H.E.A.R.T. Physiologic Balance and Aging

Through Hormone Endocrine Anti-Aging Replacement Therapy

Learn how integrating cutting edge therapies with your current medical program can make you LOOK, ACT, FEEL and BE 10 – 15 YEARS YOUNGER.

I have seen a pattern in older people over my many years of practice – bent over, frail, forgetful, and suffering from age-related illness that for many seems an unavoidable fate. This type of thinking is illogical and unacceptable to me and I would hope and encourage for you as well. Is survival truly enough? Is adding years to your life more important than adding life to your years? For me, it is the quality of life I lead that impacts me more than the longevity I survive and so I strive break my family tradition of early demise and death.

MISCONCEPTIONS AND A RAY OF HOPE:
I believe (along with others) that the saddest and most deceptive bit of information taught to us starting in our thirties, is that arthritis, cognitive
dysfunction, memory decline, physical pains, emotional swings, energy and muscle losses are “NORMAL”. Are we supposed to fall prey to Osteoporosis, Heart Disease, Alzheimer’s and Cancer? And, are we to be comfortable with and accepting of the fact that no one lives forever and more importantly, that no one lives healthy and happily ever after? As a doctor and a patient I find this kind of apathy frustrating yet I am excited to say that there is a rainbow amongst these clouds of preconceived doom and your pot of gold (your renewed health and youth) awaits you.

Aging Begins in our Minds:
Our beliefs about the onset of old age have evolved as life expectancy has lengthened. Several studies have shown that the body is designed to live well over a century yet so few of us find it “natural” or even possible to live beyond eighty or ninety. Everyday we hear of people living beyond a century, in fact, in recent national news, a 106-year-old female was advertising for a suitable male partner to court her in her first marriage!

Stats: In 1950 there were 2,500 centenarians (people over the age of 100). The extended prediction is that by year 2050 there will be an estimated 33 million
in the 65 to 74-year-old age group, 31 million in the 75-84-year-old age group, 16 million in the 85 to 99-year-old age group, and 2.5 million in the 100 plus age group.

We Age as a Result of a Decline in Hormone Levels Not Visa-Versa:
Although it is true that with the development of technology our high stress, toxin-filled environment and diet prematurely age us, I think, no believe, no scratch that, I know our individual processes of aging carries a greater element of choice than we are willing to assume and take responsibility for. There are many powerful ways to slow down the aging process such as: lifestyle changes to include enzyme-rich food, exercise, clean air, meditation, stress management, loving relationships, sleep,creativity and H.E.A.R.T. Hormones are the keys to our health. It is important to note for the thorough understanding of H.E.A.R.T. (Hormone-Endocrine-Anit Again Replacement Therapy), it is the balance as well as the absolute levels of these hormones that determines our fate. We now have the capability and technology to live a healthier, younger and more fruitful life than we are currently experiencing regardless of our age or health problems. I encourage you to take the first step and take charge of your health and begin to live the way that you were programmed to. That is, living a healthy life free of illness and disease until your ninth or tenth decade and maybe even longer. Than and only then, smoothly, respectably and painlessly fall into the hands of fate before you reach eternity.

Hormones Aren’t Just for Women:
It is not only women who go through hormonal shifts i.e. menopause. Men with the proverbial “midlife crisis” actually are going through the female equivalent of menopause known as ANDROPAUSE (also sometimes referred to as MAN-O –PAUSE). By correcting these imbalances/deficiencies with BIO-IDENTICAL HORMONES one reaps great benefits in terms of quality of life.

I just want to feel better but how?

Have you been experiencing weight gain, mood swings, sleep disorders, low or absent sex drive, memory disorder, the feeling of being tired or sluggish?

Have you been told that you have chronic fatigue, depression, thyroid disorder or fibromyalgia?

These and a host of other very common health problems can usually be traced to underlying deficiencies or imbalances of hormones in the body. Our bodies’ hormones must be in proper balance and harmony for us to function properly and feel our best. In fact, it is the imbalance and insufficiency of these hormones that cause us to age.

That’s right, we age because our hormones decline, not vice versa.

Rebalancing our bodies’ hormones with safe and natural Bio-Identical Hormone Therapy has shown tremendous health benefits that can often correct the health problems mentioned above while allowing us to live longer, age more gracefully, and with better health. This is precisely what Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) is all about. CAM treats the whole body as a system to restore balance and ideal function, and to eliminate disease at the root. This is not like the usual medical approach where a patient reports a symptom and the doctor prescribes a drug to suppress that symptom – without addressing the imbalances that are at the root of the problem. CAM has given hope, health and relief to many patients who were being
treated unsuccessfully for their symptoms.

