While menopause is a surety for women, it will not affect all women the same way. For some, it is merely a blip on the radar. For most, however, this major hormonal milestone comes with some uncomfortable symptoms that can disrupt your physical and emotional wellbeing.

The extremely personal nature of how menopause is experienced means that each woman needs a personalized approach to coping. For many, hormone replacement therapy—widely considered the most effective treatment for menopause symptoms—is the best place to start.

In recent years, much attention and research have focused on finding safer approaches to menopause treatment and ensuring the benefits outweigh the risks. “Individualization, dose minimization, and early start of therapy” are KEY COMPONENTS of these approaches, and the use of bioidentical hormone replacement therapy (BHRT)—plant-based hormones designed to match your own—has grown tremendously as a result. By exploring the benefits of bioidentical hormone replacement therapy, you can make more informed decisions about your journey through menopause.

TREATING MENOPAUSE SYMPTOMS

As women approach MENOPAUSE, declining estrogen and progesterone levels cause a variety of symptoms throughout the body. They include:

• Vasomotor symptoms: Hot flashes, night sweats, and heart palpitations are some of the most characteristic signs of menopause.
• Urogenital changes: Vaginal dryness, pain during sex, and urinary incontinence are common amongst menopausal women.
• Emotional symptoms: Irritability, loss of concentration, memory lapses, depression, and mood swings can arise during this transitional time. Women with existing mood disorders may find that their symptoms intensify or that new symptoms emerge, while others see their symptoms drop in severity.
• Metabolic shifts: Fatigue, weight gain, and changes in body composition may occur as a result of slowing metabolism.

While approximately 80% of women experience some menopausal symptoms, an ESTIMATED 20% of those will notice severe symptoms that can significantly affect quality of life. These discomforts may occur for only a short time, or they may last for years.

Unlike a reactive, piecemeal approach to treating menopause symptoms, BIOIDENTICAL HORMONE REPLACEMENT THERAPY gets to the root of the issue: hormones. Made from vegetable products, bioidentical hormones are engineered to replicate the chemical and molecular structure of your body’s natural hormones. By restoring your hormone levels according to your specific needs, BHRT may help to minimize or even eliminate symptoms rather than simply covering them up.

THE BENEFITS OF BIOIDENTICAL HORMONE REPLACEMENT THERAPY

BIOIDENTICAL HORMONES

… ARE SUSTAINABLY AND ETHICALLY SOURCED.

Unlike some synthetic hormone treatments that rely on animal products, bioidentical hormones are created from plants. This sustainable and ethical process ensures that no animals are harmed in the production of bioidentical hormone replacement therapy.

… PROVIDE A GOOD FIT.

Hormones act as a key, unlocking various actions in target tissues as they attach to specific hormone receptors. Since bioidentical hormones are engineered to match the chemical and molecular structure of endogenous human hormones, they provide a good fit with the corresponding receptors.

… REQUIRE A THOROUGH DIAGNOSTIC PROFILE.

The complexity of human hormones means that thorough diagnostic testing is necessary to fully understand your needs. A practitioner specializing in BHRT will typically order comprehensive laboratory tests before developing a treatment plan tailored to your unique hormonal landscape.

… ALLOW FOR PRECISE DOSING.

Custom-compounded bioidentical hormone replacement therapy is formulated according to your doctor’s exact specifications, which means you aren’t limited to a small range of standardized doses. This personalization facilitates the use of smaller, more targeted doses that may minimize the risk of side effects while ensuring efficacy.

… OFFER INNOVATIVE DELIVERY METHODS.

Hormone treatments taken orally must be broken down as they are absorbed in the GI tract and processed through the liver. To deliver replacement hormones in small, controlled doses over an extended period of time, many practitioners have embraced the use of delivery methods that bypass the digestive system. These include transdermal (applied to the skin), subcutaneous (implanted under the skin), and transvaginal (absorbed through the vagina) modes of administration. Being able to choose from a variety of delivery methods means you can find one that fits your lifestyle and your preferences. They may also be a SAFER ALTERNATIVE to oral doses.

Today, one of the most innovative delivery methods is HORMONE PELLETS. Inserted just below the skin every 120 days in your practitioner’s office, these tiny implants simulate the process by which your ovaries have delivered hormones in the past. As they gradually break down, the pellets release hormones at a steady and predictable rate. When produced by a reputable compounding pharmacy, you can be sure that your pellets were made with the utmost care and attention to safety, purity, and precision.

