It is a common belief that estrogen replacement will not only relieve hot flashes, but also make skin appear more youthful, healthier and the way it looked prior to menopause. Nevertheless, studies conducted in the area have been inconsistent and there is not much existing research to backup the claims. A study was recently carried out to determine if women who were postmenopausal undergoing hormone replacement therapy or [HRT] would see any positive transformations with their skin.

The researchers chose postmenopausal women who had crow’s feet, loose jowl lines and dry skin and began treating some of them with HRT and some with a placebo. There were almost five hundred women contributing to the study and it ran for nearly one year.

Regrettably, they discovered that there were no distinctions in skin creasing or skin texture in the women who underwent HRT in comparison with those who were treated with the placebo.

The women participating in the trial were from five to seven years post menopause, so the potential exists that treating women with HRT directly when menopause commences might make the difference, where it did not have any effect for these women in the study. In addition, the study used lower dosages of hormone replacement, which would lessen the chances of adverse reactions among participants such as blood clots. This being the case, perhaps a higher dose would make some difference to their skin appearance.

Hormone replacement therapy seems to work best when women receive it as soon as possible after menopause ceases. Upcoming studies will observe hormone replacement with an eye toward the skin of premenopausal women and it remains to be seen if there will be any marked improvement in their skin tone.

Hormone replacement or estrogen therapy is not necessary for all women experiencing menopause. You should open discussion with your physician regarding symptoms and medical issues you are experiencing to make  determination of whether or not hormone replacement therapy could be the answer for you.

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The current method for evaluating hormone levels is via a blood test. The test will calculate the amount of hormones that are protein bound. Biologically active hormones are not bound in the blood proteins. One might ask why we test blood if this merely measures hormones bound in protein and biological busy hormones are not in the blood protein, why bother to test for active hormone levels? Saliva testing for hormones provides a more precise alternate method to blood tests and been accepted as standard by the World Health Organization [WHO] for more than five years.

Testing the saliva is quicker and less costly, less invasive than blood tests and a more reliable means of testing for hormonal levels by your physician in order to determine deficiencies. Saliva test kits ask for a minimum of two hormones get tested and will allow for additional examinations to be done. Five hormones are usually optimal, those being: progesterone, estradiol, DHEA, testosterone/androgens and cortisol in women. Men would test for testosterone and estrogen levels.
 
The timing of your saliva hormone test is important. When women are menstruating, the test should occur in the luteal phase or the latter half of the cycle. During a normal 28 day cycle, this would normally be the week before the period starts or about day nineteen to twenty one of a cycle when day one of the cycle is the first day of your period. For men and women who are post menopausal who are not taking hormones can test at any point of the month. Women receiving hormones should evaluate nearer to the end of their treatment phase.

If you have been supplementing with non-protein bound biological hormones it might actually require several weeks for any result on a blood test. Saliva hormone testing can document changes as they are occurring. For instance, a saliva hormone test can determine changes to levels of progesterone inside of hours of utilizing transdermal innate progesterone.

The cost of a hormone test via your saliva is relatively inexpensive, usually around thirty dollars per hormone tested. Tests can be done through the mail in your home or at the physician’s office or medical lab. Test results are available quickly by return mail or ASAP from the physician.

Testing Hormones Using Saliva

Prior testing for hormone balance has been done with blood tests that calculate the amount of blood serum or blood plasma count in the hormones. The tests were a bit unreliable since there was no indication of active biological hormone levels. Testing hormones via saliva is much more rapid and far more reliable approach for physicians to take when determining your hormone deficiencies. 

Protein bound progesterone is readily more soluble in watery blood content. While it is protein bound, just a portion of the hormone remains active. This is the same for estrogen, testosterone and corticosteroids. This is why blood serum concentration elements of these hormones do not accurately evaluate the active hormone amounts in the body since it bypasses the bigger quantity riding on red blood cell membranes.
 
Blood tests evaluate protein bound hormones. Those hormones Transdermally absorbed such as progesterone is not protein bound but indeed are biologically active. It is flowing in the bloodstream upon the red blood cells membranes and further fat soluble elements in the blood. Blood tests are just not very reliable for testing progesterone levels. The much better alternative would be bioavailable progesterone [among the other steroid hormones] is by using the saliva process essay. The WHO has had great results with saliva testing for hormones and they are the medical yard stick.

