Category Archives: Uncategorized

Testosterone is well-known as the male sex hormone. And most people realize that low testosterone (also called “Low T”) can impact a man’s sex drive and sexual performance, cause hair loss, and lead to decreased energy and a decline in muscle mass.

But many people don’t realize that women also produce testosterone. While female’s don’t require the amount of testosterone that men do, when a woman’s testosterone levels are too low she can also suffer from unpleasant symptoms, and be at risk for serious diseases.

A study released just this month by Monash University study has reversed the belief that testosterone is bad for women’s hearts. That ground-breaking research revealed that women aged over 70 who have low testosterone levels actually have double the risk of a cardiac event.

Testosterone in Older Women

Like all sex hormones, a women’s blood testosterone levels decrease every year with age from their early 20s – however they do not change particularly significantly as a result of natural menopause. However, after the age of 70 years, there is a steep drop in female testosterone levels.

Before menopause, a women’s ovaries are the primary source of producing the testosterone that circulates in her blood. But, after menopause, the ovaries stop functioning and no longer make testosterone. Since a woman still needs testosterone for a variety of bodily functions and systems, her body starts making blood testosterone from the hormone DHEA which comes from adrenal glands.

Researching Testosterone & Heart Health in Older Women

The data used in the Monash University study was captured from the longitudinal ASPREE (ASPirin in Reducing Events in the Elderly) Randomized Clinical Trial. This study was helmed by Dr. Susan Davis, Professor of Women’s Health at the Monash School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine.

Blood testosterone levels, DHEA amounts and estrogen concentrations were all measured in the blood of women over the age of 70 who had no prior “CVDs” or Cardiovascular Disease Events. (CVDs include stroke, coronary heart disease, myocardial infarction, and/or heart failure hospitalization).

The results of the Monash / ASPREE study – now published in The Lancet Healthy Longevity Journal – were startling. Testosterone had long been believed to have a negative impact on heart health in post-menopausal women. But the study clearly showed that women who had low blood testosterone and DHEA concentrations – but not low estrogen – had twice the risk of a cardiovascular event than women with higher testosterone blood levels.

Numerous studies in the past have already demonstrated that testosterone therapy lowers blood pressure and increases blood flow in arteries.  So it “makes sense” that having higher testosterone may protect older women from cardiovascular disease.

The head of the study, Professor Davis, posits that the findings suggest there might be an advantage to older women having higher testosterone levels. And, the researchers suggested that the conclusions reached by the data definitely warrant further study examining the potential benefits of testosterone replacement therapy for preventing cardiovascular disease in older women.

Dr. Davis concluded: “We need to stop thinking about testosterone as a ‘male’ hormone that is bad for women. It is an important human hormone for both women and men.”

Hormone Replacement to Prevent Women’s Heart Disease

Heart disease is the leading cause of death for women in the United States – killing about 300,000 women every year. Cardiovascular disease causes 1 in 3 women’s deaths and one woman dies from cardiovascular disease every minute – which is more than all cancers combined. So, the research into the role hormone replacement therapy plays in cardiac events cannot be understated.

It is already well established that estrogen protects and strengthens the heart. (Read More About Estrogen & Heart Disease HERE). And ample research shows that earlier intervention with estrogen replacement therapy may have significant, long-term benefits in terms of lowering the risk of heart disease.

As the world leaders in women’s hormone replacement therapy, the HRT experts at SottoPelle continue to monitor this research to help their patients avoid disease and discomfort and live full, active and long lives.

Estrogen & Testosterone Therapy for Women

SottoPelle® Method hormone replacement can help restore a woman’s body and mind to optimal balance. And hormone pellet therapy offers several advantages, including NO daily pills, NO painful weekly shots, and NO messy creams. Additionally, SottoPelle® Method pellet therapy utilizes bioidentical hormones that are safer, more effective, and more natural than lab-created synthetics. Because bioidentical hormones are identical to the body’s own hormones, they offer more effective results, with fewer side-effects and risks.

If you are a peri- or menopausal woman who is experiencing the symptoms of menopause,  Call 201-225-2525 or schedule a consultation at: https://advancedhormonesolutions.com/consultation-form/

Article created by SottoPelle and used by permission of SottoPelle. Advanced Hormone Solutions is a “Certified” SottoPelle provider

Studies Show Estrogen Helps Protect Against Flu in Women

A paper published in the American Journal of Physiology—Lung Cellular and Molecular Physiology has revealed that in clinical studies estrogen dramatically reduced the amount of flu virus that replicated in the infected cells of women (but not of men).

The researchers of that study, from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, have made the claim that estrogen appears to have a protective advantage for women, by hampering replication of many viruses including the HIV, Ebola, and hepatitis. That effect lessens an infection’s severity and makes it less contagious, so the study team sought to determine if estrogen might also have the same effect on the flu virus.

Clinical Research on Estrogen and the Flu

In this clinical study, the researchers collected cells from the inside of the noses of female and male volunteers. Then they exposed batches of the cells to different types of estrogens, including normal levels of naturally occurring estrogen. The cells then were exposed to an influenza A virus.

The results showed that the female cells receiving estrogen exposure had significant reductions in viral replication compared to those that had not been exposed to the estrogens. The estrogen-exposed cells from women had viral replication that was nearly 1,000 times less than the female cells that were not treated with estrogen.