… ALLOW ACCURATE MONITORING.

Ensuring that hormone therapy reaches therapeutic levels inside the body requires continued monitoring of both your hormone levels and your symptoms. Since bioidentical hormones are indistinguishable from your own hormones, follow-up testing provides an accurate picture of your functional levels.

… PROTECT AGAINST UNDERLYING DANGERS.

While the immediately observable symptoms of menopause may call attention to declining hormone levels, this decline means there are other, less obvious, changes occurring below the surface. Menopause is associated with structural and functional changes that increase the risk of osteoporosis, cardiovascular disease, hypertension, and type 2 diabetes. Hormone therapy MAY OFFER PROTECTION against these serious health conditions.

SET YOURSELF UP FOR SUCCESS

If there is one thing most health care practitioners agree on, it’s that one protocol simply cannot meet the needs of every woman experiencing menopause. Any Hormone Therapy Strategy therefore, must include hormone types, dosages, and administration methods that make sense for you, taking into account your age, medical history, symptoms, and lifestyle.

As the benefits of bioidentical hormone replacement therapy become clearer and more women opt for long-term treatments, the advantages of pellet therapy are becoming particularly evident. If you and our hormone specialists decide that BHRT is a good option, this innovative method may help you achieve your treatment goals. By addressing your current symptoms and supporting long-term wellness, you can set yourself up for greater comfort and better health during menopause and for years to come.

There is a hormone-related condition that can cause uncomfortable symptoms in women, one that often goes unmentioned: low testosterone.

Low testosterone, or low T for short, is a common problem among men, particularly as they age. But it is also a condition that affects many women—and not only in midlife. Women may experience low T at any point during their lifetime.

Taking a closer look at the top signs of low testosterone in women can help you consider whether low T lies behind your symptoms.

UNDERSTANDING LOW TESTOSTERONE IN WOMEN

Testosterone is the most abundant biologically active sex hormone in women and is produced in the ovaries, adrenal glands, and throughout the body from precursors. Most women are aware of the importance of estrogen and progesterone, but fewer understand the impact testosterone has on female bodies. You will produce more testosterone in your lifetime then you will estrogen.

Adequate levels of testosterone are essential for women and contribute to both physical and mental health. Testosterone:

• Promotes muscle and bone strength
• Increases sex drive
• Supports healthy energy levels and motivation

While circulating testosterone falls gradually with age, some women experience a greater decline that causes significant symptoms. This often occurs during perimenopause and continues into postmenopause.

Younger women may also develop low testosterone levels, particularly after pregnancy.

One STUDY on young women found that T levels were approximately 30% lower in mothers than in non-mothers, with the lowest levels occurring in mothers of infants. Although researchers do not know exactly why this happens, some suspect that the demands of caring for young children may disrupt hormonal health.

4 SIGNS OF LOW TESTOSTERONE

The signs of high testosterone levels in women may be easy to imagine: excess hair growth, acne, a deepening voice. The symptoms of low T, however, may not be as apparent:

1. LOW SEX DRIVE

The most common complaints associated with low testosterone in women include diminished sex drive, difficulty becoming aroused, difficulty achieving orgasm, and poor vaginal lubrication. Unfortunately, these symptoms are often misattributed to another condition, such as stress, depression, or perimenopause, preventing you from getting the help you need.

2. MUSCLE WEAKNESS AND LOW BONE DENSITY

Muscle weakness can be a sign of low T and may be particularly noticeable for women who are athletic, have a regular exercise routine, or have highly physical jobs. In the long term, low testosterone will also affect bone mineral density, but this may not be evident until a fracture occurs.

3. FATIGUE AND LACK OF MOTIVATION

Lack of energy is common when testosterone is low, as is a lack of motivation. These may be compounded by insomnia and other sleep disturbances.

4. MOOD DISTURBANCES

Low testosterone may cause significant mood disturbances, including feelings of depression and irritability. You may also notice cognitive changes, such as problems with concentration and memory.

