Natural Awakenings Magazine
May 30, 2009

Are Your Hormones Making You Sick? by Patricia L. Peters, D.O.

Traditional medicine has been focused on “disease treatment” while the American public is demanding – and is greatly in need of -- “disease prevention.”

Aging and how we look at aging is also changing. As we age, there is a natural loss of the youthful production of hormones. Women lose their estrogen, progesterone and testosterone. Men lose their youthful levels of testosterone. Both lose DHEA and many women – and some men – are affected by loss of thyroid function.

All these hormones are vitally important in disease prevention and maintaining a “zest for life.”

Traditionally, non bio-identical hormones have been prescribed. Non bio-identical hormones simply should not be prescribed. In fact, now we know how harmful they can be – leading to problems such as blood clots, stroke, heart attacks and cancer issues. Yet, many physicians will prescribe them on a short-term basis to help with initial symptoms of menopause. There are many safer and wiser regimes that benefit patients who are experiencing symptoms of menopause.

Bio-identical hormone replacement is available and can restore your hormones to the healthy levels of a 25-year-old. Replacing all of our deficient hormones – thyroid, testosterone, estrogen, progesterone, DHEA and melatonin to levels in our twenties is beneficial to both our health and quality of life.

Aging has been accepted as a natural event that cannot be altered. This is not true.

With bio-identical hormone replacement therapy and proper lifestyle along with nutritional supplementation, we are able to age with the vibrancy of youth.

Loss of your hormones will cause fatigue, weight gain, insomnia, elevation of cholesterol, bone loss, decrease in sexual function and desire.

Specifically, estrogen deficiency causes hot flashes, insomnia, vaginal dryness, bladder problems, difficulty concentrating and anxiety.

Unfortunately, disease – such as cardiovascular disease, stroke, osteoporosis and Alzheimer's – only increase in the absence of estrogen.

Progesterone is produced by the ovaries and is used to balance estrogen. It too can safely and effectively relieve menopausal symptoms, protect against cancer, prevent osteoporosis and improve overall well-being.

Physicians have been accustomed to prescribing the synthetic brand Progestin (Brand Provera) and clearly this was the culprit in the increased incidence of breast cancer.

Natural progesterone enhances the action of estrogen and the hormones work together. Testosterone is for men and women. It is responsible for the sex drive of both men and women. As testosterone diminishes with age, so does the sexual functioning in both men and women. Restoring testosterone to youthful levels can reverse this situation.

Studies now show that replacement with natural testosterone results in decreased total cholesterol and increased HDL (the good part of the cholesterol). Patients see additional benefits in increased energy, increased stamina and an elevated mood.

A study from UC San Diego not only showed that men with higher baseline levels of testosterone had less cardiovascular disease, but supplementing to youthful levels prevented worsening of cardiovascular disease. Supplementation helps reduce obesity, raise lean body mass, normalize blood clotting and raise the good HDL cholesterol – all of which decrease the incidence of diabetes and cardiovascular disease. It also prevents cognitive decline and reduced C – reactive protein levels (CRP) a measurement of inflammation in blood vessels. Testosterone protected against heart attacks and progression of heart disease.

The summary article from the “ New England Journal of Medicine,” January 2004, found “decades of reviewed research found no evidence that testosterone therapy causes prostrate cancer.”

Testosterone was found to protect against heart disease and is a beneficial and safe hormone.

Actress Suzanne Somers writes in her book “The Sexy Years” [on her comments on testosterone], “I feel so much like a woman again. I have plenty of energy and sex is like what it was at age 20.”

This hormone is critically important for a woman to physically and emotionally healthy. Replacement of testosterone in women, restores their libido, restores energy, strengthens bones, helps in the prevention of osteoporosis, improvement of overall well-being and zest for life.

Testosterone improves women's skin, muscles, bones, tendons and joints. Remember, it is only natural testosterone that does all these good things. DHEA or Dehydroepiandrosterone is a hormone produced by the adrenal glands and with age, decreases.

DHEA improves the function of the immune system, improves brain function, relieves stress and has been shown to be a very potent anti-cancer supplement.

Melatonin is a hormone secreted by the pineal gland and is critically connected to deep stages of sleep. It is in these deep stages of sleep that our immune system is stimulated. The pineal gland controls the activities of virtually every cell in the body.

If published scientific studies show a natural hormone supplement can boost immune sleep patterns and possibly slow the aging process, then I feel most people should be taking melatonin as a supplement.

Thyroid function commonly declines with age and the conversion of the circulating T4 to the active form of Thyroid T3 also declines.

Measuring the active form T3 can guide physicians on the need for replacement.

Everyone deserves a balanced regime of their hormones and to be given the bio-identical form given in the correct method.

Dr. Neal Rouzier's book “ How to Achieve Healthy Aging ,” covers this eloquently. He discusses the evidence behind bio-identical hormones and why everyone should replace hormones.

In short, we should all look, live and feel fantastic after 40 with bio-identical hormone replacement therapy.

Patricia L. Peters D.O. is Board Certified in Family Practice. Her Live Younger Longer with Dr. Peters practice is located at 2218 Flamingo Road in Pembroke Pines . To schedule a Free consultation with Dr. Peters, call 954.612.2112 or email her at liveyoungerlonger@yahoo.com For more information, visit Dr. Peters' website at www.liveyoungerlongwithdrpeters.com