This new gestalt of treating age as a disease process first started in 1991 by a famous endocrinologist at the Medical College of Wisconsin name Dr. Daniel Rudman. Dr. Rudman studied hormone replacement therapy in older men, the result of which were published in the prestigious New England Journal of Medicine. Dr. Rudman stated in an interview, “We reversed 10 to 20 years of the aging process in older men. Fat diminished, muscle tissue and strength increased.” There was also increased lead body mass, decreased body fat, increased vertebral bone density, increased skin thickness, increased exercise tolerance and endurance, improved healing and immunity and tremendous increase in overall well-being. This was all accomplished by the simple administration of human growth hormone. Thus, Dr. Rudman’s study revealed solid research supporting the fact that hormonal decline itself is a major cause of our aging. Providing the body with additional human growth hormone can reverse symptoms of the aging process.
Other scientists have realized the importance of supplementation of other hormones. Scientists at the Gerontology Research Center of the National Institute of Health in Baltimore, Maryland are working with other researchers to examine the role that reduced plasma sex hormones play in the age-related disturbances, including musculoskeletal function, body composition and metabolic function. Combined hormone replacement therapy, by returning growth hormone and sex hormone levels to levels typical for younger people, has shown additive or synergistic effects.
Physical and psychological function, improved cholesterol levels, increased lean body mass, and improved muscle strength and fitness. Let’s take a look at the various hormones and their roles.
Types of Hormones and Their Roles
GROWTH HORMONE
Growth hormone (hGH) is secreted by the pituitary gland and is taken into the liver and converted into a protein called somatomedin-C or IGF-1 (insulin-like growth factor-one). It is IGF-1 that is partially responsible for the growth hormone functions in the body. Growth hormone contributes to ongoing tissue repair, healing, cell rejuvenation, bone strength, brain function, enzyme production, and the integrity of hair, nails and skin. The signs of growth hormone deficiency are the same as the signs of aging: Body composition shifts with an increase in fat and body weight and a decrease in muscle mass and energy. There is a decrease in bone mineralization, vitality ebbs, and there is increased cardiovascular disease and mortality. There are also psychosocial deficits and impaired physical performance, poor sleep, and decreased social interaction.
Research indicates that daily supplementation of growth hormone may reverse symptoms of the aging process and restore a more youthful physiololgy and conditioning. All major hGH studies have documented improved body composition and function. There is a consistent improvement in muscle/fat ratio. There is a 10 to 20% decrease in fat and a 10% increase in muscle. There is also an increased lipolysis or breakdown of fat with the concomitant decrease in cholesterol and triglycerides. There is also an increase in exercise capacity, bone density, muscle mass and strength. There is increase in cardiac output, skin rejuvenation with an increase in collagen
and elastin, and a significant improvement in immunity which results in growth hormone’s anticancer and longevity effect.
DHEA
DHEA is a hormone secreted by the adrenal glands. This hormone is a precursor to other sex hormones. In addition to having its own hormone effect, it results in a shift to an anabolic or protein building state. It reduces cardiovascular risk by increasing lipolysis or breakdown of fat. it also stimulates the immune system, restores sexual vitality, improves mood, decreases cholesterol and body fat. Recent studies point to DHEA as an anti-stress hormone, reversing the effects of stress on the immune system.
PREGNENOLONE
Pregnenolone is a precursor to other hormones. It functions as a memory enhancer and is a factor in cellular repair, particularly in the brain and nerve tissue. Pregnenolone protects cerebral function and protects against neuronal injury.
MELATONIN
Melatonin is secreted by the pineal gland. It is a circadian rhythm hormone- thereby affecting the patterns of sleep. Research has shown that the cells of the body rejuvenate and repair during the deeper stages of sleep. It is during the deeper stages of sleep that the body produces natural killer cells or CD4 cells. Melatonin increases the deep stage of sleep and stage IV sleep, thereby increasing and enhancing immunity. Improved sleep patterns serve to energize the body and improve mood. Melatonin has powerful antioxidant effects which accounts for disease prevention qualities. Melatonin has tremendous cancer prevention effects due to its enhancement of the immune system. Melatonin deficiency results in poor sleep, jet lag, irritability, hypersensitivity and premature aging.