However, the same reduction in virus replication was not seen in the male cells that were exposed to estrogen. The researchers of that study explained that the same anti-viral results were likely not seen in men, because (while men do produce some estrogen) their cells have far fewer estrogen receptors.

Implications of Estrogen Therapy and the Flu

The study’s lead researcher, Sabra L. Klein, said in the American Physiological Society press release that these findings suggest that when women are taking hormones therapy for any reason “an added benefit might be less susceptibility to influenza during the flu season.”

These findings could be particularly important for elderly women, because older women are both the most likely to be estrogen deficient and are also most susceptible to severe influenza. Researcher Sabra L. Klein went on to note that “Being on hormone replacement therapy could be one way to mitigate the severity of [the flu], which is exciting, simple, and cheap.”

And while many people may dismiss these findings, saying “it’s just the flu”, it is crucial to remember that the flu is a deadly disease. The CDC estimates that flu has resulted in up to 710,000 hospitalizations and up to 52,000 deaths per year between 2010 and 2020.

But What if I am Already Vaccinated?

People who have received the flu vaccine may not think that this exciting discovery applies to them. But it is important to understand that while the influenza vaccine is the best way to avoid becoming infected, it doesn’t work equally in all patients. So some people who get the flu vaccine will still get sick.

For example, certain older people, obese people, and individuals with some chronic illnesses may develop less immunity after getting the flu vaccine. A recent study in the International Journal of Obesity pointed out that obese adults remain twice as likely to contract the flu as adults of healthy weight, even if they received a flu shot.

Estrogen Therapy Helps Prevent the Flu

The importance of maintaining estrogen levels for health and vitality cannot be understated. Declining levels of estrogen in perimenopausal and menopausal women are associated with a higher risk of osteoporosis, breast cancer, heart and artery disease, cognitive decline and Alzheimer’s disease, metabolic syndrome, and type 2 diabetes.

Hormone replacement therapy to rebalance estrogen levels can help protect against these debilitating and life threatening diseases. Now, clinical research shows that hormone replacement therapy also provides protection against certain viral infections, including the flu.

This provides just one more reason why perimenopausal and menopausal women should be tested for hormone deficiencies, so that they may safely rebalance their estrogen levels with HRT.

One of the essential methods of treating female hormone imbalance or estrogen deficiency is through the use of 100% natural, convenient, and safe SottoPelle® Method bioidentical hormone replacement therapy.

Talk to us about SottoPelle® Method estrogen therapy today.

Call 201-225-2525 or schedule a consultation at: https://advancedhormonesolutions.com/consultation-form/

Article created by SottoPelle and used by permission of SottoPelle. Advanced Hormone Solutions is a “Certified” SottoPelle provider

According to recent research from the University of East Anglia, combined hormone replacement therapy (HRT) reduces women’s risk of early death from all causes.

This in-depth study followed-up on thousands of women in the UK, comparing the risk of death of those taking hormone therapy with those not using it, over many years. That research found that the risk of death from all causes remains neutral for healthy women taking estrogen-only therapy. But for healthy women taking combined estrogen and progestogen HRT, the overall risk of death from all causes is reduced by almost ten percent.

In this article the hormone replacement therapy experts at SottoPelle® explain the results of this study and discuss how HRT may be able to help women live longer, healthier lives.

Study on Hormone Therapy and Women’s Risk of Early Death

This study used the data from primary care providers in the UK. The researchers followed the medical records of 105,199 women in good health who were between 46 and 65 years old who were given hormone therapy, with an average follow-up of 13 years. These women’s health was compared with 224,643 women of the same age, who were non-HRT users.

Unlike previous studies which only adjusted for demographic and/or lifestyle factors, this study also adjusted for medical conditions including type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, heart and artery disease, hysterectomy, ovary removal, body mass index, and smoking.

The data in this study, which was commissioned by the Institute and Faculty of Actuaries (IFoA), was the first to analyze the impact of HRT on women’s overall life expectancy using primary care data.

Of the more than 300,000 women in the study a total of 21,751 women in the study died over the average 13.5 years follow-up per participant.  15,422 non-users of hormone therapy died. However, only 6,329 HRT users died in the average 13.5 year follow-up.

When adjusted for a variety of factors, the researchers concluded that “combined HRT [estrogen + progesten] was associated with a 9% lower risk of all-cause mortality and estrogen-only formulation was not associated with any significant changes.”

Implications of Hormone Therapy and Women’s Risk of Early Death

Sadly, many women are still reluctant to undergo hormone therapy for the treatment of menopause, because of the controversial results of some outdated and erroneous studies from over two decades ago. As Professor Elena Kulinskaya from the University of East Anglia in Norwich, England said: “Despite the effectiveness of HRT in relieving menopausal symptoms … untreated menopausal symptoms eventually increase the risks of other health conditions, such as osteoporosis and cardiovascular disease, and incur additional costs to the healthcare systems.

Louise Pryor, IFoA President, summed up the research by saying: “This study supports the emerging consensus that, for most women, the benefits of HRT outweighs the harm. We hope this research will help … support women deciding whether to start or continue with HRT.”

SottoPelle® Method Hormone Therapy for Women

SottoPelle® Method 100% natural bioidentical hormone replacement therapy method can help restore a woman’s body and mind to optimal balance during perimenopause and menopause, in addition to protecting a woman’s body from a wide variety of diseases including type 2 diabetes, heart disease and osteoporosis.

