The Truth About Hormones

The purpose of this article is to present some basic truths about hormones and explain why

hormones are critical to our health. It is hoped that all readers will open their minds to the

possibility that they might need hormones and to seek the truth (science) about hormones

and the incredible benefits they can provide.

Michael Clark, MBA, PhD, FAARFM, ABAAHP

Mike is the Director of Education & Research for Natural Bio Health and the Lifetime Health

Weight Loss & Hormone Centers. He has a Doctorate Degree in Natural Medicine, has been

designated a Diplomate of Anti-Aging Medicine and a Fellow and Advanced Fellow of Anti-

Aging, Regeneration & Functional Medicine. Mike has been awarded a Certificate in Brain

Fitness from the Academy of Anti-Aging Medicine.

Mike is the author of two Weight Loss books, The Secrets of the HCG Diet and The Source Diet.

He is the co-author with Dr. Feste of the largest study on the HCG Diet (as published in the

Bariatrician, the Journal of the American Society of Bariatric Physicians).

Why everyone should know about hormones.

Are there any DRUGS that have been shown in hundreds of studies to help PREVENT heart

disease, breast cancer, prostate cancer, osteoporosis, Alzheimers disease, hip fractures, uterine cancer, macular degeneration, diabetes, memory loss, depression, loss of muscle and many other

human conditions? NO! Yet hormones have been shown to do all of the above and more. These hormones include estrogen, thyroid, progesterone, DHEA, testosterone, HGH, and many others.

There are thousands of scientific articles supporting the use of hormones to address and help

prevent countless ills and conditions from low sex drive in men and women to excess body fat

and low energy. Difficult periods in women, hot flashes, infertility, diabetes and poor sleep, can

all be related to hormonal deficiencies or imbalances.

What are hormones?

Hormones are chemical messengers in our body that govern every aspect of our lives and health.

These messengers stay busy throughout our lives. If they are functioning properly, with no

dropped signals or static (imbalances), our cells communicate with clear signals. If even one

hormone is not signaling correctly, our body may suffer one or more of the following symptoms:

Symptoms/Conditions associated with hormonal imbalances, deficiencies:

Decreased Energy Abdominal Fat Poor Sleep Quality Anxiety Hypothyroidism Decreased Drive & Ambition Decreased Mental Sharpness High Cholesterol Thinning Hair Depression Decreased Libido Decreased Strength Bone Loss

Women Only

PMS Hot Flashes Fibromyalgia PCOS Difficult Periods Fibrocystic Breasts Ovarian Cysts Breast Cancer* Hysterectomy *Men can get breast cancer as well as prostate cancer.

Some common myths and truths about hormones that cause many to avoid

hormones.

Myth: Testosterone causes prostate cancer.

Truth: No study in the past 50 years has ever demonstrated

treating men with testosterone increases the risk of prostate

cancer.

Myth: Hormone therapy causes breast cancer.

Truth: Micronized (bioidentical) progesterone has been

shown to significantly reduce the risk of breast cancer and

natural estradiol has not been shown to cause breast cancer

and may even reduce the risk of breast cancer. However, the

synthetic combination drug Prempro, containing a synthetic

estrogen (Premarin) and a synthetic progestin (Provera) has

been shown to increase the risk of breast cancer and stroke.

See WHI study below.

Myth: Testosterone is for Men not Women.

Truth: Women also lose sex drive, lean muscle and more as

they age. Testosterone helps with libido, mood stabilization,

brain function, and bone density and losing fat. Birth control

pills can lower testosterone.

Myth: If a woman takes testosterone, she will grow a beard

and her voice will deepen.

Truth: These effects can happen if a woman is overdosed

and if her female hormones are out of balance. Make sure

your physician is qualified in hormone replacement,

preferably biodentical to prevent these potential side effects.

Myth: Diseases and disabilities are a natural part of aging.

Truth: Most chronic diseases are preventable and hormone replacement therapy,

combined with healthy eating and exercise, greatly reduce the risks.

Scientific, Published Studies:

There is an 83% decrease risk of Alzheimers in estrogen users if started within a 10 year window of menopause.

In women under age 60, long-term estrogen replacement therapy is associated with a decreased risk of: colon CA, osteoporosis and fracture related deaths, Alzheimers, urogenital atrophy, Age-Related Macular Degeneration (AMD), loss of teeth, depression,

and a decrease in Myocardial infarction (heart attack) and stroke (sometimes referred to

as a cerebrovascular accident), and no increased risk of breast cancer.

Recent study by Serrel that estimated 50,000 women die from not taking estrogen.

Over 90% of women (9,000 out of 10,000) succumb to cardio vascular disease.

The optimal time for a woman to take hormone therapy is within 10 years of menopause. However, it is never too late to enjoy some of the benefits of hormones.

High levels of testosterone are associated with a reduced risk of aggressive prostate cancer.

A significant reduction in the risk for Alzheimer's Disease was associated with a higher FAI (more free testosterone).

Both total and bioavailable testosterone were significantly lower in men with coronary artery disease than in those without.

We age because our hormones decline.

Our hormones dont decline because we age

Hormones decline as we age but they can be low or out of balance at an early

age. Some start their decline as early as age 19 to 25 (HGH, DHEA). Some may not decline until menopause (estrogen).Most men over the age of 30 now have low or suboptimal levels of

testosterone. Sadly, many teenagers or younger start their periods with low levels of

progesterone. Their periods are often marked by heavy bleeding, cramping, headaches and

sometimes struggles with body fat.

As we age, due in great part because of the decline of our hormones (signaling), we become

more susceptible to what are called the diseases of aging. These include heart disease, cancer, osteoporosis, memory loss, Alzheimer disease, diabetes, and many more.

