Call my office Lombard (630) 627-3700 to set up an appointment or email me at jones.gretchen@gmail.com
The Estrogen Dilemma
In the April 12, 2010, New York Times article The Estrogen Dilemma, researchers are discovering that estrogen, a hormone produced in your brain, keeps your mind healthy and helps diseases like Alzheimer’s and heart disease. The key here is the Timing Hypothesis, which is, "the proposition that estrogen could bring great benefit to a woman who starts it in her 50’s while having the reverse effect on women ten years older…other scientists know there are ways estrogen improves and protects the brain when it is added to healthy tissues.”
Thus stating estrogen when added to a healthy happy body can heal your body, where taking estrogen in a tired unhealthy body can hit cells that are already sick, thus not replenishing or strengthening the woman’s body.
The study also goes on to feature the evolution of hormones from horse urine to yam/plant based topical creams. At the Wake Forest University in North Carolina researchers have found that estrogen has had a tremendous influence against heart disease in women alone.
In T.S. Wiley’s Book, Sex, Lies, and Menopause, she states the Dying of Cancer is something we all fear. Having a heart attack, although seems more remote, because we don’t hear about it on television everyday would probably kill us where we stand. A doctor interviewed in the article stated that, “Heart disease ultimately kills many more women than all cancers combined, some doctors had also taken to urging older women, even those past menopause to start hormones for cardiac health purpose.”
The overall dilemma that most women face is how do they get prescribed hormones and where. What type of hormone is right for them? Is it estrogen, progesterone, testosterone or all of them?
The Wiley Protocol is the answer. The Wiley Protocol restores your hormones back to the way you had them when you were young, in the way you had them when you were young, rhythmically!
Wednesday, July 20, 2011
Sunday, February 27, 2011
Why Do So Many Think Estrogen is Dangerous for Women?
I spend a lot of time pondering that question and trying to figure out how this fear franzy started with a hormone called estrogen? I'm of average intelligence and feel like I am a reasonable person who has a somewhat logical mind so when I think about the human body and how it works I do so with a logical way of thinking. I also have many years of medical training where I have additional insight into how the body works. And I'm still amazed that other logical, average intelligent people fear estrogen. Yet....and I'm sorry I have to say things like this....don't fear far worse things we ingest and expose ourselves to. And if you are one of these people, you know exactly what I am talking about. I'm not even going to name a few examples because I don't want the focus to go that direction. I want to focus on why estrogen is a part of who we are as women and to take it away or have it go away (i.e.menopause) is when health begins to slowly decline.
It just bothers me so much when I do an internet search on menopause or HRT and read some of the incredibly ridiculous options given to women to manage their symptoms. If only women understood how this wonderful hormone actually works they would laugh and ignore the stupidity of the suggestions offered by well intentioned (I hope) solutions. We need to do more than manage the symptoms of hypoestrogen, below normal estrogen levels, and treat the problem. A phrase I use often to my patients.
Synthetic drugs posed as hormones are not estrogen. Low doses of estrogen given in the same dose every day is not hormone replacement, it is symptom management.
I am 45 and I have the mind and body I had when I was 25 and that is because I'm healthy inside. My estrogen levels are normal. My metabolic chemistry is normal. I don't suffer from hot flashes. I sleep at night. I don't have headaches. I have plenty of energy. My skin is smooth and supple. My hair is soft and full. My eyes are not dry. My stomach is flat. I don't have panic attacks or heart palpitations. I have a memory. I can multi task.
I know you want all these things too. And you can have them. Just don't be afraid of your estrogen.
Call my office in Lombard (630) 627-3700 to set up an appointment or email me at jones.gretchen@gmail.com
It just bothers me so much when I do an internet search on menopause or HRT and read some of the incredibly ridiculous options given to women to manage their symptoms. If only women understood how this wonderful hormone actually works they would laugh and ignore the stupidity of the suggestions offered by well intentioned (I hope) solutions. We need to do more than manage the symptoms of hypoestrogen, below normal estrogen levels, and treat the problem. A phrase I use often to my patients.
Synthetic drugs posed as hormones are not estrogen. Low doses of estrogen given in the same dose every day is not hormone replacement, it is symptom management.
I am 45 and I have the mind and body I had when I was 25 and that is because I'm healthy inside. My estrogen levels are normal. My metabolic chemistry is normal. I don't suffer from hot flashes. I sleep at night. I don't have headaches. I have plenty of energy. My skin is smooth and supple. My hair is soft and full. My eyes are not dry. My stomach is flat. I don't have panic attacks or heart palpitations. I have a memory. I can multi task.
I know you want all these things too. And you can have them. Just don't be afraid of your estrogen.
Call my office in Lombard (630) 627-3700 to set up an appointment or email me at jones.gretchen@gmail.com
Friday, February 4, 2011
Studies Are Showing Bioidentical Hormones ARE SAFE!!
Americans are becoming more and more aware that there is a new approach to aging and are taking action to reverse the process of aging.
As I've written in many of my blogs about in successful anti-aging begins and ends with bioidentical hormone replacement. The effects of real hormone replacement are so remarkable and life altering (for the better), that it threatens big business (i.e. look at the losses of Wyeth (now owned by Pfizer) from the Women's Health Initiative study on HRT). As a result, the opposition continues to discredit the theory of restoration to optimal health through hormone replacement. Big business realizes that if we all get to feel this good on real hormone replacement then we won't need many (or any) of their drugs. But as information infiltrates through books from many great authors on the subject millions of people are now choosing restoration and in doing so realize that we can not only turn back the clock but in many cases eliminate degenerative disease risk---and with it the subsequent need for hospitalization, toxic drugs, and nursing home confinement.
I have been attacked for offering information on this 'other way' to age, through hormone replacement, avoiding pharmaceuticals unless absolutely necessary, and eating good, real, nutritious food. It makes one wonder what I am espousing that bothers everyone so much. There are studies for hormones that are never talked about in the big business world because they don't want you to know the results of those studies. If they did, then the companies who make synthetic hormones would do their study against bioidentical hormones and give us the results.
The data compiled by scientific experts who disagree with the absurd notion that aging humans should stand by and do nothing to reduce their risk of degenerative disease and claim that natural approaches are not effective in maintaining optimal health and can cause disease is amazing to me.
My position: I believe that bioidentical female hormone replacement offers significant safety and efficacy advantages over conventional hormone replacement therapy.
What my critics say: There are no published studies in peer-reviewed journals showing that bioidentical hormones are safer than other menopause treatments.
My rebuttal to the critics: I have always said that based on the peer-reviewed data, that non-bioidentical progestin increases cancer risk, while bioidentical progesterone does not. A review of the peer-reviewed literature supports this position.