And hormone replacement therapy pellets offer several advantages, including NO daily pills, NO painful weekly shots, and NO messy creams. Additionally, SottoPelle® pellet therapy utilizes bioidentical hormones that are safer, more effective, and more natural than lab-created synthetics. Because bioidentical hormones are identical to the body’s own hormones, they offer more effective results, with fewer side-effects and risks.

Research has clearly shown that estrogen-only hormone therapy is not linked to an increased risk of death from any cause – and that combined HRT use is linked to an overall lower risk of death in women after menopause.

If you are a woman who is experiencing the symptoms of perimenopause or menopause, talk to us about SottoPelle® Method hormone therapy today.

Call 201-225-2525 or schedule a consultation at: https://advancedhormonesolutions.com/consultation-form/

Article created by SottoPelle and used by permission of SottoPelle. Advanced Hormone Solutions is a “Certified” SottoPelle provider

Most people associate osteoporosis with women. But while osteoporosis is less common in males, more than 8 million men in the United States have low bone mass.[1] Additionally, when older men suffer certain types of fractures due to bone loss, they have a higher mortality (death) rate than women. In fact, more men die of hip fractures every year than of pancreatic cancer.[2]

Unfortunately, men are rarely screened for osteoporosis. But the good news is that osteoporosis can be very successfully treated in men with lifestyle measures, hormone therapy (when indicated), and/or drug therapy.

In this article the hormone therapy experts at SottoPelle provide an overview of treating and preventing osteoporosis in men.

What is Osteoporosis?

Osteoporosis is a medical condition in which bone loss (osteoclast activity) occurs faster than bone production (osteoblast activity).  Osteoporosis causes bones to become weak and brittle, which increases the risk of fractures, mobility limitations, and pain.

Risk Factors for Male Osteoporosis

Risk factors for male osteoporosis include being older than 70 years or older, reduced testosterone levels, poor nutrition, a sedentary lifestyle, and certain medications that interfere with bone turnover. Men with a family history of osteoporosis are also predisposed to developing osteoporosis.

Lifestyle factors that may contribute to the progression of osteoporosis are low body weight, high alcohol consumption, smoking, and some recreational drug usage. Certain underlying medical conditions can also increase the risk of a man developing osteoporosis. These include Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes, HIV, Parkinson’s, MS, hyperthyroidism, and chronic kidney disease. Inflammatory conditions like COPD, RA, Asthma, IBS, and celiac disease also put a man at greater risk of developing osteoporosis.

Medications that may induce osteoporosis include aluminum-containing antacids, anti-seizure drugs, chemotherapy drugs, immunosuppressants, androgen-deprivation therapies (ADT), heparin, proton pump inhibitors (PPIs), selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), corticosteroids, and antidiabetic drugs.

Reducing the Risk Factors for Male Osteoporosis

Successful strategies for reducing the risk of osteoporosis and counteracting bone loss include certain important lifestyle modifications. Consuming food high in vitamin D and calcium, vitamin D supplementation, and refraining from smoking and alcohol consumption are the first steps. Engaging in regular weight-bearing, strength-training, and resistance exercise can also help men keep bone loss at bay. And, in older men, practicing fall-prevention strategies can reduce the risk of breaking bones.

However, lifestyle factors alone – though extremely important – are rarely sufficient on their own to prevent the development of osteoporosis.

Hormone Replacement for Men’s Osteoporosis

Hormones play an essential role in bone formation and bone maintenance in adults. But men lose 1 to 3% of their testosterone every year after the age of 40. This loss testosterone and other androgens, as well as declining estrogen levels, in elderly men contributes substantially to the development of osteoporosis.

But the good news for the large percentage of men who are hormone deficient, is that testosterone therapy in men with osteoporosis is a very effective treatment for increasing bone density.

Medications for Men’s Osteoporosis

When diet, lifestyle, supplements, and hormone replacement therapy are not sufficient, some men may also need to be prescribed medication for male osteoporosis. This can take many forms including oral or IV bisphosphonates and other antiresorptive agents, and PTH analogues

Bisphosphonates for men include Alendronate (Binosto, Fosamax) and Ibandronate (Boniva). However, like any medication, these bisphosphonates come with a litany of potential side effects, including, bone and joint pain, constipation or diarrhea, nausea and flu-like symptoms, irritation of the food pipe (esophagus), pain or difficulty swallowing, and osteonecrosis of the jaw (death of bone tissue). This is why it is recommended that men try natural bone building strategies before resorting to medication – including diet and lifestyle changes, and 100% natural bioidentical hormone therapy.

SottoPelle Method Hormone Therapy for Men’s Osteoporosis

SottoPelle Method hormone therapy stands apart from other testosterone replacement methods, because it utilizes bioidentical pellets – rather than synthetic pills, patches or gels.

Bioidentical hormone replacement therapy prevents osteoporosis by restoring the body’s natural hormone balance – rather than introducing lab-created chemicals that come with harsh and dangerous side effects.

There are two types of hormone replacement therapy: hormones created in a laboratory, and “bioidentical” replacement hormones that are derived from natural, plant-based sources. Nothing that is created in a lab will ever be identical to what is found naturally in the body. But “bioidentical” hormones that are obtained from natural, living, plant-based sources are virtually identical in molecular structure to human hormones. So, the human body more readily “recognizes” bioidentical hormones, and they “fit” better with the body’s other cells.