Because Bio-Identical Hormones are exact clones of the hormones produced and metabolized within the body, the risks that are associated with “synthetic hormone treatments” are not seen. Benefits of Bio-Identical Hormones include increased sex drive, improved sleep, improved exercise tolerance, improved muscle tone and weight loss, improvement in memory, reduced risk of cancer and heart disease and more.

Bioidentical Hormone Replacement Bioidentical hormones offer a natural, effective way to supplement hormone levels and treat symptoms of hormone imbalance without the reported side effects of conventional HRT.

In Depth: Hypothyroidism
Subclinical Hypothyroidism is a state of underactive thyroid gland activity that is not detected by conventional laboratory means. Well over 65% of the cases of hypothyroidism go undetected for years until the patient is so ill with symptoms that they themselves suggest the diagnosis to the doctor. All too often, physicians miss the diagnosis of hypothyroidism despite several classic symptoms because they rely solely on a single predetermined lab value (TSH) that was established over 50 years ago! In response to this, the Endocrinology Society Association of America revised the diagnostic levels of TSH thus “allowing” for more people to meet the criteria for diagnosis of hypothyroidism. Actually, subclinical hypothyroidism can be diagnosed by an astute physician through physical examination, patient based symptomatology, and evaluation of urine temperatures. Lab values should just be used as an aid in the diagnosis rather than the key to diagnosis. There have been advances in lab evaluation utilizing saliva, which is much less expensive than blood testing, but the key factor in testing is to be sure that your doctor obtains levels of both free T3 and free T4. These measure the actual thyroid hormones rather than the messenger brain hormone (TSH) currently used as the gold standard in conventional medicine.

Treatment is directed at supplementing what is missing. Traditional physicians most often prescribe Synthroid or Levoxyl, which is strictly T4. T4 is the most abundant thyroid hormone but it is not very active. T3, which comprises less than 15% of all the thyroid hormone in the body, is the active hormone. T3 is what is responsible for preventing, treating, and reversing symptoms of hypothyroidism. I prefer to use animal-based desiccated thyroid hormone containing both T3 and T4 in a ratio that is physiologic to the body. Also available is a synthetic non-animal based combination with a similar ratio of T3/T4. Each has their role and treatment should be individualized.

Untreated hypothyroidism can significantly affect quality of life and lead to misdiagnoses since many doctors attribute the constellation of patient symptoms to Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Fibromyalgia, Lyme disease and most unfortunately and too frequently, Depression. Don’t let yourself be a victim of this easily treatable disease. If you think you fit some of the criteria mentioned in this article, insist that the diagnosis be entertained.

For more information about hypothyroidism call us at 541-383-3424

Hot Ozone Therapy

From pacemakers to artificial hearts and limbs to stem cells, America has found its rank in the world health league for being an innovator of medical technology. Unfortunately, the cost of these medical therapies prohibit those who would benefit most from obtaining them thus contributing to one of the several reasons our country- USA, ranks 38th in world healthcare. But what would you say to the idea of steering away from conventional medical thinking and open your eyes and minds to therapies that are considered “alternative” or “outside the box”? You know, medical modalities that offer a cure for an underlying condition rather than a Band-Aid to mask the symptoms of disease?

Specifically, I am referring to the use of oxygen to enhance the treatment and cure of nearly every medical condition known to man. Ozone is a form of Bio-Oxidative Therapy which simply means that we are introducing oxygen into the body. Of the various vehicles used to expose the body to ozone, the topical, rectal and intravenous routes are the most commonly prescribed.

 

Hot Ozone can deliver a nuclear warhead to the ailing body ridding it of nearly every toxin, inflammatory invader, autoimmune disorder or chronic condition the body may develop and do so safely at a concentration of ozone that is more than 10 times what was previously recognized as safe.  It has miraculous healing effects for ailments ranging from allergies, arthritis, cancer, Lyme disease and everything in between.

 

Are interested in investing in your health and obtaining this therapy whether it be for enhancing a weakened immune system, improving overall energy, treating an established acute or chronic medical condition or just as a prophylactic therapy to ensure health, longevity and quality of life?

Bio-Oxidative Therapy

Currently at Preventative Medicine @ Bend we offer two Ozone therapies.