In fact, at least thirteen studies document that non-bioidentical progestin significantly increases estrogen-stimulated breast cell replication and growth.{References: Climacteric. 2002 Sep;5(3):229-35.; J Steroid Biochem Mol Biol. 2005 Jul;96(2):95-108.; Breast Cancer Res Treat. 2001 Aug;68(3):187-98.; J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 1999 Dec;84(12):4559-65.; Cancer Res. 1992 Dec 1;52(23):6539-46.; Mol Cell Endocrinol. 1994 Jun;102(1-2):45-52.; Cancer Res. 1990 Dec 15;50(24):7858-62.; Biochem Biophys Res Commun. 1987 Jun 15;145(2):706-11.; Br J Cancer. 1993 May;67(5):945-52.; Breast Cancer Res Treat. 2007 Jan;101(2):125-34.; Breast Cancer Res Treat. 1998 Apr;48(3):221-9.; Am J Obstet Gynecol. 1996 Jan;174(1 Pt 1):93-100.; Cancer Lett. 1986 Feb;30(2):213-8.}
In stark contrast, at least seven studies have shown that bioidentical PROGESTERONE does NOT induce estrogen-stimulated breast cell proliferation. {References: Fertil Steril. 1995 Apr;63(4):785-91.; Fertil Steril. 1998 May;69(5):963-9.; Climacteric. 2003 Sep;6(3):221-7.; Jpn J Cancer Res. 1985 Aug;76(8):699-704.; J Gynecol Obstet Biol Reprod (Paris). 1990;19(3):269-74.; J Steroid Biochem Mol Biol. 2000 Jun;73(3-4):171-81.; Breast Cancer Res Treat. 1986;8(3):179-88.}
Numerous studies have demonstrated an increased risk of breast cancer with the use of non-bioidentical progestins. {References: 25. Int J Cancer. 2005;114:448-54.; JAMA. 2003 Jun 25;289(24):3243-53.; Cancer Causes Control. 2002 Nov;13(9):847-54.; Br J Cancer. 2005 Jun 6;92(11):2049-58.; Br J Cancer. 2005 Apr 11;92(7):1293-7.; Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev. 2002 Jul;11(7):593-600.; Int J Cancer. 2004 May 1;109(5):721-7.; Maturitas. 2004 Sep 24;49(1):44-50.; Int J Cancer. 1999 May 5;81(3):339-44.; JAMA. 2000 Aug 9;284(6):691-4.; J Natl Cancer Inst. 2000 Feb 16;92(4):328-32.; Am J Obstet Gynecol. 2004 Apr;190(4):1141-67.; Obstet.Gynecol. 2002 Dec;100(6):1148-58.; JAMA. 2003 Jun 25;289(24):3254-63.}
However, the use of bioidentical progesterone has not been associated with an increased risk of breast cancer. Quite the contrary, research has revealed that bioidentical progesterone decreases the risk of breast cancer.
For example, in a study published in the journal Breast Cancer Research and Treatment, 80,000 postmenopausal women using various forms of HRT were followed for more than 8 years. Women who used estrogen in combination with non-bioidentical progestins had a 69% increased risk of breast cancer, compared to women who had never used HRT. However, for women who used bioidentical progesterone in combination with estrogen, the increased risk of breast cancer was eliminated with a significant reduction in breast cancer risk compared with non-bioidentical progestin use. {Reference: Breast Cancer Res Treat. 2008 Jan;107(1):103-11.}
In another investigation, researchers found a 40% increased risk of breast cancer for women who used estrogen with non-bioidentical progestin. Interestingly, in women who used estrogen combined with bioidentical progesterone, there was a promising trend toward a reduced risk of breast cancer, compared to women who had never used HRT.{Reference: Int J Cancer. 2005;114:448-54.} In essence, bioidentical progesterone appeared to protect women against the development of breast cancer. These findings confirm work done six years earlier that found a trend toward a reduced risk of breast cancer in 1,150 women using bioidentical progesterone, compared to non-users of progesterone. {Reference: Cancer Detect Prev. 1999;23(4):290-6.}
A 2004 study was published in the International Journal of Cancer reported on the use of hormone replacement therapy (HRT) and breast cancer incidence in 31,451 postmenopausal women. The analysis of the data determined that women who used estrogen did not have an increased risk of breast cancer, compared to women who never used HRT.{Reference: Int J Cancer. 2004 Oct 20;112(1):130-4.}
The increased risk of uterine cancer in users of non-bioidentical estrogen is well-established in the scientific literature.{Reference: Engl J Med. 1975 Dec 4;293(23):1167-70.; Am J Obstet Gynecol. 1977 Mar 15;127(6):572-80.; Am J Epidemiol. 2009 Jul 1;170(1):12-23.}
As I always talk about, women taking any kind of estrogen should balance it with the appropriate dose of natural progesterone (and definitely NOT synthetic progestins that have been shown to increase breast cancer risk).
I do not advocate the use of oral hormone formulations. I suggest the use of transdermal applications because of the safety benefits associated with topical (through the skin delivery) rather than oral hormone tablets.
My position: I strongly advocate for bioidentical hormone restoration therapy in the context of healthy lifestyle choices to include beneficial nutrients found in cruciferous vegetables shown in peer-reviewed, published studies to support healthy estrogen metabolism and high doses of supplemental vitamin D.
What my critics say: There still is not solid proof that bioidentical hormones won't cause some of the problems associated with FDA-approved unnatural-to-the-body estrogens and progestins.
My rebuttal to the critics: Estrogen is not one compound. It comprises different forms that metabolize in the body to ones that can either promote cancer or protect against it. Compounds found in cruciferous vegetables (such as cauliflower, broccoli, cabbage and Brussels sprouts) help neutralize an estrogen metabolite called 16 alpha-hydroxyestrone that promotes hormone-dependent tissue growth.
For example, major reductions in cancer risk and specific protective mechanisms against hormone-responsive cancers like breast cancer are observed with cruciferous vegetables {References: J Nutr. 2004 May;134(5):1134-8.; Nutr Cancer. 2002;42(1):1-9.; Cancer Res. 1999 Aug 15;59(16):3991-7.; Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev. 2000 May;9(5):477-85.; Mutat Res. 2007 May;635(2-3):90-104.; Cancer Res. 2005 Sep 15;65(18):8548-57.; Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev. 2000 Aug;9(8):773-9.; J Natl Cancer Inst. 1997 May 21;89(10):718-23.; J Cell Biochem.Suppl. 1997;28-29:111-6.}
Studies have also found a strong correlation between blood levels of vitamin D and the risk of breast cancer. A case-control study comparing 1,394 postmenopausal breast cancer patients with 1,365 controls showed that low blood levels of vitamin D were significantly related to breast cancer risk. In fact, women with the highest levels of vitamin D had a nearly 70% reduction in their risk of breast cancer, compared to women with the lowest vitamin D levels. {Reference: Carcinogenesis. 2008 Jan;29(1):93-9.}
Similar research examining the relationship between blood levels of vitamin D and breast cancer risk revealed that women with blood vitamin D levels of approximately 52 ng/mL had a 50% lower risk of breast cancer compared with women who had vitamin D levels below 13 ng/mL.{Reference: J Steroid Biochem Mol Biol. 2007 Mar;103(3-5):708-11.}
In another study, the effects of administering 1,100 IU a day of vitamin D were evaluated in 1,180 postmenopausal women. After only four years, the risk of developing any cancer was 60% lower in the vitamin D group, compared with those in the control group. {Reference Am J Clin Nutr. 2007 Jun;85(6):1586-91.}
We know that cancer results from the accumulation of mutations in genes that regulate cellular proliferation. As we age, we develop more of these mutations, thus placing us at far greater cancer risk. Vitamin D favorable effects hundreds of cell proliferation regulating genes and by this mechanism, confers substantial protection against breast and other cancers.
So in summary:
Given the above evidence, aging women should feel confident that bioidentical hormone replacement, when appropriately prescribed, offers a safer and potentially more effective alternative to conventional hormone replacement than with non-bioidentical hormone drugs to help relieve menopausal symptoms and optimize long-term health. The addition of several proven nutrients (such as vitamin D) to a bioidentical hormone regimen can help optimize estrogen metabolism and reduce cancer risk further offering a balanced approach to health maintenance.
Those critics who advocate that aging women can do nothing to forestall normal aging processes are condemning their followers to becoming statistics in mainstream medicine's anticipatory revenue assembly line. Drugs for symptoms. Continued aging requires more drugs. More revenue. Instead, I personally prefer to take affirmative steps to guard my health rather than do nothing but wait for premature disease and aging to strike.
I live by the rule of example...if others want what I have relative to health and vitality, then they can feel safe in doing what I do. Because as you can see from the research above, I do my homework.