And, unlike pills, patches and gels that need to be taken or applied daily, a single pellet insertion every six months is all that is needed with SottoPelle Method hormone therapy! The time-released hormone pellets also offer continual, 24/7 HRT – for the most consistent delivery of hormones, rather than the “ups and downs” of pills, patches and gels.

And because the pellets are customized for each individual patient based on their lab results (rather than one-size-fits-all, like pills and patches) patients get exactly the dose they need – which means fewer side effects.

Men’s Hormone Therapy for Osteoporosis  | Scottsdale, AZ

Because men experience a substantially decreased quality of life and have an increased mortality risk following a bone fracture, it is imperative for to screen and treat men at risk for osteoporosis.

One of the essential methods of treating and preventing men’s osteoporosis is through the use of 100% natural, convenient, and safe SottoPelle® Method bioidentical hormone replacement therapy.

Talk to us about SottoPelle® Method men’s hormone therapy today. Call 201-225-2525 or schedule a consultation at: https://advancedhormonesolutions.com/consultation-form/

Article created by SottoPelle and used by permission of SottoPelle. Advanced Hormone Solutions is a “Certified” SottoPelle provider

A paper published in the American Journal of Physiology—Lung Cellular and Molecular Physiology has revealed that in clinical studies estrogen dramatically reduced the amount of flu virus that replicated in the infected cells of women (but not of men).

The researchers of that study, from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, have made the claim that estrogen appears to have a protective advantage for women, by hampering replication of many viruses including the HIV, Ebola, and hepatitis. That effect lessens an infection’s severity and makes it less contagious, so the study team sought to determine if estrogen might also have the same effect on the flu virus.

Clinical Research on Estrogen and the Flu

In this clinical study, the researchers collected cells from the inside of the noses of female and male volunteers. Then they exposed batches of the cells to different types of estrogens, including normal levels of naturally occurring estrogen. The cells then were exposed to an influenza A virus.

The results showed that the female cells receiving estrogen exposure had significant reductions in viral replication compared to those that had not been exposed to the estrogens. The estrogen-exposed cells from women had viral replication that was nearly 1,000 times less than the female cells that were not treated with estrogen.

However, the same reduction in virus replication was not seen in the male cells that were exposed to estrogen. The researchers of that study explained that the same anti-viral results were likely not seen in men, because (while men do produce some estrogen) their cells have far fewer estrogen receptors.

Implications of Estrogen Therapy and the Flu

The study’s lead researcher, Sabra L. Klein, said in the American Physiological Society press release that these findings suggest that when women are taking hormones therapy for any reason “an added benefit might be less susceptibility to influenza during the flu season.”

These findings could be particularly important for elderly women, because older women are both the most likely to be estrogen deficient and are also most susceptible to severe influenza. Researcher Sabra L. Klein went on to note that “Being on hormone replacement therapy could be one way to mitigate the severity of [the flu], which is exciting, simple, and cheap.”

And while many people may dismiss these findings, saying “it’s just the flu”, it is crucial to remember that the flu is a deadly disease. The CDC estimates that flu has resulted in up to 710,000 hospitalizations and up to 52,000 deaths per year between 2010 and 2020.

But What if I am Already Vaccinated?

People who have received the flu vaccine may not think that this exciting discovery applies to them. But it is important to understand that while the influenza vaccine is the best way to avoid becoming infected, it doesn’t work equally in all patients. So some people who get the flu vaccine will still get sick.

For example, certain older people, obese people, and individuals with some chronic illnesses may develop less immunity after getting the flu vaccine. A recent study in the International Journal of Obesity pointed out that obese adults remain twice as likely to contract the flu as adults of healthy weight, even if they received a flu shot.

Estrogen Therapy Helps Prevent the Flu

The importance of maintaining estrogen levels for health and vitality cannot be understated. Declining levels of estrogen in perimenopausal and menopausal women are associated with a higher risk of osteoporosis, breast cancer, heart and artery disease, cognitive decline and Alzheimer’s disease, metabolic syndrome, and type 2 diabetes.

Hormone replacement therapy to rebalance estrogen levels can help protect against these debilitating and life threatening diseases. Now, clinical research shows that hormone replacement therapy also provides protection against certain viral infections, including the flu.

This provides just one more reason why perimenopausal and menopausal women should be tested for hormone deficiencies, so that they may safely rebalance their estrogen levels with HRT.

One of the essential methods of treating female hormone imbalance or estrogen deficiency is through the use of 100% natural, convenient, and safe SottoPelle® Method bioidentical hormone replacement therapy.

Contact Advanced Hormone Solutions today at 201-225-2525 or schedule a consultation at: https://advancedhormonesolutions.com/consultation-form/

Article created by SottoPelle and used by permission of SottoPelle. Advanced Hormone Solutions is a “Certified” SottoPelle provider

Menopause – the hormone decline that occurs at the end of a woman’s reproductive years – has long been known to cause mental and psychological symptoms. Brand fog, concentration problems, and memory issues are common among perimenopausal and menopausal women. Less common, but much more serious, is the onset or worsening of depression during menopause.

However, a recent clinical research study published in the journal JAMA Psychiatry showed that undergoing a year of hormone replacement therapy (HRT) cut the risk of depression symptoms in women going through menopause and early post-menopause.

