Living Younger Through Science Since 1999.
Living Younger Through Science Since 1999.
On this page you can learn more about key hormones that impact human health. If you would like more details about the science behind hormone replacement treatments, please contact us online to schedule a free initial consultation where we can provide additional educational resources.
Human Growth Hormone is secreted by the pituitary gland in the brain. It is considered the “healing hormone” because in adults it helps us heal and not deteriorate.
Some of the benefits of natural human growth hormone replacement include:
DHEA (Dehydroepiandrosterone) has been called the “mother of all steroids”. It is produced by the adrenal glands and is the most abundant steroid in the human body. It is involved in the production of testosterone, estrogen, progesterone and corticosterone. The decline of DHEA mirrors that of HGH, so by age 65 your body makes 10 to 20% of what it did at age 20. Its benefits include but are not limited to the following:
Proper overall body function depends on thyroid hormone. Thyroid hormone is a metabolic hormone secreted by the thyroid gland. There are two types of thyroid hormones, thyroxine (T4), and triiodothyronine (T3). The thyroid gland uses iodine to produce these hormones, thus the importance of iodine in our diet. About 80% of the thyroid hormone we produce is T4, which is the inactive hormone and held in reserve, while T3 makes up 20% of the thyroid hormone and is about four times stronger than T4. T3 is the active hormone that the body uses to function.
The release of thyroid hormones is controlled by the thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH), which is produced in the pituitary gland. When there are high levels of TSH in the blood this means the pituitary is trying to stimulate the thyroid gland to produce thyroid hormones but the gland is not responding. Because thyroid hormones are bound to proteins while circulating in our bodies, it is the unbound, available, Free T4 and Free T3 that should be measured along with TSH.
Naturally derived thyroid, with the mixture of T4 and T3, is the ideal replacement because it mimics the natural thyroid hormone produced by the body. Unfortunately, it has become routine practice to prescribe synthetic T4 alone which is not adequate and may not be converted to the more biologically active form T3, for proper levels of thyroid hormone.
Testosterone is an anabolic (or building) hormone. The age-related decline in testosterone levels is associated with the following identifiable signs or symptoms:
The goal of testosterone replacement therapy is to minimize, prevent or reverse the affects of our age related decline. The beneficial effects of attaining healthy testosterone levels are seen for both men and women and are essentially the inverse of the aforementioned list of problems. Of course, the goals for testosterone level are appropriately lower for women.
Testosterone Therapy
While the clinical indicators of testosterone decline may give a care provider a notion that an individual may be a candidate for testosterone replacement, objective measures must be obtained to properly institute and manage therapy and rule out and address accompanying medical problems.
To adequately measure testosterone levels, both total and free testosterone studies should be evaluated. For males: a level of 260-1,000 ng/dl is given as the normal laboratory range from men aged 20-70. For females, this range is 15-70 ng/dl. Free testosterone levels average approximately 2% of the total, 50-210 pg/mi for men and 1-10 pg/mi for women. Free testosterone is the slightly more valuable of the two, as it reflects the amount of testosterone available to perform useful work at any one moment.
Estrogen is secreted by the ovaries and adrenal glands. There are three types of estrogen found in a woman’s body: estrone, estradiol and estriol. Estrogen Replacement Therapy (ERT) has turned out to be a lifesaver for millions of postmenopausal women who benefit from its use. A survey examining the benefits of ERT on women found that overall mortality from all causes was reduced. In particular, deaths due to coronary artery disease and stroke were reduced.
Proper levels of Estrogen
Estrogen deficiency leads to
All of these can be corrected by natural estrogen replacement.
Natural Progesterone is secreted by the ovaries and adrenal glands much like estrogen. It helps…
Combining the benefits of estrogen and progesterone replacement provides many of the benefits without risks. They work in tandem in the body of pre-menopausal women and an increasing number of physicians believe that both hormones should be replaced post menopause.
Together estrogen and progesterone protect against cardiovascular disease, improve and/or prevent osteoporosis, improve mood status and improve sexual function and libido.
Progesterone by itself has a large number of benefits including the breakdown of fat, increasing energy through fat loss, protecting against endometrial and breast cancer, improving mood and sexual function, and normalizing levels of blood sugar, zinc, and copper.
The foremost concern about estrogen is whether it increases the risk of endometrial cancer. When progesterone is given along with estrogen for ten or more days per cycle, it not only eliminates the risk of this cancer, but can actually reduce it beyond that which occurs spontaneously.
Pregnenolone is a precursor to all the steroid hormones, including DHEA, progesterone, testosterone and estrogen. It is produced from cholesterol in the mitochondria in the cells in the brain and the adrenal cortex. Pregnenolone stimulates our brain receptors, influencing learning, and is a memory enhancer. It is essential to keeping our brain functioning at its peak capacity. Levels are directly correlated with cognitive ability and decline with age.
Male and female bodies use pregnenolone differently. In women, more of the pregnenolone becomes estrogen while in men more is used to make testosterone. However, on its own, pregnenolone is essential in keeping our brain functioning at its peak capacity and it is found at higher concentrations in the brain than in any other organ in the body, which serves to enhance our mental functions.
Current research is being done to test the benefits of pregnenolone with those suffering with Alzheimer’s disease, conditions such as multiple sclerosis, spinal cord injuries, cardiovascular problems, and for boosting the immune system.
For males 45 years or younger, it is ideal for the body to produce its own testosterone. This is done by cycling supplemental testosterone followed by HCG. HCG stimulates the body’s own production of testosterone. This is especially ideal for male clients planning on having a family in the future.
Melatonin is secreted by the pineal gland, a small gland in the brain. It regulates the circadian rhythm and the deep stages of sleep. Melatonin maintains the body’s balance, equilibrium and homeostasis.
Benefits of Melatonin include:
Deficiency causes:
The vitamin B-complex refers to all of the known essential water-soluble vitamins except for vitamin C. These include thiamine (vitamin B1), riboflavin (vitamin B2), niacin (vitamin B3), pantothenic acid (vitamin B5), pyridoxine (vitamin B6), biotin, folic acid and the cobalamins (vitamin B12).
Benefits of Vitamin B-Complex
Deficiency of Vitamin B-Complex
Cortisol, also known as hydrocortisone, is a steroid hormone or glucocorticoid produced by the adrenal gland. It is released in response to stress, and high levels of cortisol lead to high blood pressure, weight gain and other deleterious manifestiations. On the other hand, low levels reflect chronic stress and cause adrenal fatigue, poor immunity, fatigue and depression. Cortisol’s primary functions are to increase blood sugar, suppress the immune system, and aid in fat, protein and carbohydrate metabolism. It also decreases bone formation.
Insulin is a hormone that is central to regulating energy and glucose metabolism in the body. Insulin causes cells in the liver, muscle, and fat tissue to take up glucose from the blood, storing it as glycogen in the liver and muscle. Insulin also influences other body functions, such as vascular compliance and cognition. Once insulin enters the human brain, it enhances learning and memory and in particular benefits verbal memory.
Elevated insulin can cause:
Aldosterone is one of the steroid hormones produced by the adrenal gland. It increases the reabsorption of sodium and water and the release (secretion) of potassium in the kidneys. This increases blood volume and, therefore, increases blood pressure.