Call my office in Lombard (630) 627-3700 to set up an appointment or email me at jones.gretchen@gmail.com
As I've written in many of my blogs about in successful anti-aging begins and ends with bioidentical hormone replacement. The effects of real hormone replacement are so remarkable and life altering (for the better), that it threatens big business (i.e. look at the losses of Wyeth (now owned by Pfizer) from the Women's Health Initiative study on HRT). As a result, the opposition continues to discredit the theory of restoration to optimal health through hormone replacement. Big business realizes that if we all get to feel this good on real hormone replacement then we won't need many (or any) of their drugs. But as information infiltrates through books from many great authors on the subject millions of people are now choosing restoration and in doing so realize that we can not only turn back the clock but in many cases eliminate degenerative disease risk---and with it the subsequent need for hospitalization, toxic drugs, and nursing home confinement.
I have been attacked for offering information on this 'other way' to age, through hormone replacement, avoiding pharmaceuticals unless absolutely necessary, and eating good, real, nutritious food. It makes one wonder what I am espousing that bothers everyone so much. There are studies for hormones that are never talked about in the big business world because they don't want you to know the results of those studies. If they did, then the companies who make synthetic hormones would do their study against bioidentical hormones and give us the results.
The data compiled by scientific experts who disagree with the absurd notion that aging humans should stand by and do nothing to reduce their risk of degenerative disease and claim that natural approaches are not effective in maintaining optimal health and can cause disease is amazing to me.
My position: I believe that bioidentical female hormone replacement offers significant safety and efficacy advantages over conventional hormone replacement therapy.
What my critics say: There are no published studies in peer-reviewed journals showing that bioidentical hormones are safer than other menopause treatments.
My rebuttal to the critics: I have always said that based on the peer-reviewed data, that non-bioidentical progestin increases cancer risk, while bioidentical progesterone does not. A review of the peer-reviewed literature supports this position.
In fact, at least thirteen studies document that non-bioidentical progestin significantly increases estrogen-stimulated breast cell replication and growth.{References: Climacteric. 2002 Sep;5(3):229-35.; J Steroid Biochem Mol Biol. 2005 Jul;96(2):95-108.; Breast Cancer Res Treat. 2001 Aug;68(3):187-98.; J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 1999 Dec;84(12):4559-65.; Cancer Res. 1992 Dec 1;52(23):6539-46.; Mol Cell Endocrinol. 1994 Jun;102(1-2):45-52.; Cancer Res. 1990 Dec 15;50(24):7858-62.; Biochem Biophys Res Commun. 1987 Jun 15;145(2):706-11.; Br J Cancer. 1993 May;67(5):945-52.; Breast Cancer Res Treat. 2007 Jan;101(2):125-34.; Breast Cancer Res Treat. 1998 Apr;48(3):221-9.; Am J Obstet Gynecol. 1996 Jan;174(1 Pt 1):93-100.; Cancer Lett. 1986 Feb;30(2):213-8.}
In stark contrast, at least seven studies have shown that bioidentical PROGESTERONE does NOT induce estrogen-stimulated breast cell proliferation. {References: Fertil Steril. 1995 Apr;63(4):785-91.; Fertil Steril. 1998 May;69(5):963-9.; Climacteric. 2003 Sep;6(3):221-7.; Jpn J Cancer Res. 1985 Aug;76(8):699-704.; J Gynecol Obstet Biol Reprod (Paris). 1990;19(3):269-74.; J Steroid Biochem Mol Biol. 2000 Jun;73(3-4):171-81.; Breast Cancer Res Treat. 1986;8(3):179-88.}
Numerous studies have demonstrated an increased risk of breast cancer with the use of non-bioidentical progestins. {References: 25. Int J Cancer. 2005;114:448-54.; JAMA. 2003 Jun 25;289(24):3243-53.; Cancer Causes Control. 2002 Nov;13(9):847-54.; Br J Cancer. 2005 Jun 6;92(11):2049-58.; Br J Cancer. 2005 Apr 11;92(7):1293-7.; Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev. 2002 Jul;11(7):593-600.; Int J Cancer. 2004 May 1;109(5):721-7.; Maturitas. 2004 Sep 24;49(1):44-50.; Int J Cancer. 1999 May 5;81(3):339-44.; JAMA. 2000 Aug 9;284(6):691-4.; J Natl Cancer Inst. 2000 Feb 16;92(4):328-32.; Am J Obstet Gynecol. 2004 Apr;190(4):1141-67.; Obstet.Gynecol. 2002 Dec;100(6):1148-58.; JAMA. 2003 Jun 25;289(24):3254-63.}
However, the use of bioidentical progesterone has not been associated with an increased risk of breast cancer. Quite the contrary, research has revealed that bioidentical progesterone decreases the risk of breast cancer.
For example, in a study published in the journal Breast Cancer Research and Treatment, 80,000 postmenopausal women using various forms of HRT were followed for more than 8 years. Women who used estrogen in combination with non-bioidentical progestins had a 69% increased risk of breast cancer, compared to women who had never used HRT. However, for women who used bioidentical progesterone in combination with estrogen, the increased risk of breast cancer was eliminated with a significant reduction in breast cancer risk compared with non-bioidentical progestin use. {Reference: Breast Cancer Res Treat. 2008 Jan;107(1):103-11.}
In another investigation, researchers found a 40% increased risk of breast cancer for women who used estrogen with non-bioidentical progestin. Interestingly, in women who used estrogen combined with bioidentical progesterone, there was a promising trend toward a reduced risk of breast cancer, compared to women who had never used HRT.{Reference: Int J Cancer. 2005;114:448-54.} In essence, bioidentical progesterone appeared to protect women against the development of breast cancer. These findings confirm work done six years earlier that found a trend toward a reduced risk of breast cancer in 1,150 women using bioidentical progesterone, compared to non-users of progesterone. {Reference: Cancer Detect Prev. 1999;23(4):290-6.}
A 2004 study was published in the International Journal of Cancer reported on the use of hormone replacement therapy (HRT) and breast cancer incidence in 31,451 postmenopausal women. The analysis of the data determined that women who used estrogen did not have an increased risk of breast cancer, compared to women who never used HRT.{Reference: Int J Cancer. 2004 Oct 20;112(1):130-4.}
The increased risk of uterine cancer in users of non-bioidentical estrogen is well-established in the scientific literature.{Reference: Engl J Med. 1975 Dec 4;293(23):1167-70.; Am J Obstet Gynecol. 1977 Mar 15;127(6):572-80.; Am J Epidemiol. 2009 Jul 1;170(1):12-23.}
As I always talk about, women taking any kind of estrogen should balance it with the appropriate dose of natural progesterone (and definitely NOT synthetic progestins that have been shown to increase breast cancer risk).
I do not advocate the use of oral hormone formulations. I suggest the use of transdermal applications because of the safety benefits associated with topical (through the skin delivery) rather than oral hormone tablets.
My position: I strongly advocate for bioidentical hormone restoration therapy in the context of healthy lifestyle choices to include beneficial nutrients found in cruciferous vegetables shown in peer-reviewed, published studies to support healthy estrogen metabolism and high doses of supplemental vitamin D.
What my critics say: There still is not solid proof that bioidentical hormones won't cause some of the problems associated with FDA-approved unnatural-to-the-body estrogens and progestins.
My rebuttal to the critics: Estrogen is not one compound. It comprises different forms that metabolize in the body to ones that can either promote cancer or protect against it. Compounds found in cruciferous vegetables (such as cauliflower, broccoli, cabbage and Brussels sprouts) help neutralize an estrogen metabolite called 16 alpha-hydroxyestrone that promotes hormone-dependent tissue growth.