In this article the hormone replacement therapy experts at SottoPelle® explain the results of this study and discuss how HRT may be able to help women reduce the likelihood of developing or worsening depression during or after menopause.

What is Depression?

The Mayo Clinic defines depression as a mood disorder that causes persistent feelings of sadness, as well as loss of interest in normal activities that interferes with daily life.

Depression can range from mild to severe, persistent depression. Clinical depression is the more-severe form of depression, also known as major depression or major depressive disorder. Depression is not the same as temporary episodes of sadness – such as the depression caused by the death of a loved one, loss of a job, or end of a relationship.

Recent studies have shown that the hormone decline of menopause can worsen symptoms of depression in women with a preexisting history, as well as cause the onset of depression in woman with no prior history of depression. According to Jennifer Payne, director of the Women’s Mood Disorders Center at Johns Hopkins University, women with a previous diagnosis of major depression or anxiety disorder are going to be at a greater risk of depression during perimenopause.

A significant number of women – about 18% in early perimenopause and 38% in late perimenopause – will experience symptoms of depression.¹

Clinical Study on Hormone Replacement Therapy & Menopausal Depression

Research published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) Psychiatry² conducted by Susan Girdler, professor of psychiatry at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill HRT was shown to reduce the risk of menopause during depression.

That study recruited 172 women between the ages of 45 and 60 who were either perimenopausal or recently postmenopausal at the start of the study. One group of women was given an inactive placebo patch to wear, while the other group were given skin patches that delivered 0.1 milligrams/day of estrogen. (Additionally, every three months, the estrogen patch group were also given 12 days of progesterone to protect against the risk of endometrial cancer.)

After receiving hormone replacement therapy for a year, 32% of perimenopausal women treated with a placebo experienced clinically significant depressive symptoms. However, the women in the study treated with hormone replacement therapy experienced half that rate of serious symptoms of depression (only 17%).

Researchers also found that there were two main factors that predicted whether women would experience fewer depression symptoms while on hormone replacement therapy: (1.) being in perimenopause; and (2.) experiencing a significant stress in life, such as the death of a loved one or a divorce.

The study concluded that when the benefits of hormone replacement therapy outweigh the risks, women should be on the lowest dose for the shortest time. The researchers also said that the study “raises some very interesting questions, but that it needs to be replicated in a larger, more diverse group of people.” And, the researchers urged that women going through menopause who are experiencing depressive symptoms should get a depression assessment as soon as possible.

Hormone Replacement Therapy for Depression During Menopause

The recommendations of the Center for Women’s Mental Health at Massachusetts General Hospital for major depression that occurs in association with menopause are the prescription of antidepressant medication, in combination with hormone replacement therapy (usually estrogen plus progesterone, or occasionally estrogen alone).³

This combination of an antidepressant medication PLUS hormones replacement therapy is advised by the Women’s Mental Health Center, whether or not the woman has had depression in the past.

SottoPelle® Method 100% natural bioidentical hormone replacement therapy method can help restore a woman’s body and mind to optimal balance during perimenopause and menopause. And hormone replacement therapy pellets offer several advantages, including NO daily pills, NO painful weekly shots, and NO messy creams.

Additionally, SottoPelle® pellet therapy utilizes bioidentical hormones that are safer, more effective, and more natural than lab-created synthetics. Because bioidentical hormones are identical to the body’s own hormones, they offer more effective results, with fewer side-effects and risks.

If you are a woman who is experiencing the symptoms of perimenopause or menopause, talk to your physician about SottoPelle® Method hormone replacement therapy today. Contact Advanced Hormone Solutions today at 201-225-2525 or schedule a consultation at: https://advancedhormonesolutions.com/consultation-form/

Article created by SottoPelle and used by permission of SottoPelle. Advanced Hormone Solutions is a “Certified” SottoPelle provider

Two decades ago, The Women’s Health Initiative (WHI) was designed to examine the effects of estrogen and progestin treatment, and estrogen treatment alone, on post-menopausal women. That now controversial study claimed that estrogen plus progestin treatment increased the risk of several illnesses.

However, in the intervening 20 years, the results of that study have been reevaluated. Based on more recent analysis of newly available data, it has been determined that post-menopausal women who are treated with estrogen and progestin do NOT have an increased risk of cardiovascular disease, invasive breast cancer, stroke, or blood clots.

Unfortunately, many of the myths about Menopausal Hormone Therapy (MHT) that came from the Women’s Health Initiative (WHI) study of still persist.

Now that doctors better understand the risks and benefits of Menopausal Hormone Therapy, the vast majority agree that MHT is the best way to control menopausal symptoms and offer certain health protection benefits as women age.

In this article the Menopausal Hormone Therapy experts at SottoPelle dispel 8 of the most common myths and misunderstandings about MHT.

1. Menopausal Hormone Therapy Does NOT Make Women Put on Weight

Research has shown that women who use Menopausal Hormone Therapy do not gain any more weight than women who do not use MHT.

It is actually the hormonal decline of menopause that causes fat to move from the hips to the abdomen and accumulate on the belly. In many cases, MHT can help reduce fat gain and improve muscle mass.

2. Menopausal Hormone Therapy does NOT Increase Breast Cancer Risk

An unfounded fear of developing breast cancer is the reason why many women do not take MHT. However, new information combined with better understanding of the data suggests that combined estrogen plus progestogen, or estrogen therapy alone, causes no significant increase in breast cancer in women aged 50 to 59 or in women who start treatment within 10 years of menopause.

