Monthly Archives: September 2016

If you’re contemplating hormone replacement therapy, did you know that there’s a big difference in the safety and effectiveness of different methods? Here are 3 things you need to know about hormone replacement before you select a path.

1. Bioidentical hormones are the healthier choice as evidenced by both physiological data and clinical outcomes.^1,2  Bioidenticals, when properly administered, have been associated with a reduced risk for cancer and other serious diseases. Because they have the same molecular structure as those made in the body, they are employed in the same way and easily metabolized and excreted from the body. On the other hand, research has shown that FDA-approved synthetic and animal derived hormone replacement drugs actually increase your risk for cardiovascular disease, cancer, stroke, blood clots and other serious conditions.^3,4

2. The delivery method determines the effectiveness of HRT. Patches, pills, gels, cream, sublingual tablets, injections and suppositories all have significant drawbacks.
• Most of these methods create ups and downs in hormone levels that can cause a recurrence of symptoms.
• They do nothing to support around-the-clock hormonal balance.
• There are no bioidentical injections.
• Estrogen or testosterone in pill form must first pass through the gastrointestinal system and liver, metabolizing these hormones into risky byproducts.
• Patches, gels, and creams are messy and inaccurate when it comes to dosing.

Only the pellet implant method has been shown to provide hormones in a way the body can recognize and work with. The bioavailability of natural hormone, around-the-clock, when it’s needed, make pellets the most effective and safest method available. Compared to other methods, studies show that bioidentical pellets are superior for relieving symptoms, supporting bone mass and sleep patterns, and improving sex drive, libido, response and performance.⁵ Because pellets can last several months at a time, they are also the most convenient delivery method for bioidentical hormones.

3. Not all pellet therapies are alike. Many men and women begin their hormone replacement quest with their primary care physicians, urologists or gynecologists. Most physicians, however, do not have the expert training or knowledge needed to accurately administer pellet implant therapy. For that, you need a specialist who understands the procedure and can properly diagnose, prescribe and administer the precise amount of low dose hormone needed to achieve hormonal balance.

When all is said and done, reestablishing hormonal balance should be the focus of your hormone replacement. With the pellet implant method, key hormones can be restored to beneficial levels in proper ratio to one another. This return to internal balance is needed to support health and well-being as you age.

Experience the renewed sense of well-being that thousands of others before you have. You won’t believe the difference.

¹Holtorf K. The bioidentical hormone debate: are bioidentical hormones (estradiol, estriol, and progesterone) safer or more efficacious than commonly used synthetic versions in hormone replacement therapy? Postgrad Med. 2009 Jan;121(1):73-85. doi: 10.3810/pgm.2009.01.1949. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19179815
² Schwartz E, Holtorf K. Hormones in wellness and disease prevention: common practices, current state of the evidence, and questions for the future. Prim Care Clin Office Pract 2008; 35 (4): 669–705. http://www.holtorfmed.com/pdf/04-Hormones-in-Wellness.pdf
³ Writing Group for the Women’s Health Initiative Investigators: Risks and benefits of estrogen plus progestin in healthy menopausal women. Principle results from the Women’s Health Initiative randomized controlled trial. JAMA 2002; 288:321-333
⁴ http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/whi/whi_faq.htm
⁵ Schwartz E, Holtorf K. Hormones in wellness and disease prevention: common practices, current state of the evidence, and questions for the future. Prim Care Clin Office Pract 2008; 35 (4): 669–705. http://www.holtorfmed.com/pdf/04-Hormones-in-Wellness.pdf

Recent studies show that women are experiencing menopause at earlier ages than expected. By the mid-40s, most women are depleted of normal levels of estrogen and have lost nearly all their progesterone and more than half of their testosterone. The average woman can expect her periods to stop when she is just 46.

Here is an interesting article recently published by the NY Times that all women  should read.  It supports our belief that restoring a women’s hormone levels to those of earlier years are associated with optimum brain function, emotional and physical well-being, cardiovascular and bone health, breast and prostate health, cell growth regulation, beneficial blood sugar levels, better sexual function and satisfaction, and more.

Properly restoring testosterone and estrogen (specifically estradiol) to the levels of younger years replenishes your body and gives it what it needs. Hundreds of body functions depend on the presence of these key hormones in order to work properly. This is true whether you’re male or female, 19 or 91. Your need for hormonal balance never goes away.

By NICHOLAS BAKALARSEPT. 15, 2016

Menopause before the age of 45 is associated with an increased risk for cardiovascular disease and death, a review of studies has found.

The average age at onset of menopause is 51, but some women start much earlier. Premature menopause is defined as onset before age 40, while early-onset menopause occurs before the age of 45.

Researchers in the Netherlands pooled data from 32 studies of premature menopause and early-onset menopause that included more than 310,000 women.

Compared with women who reached menopause after 45, those who reached menopause earlier had a 50 percent increased risk of coronary heart disease and a 23 percent increased risk of stroke. They had no increased risk of stroke mortality, but did have a 19 percent increased risk for death from cardiovascular disease and a 12 percent increased risk for overall mortality.

The study, online in JAMA Cardiology, also found that compared with women who were younger than 50 at menopause, those who experienced menopause at 50 to 54 had a 13 percent lower risk of fatal cardiovascular disease, but no difference in risk of stroke.

The reason early menopause is associated with more health risks is not clear, but earlier loss of ovarian function may cause hormonal changes that lead to inflammation and vascular damage.

“Women who reach menopause early should be screened for medical conditions such as hypertension, hyperlipidemia and diabetes,” said the lead author, Dr. Taulant Muka, a physician and postdoctoral researcher at Erasmus University. “Treating these disorders early reduces the risk.”