For example, major reductions in cancer risk and specific protective mechanisms against hormone-responsive cancers like breast cancer are observed with cruciferous vegetables {References: J Nutr. 2004 May;134(5):1134-8.; Nutr Cancer. 2002;42(1):1-9.; Cancer Res. 1999 Aug 15;59(16):3991-7.; Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev. 2000 May;9(5):477-85.; Mutat Res. 2007 May;635(2-3):90-104.; Cancer Res. 2005 Sep 15;65(18):8548-57.; Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev. 2000 Aug;9(8):773-9.; J Natl Cancer Inst. 1997 May 21;89(10):718-23.; J Cell Biochem.Suppl. 1997;28-29:111-6.}
Studies have also found a strong correlation between blood levels of vitamin D and the risk of breast cancer. A case-control study comparing 1,394 postmenopausal breast cancer patients with 1,365 controls showed that low blood levels of vitamin D were significantly related to breast cancer risk. In fact, women with the highest levels of vitamin D had a nearly 70% reduction in their risk of breast cancer, compared to women with the lowest vitamin D levels. {Reference: Carcinogenesis. 2008 Jan;29(1):93-9.}
Similar research examining the relationship between blood levels of vitamin D and breast cancer risk revealed that women with blood vitamin D levels of approximately 52 ng/mL had a 50% lower risk of breast cancer compared with women who had vitamin D levels below 13 ng/mL.{Reference: J Steroid Biochem Mol Biol. 2007 Mar;103(3-5):708-11.}
In another study, the effects of administering 1,100 IU a day of vitamin D were evaluated in 1,180 postmenopausal women. After only four years, the risk of developing any cancer was 60% lower in the vitamin D group, compared with those in the control group. {Reference Am J Clin Nutr. 2007 Jun;85(6):1586-91.}
We know that cancer results from the accumulation of mutations in genes that regulate cellular proliferation. As we age, we develop more of these mutations, thus placing us at far greater cancer risk. Vitamin D favorable effects hundreds of cell proliferation regulating genes and by this mechanism, confers substantial protection against breast and other cancers.
So in summary:
Given the above evidence, aging women should feel confident that bioidentical hormone replacement, when appropriately prescribed, offers a safer and potentially more effective alternative to conventional hormone replacement than with non-bioidentical hormone drugs to help relieve menopausal symptoms and optimize long-term health. The addition of several proven nutrients (such as vitamin D) to a bioidentical hormone regimen can help optimize estrogen metabolism and reduce cancer risk further offering a balanced approach to health maintenance.
Those critics who advocate that aging women can do nothing to forestall normal aging processes are condemning their followers to becoming statistics in mainstream medicine's anticipatory revenue assembly line. Drugs for symptoms. Continued aging requires more drugs. More revenue. Instead, I personally prefer to take affirmative steps to guard my health rather than do nothing but wait for premature disease and aging to strike.
I live by the rule of example...if others want what I have relative to health and vitality, then they can feel safe in doing what I do. Because as you can see from the research above, I do my homework.
Call my office in Lombard (630) 627-3700 to set up an appointment or email me at jones.gretchen@gmail.com
Friday, January 21, 2011
Wiley Protocol Testimonial from Current User of Bioidentical Cyclic Hormones
Wiley Protocol Hormone therapy has positively changed my life in so many
ways. I’ve been on the protocol for almost a year now and cannot say enough good
things about it. I had been diagnosed with early ovarian failure at the age of twentyseven.
Needless to say, there were many ways that my body was rebelling against the
hormonal imbalance. For the better part of ten years, I struggled to find the right
hormone replacement. All of the options that had been given to me only consisted of
various types of birth control pills. I switched pills multiple times, trying to find the pill
that made me feel like the ‘real’ me. Little did I know at the time, the reduction in
estrogen and progesterone affected me more than I realized. Slowly but surely, after
taking pill after pill, I just started to fall apart – physically, mentally, and emotionally.
I learned about The WP when I went to a new doctor for joint pain. Her advice
was that I needed a better hormone replacement. It was hard for me to believe that a
hormonal imbalance could be the cause of my discomfort but she assured me that this
was the case. Initially, I felt a bit overwhelmed to learn about how the program worked;
using the different creams in different amounts, on different days, and in cycles. It then
donned on me that the easy, daily pill-popping was not working and hadn’t been for a
long time. What did I have to lose? So, I then began The Wiley Protocol. With in a few
weeks many things started to change for the better. While using WP hormones, I began
to have improvements in symptoms that I didn’t realize were related to hormonal
imbalance.
Along with the diminishment of joint pain, I also noticed; I have an increased sex
drive, blood pressure readings that are similar to pre-pregnancy rates, less frequent bouts
with anxiety, improved critical thinking, and noticed that I feel more emotionally levelheaded.
Not to mention, I not longer have ANY hot flashes! Not only have I realized
these improvements but so have many of my friends/family as well. They say I seem
much more relaxed and calm. I’ve even been informed by my husband that under no
circumstance is it acceptable to discontinue using these hormones. I am so grateful to
have found Wiley Protocol Bio-identical Hormones. They are just what I was looking for
– they’ve helped me find the ‘real’ me again.
Call my office in Lombard (630) 627-3700 to set up an appointment or email me at jones.gretchen@gmail.com
ways. I’ve been on the protocol for almost a year now and cannot say enough good
things about it. I had been diagnosed with early ovarian failure at the age of twentyseven.
Needless to say, there were many ways that my body was rebelling against the
hormonal imbalance. For the better part of ten years, I struggled to find the right
hormone replacement. All of the options that had been given to me only consisted of
various types of birth control pills. I switched pills multiple times, trying to find the pill
that made me feel like the ‘real’ me. Little did I know at the time, the reduction in
estrogen and progesterone affected me more than I realized. Slowly but surely, after
taking pill after pill, I just started to fall apart – physically, mentally, and emotionally.
I learned about The WP when I went to a new doctor for joint pain. Her advice
was that I needed a better hormone replacement. It was hard for me to believe that a
hormonal imbalance could be the cause of my discomfort but she assured me that this
was the case. Initially, I felt a bit overwhelmed to learn about how the program worked;
using the different creams in different amounts, on different days, and in cycles. It then
donned on me that the easy, daily pill-popping was not working and hadn’t been for a
long time. What did I have to lose? So, I then began The Wiley Protocol. With in a few
weeks many things started to change for the better. While using WP hormones, I began
to have improvements in symptoms that I didn’t realize were related to hormonal
imbalance.
Along with the diminishment of joint pain, I also noticed; I have an increased sex
drive, blood pressure readings that are similar to pre-pregnancy rates, less frequent bouts
with anxiety, improved critical thinking, and noticed that I feel more emotionally levelheaded.
Not to mention, I not longer have ANY hot flashes! Not only have I realized
these improvements but so have many of my friends/family as well. They say I seem
much more relaxed and calm. I’ve even been informed by my husband that under no
circumstance is it acceptable to discontinue using these hormones. I am so grateful to
have found Wiley Protocol Bio-identical Hormones. They are just what I was looking for
– they’ve helped me find the ‘real’ me again.
Call my office in Lombard (630) 627-3700 to set up an appointment or email me at jones.gretchen@gmail.com
Saturday, January 15, 2011
The Connection between Cancer and Hormones blogged by TS Wiley
The Connection between Cancer and Hormones
Dr. Brawley, another doctor, states that mammography misses most cancers, “and that radiation from the scans will actually cause some cancers to develop. In addition some women will be called back repeatedly for additional procedures, scans, and biopsies that ultimately rule out cancer but can be painful and anxiety provoking. Mammograms also find some cancers that grow very slowly but look the same as any other cancerous tumor, leading to aggressive but unnecessary treatment.”