3. Menopausal Hormone Therapy does NOT Increase Heart Disease Risk

More recent analysis of all MHT studies (40,410 women) revealed that Menopausal Hormone Therapy did not increase the number of deaths from heart and blood vessel disease or heart attacks.

Menopausal Hormone Therapy also did not increase the number of cases of angina (pain caused by reduced blood flow to the heart) in healthy women or in women with pre-existing heart and blood vessel disease.

4. Alternative & OTC Menopause remedies are NOT as effective/safer than MHT

Women’s health care providers almost universally agree – and research supports – that Menopausal Hormone Therapy is the most effective way to control menopausal symptoms.

Additionally, there is no way to know if alternative therapies are safe because they are not FDA regulated. And DIY or online menopause remedies do not come in exact dosages and may even be contaminated.

While some complementary menopause therapies might have benefits for your situation, they are typically not an effective substitute for MHT – and should always be discussed with your physician.

5. All Progestogens do NOT have the Same Risks for Menopausal Women

Combined progestogen and estrogen therapy is used to reduce the risk of uterine cancer in menopausal women who still have a uterus.  But progestogen is a term that covers both progesterone (naturally occurring in humans) and progestins (synthetic progestogens).

Bioidentical (plant derived) progesterone has the same molecular structure as the hormones made in the body. However, synthetic (man-made) progestin is created in a laboratory and its chemical structure is not identical to the hormones produced by the body.

While synthetic progestin has been associated with an increase in risk of breast cancer, bioidentical progesterone offers a number of health protections. Progesterone thins the uterine lining, helping prevent the development of endometrial cancer. And, when paired with estrogen, bioidentical progesterone has been shown to provide protection against breast cancer, as well as cognitive decline.

If you are a perimenopausal or menopausal woman who is experiencing any of the symptoms of menopause,  contact Advanced Hormone Solutions today at 201-225-2525 or schedule a consultation at: https://advancedhormonesolutions.com/consultation-form/

Article created by SottoPelle and used by permission of SottoPelle. Advanced Hormone Solutions is a “Certified” SottoPelle provider

We’ve all heard the expression “you are what you eat.” And nowhere is that more true than in the arena of essential hormone production. Hormones affect every aspect of daily life – from energy level, to weight gain, mental functioning and even disease prevention. And the food we eat can affect the production and secretion of these crucial hormones in many ways.

How Diet Affects Hormone Imbalance

Some foods are what are called “endocrine disruptors” – meaning that they can mimic real hormones in the body – which results in preventing the actual “real” hormones from being activated at all.

Other foods, such as refined sugar and other processed foods, are considered “obesogens”. This term means that they disrupt the bacterial diversity in the gut – which in turn alters metabolism, increase body fat storage, and promotes unwanted weight gain.

Other foods can cause certain hormone levels to skyrocket above normal ranges – causing one hormone to become “dominant” throwing off the proper balance of necessary hormones. Dairy and soy are believed to to cause estrogen dominance – an imbalance that can make menstrual cycles and monthly mood fluctuations much worse.

Which Foods in Your Diet Can Cause Hormone Imbalance

1. Sugar and Hormone Imbalance

Many physicians will argue that sugar and sugar substitutes are the number one food culprit responsible for hormone imbalance, particularly in women.

Not only can too much refined sugar cause surges of insulin that eventually result in insulin resistance – but it is also thought to throw the stress hormone cortisol out of balance. It is speculated that the body goes into overdrive, producing too much cortisol, to combat the stress caused by the sugar-induced inflammation resulting from a poor diet.

2. Caffeine and Hormone Imbalance

While there are medical claims of certain health benefits of caffeine, when consumed in excess it can be a  hormone-disrupting drug that also spikes cortisol levels in the body!

3. Soy and Hormone Imbalance

Certain plant constituents derived from soy (“isoflavones”) have phytoestrogen activity – which means they mimic estrogen in the body. Since this can directly throw estrogen levels of balance, many experts speculate on soy’s relationship to breast cancer risk and thyroid imbalance.

Additionally, most soy consumed in the American diet is processed, as well as pesticide-ridden – making it highly inflammatory.

4. Factory Farmed “GMO” Foods and Hormone Imbalance

As the global demand for food began to rise in the late 20th century, industrial farming began. And along with it emerged the advent of strategically altering crops by cross-breeding the DNA of natural foods, as well as using and using chemicals, fertilizers, and pesticides to grow more food, with higher yields more rapidly.

5. Pesticides and Hormone Imbalance

Pesticides have long been identified in studies as among the top endocrine disruptors.

Glyphosate is the most widely used pesticide, and many adverse health outcomes have been speculated to be linked to this pesticide over the last 30 years. Glyphosate contaminated foods often include: fish & other seafood, farm-raised poultry and meat, the skins on non-organic fruits and vegetables, and GMO crops like corn, canola, soybeans, legumes, and grains.

6. Mercury and Hormone Imbalance

Large fish like tuna, swordfish, and mackerel are great sources of protein and other valuable nutrients- but they are also some of the highest mercury-containing foods on the planet.

And excessive levels of toxins like mercury deplete vital nutrients, including the antioxidant glutathione – which means less effective and efficient detoxification.