THYROID HORMONE
Thyroid hormone is a metabolic hormone secreted by the thyroid gland that regulates temperature, metabolism and cerebral function. It contributes to energy levels and temperature regulation and body warmth. It increases fat breakdown, resulting in weight loss as well as lower cholesterol. It protects against cardiovascular disease and improves cerebral metabolism. It helps to prevent cognitive impairment. Thyroid hormone is probably the safest and most beneficial cholesterol lowering agent, yet it is infrequently used for this!
TESTOSTERONE
Testosterone is a hormone secreted by the adrenal glands, testes and ovaries. It contributes to muscle mass, strength and endurance, decreased fat, increased exercise tolerance, enhancement of well-being and psychological status. Testosterone protects against cardiovascular disease, hypertension, body fat and arthritis. It leads to improved lean muscle mass, increased bone density, decrease in cholesterol, improved skin tone, improved healing capacity, and increased libido and sexual performance. It prolongs the quality of life by decreasing the diseases of aging, as does estrogen in the female. Testosterone is also present and extremely important in the female as well as the male, making supplementation absolutely recommended for men and women.
ESTROGEN
Estrogen is secreted by the ovaries. Estrogen protects against heart disease, stroke, osteoporosis, Alzheimer’s Disease and memory disorders. It protests against vaginal atrophy, urinary incontinence, and prevents symptoms of menopause, including hot flashes and temperature dysregulation. It improves balance by improving the visual somatosensory system in the central nervous system. Estrogen deficiency results in urogenital atrophy, incontinence, sagging skin in the breasts, increased skin wrinkles of the face, decreased fatigue, depression, mood swings and decreased libido. It is of extreme importance that the estrogen prescribed be a natural estrogen and not a synthetic estrogen. The synthetic estrogens have been shown to be harmful. We only prescribe natural hormones and never use the potentially cancer causing synthetic hormones (such as Premarin). For optimal protection, natural estrogen supplementation should be balanced by natural progesterone supplementation.
PROGESTERONE
Progesterone is secreted by the ovaries and reduces symptoms of premature menstrual syndrome. It protects against uterine and breast cancers, osteoporosis, fibrocystic disease and ovarian cysts. It dramatically decreases menopausal symptoms. Most US physicians prescribe synthetic progestins which cause such side effects as bloating, headaches, fatigue and weight gain. The natural progesterone must be prescribed in place of the synthetic progestin to avoid the side effects and protect against cancer. We emphasize the use of natural hormones and not synthetic hormones, which have been proven time and time again to cause significant side effects.
SUMMARY
The basics for optimal health and longevity are proper diet, exercise, nutritional supplementation and hormone replacement therapy. This stops untimely cellular degeneration and allows regeneration of tissue, healing and a slowing down of the aging process. Your part is keeping consistency in the basics of aging well: proper sleep, a whole food plant-based diet, various exercise and stress reduction. Our part is restoring and optimizing your body towards a state of more youthfully responding to your efforts, through bio-identicals and our wellness plan. The Secret Weapon? Your faith in yourself and in our process.
Hormones are not drugs. They are natural substances that have existed in our bodies since conception. The doses of hormones taken in hormone replacement therapy should never exceed what your body has already been accustomed to in its younger years. They caused no harm in the body at that time and when restored to youthful levels continue to provide the health and vigor that one loses as they age. When hormones are taken as prescribed by physicians and monitored closely, they produce no negative side effects. When all the declining hormones are taken together in the correct doses, they work with each other to restore declining immunity which in turn helps protect the body against cancer and other chronic disease processes. We simply can age better.
Progressive physical deterioration is not a requirement of growing older. It is now possible to stop much of this undesirable aspect of aging as well as the symptoms and diseases associated with aging. Hormone replacement therapy is an updated science which has been shown to not only prolong life but prolong the quality of one’s life.
At Dr. Anne All In, we specialize in total hormone replacement & optimization regimes, as well as exercise, diet and nutritional knowledge and supplementation, to achieve maximum benefits and deter the aging process “together”. Alongside a complete physical examination, laboratory evaluation, & a personalized hormone supplementation program will be prescribed for you and monitored until optimal hormone levels have been achieved, and desired quality of life restored.