The connection once again is hormone fall-off. We at The Wiley Protocol believe the connection between breast, uterus, and ovarian cancer is the hormones and regulation of the hormones within the body. We believe multiple cancers arise as we age because of the fall off of hormones. Women quite naturally fall apart as they get older, devolve, and in the absence of hormonal control lose their sense of vitality. Using X-rays to see abnormalities in breast tissue has been around since 1913, but had never become a diagnostic tool since the mid-1970’s. The statistics proven and tested show that early detection is worthless because breast cancer, statistically, kills half of all women diagnosed with it within five to ten years after diagnosis no matter how early its detected. The statistics have never changed. If women never experienced the hormonal fall-off known as menopause, these cancers might never develop.
The heated debate right now among the new guidelines that made Dr. Weiss furious was the American Cancer Society stated that women should limit their mammograms. The reason for this is because it saved her own life, but the question pending is will it save another life or cause more ionizing radiation to the next woman in line?
The trend is disturbing: because of the radical changes in the way women live — earlier puberty, rising obesity and alcohol consumption, environmental pollution, long-term use of oral contraceptives, later childbearing and less breast-feeding — could lead to more breast cancer emerging at younger ages.. So the key we believe at the Wiley Protocol is to get more sleep, drink clean water, buy hormone free meat and organic food as much as possible and when needed restore your hormones back to the way you had them when you were young.
To learn more about these issues please ready both my books Lights Out, Sleep, Sugar and Survival, and Sex Lies, and Menopause, The shocking Truth about Hormone Replacement Therapy
Call my office in Lombard (630) 627-3700 to set up an appointment or email me at jones.gretchen@gmail.com
Dr. Brawley, another doctor, states that mammography misses most cancers, “and that radiation from the scans will actually cause some cancers to develop. In addition some women will be called back repeatedly for additional procedures, scans, and biopsies that ultimately rule out cancer but can be painful and anxiety provoking. Mammograms also find some cancers that grow very slowly but look the same as any other cancerous tumor, leading to aggressive but unnecessary treatment.”
The connection once again is hormone fall-off. We at The Wiley Protocol believe the connection between breast, uterus, and ovarian cancer is the hormones and regulation of the hormones within the body. We believe multiple cancers arise as we age because of the fall off of hormones. Women quite naturally fall apart as they get older, devolve, and in the absence of hormonal control lose their sense of vitality. Using X-rays to see abnormalities in breast tissue has been around since 1913, but had never become a diagnostic tool since the mid-1970’s. The statistics proven and tested show that early detection is worthless because breast cancer, statistically, kills half of all women diagnosed with it within five to ten years after diagnosis no matter how early its detected. The statistics have never changed. If women never experienced the hormonal fall-off known as menopause, these cancers might never develop.
The heated debate right now among the new guidelines that made Dr. Weiss furious was the American Cancer Society stated that women should limit their mammograms. The reason for this is because it saved her own life, but the question pending is will it save another life or cause more ionizing radiation to the next woman in line?
The trend is disturbing: because of the radical changes in the way women live — earlier puberty, rising obesity and alcohol consumption, environmental pollution, long-term use of oral contraceptives, later childbearing and less breast-feeding — could lead to more breast cancer emerging at younger ages.. So the key we believe at the Wiley Protocol is to get more sleep, drink clean water, buy hormone free meat and organic food as much as possible and when needed restore your hormones back to the way you had them when you were young.
To learn more about these issues please ready both my books Lights Out, Sleep, Sugar and Survival, and Sex Lies, and Menopause, The shocking Truth about Hormone Replacement Therapy
Call my office in Lombard (630) 627-3700 to set up an appointment or email me at jones.gretchen@gmail.com
Friday, January 14, 2011
Check out the Wiley Protocol Blog Page
http://173.201.152.181/wileyprotocol/blogs/blog1.php#item_231
Copy and paste the above link into the browser and read an interesting article about Cancer
Call my office in Wilmington (815) 476-5210 or Lombard (630) 627-3700 to set up an appointment or email me at jones.gretchen@gmail.com
Copy and paste the above link into the browser and read an interesting article about Cancer
Call my office in Wilmington (815) 476-5210 or Lombard (630) 627-3700 to set up an appointment or email me at jones.gretchen@gmail.com
Thursday, December 16, 2010
TESTOSTERONE BENEFITS
Testosterone is a steroid hormone produced in the male testes. Though testosterone is thought of as an exclusively male hormone and is responsible for the development of male sexual characteristics, it is not unique to males. Testosterone is also produced in the liver and adrenals in women.
Testosterone benefits include...
• Lowers Cholesterol • Protects Against Heart Disease • Improves Mood • Improves Sexual Performance
• Improves Memory • Enhances Body Fat Loss • Builds Lean Muscle • Increases Energy
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
What is testosterone?
Testosterone Pronounced As: testostron , principal androgen, or male sex hormone. One of the group of compounds known as anabolic steroids, testosterone is secreted by the testes but is also synthesized in small quantities in the ovaries, cortices of the adrenal glands, and placenta, usually from cholesterol. Testosterone is necessary in the fetus for the development of male external genitalia; increased levels of testosterone at puberty are responsible for further growth of male genitalia and for the development and maintenance of male secondary sex characteristics such as facial hair and voice changes. Testosterone also stimulates protein synthesis and accounts for the greater muscular development of the male (see metabolism). For many years, bio-identical hormones have been used by athletes with the goal of improving performance. Now Hormone Replacement Therapy has moved into the mainstream and can be doctor prescribed to anyone over the age of 30 showing a medical need, and who wants to improve their quality of life.
See: .Testosterone Research.
When does it decline?
Testosterone begins to decline in men at about age 25. Testosterone has a number of effects on muscles, bones, the central nervous system, bone marrow, the prostate and sexual function. Androgens, especially testosterone, regulate the normal growth and development of male sex organs and promote other male characteristics, such as body hair, muscle mass and a deep voice. The most common type of treatment for testosterone deficiency is known as testosterone replacement therapy.
Men who receive testosterone replacement consequently report that they feel sexier, stronger and healthier. They state that it makes them feel as they did when they were in their prime. After all, this is what replenishment of hormones is all about. It is about restoring hormones to youthful levels so you can feel as you did when you were at the peak of your physical and mental ability. Testosterone can stop and reverse the physical decline that robs men of their energy, strength and libido. Testosterone can restore muscle tone and improve stamina. Testosterone Therapy can restore healthy sexual excitement and desire, which in turn, results in an improvement in mood and overall well being.
Testosterone is responsible for the sex drive for both men and women. As testosterone diminishes with age, so does the sexual functioning in both men and women. Restoring testosterone to youthful levels in both men and women can reverse the situation. All too often, men and women automatically assume that as they age, their sexual capacity will diminish. There is no need to accept this loss of sexuality. Testosterone can play a critical role in helping to preserve and even restore sexual function so that we can live our extended life span with the same excitement and enthusiasm we enjoyed during our youth.
Physicians are witnessing an explosion of interest in testosterone as a result of our growing realization that Testosterone Levels decline with age and that many men suffer serious consequences to their physical and mental health as a result. In women, it is expressed as menopause, whereas, in men, it is expressed as andropause. Many of these symptoms and disease processes that we come to accept as normal aging are processes that are actually secondary to low testosterone levels and are easily correctable. Testosterone supplementation results in increased muscle strength, muscle size, increased energy level, decreased fat and increased desire and endurance for exercise. Now both men and women may be treated for their sex hormone deficiencies.
Testosterone replacement in the past has been associated with increased cholesterol levels. We feel this is probably secondary to the use of synthetic testosterone that resulted in liver dysfunction and the concomitant elevation of cholesterol. Studies now show that replenished with natural testosterone results in a decreased cholesterol and increased HDL, similar to what has been realized in women taking estrogen.
