Archive for Hormones

Do I need to be optimized? One patient’s journey through hormone therapy.

When I first heard about bio-identical hormones I immediately thought of some science fiction process, that didn’t appeal to me at all. Then I began hearing more and more about hormone optimization and how it could help you have more energy, feel better, sleep better, increase your libido, and the list goes on.  I decided I could use all of those things, but is 38 too young? I remembered my grandmother taking her hormones, that’s not what I needed, right? I did some research, and the first thing I realized is that everyone seemed to be able to give me a description, but no one was explaining the process. Was this something I could benefit from? Was I too young? Was it going to require injections or cleanses? I decided I would schedule a consultation with Dr. Allen at Deseret to get a few of my questions answered. After the consultation, I couldn’t wait to get started.

First things first!

The first step was to have blood work done and get a bone density scan, which measures bone strength and can be used to detect osteoporosis. The blood work would tell them exactly if and where I was lacking in nutrients, and if I had any other issues that should be addressed; standard in examining one’s health. A bone density scan might sound strange, but it was easy and completely noninvasive. Not to mention I was able to get it done right next to Dr. Allen’s office so I didn’t have to drive all over Arizona. Same with the blood work. So far this process was a breeze, but I couldn’t wait to get my results back and find out what’s next.

Testosterone, important for men AND women

Testosterone, a hormone secreted by the adrenal glands, testes and ovaries, is an essential hormone that neither men nor women should be without as they age. At optimal levels, testosterone

  • Increases energy
  • Increases lean muscle mass
  • Contributes to endurance
  • Improves skin tone
  • Improves healing capacity
  • Increases bone density
  • Lowers body and belly fat
  • Reduces anxiety
  • Improves Diabetes
  • Improves libido
  • Decreases risk of cancer
  • Lowers stress
  • Lowers blood pressure
  • Lowers cholesterol
  • Decreases heart disease
  • Improves erectile dysfunction
  • Decreases wrinkles
  • Enhances memory
  • Decreases arthritis
Levels of testosterone decline with age in both men and women. Think you aren’t running on optimal levels? Consider scheduling an appointment with Dr. Allen to find out if you can benefit from hormone optimization.

What is a thyroid hormone?

In general, hormones are molecules that signal the cells of the body to perform certain actions. A variety of hormones are produced in the various glands around the body; some of them affect many types of cells and others are more specialized.

The thyroid is a metabolic hormone, thyroxine (T4) and triiodothyronine (T3), secreted by the thyroid gland which regulates temperature, metabo­lism and cerebral function. Insufficient thyroid levels result in fatigue, increased cholesterol levels and in­creased risk of coronary artery disease. Low thyroid causes low energy, loss of motivation and thinning hair, skin and nails.

How it works!

After T4 and T3 are released by the thyroid, they hitch a ride in the bloodstream and get to work. They tell each cell if it needs to be consuming more oxygen and nutrients, thereby stepping up its rate of metabolism or vice versa. The hormones also have a hand in stimulating heart muscle contraction and nerve function, increasing the utilization of cholesterol and nutrients, ensuring normal growth and brain development.

When your thyroid’s not around to rev up your metabolism, a lot of things can go wrong. What’s scary is you usually don’t wake up one morning with every symptom on the list in full-fledged severity. You’ll just have a little more trouble making it through the day, or you may look in the mirror and see your face appears a bit puffy and more aged than it used to or you could get an ache in your muscles even after just walking a short distance. After a while, you’ll start to feel miserable all the time without even knowing why.

To Summarize…

The thyroid hormone controls the speed of your metabolism. The pituitary gland (located in your brain) controls how much thyroid hormone to make. It does this by making thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH). TSH tells the thyroid gland to make more or less thyroid hormone. The thyroid hormone that is sent into your bloodstream is made from iodine absorbed from the foods we eat.