Hormonal Replacement

For Woman | For Men | Male Andropause Quiz

REMEMBER WHEN YOU HAD THAT SPUNK? That pep and drive? Waking up bright eyed and bushy tailed? Lost that libido? Well, for men and women, these are signs that you're going through Menopause, if you’re a woman. Similarly with Andropause, the male menopause, if you’re a man. You need not suffer, though. These conditions are readily treatable by an experienced Anti-Aging Physician as Dr. Rao.

For Women...

For Women, times are quite confusing. With all the recent information from studies as The Women’s Health Initiative and The HERS Trail, Hormonal Replacement Therapies are getting a bad rap. So far, only with the Prempro combination was there a slightly higher increase in risk of Heart Attack, Stroke, and Breast Cancer. Since that announcement, there has been a flurry of improper extrapolation from even the best authorities. To say that all hormonal replacements are bad, is like saying since some antibiotics and cholesterol-lowering medications were withdrawn within the past few years because of untoward effects, all antibiotics and Statin drugs are bad for your health and should be discontinued. Of course, you wouldn'tt see that. And it amazes me that even educated doctors and lay people are over generalizing.

Of course, I wouldn’t recommend any hormones except those that are Biologically Equivalent to what the body makes. This is one of the tenets of Anti-Aging Medicine, and what sets us apart from the old school. I wouldn’t dream of using a hormone as Prempro, or even Premarin, because they are derived from Pregnant Mare urine; basically for a horse, not a human. Instead for example, I may use Estriol and Estrogen combinations, preferably in cream form, and combined individually for you. It’s far from a “one size fits all” mentality. (You wouldn’t dream of one outfit to satisfy all women would you? Yet doctors would recommend one dose of Premarin for virtually all women, without even checking levels for safety and efficacy).

And all the hormones worked in perfect balance when we were younger, and should be maintained this way as we age. From the thyroid to adrenals, to sex hormones, I optimize these so that you feel your best. We customize Estrogen, Progesterone, and Testosterone replacement just for you. It’s like conducting a symphony or an artist painting…perfect balance and harmony. All are optimized, and maintained that way, for your health span. Levels and feedback are routinely measured to insure the safety and effectiveness of your treatments. All wellness exams are performed using the latest methods. As an example, we use “thinprep” pap smears that by detecting HPV subtypes, can help cervical cancers earlier that traditional methods. If your current doctor isn’t doing this, please see us for a consult and avoid problems on down the road, and maximize your health. Isn’t that what it’s all about?”

For Men...

For Men, times may be even tougher! Andropause is considered by some to be a farce. Laughed at and rejected as nonsense. But is it? We all know men go through a “change of life.” Like menopause, it’s severity can be sneaky in onset, and vary in severity. Likewise, some men got though without any problems…to some, it’s devastating to them, their family, and others. Please take our Andropause quiz to see if you are suffering from this needlessly. Onset can be from any age after 35. If you are irritable, achy, more fat, and less lean, than you just may be going through this unfortunately under appreciated malady.

Interestingly enough, I wrote a paper on this back in college when I took an Endocrinology elective back in the Eighties. I found there was very little data on how Testosterone levels change as a male ages. Nothing on replacement or side effects. The German professor gave me a “C’ on it, because she, as others back then, dismissed this as hogwash. Much as the ideas of a bacterial infection by H. pylori causing stomach ulcers, and elevated Homocysteine level being a risk factor for heart attack were scoffed at originally.

Testosterone can be easily replaced by multiple methods, from a patch, to a gel, to injections. Because of the need for constancy, most Antiaging Doctors recommend replacement by weekly intramuscular injections. These have minimal discomfort and we teach you how and can supply you with the needed materials. I find that the topicals are messy, inconsistent , and have more conversion to DiHydroTestosterone (DHT). The latter is associated with more negative side effects as enlarging the prostate. This occurs in the subcutaneous tissues in the body, that’s why we prefer the IM route. And, since the half life of testosterone is 8.5 days, weekly injections are the tried and true way to get the appropriate peak levels without the supraphysiological monthly doses that can be harmful. Lastly, you won’t “crash” and got through flashes and sweats every month as those super high levels now plummet to suboptimal trough levels. A weekly injection is a small amount of hassle for the vast dramatic effects you will see. If preferred, though, we will work with any replacement method that fits you.

Levels are monitored, as in Menopause, for both effectiveness and safety. Estrogen and DHT are converted from Testosterone, and must be monitored along with serial PSA’s (the blood test for the prostate’s health), and digital rectal exams. I cannot stress the importance of seeing a doctor that is specially trained in this, as your health is the most important asset you have. You can see that this is not for the lesser trained professional, although some may express that they can. I have taught many Endocrinologists and Urologists on this proper way of performing hormonal replacement therapy (HRT) for men. They, as me and other properly trained anti- aging doctors, find HRT to be safe and have substantial beneficial effects when monitored and used appropriately.

Learn more at 888younger.com and Worldhealth.net