7. Preservatives and Hormone Imbalance

In a typical western diet, foods are processed with a wide variety of preservatives to make them taste “better”, as well as to prolong their “shelf life”.

Common preservatives found in packaged foods in the U.S. include: Butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT), Bisphenol A (BPA), dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT), and nitrites/nitrates. BHT, especially, has been demonstrated to lower testosterone and impair thyroid function.

Preservative-rich foods include: processed meat, non-organic butter, most packaged baked good, many alcoholic beverages, and even cosmetics (we inadvertently eat lip stick). Animal feed also contains high levels of these hormone disrupting preservatives –  and if we eat meat or poultry we what the animals eat!

Hormone Imbalance Treatment | Phoenix

Eating primarily organic, whole foods can assist the body in many ways to naturally keep hormones in optimal balance. Avoiding the foods listed above can help support blood sugar control, reduce inflammation, and lower the body’s overall toxic burden.

However, realistically, the average American’s busy lifestyle makes it almost impossible to get the perfect hormone balancing foods when consuming a “Western Diet”.

Fortunately, the SottoPelle hormone replacement method can help restore your body to optimal hormone balance! If you are suffering from fatigue, sleep disruption, low sex drive, poor sexual performance, mental fog, or any other of chronic symptoms, hormone imbalance may be the cause.

If you are a perimenopausal or menopausal woman who is experiencing any of the symptoms of menopause,  contact Advanced Hormone Solutions today at 201-225-2525 or schedule a consultation at: https://advancedhormonesolutions.com/consultation-form/

Article created by SottoPelle and used by permission of SottoPelle. Advanced Hormone Solutions is a “Certified” SottoPelle provider

Menopause. Every woman eventually faces this transition that marks the end of her reproductive years. And, there are at least 36 symptoms of menopause that range from annoying (like hot flashes) to life-altering (painful sex) to downright dangerous (broken bones due to osteoporosis).

Hormone therapy is the number one FDA approved treatment for relief of the symptoms of menopause. Hormone therapy is also FDA approved for the prevention of osteoporosis. Hormone therapy is the only way to replace the declining estrogen and progesterone levels of menopause.

In this article, the experts at SottoPelle take you “back to the basics” of menopause hormone therapy.

The Three Stages of Natural Menopause

Perimenopause is the period of time between the start of hormone decline (and related symptom symptoms – such as erratic periods) until one year after a woman’s final menstrual period. While most women think of hormone therapy in terms of menopause, it is often perimenopause when hormone therapy can be most beneficial.

Menopause itself refers to the confirmed one-year period after a women’s final menstrual period.

Postmenopause refers to the rest of a woman’s years after menopause.

Additionally, women can experience “premature” or “early” menopause when a medical condition and/or surgery causes decreased or halted production of female hormones.

For example, a condition called Primary Ovarian Insufficiency (POI) can mimic perimenopause – causing irregular menstrual cycles, hot flashes, vaginal dryness, and painful intercourse. And, a total or radical hysterectomy that removes both ovaries will cause “surgical” menopause.

Types of Hormone Therapy for Menopause

There are two basic types of hormone therapy:

“ET” refers to estrogen-only hormone therapy. Typically, estrogen is the hormone that provides the most menopausal symptom relief.

“EPT” refers to combined estrogen plus progestogen therapy. Progestogen is added to estrogen therapy to protect women with a uterus against uterine (endometrial) cancer.

Bioidentical vs Synthetic Hormone Therapy for Menopause

Older, synthetic (man-made) hormones had many side effects – some of which were quite dangerous. Something as molecularly complex as a human hormone can never be identically duplicated in a lab. So, synthetic hormones are often less-than-effective because they are not an “exact fit” for the body.

But SottoPelle Hormone pellets are “bioidentical” – which means they exactly replicate the molecular structure of the hormones produced by the body. Derived from 100% natural sources, bioidentical hormones are safer, more effective, and also free of many of the dangerous side effects of synthetics (lab-created) man-made hormones.

Hormone Therapy Delivery Methods

Local or “nonsystemic” hormone products – creams, rings, or tablets – only affect the specific or localized area of the body where they are applied.

Systemic hormone therapy circulates the hormones throughout the bloodstream – delivering to all parts of the body. Pills, patches, gels, injections, and pellets are systemic. can be used for hot flashes and night sweats, vaginal symptoms, and osteoporosis.

However, only time-released under-the-skin hormone pellets deliver estrogen and progesterone consistently and evenly 24/7 – just like the body does. Pills, patches, and injections, however, create a roller coaster of hormones that surge when taken and then wear off until the next dose.

Hormone Therapy for Menopause – Less is More

Like any medication or therapy, there are potential side-effects of hormone therapy. But precise dosing – using he least amount necessary to achieve the desired results – can help avoid many side effects. The lowest effective dose for the shortest amount of time to achieve the treatments goals is always the ideal.

Today, doctors prescribe much lower doses for much shorter periods of time than they did before 2002 – (typically 3 to 5 years). One of the advantages of hormone therapy pellets for menopause is that they are custom compounded for each patient’s specific needs – as opposed to one-size-fits-all pills that can provide excess amounts of hormones.

SottoPelle Menopause Hormone Therapy

Hormones affect every aspect of a woman’s body, including physical, mental, emotional, and sexual functioning. So, the hormone decline of menopause can be brutal.

