ESTROGEN AND TESTOSTERONE DUKE IT OUT

feb-16O.K. boys and girls. Did you know that all of us start life being female? No kidding. The default gender in the womb is female, which is hardly surprising given that the womb is an environment awash with female hormones. We’re born to have both estrogen and testosterone. You’re probably thinking that they’re as different as they can get. Not true. Actually, estrogen and testosterone both share almost identical structural formulas. So where does it go from there?

The Y chromosome that makes a baby a “boy” is an add-one chromosome that starts to act in the womb at around the eight-week of pregnancy. Once a baby’s testicles are formed (by the fifteenth week) they begin making testosterone, too. When he’s born, a baby boy has as much testosterone in his bloodstream as a twelve-year-old boy. Around this time is when brain masculinization takes place. At three months, his high testosterone levels drop off to about a fifth of the level at birth and for the next few years will stay quite low.

Estradiol, along with estrone and estriol are the three estrogen female hormones. Fetuses and female newborns are exposed to estradiol derived from their mother and their own gonads and are then synthesized locally in their brains. The actions of estradiol on the developing brain are part of the determination of sex differences.

So what else don’t you know?

DON’T BLAME THE MESSENGERS

To understand estrogen and testosterone, first you have to understand the function of hormones. A hormone is a chemical substance. It’s secreted by one tissue and travels by way of body fluids to affect another tissue in your body. In essence, hormones are “chemical messengers.” That’s why hormones cause cells, tissues and organs to grow and function differently. When hormones function properly, healthy messages spread throughout the body to create proper development. Estrogen and testosterone are considered the sex hormones.

Testosterone belongs to a class of male hormones called androgens that are sometimes called steroids or anabolic steroids. The brain’s hypothalamus and pituitary gland control testosterone production. The hypothalamus instructs the pituitary gland on how much testosterone to produce, and the pituitary gland passes the message on to the testes.

In women, estrogen is produced mainly in the ovaries, but is also produced by fat cells and the adrenal glands. The term “estrogen” actually refers to any of a group of chemically similar hormones. They are sometimes mistakenly referred to as exclusively female hormones, when as we’ve mentioned above, both men and women produce them.

PUMMELED BY PUBERTY

And then there comes a point where boys and girls are besieged by vatfuls of estrogen and testosterone flooding their bloodstreams as violently as a Mack Truck. The road to becoming a teenager is worthy of Le Mans. Navigating it is daunting, for the kids as well as the parents, far surpassing the terror of the “Terrible Twos”. The kids are unpredictable, frequently smelly and grow out of every item of clothing they have in the space of a few months. Their boredom threshold plummets and they do not seem able to concentrate on anything for more than five minutes at a time. You begin to wonder whether your child is a changeling, swapped with your own by an alien from the planet youtube when you weren’t looking.

This is what signals adulthood. Puberty is initiated by hormonal changes triggered by a part of the brain called the hypothalamus that stimulates the pituitary gland, which in turn activates other glands as well. These changes begin about a year before any of their results are visible. As mentioned above, the male reproductive hormone testosterone and female hormone estrogen are present in children of both sexes. However, their balance changes at puberty, with girls producing relatively more estrogen and boys producing more testosterone. Starting at early as 7 or 8, kids’ bodies begin to produce these hormones responsible for the changes of puberty. All these new chemicals move around inside their bodies turning them from teens into adults with the adult levels of hormones. It’s one of the reasons they become much more interested in sex, sometimes to the point of obsession. Noticed, huh?

WHO’S BODY IS THIS ANYWAY?

The first obvious sign of puberty is a growth spurt that typically occurs in girls between the ages of 10 and 14 and in boys between 12 and 16. Between these ages, both sexes grown about nine inches. The average girl gains about 38 pounds and the average boy gains about 42. Hands and feet grow faster than arms and legs. The nose, lips and ears grow before the head attains its full adult size. Increase in secretions from the sebaceous glands, triggered by the growth hormone androgen is responsible for acne, which affects about 75% of teenagers. Major Yuk and gawkiness!

Girl’s bodies also start to develop breasts or pubic hair. But the major landmark for them is the onset of menstruation.  For males, it is the first ejaculation. By age 14, boys’ testosterone levels hit a peak—800% over the level of toddlerhood. It’s enough to turn anyone inside out.