Clearly, testosterone is shown to have a positive impact on our health and well being, our moods and our ability to learn and retain information. Testosterone has been administered in the form of injections and oral supplements. We prefer not to use either of these methods as the testosterone is in the synthetic form. Testosterone patches are also available. We have found these patches unacceptable and secondary to the ability to get optional blood levels and feeling of the patch. Most patients prefer not to use these patches after experimenting with them. The method of choice is a natural testosterone injected inter-muscular or as a topical gel applied to the skin.
Testosterone cannot be used if one has prostate cancer. Testosterone has not been shown to cause prostate cancer, however, if one does have prostate cancer, testosterone may cause accelerated growth of this tumor. Therefore, there is a need to monitor the PSA on a regular basis to assure that one does not develop prostate cancer. Prostate cancer is the most common cancer in men. It can be easily detected by an annual PSA test. In addition to testosterone supplementation, THARC recommends the daily use of Saw Palmetto, which is a medication to protect the prostate and prevent enlargement of the prostate due to formation of DHT. Most men develop prostate hypertrophy in their later years, and this can be effectively treated and prevented by daily use of Saw Palmetto.
Testosterone has a number of effects on muscles, bones, the central nervous system, bone marrow, the prostate and sexual function. Androgens, especially testosterone, regulate the normal growth and development of male sex organs and promote other male characteristics, such as body hair, muscle mass and a deep voice. The most common type of treatment for testosterone deficiency is known as testosterone replacement therapy.
What is Hypogonadism? (Testosterone Deficiency)
In men, hypogonadism is a condition in which the testes produce a less than normal amount of testosterone, the male hormone. When too little testosterone is present, men tend to undergo a drop in sexual desire and performance. They may also experience depression, fatigue, loss of motivation and osteoporosis. The size and strength of their muscles may diminish and their body hair may become sparse. These symptoms are not specific to testosterone deficiency, however, some men with hypogonadism often don't recognize that they have a medical problem that is treatable.
Hypogonadism is a term medical professionals use for this condition and you'll see why it is often overlooked. Women go through menopause when their production of female hormones drops off dramatically, usually during middle age.
Testosterone And the increased risk for mortality in men
A new study has revealed that men with low levels of the hormone after their 40s have a higher risk of death over a 4-year period.
"The men with low testosterone did have higher death rates, but it may be due to some other factor that we weren't able to measure," said Molly Shores of the VA Puget Sound Health Care System. Despite the finding, it is unclear why this is so, and researchers are looking into the possibility that a third factor is linked to the level of testosterone and age that leads to this higher risk for death in men. Shores also confirmed that most of the men in the study have been already suffering individually from about 5 different types of chronic illness at the time of the trial, which could have contributed to their early demise.
"They were probably more medically ill than most men their age," Shores said. "They all had an average of about 5 chronic illnesses."
Testosterone Adverse Effects
For now, all the study can safely reveal is that low levels of the hormone and the risk for death are linked. The nature of the relationship, however, is yet to be discovered. Menopause often comes accompanied by several complications; foremost among them is the risk for osteoporosis and cardiovascular disease. The normal density of the bone usually starts to deteriorate during the fourth decade of life, necessitating the need for calcium supplementation, increased exercise, and intake of medications to stop bone loss. It is also a fact that women have a lower risk for cardiovascular diseases before hitting menopause. This reverses once menopause sets in and is attributed in part to lowered estrogen levels. Bio-identical hormone replacement can correct this aging problem and keep you in the safe zone with no ill effects and without the worry of breast cancer which was once a result of synthesized horse urine used in hormone replacement.
Call my office in Lombard (630) 627-3700 to set up an appointment or email me at jones.gretchen@gmail.com
Testosterone benefits include...
• Lowers Cholesterol • Protects Against Heart Disease • Improves Mood • Improves Sexual Performance
• Improves Memory • Enhances Body Fat Loss • Builds Lean Muscle • Increases Energy
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
What is testosterone?
Testosterone Pronounced As: testostron , principal androgen, or male sex hormone. One of the group of compounds known as anabolic steroids, testosterone is secreted by the testes but is also synthesized in small quantities in the ovaries, cortices of the adrenal glands, and placenta, usually from cholesterol. Testosterone is necessary in the fetus for the development of male external genitalia; increased levels of testosterone at puberty are responsible for further growth of male genitalia and for the development and maintenance of male secondary sex characteristics such as facial hair and voice changes. Testosterone also stimulates protein synthesis and accounts for the greater muscular development of the male (see metabolism). For many years, bio-identical hormones have been used by athletes with the goal of improving performance. Now Hormone Replacement Therapy has moved into the mainstream and can be doctor prescribed to anyone over the age of 30 showing a medical need, and who wants to improve their quality of life.
See: .Testosterone Research.
When does it decline?
Testosterone begins to decline in men at about age 25. Testosterone has a number of effects on muscles, bones, the central nervous system, bone marrow, the prostate and sexual function. Androgens, especially testosterone, regulate the normal growth and development of male sex organs and promote other male characteristics, such as body hair, muscle mass and a deep voice. The most common type of treatment for testosterone deficiency is known as testosterone replacement therapy.
Men who receive testosterone replacement consequently report that they feel sexier, stronger and healthier. They state that it makes them feel as they did when they were in their prime. After all, this is what replenishment of hormones is all about. It is about restoring hormones to youthful levels so you can feel as you did when you were at the peak of your physical and mental ability. Testosterone can stop and reverse the physical decline that robs men of their energy, strength and libido. Testosterone can restore muscle tone and improve stamina. Testosterone Therapy can restore healthy sexual excitement and desire, which in turn, results in an improvement in mood and overall well being.
Testosterone is responsible for the sex drive for both men and women. As testosterone diminishes with age, so does the sexual functioning in both men and women. Restoring testosterone to youthful levels in both men and women can reverse the situation. All too often, men and women automatically assume that as they age, their sexual capacity will diminish. There is no need to accept this loss of sexuality. Testosterone can play a critical role in helping to preserve and even restore sexual function so that we can live our extended life span with the same excitement and enthusiasm we enjoyed during our youth.
Physicians are witnessing an explosion of interest in testosterone as a result of our growing realization that Testosterone Levels decline with age and that many men suffer serious consequences to their physical and mental health as a result. In women, it is expressed as menopause, whereas, in men, it is expressed as andropause. Many of these symptoms and disease processes that we come to accept as normal aging are processes that are actually secondary to low testosterone levels and are easily correctable. Testosterone supplementation results in increased muscle strength, muscle size, increased energy level, decreased fat and increased desire and endurance for exercise. Now both men and women may be treated for their sex hormone deficiencies.
Testosterone replacement in the past has been associated with increased cholesterol levels. We feel this is probably secondary to the use of synthetic testosterone that resulted in liver dysfunction and the concomitant elevation of cholesterol. Studies now show that replenished with natural testosterone results in a decreased cholesterol and increased HDL, similar to what has been realized in women taking estrogen.
Clearly, testosterone is shown to have a positive impact on our health and well being, our moods and our ability to learn and retain information. Testosterone has been administered in the form of injections and oral supplements. We prefer not to use either of these methods as the testosterone is in the synthetic form. Testosterone patches are also available. We have found these patches unacceptable and secondary to the ability to get optional blood levels and feeling of the patch. Most patients prefer not to use these patches after experimenting with them. The method of choice is a natural testosterone injected inter-muscular or as a topical gel applied to the skin.
