Testosterone Replacement Therapy in Men and Women!

By Anju Mathur, MD

Hormone replacement therapy has been found useful for increasing energy, lessening stress, controlling type 2 diabetes, getting rid of wrinkles and increasing muscular strength. These are a few of the benefits that millions of people who are supplementing their dwindling hormones experience.

Warning Signs

Do you relate to any of these?

Lessened libido

Lessened strength of the functions of the male organs

Fatigue or a decrease in physical stamina

Memory impairment

Anxiety or moodiness

Threat of heart disease

Wasted muscles

Too much weight gain

Insufficient testosterone hormone causes these symptoms. The hormone involved is called Testosterone, or androgen, and although it is primarily produced in male glands and is thought of as a male hormone, it is also produced in smaller amounts in female glands. Some is also manufactured in adrenal glands. In men, this hormone helps develop muscle, causes facial hair and thicker hair on the body, and the change from a high boy's voice to a lower man's voice as well as helping in the development of the shape of the male body.

Benefits:

An abundance of Testosterone

Creates muscle without fat

Enhances libido

Improves mood and memory

Lowers cholesterol

Improves energy

Lessens risk of coronary disease

A man with insufficient testosterone may feel nervous, unhappy, confused, have less strength and muscle mass with more fat in the upper part of the body and have a low libido. This hormone causes normal growth and development in men and is key to developing secondary male characteristics.

Most testosterone in the body attaches itself to particular proteins in the blood, although a part of the testosterone is "free." So a test can be done to measure the specific proteins and thus the level of testosterone. The test is normally performed at larger medical facilities. Conditions such as hyperthyroidism (a disease where the thyroid gland does not produce enough hormones) and obesity increase the particular protein, so in that case a test for "free" testosterone is done. Normally, testosterone increases in the male body until about the age of 40, after which it dwindles.

About 33% - 45% of men with type 2 diabetes have low testosterone levels, so if you are a man with this disease, you might also have low testosterone..

Female Testosterone

A woman's body also produces a low level of testosterone, which balances her hormones and keeps the glandular functions working well. It is necessary for energy and keeping a person young, as well as adding productive years to the later part of one's life. Testosterone is not only a male hormone.

Testosterone in a woman is normal, just as estrogen in men is normal. The level of testosterone is considerably lower in a woman than a man, but is considered good because it has been proven to increase a woman's libido by increasing the blood flow to the female organs and enhances sensation. Testosterone in women has also been found to improve energy and decrease fatigue, as well as increase a sense of well-being and motivation to perform difference tasks. During the menopausal stage in women when estrogen levels decrease, many take hormone therapy that increases the level of estrogen. As a result, many women integrate testosterone to their daily routines. This has shown to increase their level of energy, decrease depression, decrease triglycerides, and has even been shown to help with bone density.

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What If Your Thyroid Is Not Normal After All?

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by Anju Mathur, MD

Have you asked yourself if you are suffering from a malfunction of your Thyroid? Do you often feel tired, have a lack of enthusiasm, feel down and can't get off those last few pounds?

As one of the most sizable endocrine glands in the body, the thyroid can be found in front of the trachea (the breathing passage) and beneath the Adam's apple in the neck. It looks just like a shield, and thus gets its name from the Greek word for just that. Having two lobes and looking similar to a butterfly, we get our thyroid hormones from this gland (mainly thyroxine, or T4 and triiodothyronine, or T3) and the blood carries these hormones to be used by tissues everywhere in the body.

When a body's thyroid hormones function properly, one's body is able to process food correctly, converting it to energy. In addition, all food is metabolized and then must be eliminated as waste which utilizes additional energy for the conversion process. One's thyroid is essential for numerous bodily functions, as the hormones produced are responsible for determining proper metabolism and thus can affect the growth and efficiency of other body systems. A primary example of this is the hormone calcitonin. It is produced by the thyroid gland and regulates the levels of calcium circulating in the blood. To properly produce these hormones, the body must have enough iodine and an amino acid known as tyrosine.