CAUTION: HORMONES FALLING

As teenagers our hormones are on the attack. As men get older, their testosterone levels decline about 1% per year after age 30 taking their muscle mass and libido with it. However, hormonal decline can begin as early as age 20 but the good thing is that it is easier to correct if noticed early. If you get measurements of your hormones while you are young and healthy, it will be easier to identify the ideals levels to restore them to. Though it may seem that these hormones decline because of aging, the opposite is true. Our hormones don’t decline because we age; we age because our hormones decline. Symptoms of declining testosterone also referred to as “Low T” are similar in adult men regardless of their age. These may include:

  • Change in erections
  • Decreased libido
  • Enlarged breasts
  • Hair loss
  • Increased body fat.
  • Fatigue
  • Reduced muscle mass
  • Depression
  • Brain Fog

WHY, OH WHY?

Although it is more rare for young men to suffer from low T, there are many reasons why it may happen:

  • High cholesterol levels
  • High blood pressure
  • Diabetes
  • Being overweigh or obese
  • Sedentary lifestyle
  • Regular smoking
  • AIDS
  • Anabolic steroid use
  • Excessive alcohol use
  • Hypothalamic or pituitary disease
  • Chronic illness such as liver disease or cancer

If you’re younger, doesn’t seem like much of the above affects you. Whew.

A woman’s production of estrogen starts to decline in her mid-30s. Most women enter menopause between the age of 45 and 55 when menstrual periods stop and hormone levels drop sharply.  First to go is your testosterone, then your progesterone and finally your estrodial. At this point a woman’s estrogen production is only about one-tenth the amount it was before menopause. But perimenopause can begin in some women in their 30’s

IT DOESN’T HAVE TO BE A BATTLE

The human body secretes and circulates some 50 different hormones. Low levels of just one hormone can lead to uncomfortable symptoms and may impair production of other hormones, leading to a complex web of imbalance. And to feel our best, balance is everything. This is where bioidentical hormone replacement therapy can help. BHRT is exactly what it sounds like; it is using hormones that are biologically identical to the hormones you naturally make in your body instead of synthetic or animal hormones that do not exist naturally in the human body. Is there somewhere you can go to discuss all this?

Absolutely.

STEPHEN A. GOLDSTEIN, M.D, F.A.C.S. AT DENVER HORMONE HEALTH IS AT THE FOREFRONT OF THE FIELD OF BHRT. THE EXTENT OF HIS EXPERTISE AND EXPERIENCE IS ONLY PART OF THE REASON HE IS THE RIGHT SPECIALIST TO SEE. IT’S ALL ABOUT YOU AND YOUR HEALTH. SO HE STARTS BY LISTENING TO WHAT SYMPTOMS YOU MIGHT BE EXPERIENCING. THEN WITH STATE-OF-THE-ART TESTING, HE CAN DETERMINE YOUR EXACT DEFICIENCIES OR EXCESSES OF DIFFERENT HORMONES IN YOUR BODY. IF YOU NEED HELP, HE’LL KNOW JUST WHAT YOU NEED, CREATING AN INTEGRATED, UNIQUE SOLUTION TO HELP RESTORE THE BALANCE THAT WILL HELP YOU GET RELIEF AND LIVE A HEALTHIER LIFE.

CALL TODAY TO GET STARTED FEELING YOUR BEST.

Add Years to Your Life. Life to Your Years.

jan16Make this your mantra and nothing can stop you from not just achieving your goals but sticking with them. You’ve learned what’s important to you regarding your health and fitness. You’ve discovered tools to keep your health finely tuned. You feel great and you want to stay that way. It’s going to take some work, but it doesn’t have to be hard.

WRITE YOUR RESOLUTIONS IN INK

Are you hoping to lose weight? Boost your energy? Manage a chronic condition? Keep yourself from developing serious health issues? Whatever your goal, put it on paper. Write it down. Don’t file it in your mind and then lose it. Don’t write it down to end up crumpled and ignored somewhere. Write it down and stare it in the face. Daily. “I want to keep my heart strong”. “I don’t want to fall.” “I want to control my diabetes.” It might even help to keep a diary. Track your progress and remind yourself that you are making progress. Small changes can add up over time to give you a big health boost.