  1. MAH: MAJOR AUTO- HEMOTHERAPY This procedure involves introducing ozone into your blood by removing blood via an IV catheter in a vein connected to a sterile bag of saline containing approximately 250 cc. of sterile saline. This is a closed sterile system. Ozone is then introduced into the blood/saline mix, and then under gravity is infused back into the patient.  This prodecure takes approximately 45 minutes.  The effect last approximately 72 hours. This procedure is indicated in: infections, eg, Lyme, herpes,  fungal, viral and bacterial, and inflammation (eg. MS) This therapy is often done with UV light.  UV therapy has a 100 year history. In the early 1900 ’s a Danish physician won the NOBEL PRIZE for using UV light to treat infection.It improves the functions of our blood in pour bodies; oxygen carrying capacity, cell count, normalizing clotting, decreasing viscosity, increasing blood volume.  It inhibits Bacteria, viruses and decreases the inflammatory process.Ozone + UV may be very effective in treating infections, cancer, diabetes and circulatory disorders.
  2. HYPERBARIC BIO-OXIDATIVE THERAPY (HOT OZONE, or TEN PASS)  This is OZONE treatment under pressure. Ozone attaches to the Red Blood Cells and plasma. Current studies are underway in Europe attempting to prove the ozone instigates or stimulates the bodies to produce its own stem cells. The treatment takes approximately an hour. The effects of Hyperbaric ozone lasts approximately 7 days after treatment. There are currently less than 2 dozen physicians in the US offering this procedure. Other ozone therapies include: Sinus injections, prolozone ( ozone injected into soft tissues and/or joints) rectal, bladder, and vaginal ozone. Limb bagging is done more specifically to treat wound infections of limbs often seen in diabetes and/or MERSA.

A Brief History of Hormone Replacement Therapy

Due to today’s longer life spans, women can expect to spend a third of their life — or more — in their postmenopausal years.

While the women of yesteryear were forced to “grin and bear it” when it came to hot flashes, night sweats, irritability, and mood swings, the arrival of hormone replacement therapy (HRT) in the 1960s liberated millions of women from “l’enfer des femmes” (a woman’s hell).

The Early Promise of Estrogen

In 1966, Robert A. Wilson, M.D.’s book, Feminine Forever, informed women that “menopause is completely preventable” and advised them to take estrogen. The promise of remaining “feminine forever” was met with enthusiasm, and synthetic estrogen became the standard therapy for women undergoing “the change.”

When it later became obvious that estrogen encourages the growth of the uterine lining, which could increase the risk of cancer, the medical community suggested progesterone to protect the uterus. But rather than combine natural, bioidentical progesterone (which is identical to the progesterone produced in the body) with estrogen, pharmaceutical companies added progestin, a synthetic form of progesterone that was patentable.

Synthetic Hormones Hit the Scene

As a result, Prempro was born. It combined synthetic progesterone (progestin) with Premarin, a drug composed of three estrogens (estrone, equilin, and equilenin) that are derived from horse urine. These horse estrogens (also called CEE) are natural but not bioidentical to those found in the human body.

While the drugs relieved menopausal symptoms for millions of women, the long-term effects were unknown. That changed in 2002  when the results of the Women’s Health Initiative (WHI) came out.

The study, which included over 16,000 postmenopausal women, found the combination of non-bioidentical estrogen and progestin to significantly increase the risk of breast cancer and heart attack.1 It also found an increased risk of stroke in non-bioidentical estrogen users.2

Here is a summary of other findings:

  • The risk of dying from breast cancer almost doubled among Prempro users in comparison to those taking a placebo.
  • Among those taking estrogen plus progestin, the death rate from breast cancer almost doubled in comparison with the placebo group.3
  • Overall, there was a 25 percent increase in the risk of invasive breast cancer in non-bioidentical HRT users.
  • The use of CEE was associated with a reduced risk of hip fractures.
  • Estrogen/progestin users had a reduced risk of hip fracture and colorectal cancer in comparison with users of a placebo.

Because of these study results, female hormone replacement therapy became a sinking ship that women began abandoning in droves. However, the WHI’s findings have recently been called into question.

Bioidentical Hormones Are a Safer Option

Bioidentical hormones, which have the same molecular structure as the hormones produced in the body, have actually been shown to have a protective effect against some diseases, including those whose risk is increased by non-bioidentical hormones.