Symptoms – Women

• PMS, Insomnia, Early miscarriage, Painful and perhaps lumpy breasts, baffling weight gain, recurring headaches, nervousness, Infertility, Vaginal aridness, Nocturnal sweats, soreness during intercourse, Memory troubles, Bladder infections, Lethargic depression, Hot flashes, distension and bloat, Cervical dysplasia [abnormal pap smear], speedy weight gain, Breast tenderness, Mood fluctuations, Heavy bleeding, nervous depression, Migraine headaches, Insomnia, cloudy thinking, Red facial flushing, Gallbladder problems, Weepiness, Acne, Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), undue hair on the face and arms, Hypoglycemia and/or unbalanced blood sugar, lessening of hair on the head, Infertility, Ovarian cysts, Mid-cycle pain

Any of these symptoms occurring, or a combination of them at once, can mean a hormone imbalance and should be looked into. If you only have singular symptoms, your doctor should still be advised of the problem and you could suggest a saliva test for potential hormone imbalance. Often physicians will not consider the possibility of a hormone deficiency as a primary problem and order a full blood work and include hormone testing. This could lead to inaccurate results for a possible problem. Discussing the possibility in advance and requesting a saliva test will ensure accurate results specifically if hormones are the cause of your symptoms.

Symptoms Men

• Weight loss, Enlarged breasts, Loss of muscle, Lower stamina, Lower sex drive, Softer erections, Fatigue, Gallbladder problems, Hair loss, Headaches, Prostate enlargement, Breast enlargement, Irritability,  Weight gain, Puffiness/bloating
As with women’s symptoms, the hormone imbalance in men could occur as a result of one or more symptoms appearing at a time. Discuss with your physician what your symptoms are and request a saliva test over a blood test, specifically for hormone results. You should always talk to a qualified health care professional if you are concerned about a medical problem or potential health issue.

Health maladies mount as we age; it is a fact of life. A hormone imbalance is the type of condition that may garner only a secondary level of attention if not seriously discussed as a potential problem with your doctor. If you have never received a hormone test before, or specifically had a hormonal saliva test, you should ask for the full testing of all hormones when you do get tested. If you indeed have a hormone imbalance your physician can usually treat the problem fairly simply by changes to diet and exercise or Hormone replacement therapies depending on which hormone is out of balance.

Previous sufferers of hormone deficiencies find the reversal of the condition a remarkable relief, likening the result as a return of youthful vitality and exuberance.

Anti Aging, Anti Aging Supplements, Bioscience, Longevity

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At the Asian Institute of Longevity Medicine or [AILM], they invite and pioneer the use of ground breaking novel technologies from around the world back to the home base in the Philippines for eventual research. They always individualize how they deal with patients at their institute. People are different and so their therapies must also be just as unique. This is a process and not a quick one.

ILM is the lone facility that specializes in novel therapies which are intended to extend a person’s life, these include, treating flawed genes, reducing the risk of free radicals, rejuvenate weary immune systems, assisting with persistent stress and balancing diet and nutrition needs.

Bio-identical Hormone Therapy or [BHRT]

Hormones are front and center in the aging process. Replenishing and equalizing hormone imbalances to their highest levels will aid in setting the hormone clock to impede the aging effects we all eventually suffer. BHRT therapy will aid in better sleep, improve your memory, help plump up bone density and lean muscle, perk up your mood, aid your sex life, decrease your body fat and reduce lines and creases.

Bio-identical hormones come from innate resources and can be found in a topical formulation or in oral ingestible. These BHRT therapies come in personalized dosages, which are especially suited to your sole requirements. An example of BHRT therapy would be for a hormonal inequality that induces a fatigue syndrome; this can be a common symptom in menopausal women.

Passing on Knowledge To Physicians

At AILM, the aim is not to just treat patients, but also strive to teach and educate physicians about anti aging techniques. The clinic changed their name in recently to place the emphasis on being an anti aging facility and one dedicated to longevity therapy and research. Their mission is to reduce the speed that people are aging, extend their “life and health span” and aid folks in living a superior life.

AILM is expanding their reputation abroad by entering into tactical technical joint ventures and partnering with the likes of TICEBA, a ground breaking bioscience company out of Heidelberg, Germany studying stem cell and regeneration therapies. It is also a registered collaborator with GENOSENSE Diagnostics, which commenced their research in Vienna, Austria staffed by various skilled medical luminaries.

Your genetic makeup is unique to you and can literally tell you in certain cases, those diseases to which you could be predisposed. Imagine a productive life that is guided by your genetic data so you can live an optimal lifestyle and higher quality of life.