TESTOSTERONE REPLACEMENT THERAPY FOR WOMEN

Testosterone replacement therapy (TRT) is considered to be the gold standard for treating low T in men. Many women are surprised to learn that is an option for them as well. In fact, a growing body of research suggests that TRT can have profound and widespread benefits for women struggling with low testosterone:

• A small placebo-controlled STUDY found the premenopausal women with low T experienced significant improvement in psychological wellbeing and sexual function when treated with transdermal testosterone.
• There is EVIDENCE that testosterone added to hormone therapy has benefits for sexual function in peri- and postmenopausal women. TRT has also BEEN FOUND effective in improving sexual function in postmenopausal women who were not receiving estrogen therapy.
• A 2010 STUDY found that subcutaneous testosterone pellet therapy provided relief of “somatic, psychological and urogenital” symptoms in premenopausal and postmenopausal women with testosterone deficiency.
• A 2014 STUDY found that short-term testosterone therapy (24 weeks) in postmenopausal women who had undergone hysterectomy improved sexual function, lean body mass, chest-press power, and loaded stair-climb power.
• Testosterone alone or with an aromatase inhibitor may offer a safe and effective ALTERNATIVE TO ESTROGEN REPLACEMENT THERAPY in postmenopausal breast cancer survivors.

TRT of women typically involves transdermal gels, patches, or subcutaneous implantable pellets to avoid the risks associated with oral testosterone therapy.

START TREATMENT THE RIGHT WAY

Effective treatment that restores your testosterone levels to a healthy state has the potential to substantially improve your quality of life and protect your long-term health. Since each woman’s body is unique, that treatment must be personal and developed with the guidance of a trusted healthcare professional.  The SYMPTOMS OF TESTOSTERONE DEFICIENCY may be nonspecific and hard to pinpoint at first. If you recognize the signs of low testosterone in your life at any age, come see us. We specialize in the complexities of women’s hormonal health and prioritizes diagnostic accuracy. We will order comprehensive lab testing to gain deep insight into your hormonal state and work with you to create a treatment plan tailored to your needs. With advanced, customizable therapies available to correct low testosterone in women, don’t settle for anything less.

Scientists found in a RECENT STUDY, that men with a low sex drive were almost twice (1.82 times) as likely to suffer an early death. These researchers have found that a low sex drive is often a symptom of more serious health problems that can increase the risk of chronic disease, including cardiovascular issues, obesity and poor lifestyle habits.

In this study of nearly 9,000 men (and more than 12,000 women), researchers found that men with a low libido were often older, had diabetes and were likely to drink more and smoke. Scientists do acknowledge that sex can support cardiovascular health, improved sleep, enhanced immune function and a reduced risk of depression and anxiety.

Most of the men in this study with a low sex drive shared a lot of the many health issues associated with aging. Discover how these various conditions intertwine as symptoms of the low levels of testosterone that men experience throughout the aging process.

AGING AND LOW TESTOSTERONE

For the most part, TESTOSTERONE PRODUCTION peaks in males at about the age of 20. After that, testosterone production decreases at an average of 1 percent (and AS MUCH AS 2-3 PERCENT) each year. This decrease in testosterone levels can vary from one adult male to another (a condition known as hypogonadism).

A low sex drive is just one of the many symptoms that men with low testosterone can experience. Here are just some of the other negative health impacts of low testosterone in men:

• Erectile dysfunction
• Increased body fat
• Fatigue
• Muscle loss and decrease in strength
• Memory loss and difficulty focusing
• Depressed mood
• Increased stress
• Sleep loss

LOW TESTOSTERONE AND ERECTILE DYSFUNCTION

Erectile dysfunction (ED) is not only a possible symptom of low testosterone, but it is also a primary cause of low sex drive in men. Other possible CAUSES OF LOW SEX DRIVE include depression, stress, fatigue and obesity. If those conditions sound familiar, that is because they are also symptoms of low testosterone.

These conditions can often feed off one another. In fact, 79 percent of men with ED are considered to be OBESE, classified by a BMI at or greater than 30.

LOW TESTOSTERONE AND OBESITY

Research has shown testosterone replacement therapy to be an effective way to address unexpected weight gain when used in tandem with healthy lifestyle choices and habits.

LOW TESTOSTERONE AND CARDIOVASCULAR ISSUES

Low testosterone levels have also been found to increase the risk of CARDIOVASCULAR ISSUES and a wide array of chronic medical conditions, including type 2 diabetes, coronary artery disease (CAD), metabolic syndrome and hypertension (high blood pressure). Obesity can also lead to an increased risk of heart disease.

ERECTILE DYSFUNCTION AND HEART DISEASE

There is also a very strong connection between ED AND HEART DISEASE. Erectile dysfunction is so closely linked to  blood flow that it is actually a risk factor for heart disease. On the other side of the relationship, conditions like diabetes and vascular diseases (such as hypertension and high cholesterol) often lead to ED. All of these conditions have a relationship to one another with low testosterone levels rotating around each condition furthering the negative impact.