Testosterone cannot be used if one has prostate cancer. Testosterone has not been shown to cause prostate cancer, however, if one does have prostate cancer, testosterone may cause accelerated growth of this tumor. Therefore, there is a need to monitor the PSA on a regular basis to assure that one does not develop prostate cancer. Prostate cancer is the most common cancer in men. It can be easily detected by an annual PSA test. In addition to testosterone supplementation, THARC recommends the daily use of Saw Palmetto, which is a medication to protect the prostate and prevent enlargement of the prostate due to formation of DHT. Most men develop prostate hypertrophy in their later years, and this can be effectively treated and prevented by daily use of Saw Palmetto.
Testosterone has a number of effects on muscles, bones, the central nervous system, bone marrow, the prostate and sexual function. Androgens, especially testosterone, regulate the normal growth and development of male sex organs and promote other male characteristics, such as body hair, muscle mass and a deep voice. The most common type of treatment for testosterone deficiency is known as testosterone replacement therapy.
What is Hypogonadism? (Testosterone Deficiency)
In men, hypogonadism is a condition in which the testes produce a less than normal amount of testosterone, the male hormone. When too little testosterone is present, men tend to undergo a drop in sexual desire and performance. They may also experience depression, fatigue, loss of motivation and osteoporosis. The size and strength of their muscles may diminish and their body hair may become sparse. These symptoms are not specific to testosterone deficiency, however, some men with hypogonadism often don't recognize that they have a medical problem that is treatable.
Hypogonadism is a term medical professionals use for this condition and you'll see why it is often overlooked. Women go through menopause when their production of female hormones drops off dramatically, usually during middle age.
Testosterone And the increased risk for mortality in men
A new study has revealed that men with low levels of the hormone after their 40s have a higher risk of death over a 4-year period.
"The men with low testosterone did have higher death rates, but it may be due to some other factor that we weren't able to measure," said Molly Shores of the VA Puget Sound Health Care System. Despite the finding, it is unclear why this is so, and researchers are looking into the possibility that a third factor is linked to the level of testosterone and age that leads to this higher risk for death in men. Shores also confirmed that most of the men in the study have been already suffering individually from about 5 different types of chronic illness at the time of the trial, which could have contributed to their early demise.
"They were probably more medically ill than most men their age," Shores said. "They all had an average of about 5 chronic illnesses."
Testosterone Adverse Effects
For now, all the study can safely reveal is that low levels of the hormone and the risk for death are linked. The nature of the relationship, however, is yet to be discovered. Menopause often comes accompanied by several complications; foremost among them is the risk for osteoporosis and cardiovascular disease. The normal density of the bone usually starts to deteriorate during the fourth decade of life, necessitating the need for calcium supplementation, increased exercise, and intake of medications to stop bone loss. It is also a fact that women have a lower risk for cardiovascular diseases before hitting menopause. This reverses once menopause sets in and is attributed in part to lowered estrogen levels. Bio-identical hormone replacement can correct this aging problem and keep you in the safe zone with no ill effects and without the worry of breast cancer which was once a result of synthesized horse urine used in hormone replacement.
Call my office in Lombard (630) 627-3700 to set up an appointment or email me at jones.gretchen@gmail.com
Monday, November 29, 2010
What does Hypoestrogen Mean?
Hypoestrogen, What is that?
Women of all ages can have hypoestrogen. Hypoestrogen is when levels of cycling estrogen falls below the normal range of 150 pg/ml to 550 pg/ml. The symptoms are felt by women in many ways. And every woman knows when “the change” happens. Some women even know when slight changes begin to occur. Even the women who are lucky enough to never experience a hot flash often have probably experienced one of the following other hypoestrogen symptoms: heart palpitations, insomnia, mood swings, joint aches, headaches, fatigue, low libido, vaginal dryness, bloating, skin dryness, brain fog….just to name a few.
When just a few symptoms began to occur with me at age 42, I was NOT thinking it was from hypoestrogen. I knew that to be “menopause” and I was still cycling every 28 days having a 3-4 day period and just had two babies 15 months apart. When my doctor told me I should start on beta blockers to control my anxiety feelings and onset of heart palpitations, I decided to dig really deep and figure out what was causing the changes in my body to occur. I knew these changes came out of no where started to occur shortly after my last pregnancy at age 41. At that time my estrogen level was 48 pg/ml. I didn’t know much about fractionating the estradiol out of the estrogen total at that time. I didn’t know what the significance was about timing the cycling and checking blood. I didn’t know that fluctuations in estrogen can be pretty significant just days apart in a cycle. I also didn’t realize that if estrogen wasn’t peaking and I wasn’t ovulating I was not getting any progesterone and therefore had cycles with unopposed estrogen.
I’ve been treating women who have hypoestrogen levels and have seen the dramatic changes that occur when estrogen and progesterone are replaced in a cyclic dosing schedule and reach their individual therapeutic range in the blood serum. Like I said earlier, estrogen peaks around 350-550 pg/ml and is around 100-150 pg/ml on baseline days. Progesterone peaks around 10-15 ng/ml and is around 0-1 ng/ml on baseline days. Hormones that are too low cause symptoms that women feel and experience. They are real symptoms.
How long would you replace your thyroid if you were hypothyroid? I believe you would say forever. Well, I say that is how long we should replace our estrogen and progesterone if we have hypoestrogen. The results are amazing. It’s easier to replace hormones when receptors are still present and active. But, it is never too late. I have patients who are doing amazingly well that are in their late 70’s. I also have patients as young as 19 whose symptoms are resolved dramatically using bioidentical hormones in cyclic dosing and the results cannot even compare to that of traditional care, which is oral birth control pills (synthetic estrogen and synthetic progestins) given in static doses using low amounts of hormones. I know many women who cannot stand how they feel on the pill. Maybe some women don’t even realize that it is the pill causing some of the symptoms they experience.
Women can change the standard of care. My goal is to educate women and then we have a choice what we want to do with that information. We cycle. Let’s keep on cycling.
hormones, bioidentical, HRT, natural hormone replacement, menopause, perimenopause, over 40, menstruation, menstrual cycle, hormone cycle, estradiol, progestin, progesterone, libido, hot flashes, depression, anxiety, night sweats, hypothyroid, birth control, the pill, prempro, premarin,
Call my office in Wilmington (815) 476-5210 or Lombard (630) 627-3700 to set up an appointment or email me at jones.gretchen@gmail.com
Women of all ages can have hypoestrogen. Hypoestrogen is when levels of cycling estrogen falls below the normal range of 150 pg/ml to 550 pg/ml. The symptoms are felt by women in many ways. And every woman knows when “the change” happens. Some women even know when slight changes begin to occur. Even the women who are lucky enough to never experience a hot flash often have probably experienced one of the following other hypoestrogen symptoms: heart palpitations, insomnia, mood swings, joint aches, headaches, fatigue, low libido, vaginal dryness, bloating, skin dryness, brain fog….just to name a few.
When just a few symptoms began to occur with me at age 42, I was NOT thinking it was from hypoestrogen. I knew that to be “menopause” and I was still cycling every 28 days having a 3-4 day period and just had two babies 15 months apart. When my doctor told me I should start on beta blockers to control my anxiety feelings and onset of heart palpitations, I decided to dig really deep and figure out what was causing the changes in my body to occur. I knew these changes came out of no where started to occur shortly after my last pregnancy at age 41. At that time my estrogen level was 48 pg/ml. I didn’t know much about fractionating the estradiol out of the estrogen total at that time. I didn’t know what the significance was about timing the cycling and checking blood. I didn’t know that fluctuations in estrogen can be pretty significant just days apart in a cycle. I also didn’t realize that if estrogen wasn’t peaking and I wasn’t ovulating I was not getting any progesterone and therefore had cycles with unopposed estrogen.
I’ve been treating women who have hypoestrogen levels and have seen the dramatic changes that occur when estrogen and progesterone are replaced in a cyclic dosing schedule and reach their individual therapeutic range in the blood serum. Like I said earlier, estrogen peaks around 350-550 pg/ml and is around 100-150 pg/ml on baseline days. Progesterone peaks around 10-15 ng/ml and is around 0-1 ng/ml on baseline days. Hormones that are too low cause symptoms that women feel and experience. They are real symptoms.
