TESTOSTERONE

Testosterone, commonly thought of as the “man hormone”, is found in both males and females and has profound effects on the body both mentally and physically. Testosterone therapy can be delivered in many different forms, but in males Dr. Thompson believes the best option is injectable. This allows us to continuously monitor and adjust the patient’s levels and keep them optimal at all times. With other forms of testosterone therapy we find that there are big fluctuations in levels of testosterone which can lead to negative side effects.

For our female patients, Dr. Thompson sees optimal results with topical testosterone administration due to the fact that female optimal levels are much lower than in males. We also see excellent results using injectable testosterone and this method allows us the ability to regulate the patient’s testosterone perfectly.

Benefits of Testosterone

1) increase lean muscle mass

2) increase bone density

3) decrease visceral fat

4) increase energy

5) improve memory

6) improved concentration

7) increase in libido

8) feeling of well-being

9) increased insulin sensitivity

10) lowering of cholesterol

11) dilation of coronary arteries

12) endothelial health

13) reversal of small plaque

14) improve sleep

15) in males decreased incidence of prostate cancer

Benefits of Testosterone Replacement Therapy

The benefits of testosterone replacement therapy include better stability with moods, energy levels, libido, frequency of sexual acts, improvement of positive mood parameters (feelings of friendliness) and reduction of negative mood parameters (anger and irritability).

Testosterone replacement therapy is also associated with potentially positive changes in body composition including an increase in lean body mass, decrease in total body fat, and improvements in bone density.

Estrogens

Estrogens as a group often prescribed alone or in combination to re-establish optimal physiologic balance. (ERT). Estrogens are effective for the treatment of menopausal symptoms, the treatment of postmenopausal problems. They are also increase bone density, decrease improve heart health and decrease the incidence of colorectal cancer.

Conjugated equine estrogens, Premarin, are derived from pregnant mares’ urine; however, these are never naturally produced by humans. Research has shown that the risk of breast cancer is increased with the long term and the risk is further increased when the synthetic progestin Provera (medroxy-progesterone acetate) is added. The 2012 Hormone Therapy Position Statement of The North American Menopause Society.

Androgens

Testosterone and dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) may be added to a woman’s hormone program to help fight osteoporosis, loss of immune function, obesity, diabetes, improve cholesterol, regenerate endothelium, improve memory, increase lean muscle and increase quality of sleep.

Men frequently experience declines in testosterone levels that correlate with the hormonal changes that women experience at menopause; however, men typically have a slower and more subtle hormonal decline, and develop symptoms over a period of time. When hormones are replaced or restored back to physiologic levels considered normal for younger males, men may experience a dramatic reversal of many of these changes.

 Testosterone has similar effects on males as females as well as decreasing the incidence of prostate cancer.

the American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists Medical Guidelines for Clinical Practice for the Evaluation and Treatment of Hypogonadism in Adult Male Patients.

Natural testosterone must not be confused with synthetic derivatives or “anabolic steroids,’ which when used by athletes and body builders can cause disastrous effects. Hormone balancing for men may also include  DHEA, zinc, saw palmetto, and other supplements as well as aromatase inhibitors such as chrysin, anastrozole, and tamoxifen.

Progesterone

Progesterone is normally perscribed with estogen to avoid “estrogen dominance.” It decreases the risk of endometrial cancer in women who are receiving estrogen.

Progesterone and synthetic progestins have generally indistinguishable effects on endometrial tissue (i.e., both prevent hyperplasia of the lining of the uterus, which can progress to endometrial cancer). However, in other body systems, natural progesterone has diffent effects than synthetic progestins. Progesterone has a calming effect and is taken in the even promoting better sleep.

Thyroid

Symptoms of hypothyroidism  included fatigue, cold and heat intolerance, hypotension, fluid retention, dry skin and/or hair, constipation, headaches, low sexual desire, infertility, irregular menstrual periods, aching muscles and joints, depression, anxiety, slow metabolism and decreased heart rate, memory impairment, enlarged tongue, deep voice, swollen neck, PMS, weight gain, hypoglycemia, and high cholesterol and triglycerides. Yet, more than half of all people with thyroid disease are unaware of their condition.

T4 (thyroxine) is an inactive form of thyroid hormone that is converted in the body to T3, the active form. Some hypothyroid patients remain symptomatic on T4 therapy and T3 may also be required for optimal thyroid replacement therapy. However, the only commercially available form of T3 is the synthetic drug Cytomel  in an immediate release formulation which is rapidly absorbed and may potentially cause serious side effects including heart palpitations.

Research indicates that to avoid adverse effects, patients and their physicians may wish to consider the use of sustained-release T3 in the treatment of hypothyroidism, particularly when the response to the synthetic T4 drug Synthroid has not been complete. Another option is to use a physiologic blend of T4/T3 commonly reffered to as Armour thyroid.