OPTIMIZE OVERALL HEALTH WITH LIFETIME HEALTH AND WELLNESS

Clearly, ED and low sex drive are entrenched in so many more aspects of overall health than sexual health alone. A low sex drive is an indicator of both current and future health issues that can seriously impact overall health and increase the risk of mortality.

Our highly-trained practitioners have the tools and expertise to help you optimize your health and address certain conditions from the root of the issue. They can analyze a measurement of your hormone levels and help curate a plan that works best for you. From high quality nutraceuticals and lifestyle management assistance to more advanced therapies like peptide therapy and the  EvexiPEL method of hormone pellet therapy.

For patients struggling to manage their weight, a hormonal imbalance may be to blame.

Below, we’ll explore 5 hormones that may be the root cause of a patient’s weight gain.

1. INSULIN

Insulin is a hormone that regulates glucose in the blood. When insulin resistance occurs, it often leads to significant weight gain. Studies have shown bio-identical hormone replacement therapies may help protect against insulin resistance.

2. CORTISOL

Cortisol, often referred to as the stress hormone, gets released by the adrenal glands when the body is under stress. Elevated cortisol levels can cause cravings for foods that are high in sugar, fat, and salt. BHRT(bio-identical hormone replacement therapy) has been shown to help manage stress and keep cortisol levels balanced.

3. ESTROGEN

For women, estrogen levels decline with age. Inadequate amounts of estrogen can cause the body to use blood sugars and starches less effectively, increasing fat around the mid-section. Optimizing estrogen levels could help reduce weight gain associated with an estrogen imbalance.

4. TESTOSTERONE – It’s not just for men. Women need it too!

One of the symptoms of low testosterone in men and women is an increase in body fat. Optimizing testosterone levels helps promote weight loss, increase muscle mass, and maintain energy levels—giving some patients that extra boost they need to hit the gym regularly. BHRT(bio-identical hormone replacement therapy) has been shown to help dramatically improve testosterone levels.

5. THYROID

Thyroid optimization is essential to maintaining a well-functioning metabolism. The thyroid creates the hormones thyroxine (T4) and triiodothyronine (T3) from iodine. These hormones are used by the body to metabolize proteins, fats, and carbohydrates.

The only way to know what’s going on with your hormones is with a simple blood test. Call Lifetime Health and Wellness in South Elgin and schedule your blood test today to see if bio identical hormone optimization is right for you.  We accept all insurance and have an extremely reasonable cash price.

Your body contains trillions of micro-organisms, including beneficial bacteria, which make up what is called your microbiome.

Many of these micro-organisms are extremely important for your immune system, heart, weight, everyday stress levels, and many other aspects of good health.

In this blog article we will explain why it’s so important for your body to understand what the microbiome is and why it’s important to support good health.

What Is Gut Microbiome

The microscopic living things in your gut and intestines are referred to as microorganisms, or microbes, for short.

Most of the microbes in your intestines are found in a “pocket” of your large intestine called the cecum, and they are referred to as the gut microbiome.

Although many different types of microbes live inside you, bacteria is the most studied.

You are more bacteria than human.

In fact, there are more bacterial cells in your body than human cells. There are roughly 40 trillion bacterial cells in your body and only 30 trillion human cells.

What’s even more crazy is there are up to 1,000 species of bacteria in the human gut microbiome, and each of them plays a different role in your body. Most of them are extremely important for your health.

Consequently, these microbes may weigh as much as 2-5 pounds, which is roughly the weight of a human brain. Together, they will function as an extra organ in your body and play a huge role in supporting your good health.

How Does Microbiome Affect Your Body?

Microbes have learned to play very important roles in the human body. In fact, without the gut microbiome, it would be very difficult to survive.

The gut microbiome begins to affect your body the moment you are born.

When you are first exposed to microbes when you pass through your mother’s birth canal. However, new evidence suggest that babies may come in contact with some microbes while inside the womb.

As you grow, your gut microbiome begins to diversify, meaning it starts to contain many different types of microbial species. Higher microbiome diversity is considered important for your health.

As your microbiome grows, it affects your body in several ways, including:

• Helping control brain health: Research suggests that the gut microbiome may also the health of the central nervous system, which controls brain function.
• Digesting fiber: Certain bacteria digest fiber, producing short-chain fatty acids, which are important for gut health. Fiber may help curb appetite and thus prevent unwanted weight gain, maintain healthy blood sugar levels already in a normal range, promote heart and colon health.
• Helping control your immune system: The gut microbiome also helps to maintain a healthy immune system. By communicating with immune cells, the gut microbiome can support your body’s normal immune response.