FILL UP ON MOTIVATION DAILY

Motivation is everywhere. The Mayo Clinic has some simple tips to help you stick to your program and keep you on path.

Routine is the biggest killer of motivation.

Change it up to stay psyched about what you are doing.  If your regimen is stagnant, you’ll wither with it. And all that work you’ve been doing is out the door.

Keep your goals realistic and achievable

Start with 10 minutes a day if you have to. Park in the back part of the parking lot and walk to where you’re going. Cut out the nightly Ben and Jerry’s or M&M’s. It’s easy to get frustrated and give up if your goals are too ambitious.

Make it fun

If you don’t enjoy it, you’re not going to do it. For example, you might find the treadmill tedious and boring. You’re not alone there. So think about what you’ve probably never thought about. What would you like? A dancing class? Martial arts? Don’t laugh. Whatever it is, you should look forward to it, not dread it.

Make physical activity part of your daily routine

Brush your teeth, floss, move. Move more. Make it a habit. Sitting for long periods of time has negative effects on your health. Remember that. And keep moving. Do it throughout the day in small doses. Moderate or vigorous. Whatever you can do is better than nothing.

Don’t go it alone

You’re not the only one trying to achieve what you are. Seek out fitness partners even if it means finding someone to walk with. Develop a cheering section. Sometimes you need to hear your success out loud.

Reward yourself

Take a few minutes to pat yourself on the back about what you’re doing. Treat yourself to something other than food. Add some new workout tunes. Buy a new pair of workout shoes. Binge on good feelings.

Be flexible

It’s ok to take a day or two off if you feel you need a break. Don’t let guilt get you. Just get right back on track and feel good about yourself doing it. Vacation dropout? Forgive yourself. Don’t beat yourself up. You enjoyed it, now let it go.

JUST DON’T GIVE UP.

Make it all matter. Be realistic about what ‘s at stake here. The process doesn’t have to be painful. It’s about feeling better. Achieving your goals is something to celebrate. Look in the mirror and instead of cringing, see what success looks like. Discover the power of willpower over won’tpower.  No “poor me”. “No “I’m going to fail”.  No “I can’t do this”. No excuses.

PART OF “NO EXCUSES” IS TO MAKE AN APPOINTMENT TO SEE DR. STEPHEN A. GOLDSTEIN, M.D, F.A.C.S. AT DENVER HORMONE HEALTH. YOU MADE A PLAN THAT INCLUDED EATING LESS AND EXERCISING MORE. YOU’VE STUCK TO IT SO FAR. BUT ARE YOU DOING EVERYTHING YOU CAN TO AVOID SABOTAGING YOURSELF? THERE’S A LOT AT STAKE HERE. STICKING TO YOUR PROGRAM ENTAILS SEEING AND FEELING ONGOING RESULTS. IF YOUR HORMONES ARE IMBALANCED, WITH TIME IT CAN BECOME MORE DIFFICULT TO BENEFIT FROM NUTRITION AND FITNESS. YOU’RE NOT GOING TO GET THE FULL REWARD OF YOUR EFFORTS. AND THAT’S KEY TO REMAINING MOTIVATED. THAT’S WHERE DR. GOLDSTEIN CAN HELP. ONCE HE TESTS YOU TO DETERMINE YOUR PERSONAL HORMONE LEVELS, HE CAN CREATE AN INDIVIDUALIZED TREATMENT PLAN FOR YOUR UNIQUE HORMONE NEEDS. WANT TO KEEP FOLLOWING YOUR PLAN? PLAN ON KEEPING DR. GOLDSTIEN IN THE PICTURE. GOING TO HIM ON A REGULAR BASIS, IS A SURE WAY TO KEEP YOU GOING.

THE MECHANICS OF AGING

12-15-428OUT WITH THE OLD

THE ENDOCRINE THEORY

Simply put, the endocrine system is a network of glands that secrete chemicals called hormones to help your body function properly. The glands of the endocrine system are:

  • Hypothalamus
  • Pineal gland
  • Pituitary gland
  • Thyroid
  • Parathyroid
  • Thymus
  • Adrenal
  • Pancreas
  • Ovaries
  • Testes

These glands produce different types of hormones that evoke a specific response in other cells, tissues, and/or organs located throughout the body. The hormones reach these faraway targets using the blood stream. Like the nervous system, the endocrine system is one of your body’s main communicators. But instead of using nerves to transmit information, the endocrine system uses blood vessels to deliver hormones to cells.