SottoPelle® Method 100% natural bioidentical hormone therapy can help restore a woman’s body and mind to optimal balance during perimenopause and menopause. And hormone pellet therapy offers several advantages, including NO daily pills, NO painful weekly shots, and NO messy creams. Additionally, SottoPelle® pellet therapy utilizes bioidentical hormones that are safer, more effective, and more natural than lab-created synthetics.

If you are a perimenopausal or menopausal woman who is experiencing any of the symptoms of menopause,  contact Advanced Hormone Solutions today at 201-225-2525 or schedule a consultation at: https://advancedhormonesolutions.com/consultation-form/

Article created by SottoPelle and used by permission of SottoPelle. Advanced Hormone Solutions is a “Certified” SottoPelle provider

Menopause is a natural biological process in which female hormones decline as a woman reaches the end of her reproductive years. As estrogen levels decrease, the female body goes through many physical changes. Some unpleasant menopausal symptoms – such as hot flashes, mood swings, and insomnia will thankfully eventually subside. But sadly, menopausal hair loss can last the rest of a woman’s life unless it is treated.

Fortunately, there are some revolutionary new treatments – including bioidentical hormone replacement therapy – that can take to prevent or minimize hair loss during menopause.

Our SottoPelle hormone specialists and menopause experts discuss some of the best and most effective treatments for menopausal women’s hair loss.

How Do I Know if My Hair Loss is Due to Menopause?

There are many types and causes of female hair loss. Pregnancy and other medical conditions, for example, can result in Telogen Effluvium – a loss of hair in “patches” that often grow back.

“Androgenetic Alopecia” – also called Female Pattern Hair Loss (FPHL) – causes hair follicles to shrink. This results in hair falling out faster and growing back “wispier”, with fewer follicles per inch of scalp. Female Pattern Baldness is the most common cause of female hair loss and is caused by a combination of heredity and hormones.

Female hair loss due to the hormonal changes of menopause tend to be subtler and more gradual than the “balding” that males experience. Menopausal women will typically undergo overall hair thinning rather than distinct patches or “bald spots”.

Hair thinning due to menopause can occur on the front, sides, top or all over the head. Women will often notice hair falling out in “clumps” when brushing or washing their hair if the hair loss is due to menopause.

What Causes Menopausal Hair Loss?

Clinical research has determined that hair loss that occurs during menopause is typically the result of a hormone imbalance. Both the female hormones estrogen and progesterone help hair grow faster, as well as help stay on the head longer. However, when estrogen and progesterone levels start to drop during menopause, a woman’s hair grows more slowly, falls out more rapidly, and becomes much thinner.

Further, menopausal hormone estrogen also triggers an increase in the body’s production of certain male hormones called “androgens”. And, frustratingly, androgens both shrink a woman’s hair follicles on her head and cause more hair to grow on her face.

Treating Menopausal Hair Loss

Seeing a doctor who specializes in hormone balancing, is crucial to accurately diagnosing the cause of your hair loss and identifying the best hair restoration treatment for you. Indeed, the cause of menopausal hair loss is almost always rooted in hormone changes. However, there are many additional contributors to thinning hair during menopause, including stress, illness or disease, certain medications, and some nutritional deficiencies.

A certified SottoPelle physician can order diagnostic blood tests – including estrogen, progesterone, testosterone and thyroid tests, as well as complete blood panels – to identify any underlying deficiencies that may be the cause of your thinning hair.

Hormone Replacement Therapy for Menopausal Hair Loss

Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) can effectively restore hormonal balance to menopausal women. This can provide long-lasting relief from many of the embarrassing or unpleasant symptoms of menopause, including hair loss.

After identifying a patient’s individual hormone deficiencies, a certified SottoPelle provider can prescribe customized, natural, biodentical hormone replacement. By restoring a woman’s levels of the female hormones estrogen and progesterone, a woman can more rapidly often re-grow thicker hair that stays on her head longer.

Other Treatments for Menopausal Hair Loss

Topical medications can improve female hair growth but have several unpleasant side effects. Finasteride (Propecia or Proscar) can result in decreased libido, breast tenderness, and excess hair growth in unwanted places. Minoxidil (Rogaine) can cause unwanted facial and/or body hair, dizziness, irregular heartbeat, fainting, chest pain, swelling of the limbs, weight gain, tiredness, and difficulty breathing.

Depending upon the underlying cause of a menopausal women’s hair loss, dietary supplementation can also help stop hair loss, and support hair regrowth. SottoPelle Hair Repair Supplement can be used in combination with hormone replacement for even better results.

This revolutionary hair restoration supplement supplies essential nutrients to support healthy hair growth at the deepest cellular level, including Saw Palmetto to help keep the hair growth cycle intact, as well as d-Biotin, Zinc and Selenium to stimulate scalp health, inhibit further hair loss, and encourage new growth.

SottoPelle has been helping menopausal women restore hormone balance and reverse the symptoms of menopause for more than four decades. If you are suffering from hair loss or other symptoms of hormone decline, Advanced Hormone Solutions will take a thorough diagnostic approach and prescribe the most effective treatment(s) to restore a thick and healthy head of hair.

For more info, contact Advanced Hormone Solutions today at 201-225-2525 or schedule a consultation at: https://advancedhormonesolutions.com/consultation-form/

Article created by SottoPelle and used by permission of SottoPelle. Advanced Hormone Solutions is a “Certified” SottoPelle provider