In a study, women who used non-bioidentical estrogen and progestin had a 69% greater risk of developing invasive breast cancer over an eight-year period in comparison with non-HRT users. Those who used bioidentical estrogen and progesterone experienced a similar risk as non-HRT users.4

References:

1. JAMA. 2002 Jul 17;288(3):321-33.
2. JAMA. 2004 Apr 14;291(14):1701-12.
3. JAMA 2010; 304(15):1684–1692.
4. Breast Cancer Res Treat. 2008 Jan;107(1):103-11.

The Primary Roles Of Sex Hormones

Your body is composed of a variety of different hormones, including growth and sex hormones, which carry messages between your organs and cells. Hormones are secreted by glands in the endocrine system to help the body stay balanced and function optimally. The main sex hormones include estrogen, progesterone, testosterone, pregnenolone, and DHEA.1Aging is associated with a loss of sex hormones in both men and women. Replacing those lost hormones can restore feelings of well-being, sex drive and sexual pleasure, energy levels, plus reverse muscle and bone loss along with other functions that are associated with aging. By doing this, we can age more slowly and have a better quality of life into old age.2-4

Estrogen

Estrogen is found in greater amounts among women. As a pro-growth hormone, its main function in the body is growth and development. This hormone stimulates fat cells to grow and is a key component in reproduction. There are three different forms of estrogen: estradiol, estrone, and estriol. Estradiol is considered the main player in physiological function. A deficiency can cause several health concerns, including decreased libido, fatigue, inflammation, hair loss, mood swings, wrinkles, brittle bones, and dry skin.5-10 Excessive amounts of estrogen can cause bloating, bleeding, breast tenderness and  mood swings.11

Progesterone

Progesterone is considered the counterpart to estrogen. It is the antagonizer to estrogen-driven growth in the lining of the uterus.12 Progesterone is essential to the premenstrual cycle. It rises during the second part of the cycle to reduce premenstrual syndrome and prepares the uterus for implantation of a fertilized egg. Additionally, progesterone is needed to support a healthy pregnancy, as low levels can result in a miscarriage.13,14 Progesterone is also neuroprotective.15 An imbalance in the ratio of estrogen to progesterone can lead to many problems with PMS symptoms like irritability, bloating, fluid retention, headaches, and fibroids.12,16,17 It works with estrogen to strengthen bones, sustain cholesterol levels, and support libido. Too much progesterone can cause fatigue, dizziness, and an increased appetite.

Testosterone

As the predominant hormone in men, testosterone helps to maintain healthy muscle mass, stamina, and strength. It also supports libido, energy, bone density, memory, and well-being.18,19 Testosterone is also necessary in proper balance for women. A deficiency of testosterone can also have negative effects on women, including low energy, decreased libido and well-being.20-22 A testosterone deficiency in men can cause fatigue, mood swings, low libido, and irritability.23-26 This hormone starts to decline in men around 35 years old, causing an imbalance between testosterone and estrogen. Too much testosterone can cause aggression, depression, impotence, and excessive libido.

Pregnenolone

Pregnenolone is produced from cholesterol and is a precursor to other steroid hormones, including progesterone, estrogen, testosterone, and DHEA. Pregnenolone levels decline with age, and a deficiency can lead to anxiety, mood imbalances, greater perceived stress, and poor cognitive function.27-30 Pregnenolone levels can be restored to benefit cognitive function, mood, memory, and cardiovascular health. By converting to DHEA, too much pregnenolone may cause acne.

DHEA

As the most abundant steroid hormone in the body, DHEA is the precursor to testosterone and estrogen. It is released in the body by the adrenal glands. As we age, DHEA levels decline leading to fatigue, mood swings, and cognitive ailments. DHEA helps to stimulate protein synthesis, decrease visceral fat, support bone health, and maintain cardiovascular health.31,32DHEA levels that are too high can cause acne, increased facial hair, skin rashes, and liver dysfunction.