Therefore, there are a number of different ways in which the gut microbiome can affect key body functions and help you maintain good health.

It Maintains Your Gut Health

The microbiome can affect your gut health, playing a critical role in maintaining the health of the bowel and intestines.

Maintaining a healthy gut microbiome can reduce the occasional bloating, cramps and abdominal discomfort that some people experience due to gut microbes producing a lot of gas and other chemicals.

How Can You Maintain a Healthy Gut Microbiome?

There are many different ways maintain the health of your gut microbiome. Below are some options to help improve your gut.

• Eat a diverse range of foods: This can lead to a more diverse microbiome, which is an indicator of good gut health. IN particular, legumes, beans and fruit contain lots of fiber and can promote the growth of beneficial Bifidobacteria.
• Eat Fermented Foods: Fermented foods such as yogurt, sauerkraut and kefir all contain beneficial bacteria, mainly Lactobacilli, which can help maintain a healthy balance of beneficial bacteria in the gut.
• Limit your intake of artificial sweeteners: There is some evidence that suggests artificial sweeteners, like aspartame, might affect the gut microbiome and cause spikes in glucose levels after meals.
• Eat prebiotic foods: Prebiotics are a type of fiber that stimulates the growth of beneficial bacteria. Prebiotic-rich foods include artichokes, bananas, asparagus, oats, and apples.
• Take a probiotic supplement: Probiotics are live bacteria that can help maintain a beneficial balance of good bacteria in the gut. They do this by “reseeding” the gut microbiome with beneficial microbes.
• Take antibiotics only when necessary: Antibiotics kill many bad and good bacteria in the gut microbiome, possibly contributing to weight gain and antibiotic resistance. Thus, only take antibiotics when medically necessary.

The Bottom Line

Your gut microbiome is made up of trillions of micro-organisms.

The gut microbiome plays a major role in maintaining your good health by helping control digestion and benefiting your immune system and many other aspects of your health.

A new study conducted at New York’s Hospital for Special Surgery titled, “A Randomized Controlled Single-Blind Study Demonstrating Superiority of Amniotic Suspension Allograft Injection Over Hyaluronic Acid and Saline Control for Modification of Knee Osteoarthritis Symptoms” published in the Journal of Knee Surgery found clear evidence that amniotic suspension allograft (ASA) injections may be a superior anti-inflammatory treatment for knee osteoarthritis.

This was a multicenter, three arm, randomized to a control trial where the ability of amniotic suspension allograft to modulate inflammation and swelling was compared with saline and hyaluronic acid (HA) injections in patients with knee osteoarthritis.

Two hundred subjects were randomized 1:1:1 to ASA, HA, or saline. Primary endpoints included changes from baseline of patient-reported outcomes (PROs)-EQ-5D-5L, Knee Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (KOOS), visual analog scale (VAS), Tegner, and Single Assessment Numerical Evaluation (SANE). Any patient who reported unacceptable pain at 3 months were considered treatment failures and removed from the study. They included 13.2% in the amniotic suspension allograft group, 68.8% in the HA group and 75% in the saline group.

According to the data collected, patients receiving ASA demonstrated greater improvements in overall pain (VAS), KOOS pain, and KOOS-activities of daily living scores compared to those in the (HA) group at 6 months and in both groups at 6 months. OMERACT-OARSI [Outcome Measures in Rheumatology-Osteoarthritis Research Society International] responder rates for amniotic suspension allograft, HA, and saline groups were 69.1, 39.1 and 42.6%, respectively (p = 0.0007).

Andreas Gomoll, M.D., a sports medicine and orthopedic surgeon at the Hospital for Special Surgery summarized the results of the study to OTW.

“The amniotic fluid and membrane injection showed the best results because there are a lot of anti-inflammatory substances in amniotic membrane and it is the inflammation and swelling that really hurts.”

He added, “We use a lot of injections with injured athletes. If there is a truly mechanical problem, then surgery is indicated, but many athletes just have pain and inflammation. Less is often more when it comes to treating these athletes because it is harder to get back to sport after surgery.”

“The amniotic suspension allograft injections are also a good option for older patients as well. They allow us to try to delay or prevent all together the need for knee replacement,” he said.

Schedule your Free joint pain consultation with Lifetime Health and Wellness today. No reason to continue to live with the pain.