, development of muscle mass and motor movement is also observed. When used for adults, bone and muscle density improvement is observed, among other effects. This has led to some people believing that this hormone has strong anti-aging properties.

However, the use of growth hormones has its own share of controversies. Other than the huge cost of attaining this form of treatment, there are side effects associated with the use of this hormone. In addition, some ethical issues have arisen because of its roots from recombinant technology. Still, it cannot be denied that for those who are affected by the deficiency in growth hormones, the treatment can play such a huge role in changing their lives.

DHEA, The Hormone For Women and Men Over 40

Dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) is found naturally in the human body, produced primarily by the adrenal glands. It is an important hormone base from which testosterone, progesterone, and corticosterone, either directly or indirectly, can be derived.

After age forty, the amount produced in the body starts to decline. Very little is left by age 70.

Research indicates that taking DHEA supplements may help to prevent cancer, arterial disease, multiple sclerosis, and Alzheimer's disease, and may even be useful in the treatment of lupus and osteoporosis, may help to improve memory and may enhance the activity of the immune system.

When the adrenal glands become fatigued, it is helpful to take a supplemental boost to get back on track, our stressful world, careers, such as that makes fatigue possible. Often 5 mg daily, consistently makes all the difference.

DHEA for chronic fatigue, 5-25 mg (if testing shows that you levels are low) helps with energy production and the effects of stress.

DHEA is currently available over the counter.

You should exercise caution here, this is a powerful hormone. Some physicians believe that taking high doses of DHEA suppresses the body's natural ability to synthesize this hormone. High doses can lead to liver damage. Also when you take DHEA supplement you need to take Vitamins C and E and the mineral selenium to prevent oxidative damage to the liver. Other possible side effects is excess growth of facial hair in women. This can often be avoided by starting with a dose of 5 to 10 milligrams daily.

If lab testing shows that men's levels of DHEA are low, taking 25 to 50mg daily according to studies, this hormone can improve their erectile function. DHEA is a precursor hormone to testosterone. Men taking this hormone in these studies had significant improvement in libido and erectile function.

7-KETO DHEA is a derivative of DHEA which is not converted into estrogen or testosterone, which is good for women concerned about breast cancer or men concerned about prostate cancer. 7-Keto DHEA is a good alternative to DHEA and has the same benefits.