Study Shows Hormone Therapy May Ward Off Dementia In Women

Dr. Enrique Jacome

Research suggests that hormone therapy taken soon after menopause may help protect against the mental decline of dementia, even though it raises that risk in elderly women. The study adds yet another frustrating twist to the back-and-forth findings about whether hormone-replacement therapy protects against diseases of aging. Though the accepted answer has been "no" in recent years, the latest evidence suggests that timing of treatments may be key, at least for heart attacks and now for dementia.

"When you give it may be very important," said Dr. Sam Gandy, an Alzheimer's disease expert at Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia. The new findings were released Wednesday in Boston at a meeting of the American Academy of Neurology. Experts cautioned that they are preliminary. Lead researcher Dr. Victor Henderson, of Stanford University, agreed that it's too soon to consider putting younger women back on hormones to forestall dementia.

For decades, women routinely took hormones to treat the hot flashes of menopause and to ward off ailments of aging. Then, in 2002, a milestone study showed higher risks of heart attack, stroke, and breast cancer with estrogen-progestin treatments. Estrogen-only pills were later also linked to stroke.

As a result, millions of women gave up the pills, and government experts advised women to use them only for severe menopause symptoms and to take the lowest dose for the shortest time possible. But in recent weeks, mounting evidence has emerged that women who take such drugs closer to menopause may get more benefit or confront less risk than women who start taking them later. An analysis this month indicated the drugs do not raise the risk of heart attack for women ages 50-to-59, and they seem to survive longer with the drug.

The latest findings focused on 7,153 women in an offshoot study of the huge Women's Health Initiative that tracked breast cancer and heart disease. The cognitive study was funded by the National Institutes of Health and by Wyeth, which sells hormone treatments. Previous research showed that women who take hormones after age 65 experience a 75 percent increased risk of dementia over other women. But this study found the opposite for women who took hormones before age 65: Dementia risk was reduced by nearly half.

Dementia developed in 22 of 2,228 women -- or only 1 percent -- who took hormones at the earlier time, but in 84 of 4,925 who did not -- or 1.7 percent. The apparent protective effect was especially strong for Alzheimer's disease, a common form of dementia. "It's an intriguing and biologically plausible finding ... but it needs to be confirmed," said Dr. JoAnn Manson, of Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston, who helped research the Women's Health Initiative. She said replacement hormones may preserve blood circulation in the brain.

www.vivenaturalhormones.com

Tips To Ensure Optimal Eye Health As You Age

Dr. Enrique Jacome

Research has shown that the majority of people will develop some degree of visual impairment as they grow older. The primary cause of age related blindness is macular degeneration. Macular degeneration can lead to total loss of vision over time. Conventional allopathic medicine is helpless in addressing this condition. 

There is no successful treatment for age-related macular degeneration (AMD). However, nutritional interventions through a healthy diet and natural nutritional supplements offer an effective approach to the prevention of macular degeneration. The most important supplements for optimal ocular health and vision support are antioxidants from the carotenoids group such as lutein and zeaxanthin, and omega 3 fatty essential fatty acids.

Age related macular degeneration is caused by degenerative atherosclerotic changes in the arteries of the eye. Homocysteine plays a major role in the process of degeneration of ocular blood vessels. Elevated homocysteine levels increase one's risk of age related macular degeneration. Healthy homocysteine metabolism is dependent on B vitamins, especially: vitamin B6, vitamin B12 and folic acid. Therefore, low levels of these B vitamins are assocaited with elevated homocysteine.

Recent scientific studies have also linked the importance of hormonal balance to proper vision and eye health. Hormonal imbalances can cause macular degenerated that leads to impaired eye health and vision loss.

The retina of the eye contains hormone receptors. The retina can also make its own hormones such as DHEA from molecules of cholesterol. Patients with macular degeneration were found to have very low levels of the hormone DHEA.

The ability of the retina to produce its own hormones can be altered by the following:

• Age
• Smoking
• Nutrient deficiencies
• A diet rich in processed foods

It was observed that women who enter menopause at a younger then average menopausal age are at an increased risk for developing macular degeneration due to a decline in the hormones estrogen and progesterone. Drugs that lower estrogen levels such as Tamoxifen (a drug used in the treatment of breast cancer) can lead to macular degeneration that results in damage to the retina of the eye.

Restoring hormonal balance to youthful levels can prevent macular degeneration and even improve an early stage of macular degeneration.

To protect your eye health and preserve your vision you need to:

• Maintain a healthy balanced diet complete with antioxidant rich foods.
• Exercise regularly by means of aerobic training (this improves blood circulation throughout your body including your eyes).
• Supplement with high quality natural nutritional supplements such as lutein, zeaxanthin, antioxidants, vitamin B6, vitamin B12, folic acid and omega 3 essential fatty acids.

Restoring healthy hormonal balance through bioidentical hormones and bioidentical hormone replacement therapy (BHRT) is vital for ocular health and vision support.

Only bioidentical hormones are known to contain these vision protective properties. Research has shown that synthetic hormones do not provide the same beneficial effects on the health of the eye as oppose to bioidentical hormones.

www.vivenaturalhormones.com

I Have Hot Flashes All The Time, Is There Something Wrong With Me?

Dr. Enrique Jacome

Have you ever been in an office or at the grocery store when at least one woman asks the question, “Is it hot in here or is it just me?” This would be a typical question if the air conditioner was not working or the temperature out side was approaching high 90’s. However, you will hear this when it is 40 degrees out side and 72 degrees in the building. Why do we hear many women say this?

Women that are approaching their 40’s begin to decline in hormone production. During the hormone decline women tend to start having symptoms of Menopause, these symptoms would include; hot flashes, night sweats, vaginal dryness, short term memory loss, not able to sleep at night, low libido, energy loss, afternoon crashes, weight gain, depression, anxiety and the onset of osteoporosis.

If you’re experiencing hot flashes or night sweats this may be the first sign of peri-menopause or menopause. Hot flashes, energy loss, short term memory loss, and some depression are usually the first signs of hormone deficiency. When you get a warming sensation you feel like you just want to start taking off clothes, or fan yourself.

Ladies if you are experiencing any of the symptoms mentioned above, then you need to have your hormone levels checked ASAP. This can be done at your next wellness appointment at your OBGYN, check up with your family doctor, or even directly at our VIVE offices.

Once we have your results, we can explain your lab values to you and we will be able to prescribe a hormonal treatment plan that will eliminate all the hot flashes, energy loss, short term memory loss and depression. Soon you will be on your way to a happier & healthier you.

www.vivenaturalhormones.com