Insufficiency of hormones has been discovered to be a major element in the process of aging.

Most men over the age of 30 have low testosterone levels. Men over the age of 30

are likely have low levels of free testosterone (low T). Why is this important? Testosterone is our

primary male hormone and it affects every aspect of our lives. It has been scientifically shown to

help prevent heart disease, prostate cancer, depression, diabetes, memory loss and Alzheimers

Disease. It can help lower blood pressure, reverse type 2 diabetes, and lower cholesterol all

without the use of drugs. It gives energy and motivation. It is a natural anti-depressant.

Testosterone is necessary to everyday life. Sex drive, muscle strength, energy, quality of sleep,

belly size, mental quickness and clarity, all are affected by your testosterone hormone.

Testosterone administration lowers triglycerides, CRP, and TNF-. This is a great cardiovascular drug, yet not many cardiologists take advantage of this benefit.

Studies show that testosterone can help reduce the risk of breast cancer in women, particularly

when coupled with estradiol.

Women can live 30 to 40 years and more in menopause. Hormones were not as significant an issue in the early 1900s because women and men did not live as long. However, even though our life expectation has increased, the number of elderly living with disabilities

continues to increase. Prevention is better than treatment and bioidentical hormones, along with

healthy eating and regular exercise, helps prevent the diseases of aging.

Most postmenopausal women have undetectable or very low levels of estrogen,

progesterone and testosterone unless they are taking hormones.

More than 50,000 women have died by NOT taking this Hormone.

50,000 Premature Deaths: In a new article published online Thursday in the American

Journal of Public Health, researchers project that the deaths of nearly 50,000 women who had

a hysterectomy in their 50s and 60s could have been avoided by taking estrogen therapy. The

deaths occurred between 2002 and 2011. Another recent article has estimated that as many as

90,000 post-menopausal women have died prematurely because they did not take Estradiol.

Hormone therapy is used to help treat symptoms such as hot flashes, and to help prevent

conditions such as osteoporosis, heart disease, breast and prostate cancer, and cognitive decline

including Alzheimers disease brought on by hormone deficiencies of menopause. All hormones

are necessary to health.

Women who have a hysterectomy have a deficiency of progesterone and have a deficiency of

testosterone. If their ovaries are removed, they also have a deficiency of estradiol. Often, if they

only have their uterus removed, they are told they do not need progesterone. Because of the

WHI misinterpretations, they are told not to take estradiol even if their ovaries are removed.

Increased Risk of heart disease. A long-term follow-up study of WHI patients appeared

in April 2011 in the Journal of the American Medical Association. It showed an increase in

mortality, especially in heart attacks, in women who had a hysterectomy and who didnt take

estrogen. This of course applies to women in menopause who naturally, not surgically, lack

estrogen (estradiol).

Over 4,000 women are dying every year and the numbers are going up....It all sounds like

statistical mumbo jumbo, but these represent families left behind. These are real women with real

families. We need to put a stop to this... Taking estrogen does not increase risk of breast

cancer. It reduces breast cancer.

When to start. The optimal time for a woman to take hormone therapy is within 10 years of

menopause, said Dr. Holly Thacker, director of Center for Specialized Womens Health at the

Cleveland Clinic. However, remember that it is never too late.

The study that scared women, confused physicians and to this date, continues

to cause the deaths of thousands of women -- unnecessarily.

It is unfortunate that a flawed and misunderstood study continues 12 years later to contribute to

the death of thousands of women. The study was the Womens Health Initiative (WHI) study

that scared women and undiscerning physicians into not taking estrogen. Dr. Phillip Sarrel, a

retired Yale professor of obstetrics, gynecology, and reproductive sciences, and of psychiatry,

has for years has expressed grave concern about what he calls an avalanche of misinformation

coming out of the findings of the federally funded Womens Health Initiative.

Physicians at Natural Bio Health have warned clients and the public about the risks of synthetic

Prempro and other synthetic hormones. It was the synthetic Prempro that increased the risk of

breast cancer and stroke yet the headlines screamed Hormones increase your risk if breast

cancer and stroke. STOP. The following blogs explain Blog have been written about these

misunderstandings. See naturalbiohealth.com blogs, e.g. Clarity on hormones and cancer;

Surgical Menopause (Removal of Ovaries) May Increase Your Risk of Stroke & Alzheimers

Disease; and NOT taking estrogen increases the risk of premature death.

Note: There have been over 1500 suits against the drug company Wyeth for breast cancer due to

its manufactured drug, PREMPRO. Prempro contains synthetic progestins (MPA) which have

been shown to increase breast cancer risk and negates many of the benefits of estrogen.

Progestins have also been shown to increase insulin resistance and visceral fat whereas

micronized progesterone (bioidentical) show no increase in insulin resistance or visceral fat and

a decrease in the risk of breast cancer.

Dont Guess Test

Lab tests can tell you whether you are deficient in certain hormones or if there is an imbalance.

Symptoms are used in conjunction with lab tests as both are important. It is important that the

treating physician understand the tests and the symptoms.

CBC / Lipid Panel / CMP / Estradiol / Progesterone, Serum (women only) / DHEA Sulfate, serum

Free T3 / Free T4 (Thyroxine) / TSH / Free Testosterone / Testosterone, Serum

Insulin / Fasting / Homocysteine / CRP, High Sensitivity / LH (luteinizing hormone)

FSH (follicle stimulating hormone) / Ferritin / HGH / Somatomedin-C

Hemoglobin AIC / PSA (men only)

Conclusion. Because hormones are so critical to our wellbeing, it is important that we

based our judgments on science and not opinions and beliefs. This article just presented

some of the issues related to hormones. Education is the way to health.