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There is still much debate in clinical circles regarding the issue of lowered testosterone and the appearance f these symptoms in men and the link between the two. The question is being asked whether men actually do experience of form of male menopause. It may be cause for debate but it already has a moniker. Andropause is the name given to the condition when men begin to experience their own menopause like symptoms due to a loss of testosterone.

Physicians are stating that when they place a male patient on a regimen of hormone replacement therapy or [HRT] to replace testosterone levels, the patients have reported significant relief of symptoms that are related to the purported male menopausal malady. When men receive treatment for testosterone replacement, they are able to benefit from an enhanced quality of life, but more importantly, they decrease dramatically the risk they faced for heart disease, diabetes, cancer and early mortality.

What follows Are Some Basic Questions & Answers Regarding Male Menopause.

At what age does male menopause normally occur in men?

What has been called male menopause or even a mid life crisis in men, when they start to notice symptoms associated with aging and health most commonly occur around age thirty five to forty years, however, environmental issues, stress factors, even toxins has meant that symptoms begin occurring in men as early as their mid twenties up to age thirty. The symptoms could be an indication of some other illness or condition so testing is necessary to establish a root diagnosis.

Does Male menopause eventually strike all men?

Not at all. All men will suffer some loss of testosterone as they age, the decline will be steady through their life. The loss of testosterone is different in every man. Testosterone loss is also more than losing hormone from the level it currently stands at when symptoms occur. If a guy has higher testosterone levels in his twenties and thirties, he will experience more symptoms with their reduction in testosterone than a guy who had lower levels to begin with. This changes as they both attain the same levels into their fifties.

Women And Menopause Is Well Documented. Why Does It Occur In Men?

We have many hormones in our body and as we age, many of these decline in numbers. Testosterone though is principally predisposed to a variety of issues like stress, weight, environmental toxicity in plastics etc. and diabetes. The fact is that normal testosterone levels in men have declined considerably when assessed to men of the same age only ten years ago. It is also lower than average levels of twenty years ago.

Why are low levels of testosterone observed in men, it is just an age factor?

Ordinary aging is quite often confused with symptoms linked to lowered amounts of testosterone though these symptoms can most often be reversed with an HRT regimen. The symptoms of testosterone decline include tiredness, low motivation and less vigor, depressed, easily irritated, lowered sex drive, sexual impotence, lean muscle loss, and weight gain. All common symptoms really of various conditions so hormonal testing is required to confirm a diagnosis.

Can A Guy Avoid or Prevent the Occurrence of Male Menopause?
 
There are things that can aid in preventing male menopause but they are not easy to control. Steering clear of stress in your life and shunning of environmental toxins would be beneficial but nearly impossible to do altogether. In addition, lowered testosterone levels make it even more troublesome for men to deal with stressful situations in their life. Keeping up a good program of diet and exercise is beneficial at reducing the decline of testosterone levels, however, weight gain also can reduce testosterone amounts which just makes it all the more difficult to decrease your weight. This in turn starts a viscous cycle of persistent weight increase.

Can Anyone Benefit From Hormone Replacement Therapy Or HRT?

It is not for everyone, nevertheless, many men who suffer from decreased levels of testosterone, find it advantageous. They have successfully been able to reverse the symptoms they experience. Hormone replacement therapy has also displayed an ability to reduce the odds of contracting heart disease in those who have had it. The big issue with this is that standard blood analysis chiefly evaluates inactive hormone levels, these do not decrease as rapidly as more active testosterone levels do, and hence they miss considerable deficiency. In addition, the labs have a standard for ranges considered normal with the lowest level being 2.5% of the population as abnormal so therefore many physicians will not even treat symptoms until levels reach that deficiency.
 
Many men who are suffering symptoms of lowered testosterone, suffering seventy to eighty percent deficiencies in levels, still only be in the lowest 5% of the population, and still be considered to have normal levels by laboratory standards and an unknowledgeable physician. This is why having a good physician with an open mind and previous experience with this condition can be an advantage for men suffering male menopause. A guy with low testosterone levels displaying symptoms and is found to be at low normal levels would be a suitable candidate for HRT – testosterone.

When levels of testosterone are supplemented, these men can improve their quality of life significantly and also reduce the chances of contracting heart disease. Just as an addendum to this information, it has long been believed that testosterone replenishment could raise the chances of developing prostate cancer, and this is erroneous information. It has now been proven that low testosterone levels, not high, increases the risk of prostate cancer.

Anti Aging, Health And Aging

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