References

  1. Rouzier N. How to achieve healthy aging. 2nd ed. Salt Lake City: Worldlink Medical Publishing; 2007.
  2. Hortsman AM, et al. The role of androgens and estrogens on healthy aging and longevity.J Gerontol A Biol Sci Med Sci. 2012 Nov;67(11):1140-52.
  3. Velders M, et al. How Sex Hormones Promote Skeletal Muscle Regeneration. Sports Med. 2013 Jul 26. [Epub ahead of print]
  4. Cameron DR, Braunstein GD. Androgen replacement therapy in women. Fertil Steril. 2004; Aug;82(2):273-289.
  5. Simon JA. Identifying and treating sexual dysfunction in postmenopausal women: the role of estrogen. J Womens Health (Larchmt). 2011 Oct;20(10):1453-65.
  6. Calleja-Agius J, et al. Skin connective tissue and ageing. Best Pract Res Clin ObstetGynaecol. 2013 Jul 10. pii: S1521-6934(13)00074-6.
  7. Mirmirani P. Managing hair loss in midlife women. Maturitas. 2013 Feb;74(2):119-22.
  8. Tiidus PM, et al. Estrogen Replacement and Skeletal Muscle: Mechanisms and Population Health. J Appl Physiol. 2013 Jul 18. [Epub ahead of print]
  9. Graziottin A, et al. Depression and the menopause: why antidepressants are not enough?Menopause Int. 2009 Jun;15(2):76-81.
  10. Martín-Millán M, et al. Estrogens, osteoarthritis and inflammation. Joint Bone Spine. 2013 Jul;80(4):368-73.
  11. Bitzer J. Hormone withdrawal-associated symptoms: overlooked and under-explored.Gynecol Endocrinol. 2013 Jun;29(6):530-5.
  12. Kim JJ, et al. Progesterone action in endometrial cancer, endometriosis, uterine fibroids, and breast cancer. Endocr Rev. 2013 Feb;34(1):130-62.
  13. Dodd JM, et al. The role of progesterone in prevention of preterm birth. Int J Womens Health. 2010 Aug 9;1:73-84.
  14. Spencer TE, et al. Biology of progesterone action during pregnancy recognition and maintenance of pregnancy. Front Biosci. 2002 Sep 1;7:d1879-98.
  15. Singh M, et al. Progesterone and neuroprotection. Horm Behav. 2013 Feb;63(2):284-90.
  16. Rosenfeld R, et al. Hormonal and volume dysregulation in women with premenstrual syndrome. Hypertension. 2008 Apr;51(4):1225-30.
  17. Silberstein SD. Sex hormones and headache. Rev Neurol (Paris). 2000;156 Suppl 4:4S30-41.
  18. Carruthers M. Time for international action on treating testosterone deficiency syndrome.Aging Male. 2009 Mar;12(1):21-8.
  19. Araujo AB, et al. Prevalence of symptomatic androgen deficiency in men. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2007 Nov;92(11):4241-7.
  20. Pluchino N, et al. Androgen therapy in women: for whom and when. Arch Gynecol Obstet. 2013 Aug 3. [Epub ahead of print]
  21. Basson R. Testosterone therapy for reduced libido in women. Ther Adv Endocrinol Metab. 2010 Aug;1(4):155-64.
  22. Glaser R, et al. Beneficial effects of testosterone therapy in women measured by the validated Menopause Rating Scale (MRS). Maturitas. 2011 Apr;68(4):355-61.
  23. Harman SM. Testosterone in older men after the Institute of Medicine Report: where do we go from here? Climacteric. 2005 Jun;8(2):124-135.
  24. Miner MM, et al. 12-Month observation of testosterone replacement effectiveness in a general population of men. Postgrad Med. 2013 Mar;125(2):8-18.
  25. Lejeune H, et al. [Hypoactive sexual desire and testosterone deficiency in men]. Prog Urol. 2013 Jul;23(9):621-8.
  26. Borst SE, et al. Testosterone replacement therapy for older men. Clin Interv Aging. 2007;2(4):561-6.
  27. Semeniuk T, et al. Neuroactive steroid levels in patients with generalized anxiety disorder.J Neuropsychiatry Clin Neurosci. 2001;13:396-398.
  28. Morgan CA 3rd, et al. Relationships among plasma dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate and cortisol levels, symptoms of dissociation, and objective performance in humans exposed to acute stress. Arch Gen Psychiatry. 2004 Aug;61(8):819-25.
  29. Ritsner MS. Pregnenolone and dehydroepiandrosterone as an adjunctive treatment in schizophrenia and schizoaffective disorder: an 8-week, double-blind, randomized, controlled, 2-center, parallel-group trial. J Clin Psychiatry. 2010 Oct;71(10):1351-62.
  30. Heydari B, et al. Low pregnenolone sulphate plasma concentrations in patients with generalized social phobia. Psychol Med. 2002 Jul;32(5):929-33.
  31. Kroboth PD, et al. DHEA and DHEA-S: a review. J Clin Pharmacol. 1999;39(4):327–348.
  32. von Mühlen D, et al. The Dehydroepiandrosterone And WellNess (DAWN) study: research design and methods. Contemp Clin Trials. 2007 Feb;28(2):153-68.