Over ten million women could be affected by thyroid deficiencies on a subnormal level, and be totally unaware of this condition. Women aged 35 to 55 are most affected, especially those who are perimenopausal or menopausal.

The Thyroid Foundation of America has studied this and estimates that more than 11 million women could have an abnormal thyroid situation. When considering that a lot of women have this borderline condition, there may be an additional number in the tens of millions that suffer from related symptoms, which indicates hypothyroidism. Of course, those who are currently perimenopausal or menopausal are affected more than others, meaning those in the age range of 35-55.

The hormones made by the thyroid gland are essential in controlling a person's metabolism. That is why negative symptoms can result from its malfunction, including putting on excessive weight, lethargy, the feeling of hot flashes, anxiety, brain fogginess, and pulsating heartbeat.

When one's metabolism runs efficiently, one can burn calories most effectively and thus lose weight or at least stay at a normal weight. The hormones produced in the thyroid are what manages this, and also the way that the body uses vitamins it gets from food. Thyroid function is so important that it affects many bodily systems, including the muscular, reproductive, circulatory, nervous, and digestive systems. Within each cell, it affects the activity of the creation of the item that produces energy in the cells. It also allows for proper use of oxygen throughout the body.

When a person suddenly gains weight, even becoming obese, it signals a reduction in their metabolism. This means that the thyroid gland has not been producing enough hormones to properly process foods and generate sufficient energy, and this condition is called hypothyroidism.

A person's appetite or craving for food is also affected. Leptin, a hormone that comes from fat cells, has been shown by studies to be modulated by thyroid hormones, and this factor is what controls hunger and regulates energy within the body. Other functions are also noticed such as the ability to rise after sleeping at night and the ability to control weight and energy levels.

There are numerous symptoms that hypothyroidism shares with other malfunctions that can occur in the body. Because of this, hypothyroidism is known as the "great imitator."

When a person has the following medical symptoms, why have they been told their thyroid is normal?

* Fatigue in the morning

* Trouble remembering things

* Brain daze

* Rash eruptions

* Migraines

* Hot and Cold Sensitivity

* Parched facial skin, facial puffiness and noticeable eyebrow and hair thinning

* Dispirited nature (more observable in seniors)

* Tendency to panic or get anxious in normal situations

* Desire for additional sleep

The usual TSH and T4 tests are not adequate to determine whether a woman's thyroid is normal, and they will usually be told that their levels are adequate from the results of these tests, performed on roughly 90% of cases. One's pituitary gland secretes TSH, which then signals the thyroid secretion of T4 (still an inactive hormone). It is T3, which is converted from T4, that is the active thyroid hormone in the body. Usually hypothyroidism is indicated when there is a rise in TSH as a result of falling T4 and T3 amounts. There are so many other factors that this amount of testing is actually incomplete, and can only indicate who is most affected in a severe way. Thus, most patients are not diagnosed if affected to a lesser degree.

When a woman knows there is a thyroid problem, it can be frustrating to seek assistance and be continuously misdiagnosed in this regard. Once the truth is exposed, women sense relief as they are able to gain hope in the proper diagnosis and alleviation of their resulting symptoms, coming from a low normal thyroid condition.

The latest research as reported in the journal of Archives of Internal Medicine indicates that subclinical hypothyroidism (or those with low normal efficiency of the thyroid) will have double the incidence of having a heart attack and a seventy-percent higher chance of having hardened arteries (arteriosclerosis). Unfortunately, when low normal thyroid function is left unnoticed and untreated, many women will not find relief from the symptoms of stubborn excess weight, tiredness, despair, and more. A person can have hope for a better state of health and state of mind when getting the proper level of thyroid functioning back to its previous healthy standing.

Why not end your discouragement and come in to see a doctor today? There is no charge for a consultation with a medical professional which can possibly put your mind at ease, especially if you are affected by negative symptoms that point to a possible thyroid condition.

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