BHRT therapy, Bio-Identical Hormone Replacement Therapy, is commonly used among men and women who develop symptoms of Andropause or Menopause. Accordingly, these life phases usually occur when individuals reach their forties or fifties causing one to dread middle-aged life. That’s where BHRT therapy comes in; it can help you feel younger in several different ways.

With age, the body naturally begins to function differently. As hormone levels decline, it becomes more difficult to enjoy life as you once did when you were younger. BHRT slows down the aging process utilizing the correct HRT modality.

Rather than accepting the symptoms that come with age, it is now possible to actually feel younger as you grow older. Bio Identical Hormone Replacement Therapy, used with the correct modality can help maintain testosterone and estrogen levels for each person to live an optimal life.

Feel Rested
In our forties and fifties, life starts to show us how easy it is to feel more fatigued and tired. Remember your younger days when you could work an entire shift, go to the gym, run errands, and still feel energized. With age, however, this isn’t as simple. BHRT therapy helps maintain hormone levels for your body to stay in sync. This ensures better sleep, stronger muscles, and ability to burn fat, better memory and concentration to name a few benefits.

Healthy Sexual Drive
When testosterone and estrogen levels begin to decline, it can drastically affect one’s sexual life. This might include vaginal dryness or discomfort, and erectile dysfunction. Pellet therapy helps prevent this. Both men and women regain their sexual drive when they invest in SottoPelle?.

Weight Management
Your metabolism naturally slows down with age. Accordingly, it might become more difficult to manage weight gain and maintain muscle mass. Hormone therapy helps an individual with their weight management by utilizing testosterone. Aging does not have to mean that you lose control of your body. Rather, it gives a man or woman the feeling of being more energized and the ability to want to exercise. Hormone therapy can help with weight-loss and promotes healthy living.

As you approach middle-age, one comes to a realization that this is a beautiful part of life. However, the symptoms that come with it are not as welcoming. With BHRT therapy, the stress of fatigue, decreased sexual performance, and weight gain can be put to rest. Age gracefully with SottoPelle®.

According to the Migraine Research Foundation, migraine is the 3rd most prevalent and 6th most disabling disease in the world.¹ More women than men suffer from these headaches. In fact, the ratio of female to male is 3:1. It is known that a variety of triggers can lead to migraines, but the causes are not clearly understood. Even so, it is commonly accepted that both genetics and environmental influences play important roles in who is predisposed to getting migraines.

The Connection between Women’s Hormones and Migraine Headaches
Hormonal changes in women are a frequent trigger for those susceptible to migraine attacks. This happens when estrogen levels drop during the menstrual cycle and menopause, or when they fluctuate wildly as they do in perimenopause. Women have been voicing this to doctors for many years, saying their migraines coincide with their menstrual cycles and that they seem to get worse during perimenopause and menopause. Research simply wasn’t abundant enough to back them up. Science is finally catching up. A review of current literature published in 2014 found that: 1) women were more likely than men to suffer from migraines; 2) that considerable evidence supports an important role for sex hormones, and 3) that women’s migraines tended to be precipitated by drops in estrogen concentrations, and minimizing this decline may prevent these headaches.² In fact, proper hormone treatment has been found to help reduce the incidence of migraines for women both before and during menopause.³

The Right HRT Can Reduce or Eliminate Hormone-related Migraines
Another study reported in 2009 showed that maintaining stable estrogen levels in menopausal women with a history of migraines markedly reduced the incidence of these headaches.⁴ In this and other studies, the use of non-oral bioidentical forms of estradiol delivery helped achieve maximum results. This was due to the ability of those methods to deliver a steady, consistent dose of hormone. It’s been found that synthetic estrogen and oral forms of the hormone can actually worsen migraines. They simply can’t produce stable, dependable hormone levels around the clock.

Estradiol Pellets Are the Best Option for Hormone Related Migraines
Even better results have been achieved using estradiol pellets,⁵ which provide steady, 24/7 doses of hormone for months at a time. Early research (1974) by Greenblatt demonstrated that both menstrual and postmenopausal migraine could be controlled with subcutaneous hormone pellets.⁶ He concluded that estrogen pellets alleviated all symptoms in the majority of his menopausal patients, and that maintenance of stable estrogen levels would control menopausal migraine.

For years, Dr. Gino Tutera, pioneer and founder of SottoPelle®, used bioidentical estradiol pellets to treat hormone deficient women of all ages who suffered from migraines. A 90 percent success rate was achieved with this approach. Estrogen levels were restored for these patients within three to seven days and their headaches were either reduced significantly or eliminated.

If you are suffering from hormone-related migraines, schedule a consultation with Dr. Matos at 201-225-2525 or email us at Appointments@AHSclinics.com.

¹ https://migraineresearchfoundation.org/about-migraine/
² Chai NC, Peterlin BL, Calhoun AH. Migraine and estrogen. Curr Opin Neurol. 2014 Jun;27(3):315-24. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24792340
³ https://www.clinicalresearch.com/healthday-news/2014/06/24/migraines-may-worsen-during-menopause#sthash.3RGqmC1a.dpuf
⁴ MacGregor, EA. Estrogen replacement and migraine. Maturitas. 2009 May: 63 (1); 51–55
⁵ Lichten, EM. Migraine & Estradiol Pellets. Cepahalgia 1999;19(4):332. http://www.usdoctor.com/article5.htm
⁶ Greenblatt RB (ed). Menopausal Syndrome. New York: Medcom Press; 1974:102-110