Endocrine diseases are common and usually occur when glands produce an incorrect amount of hormones. Some of the processes and systems they help control are growth and development, homeostasis (the internal balance of body systems), metabolism, reproduction and response to stress and/or injury.

TELOMERES ARE EXTREMELY TELLING

Telomeres?

Inside the nucleus of a cell, our genes are arranged along twisted, double-stranded molecules of DNA called chromosomes. At the ends of the chromosomes are stretches of DNA called telomeres, which protect our genetic data, make it possible for cells to divide, and hold some secrets to how we age and get cancer.

Telomeres have been compared with the plastic tips on shoelaces, because they keep chromosome ends from fraying and sticking to each other, which would destroy or scramble an organism’s genetic information.

Yet, each time a cell divides, the telomeres get shorter. When they get too short, the cell can no longer divide; it becomes inactive or it dies. This shortening process is associated with aging, cancer, and a higher risk of death.

OUR HORMONES GET TIRED BEFORE WE DO

Our bodies produce almost 200 hormones daily that float around keeping the body functioning properly. They have the huge jobs to moderate and maintain what is going on inside us. The endocrine glands must release the correct amount of hormones. If they release too much or too little, it is known as a hormone imbalance. Endocrine diseases are common and happen when even one step in the process doesn’t work as it should.

The most dramatic thing about functional changes in the endocrine system is the decline in the concentration of reproductive hormones. In addition, age-related changes in other tissues affect their abilities to respond to hormonal stimulation. As a result, most tissues become less responsive to circulating hormones.

The hormone or endocrine theory of aging asserts that the most important factors in aging are the changes brought about in the body by the endocrine system. The complex endocrine system of our body controls the hormones that regulate many body processes. As we age, these systems become less efficient, leading to changes in our bodies such as menopause. The hormone theory of aging believes that these changes eventually cause the effects of aging.

There is a ton of work that falls on the levels of our hormones and their complex functions. Just the study of this is exhausting, especially with new research being revealed all the time.

KEEPING THE PARTS FROM FALLING APART

It’s sort of like a multi-car pile up when attention is placed only on one aspect of the crash. Rather, it’s an intricate chain reaction that needs to be examined car by car to see the extent of damages to each vehicle and their passengers. You’ve put a lot of wear and tear on your body through the years and now is the time to keep your foot to the pedal, and cautiously and carefully move forward. As people get older, they seem to spend more time reading and researching natural ways to get the body moving and perform as well as it once did. You’ll find them in pharmacy isles dumping “natural replacements” into their carts. Or reading all about holistic ways to turn back the clock. None of these options keep the hands of the clock running smoothly. Batteries die. You can overdose from over-the-counter supplements that are not taken at safe levels. The secret is to keep the parts running smoothly together, making your body hum with health and longevity.

WHILE THE MECHANICAL OF THIS MAY APPEAR OVERWHELMING, THERE IS SOMEONE WHO CAN EXPLAIN IT TO YOU IN TERMS YOU’LL BOTH UNDERSTAND AND WANT TO WORK ON. STEPHEN A. GOLDSTEIN, M.D. AT DENVER HORMONE HEALTH HAS DEDICATED HIMSELF TO LOOK AT THE SYSTEM AS A WHOLE, INDIVIDUAL BY INDIVIDUAL. HIS EXPERTISE IN THE PROCESS OF HORMONE HEALTH MAKES HIM THE PERFECT CHOICE TO BRING YOUR ISSUES AND PROBLEMS (OR PERCEIVED PROBLEMS) TO. FIRST, HE TAKES THE TIME TO LISTEN. TO ASK THE RIGHT QUESTIONS. THEN WITH A SIMPLE SERIES OF TESTS DETERMINES YOUR SPECIFIC HORMONE IMBALANCES AND VITAMIN DEFICIENCIE. ALL OF WHICH HE CAN HELP, ONE CASE AT A TIME. YOU WANT TO FEEL BETTER. HE WANTS YOU TO FEEL YOUR VERY BEST.

SO CALL NOW OR REQUEST MORE INFORMATION.