Transcript Growth Hormone Treatment

HORMONE THERAPY AND THE
AGING ADULT
Jackie Springer, M.D., F.A.C.E.
Co-founder International Hormone Society and
David Johnson, President International Hormone Society
Kansas City, Missouri; U.S.A.
www.intlhormonesociety.org
The question
Can hormones help to alleviate or improve the
symptoms of aging (menopause, heart
disease, osteoporosis, dementia)?
Just use a little common sense.
COMMON SENSE
We only need to use common sense to realize
that what we are doing when we treat the
adult with hormone therapy is:
MERELY REPLACING THE HORMONES THE
BODY CAN NO LONGER MAKE!
When does the risk of osteoporosis
increase?
AS WE AGE!
There is NO question that the risk of fractures
increases as the level of estrogen decreases
and thus bone density declines.
Most women should not have to suffer from
osteoporosis if they take bioidentical
hormone therapy.
Hormones that affect bone density
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Calcitonin
Growth hormone/IGF-1 (enhances resorption of
bone)
Estrogens (enhances resorption of bone)
Progesterone
Parathyroid hormone (PTH)
Androgens (in form of estrogen)
Thyroid
Cortisol
When does the risk of dementia
increase?
Again,
AS WE AGE!
There is no question that estrogen and
progesterone (natural only) help prevent
some forms of dementia. Estrogen increases
blood perfusion to the brain. Estrogen and
progesterone are important for the integrity of
the brain.
When does the risk of heart disease
increase?
AS WE AGE!
Postmenopausal women are at a much
higher risk of heart disease. Research
shows that estrogens are beneficial to
the heart, if administered properly.
Hormones and heart disease
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Many hormones affect the heart
The heart is dependent on multiple
hormones to remain healthy
Testosterone, estrogen, thyroid, cortisol and
most importantly growth hormone affect the
heart
Synthetic hormones vs Bioidentical
hormones
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Bioidentical estrogen must be administered
through the skin NOT the mouth
Estrogen administered orally passes
immediately through the liver and causes
multiple problems with many other hormones
Studies of estrogen therapy
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These studies looked ONLY at oral estrogen
Bioidentical hormone therapy has been
proven safe in many studies outside of the
United States
The Woman’s Health Initiative study looked
ONLY at conjugated estrogen
Science content: The process of
conjugation
Hormones administered topically enter the
blood stream and are carried directly to the
cells of the body. After performing their
function those hormones re-enter the blood
stream and are carried to the liver where
they are marked (conjugated) as used
(waste.) Then they travel to the kidneys are
excreted in the urine.
Science content: The process of
conjugation
Anything, such as food or medication, that enters the body orally,
enters the blood stream from the gut and is immediately
processed by the liver. Nutrients are sent back into the blood
stream to be used by the cells. Those used nutrients return to
the liver and are marked (conjugated) as “used” so the kidneys
will remove it as waste.
Estrogen made from horse urine is already conjugated BY THE
HORSE LIVER. When it enters the human liver it causes
chaos. The liver recognizes it as estrogen but it is already
marked as waste. The already conjugated estrogen interferes
with IGF/1 (growth hormone) and other hormones. The horse
conjugated estrogen then travels to the cells where it causes
even more chaos!
Conjugated estrogen
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Conjugated estrogen is the waste product the body
produces after the hormone has performed its
function in the cells
This is the form that comes from horse urine
It is present in the horse’s urine because it is
WASTE
Humans also conjugate estrogen to turn it into
WASTE so it can be excreted in human urine
Taking conjugated estrogen (oral) is merely eating
estrogen WASTE from horses
Male hormone therapy
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Do we see oral forms of testosterone being
pushed onto men?
No, because oral testosterone, like oral
estrogen, is not good for the human body
Oral testosterone, like oral estrogen, goes to
the liver and causes more problems with
other hormones
Women and men BOTH need
hormones
Hormone replacement therapy helps to prevent
 Heart disease
 Dementia
 Osteoporosis
 Fatigue
 Depression
 Weight gain
 Loss of sexual drive
You decide
Do you want to give up hormone therapy and
give up all the benefits? Just read the list in
the previous slide again. No sensible adult
would give up these benefits.
Hormone therapy is the ONLY way to preserve
these functions into the later years of life.
COMMON SENSE
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Bioidentical hormone therapy is the only way
to live healthy and postpone or even prevent
the diseases of aging.
Big pharmaceutical companies want to take
away bioidentical hormones because they
are losing money on their synthetic versions.
Don’t be fooled, the research is there but
many doctors are not aware of it.
Take your care into your own hands
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You have to live in your body
You decide whether to have a healthy or unhealthy
body.
Ultimately you are the one that makes the decision
to take hormones.
Just use COMMON SENSE and you will realize
hormones are a must for a healthy aging woman OR
man.
And, the very last bit of common sense, as always ask your doctor!