How long would you replace your thyroid if you were hypothyroid? I believe you would say forever. Well, I say that is how long we should replace our estrogen and progesterone if we have hypoestrogen. The results are amazing. It’s easier to replace hormones when receptors are still present and active. But, it is never too late. I have patients who are doing amazingly well that are in their late 70’s. I also have patients as young as 19 whose symptoms are resolved dramatically using bioidentical hormones in cyclic dosing and the results cannot even compare to that of traditional care, which is oral birth control pills (synthetic estrogen and synthetic progestins) given in static doses using low amounts of hormones. I know many women who cannot stand how they feel on the pill. Maybe some women don’t even realize that it is the pill causing some of the symptoms they experience.
Women can change the standard of care. My goal is to educate women and then we have a choice what we want to do with that information. We cycle. Let’s keep on cycling.
hormones, bioidentical, HRT, natural hormone replacement, menopause, perimenopause, over 40, menstruation, menstrual cycle, hormone cycle, estradiol, progestin, progesterone, libido, hot flashes, depression, anxiety, night sweats, hypothyroid, birth control, the pill, prempro, premarin,
Call my office in Wilmington (815) 476-5210 or Lombard (630) 627-3700 to set up an appointment or email me at jones.gretchen@gmail.com
Monday, November 22, 2010
Vitamin D
Vitamin D
Vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin that acts like a hormone in the human body. It is stored in the fat cells and released as fat is burned. This essential vitamin is supplied through diet, sunlight and supplements and it interacts with several body processes to keep a body healthy.
How does it work?
Vitamin D’s major role is to maintain normal blood levels of calcium and phosphorus. It aids in the absorption of calcium, which helps form and maintain strong bones. Recent studies show vitamin D may also provide protection from osteoporosis, high blood pressure, cardiovascular disease, cancer and several autoimmune diseases. In addition, adequate levels of vitamin D may actually prevent falls by helping us maintain muscle strength and balance as we age, not to mention the prevention of chronic pain, which has recently been linked to low levels of D.
A vitamin D deficiency, which affects up to 50 percent of adults and 30 percent of children in the United States, occurs over an extended period of time when an individual is either not consuming proper amounts of the vitamin or when the body is not absorbing the vitamin correctly. A simple finger-stick blood test, 25-hydroxyvitamin D, can provide you and your doctor with a clear picture of your vitamin D levels.
So, how much vitamin D is enough? Recommendations vary, but a daily intake in the range of 800 to 1,000 IU is likely to benefit most adults. In my practice it is more like 4,000 IU to 6,000 IU. Perimenopausal women may require 1250 IU of calcium per day, while postmenopausal women should consider up to 1500 IU daily. In addition to supplements that your doctor may recommend, you can always get Vitamin D the old-fashioned way by adding the following foods to a healthy diet:
* Cheese
* Butter
* Cream
* Eggs
* Fortified milk (all milk in the U.S. is fortified with vitamin D)
* Fish
* Oysters
* Fortified cereals
Call my office in Wilmington (815) 476-5210 or Lombard (630) 627-3700 to set up an appointment or email me at jones.gretchen@gmail.com
Vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin that acts like a hormone in the human body. It is stored in the fat cells and released as fat is burned. This essential vitamin is supplied through diet, sunlight and supplements and it interacts with several body processes to keep a body healthy.
How does it work?
Vitamin D’s major role is to maintain normal blood levels of calcium and phosphorus. It aids in the absorption of calcium, which helps form and maintain strong bones. Recent studies show vitamin D may also provide protection from osteoporosis, high blood pressure, cardiovascular disease, cancer and several autoimmune diseases. In addition, adequate levels of vitamin D may actually prevent falls by helping us maintain muscle strength and balance as we age, not to mention the prevention of chronic pain, which has recently been linked to low levels of D.
A vitamin D deficiency, which affects up to 50 percent of adults and 30 percent of children in the United States, occurs over an extended period of time when an individual is either not consuming proper amounts of the vitamin or when the body is not absorbing the vitamin correctly. A simple finger-stick blood test, 25-hydroxyvitamin D, can provide you and your doctor with a clear picture of your vitamin D levels.
So, how much vitamin D is enough? Recommendations vary, but a daily intake in the range of 800 to 1,000 IU is likely to benefit most adults. In my practice it is more like 4,000 IU to 6,000 IU. Perimenopausal women may require 1250 IU of calcium per day, while postmenopausal women should consider up to 1500 IU daily. In addition to supplements that your doctor may recommend, you can always get Vitamin D the old-fashioned way by adding the following foods to a healthy diet:
* Cheese
* Butter
* Cream
* Eggs
* Fortified milk (all milk in the U.S. is fortified with vitamin D)
* Fish
* Oysters
* Fortified cereals
Call my office in Wilmington (815) 476-5210 or Lombard (630) 627-3700 to set up an appointment or email me at jones.gretchen@gmail.com
Thursday, November 11, 2010
Modern Sexuality: The Risks, Problems and Solutions
Article written by Matt Phillips
Sexuality becomes more pervasive in our culture every year. More than ever, it’s used to promote and sell products, entice consumers and entertain the masses. However, all this brazen sexuality has actually led to higher rates of sexual activity, especially for younger Americans. Unfortunately, the spread of sexually transmitted disease and unwanted pregnancy are two serious outcomes of this social trend, especially for women. Although pregnancy rates have recently declined for teenage girls in the U.S., sexually transmitted disease numbers continue to climb, indicating that teens are not choosing to abstain from sex, but instead finding products which allow them to continue to be sexually active without the risk of pregnancy. However, teens need to understand that sexual promiscuity is not possible without some degree of risk.
Unfortunately, sex education in this country doesn’t do enough to teach teens this. While attempting to inform today’s teens, it actually might promote more negative results associated with sex than good. With the government renewing its abstinence-focused education programs this year, readily available and unbiased information for teens still choosing to be sexually active might be in short supply. This education, telling teens that abstinence is the only legitimate way, runs the risk of alienating some teens, in addition to providing little useful advice. By failing to recognize sexually active teens, this legislative measure successfully disregards the population of teens needing that information the most.
Some evidence-focused groups have even found this renewal of funding unwarranted, pointing out that no conclusive results showing its value has been found. However, the gaps in sex knowledge don’t stop there for young Americans between the ages of 18 and 29. Although most of these young adults agree that pregnancy should be planned, about half fail to use contraceptives regularly. This again highlights the inconsistency in the value of the information provided by this legislation.
However, even if teens do use contraceptives, as many parents would prefer, there remains a serious lack of information available as to their effectiveness and safety. While it’s tempting to point to the slew of birth control options on the market and trust their value, it’s also worth realizing that some of these products might not be completely effective. Worse still, some of these contraceptives may cause serious medical injury to the user.
Easy solutions to this lifestyle concern aren’t simple. Barrier methods, while safer than no contraceptive, are fallible. Hormonal methods, while relatively effective, can falsely imply complete protection to all outcomes of casual sex, including sexually transmitted diseases. In fact, the growing number of complaints against oral contraceptives, exemplified by pending Yaz lawsuit, indicates that the safety of such birth control options is far from guaranteed. Users of this particular product have seen serious, and sometimes fatal, side effects including heart attack, stroke, blood clots, pulmonary embolisms, and gallbladder disease.
Although our culture is often brazen about sexuality, reiterating the seriousness of the act, both emotionally and from a health standpoint, needs to be a part of sexual education today. As we have seen, complete condemnation of a particular act does little to deter it. Therefore, it might be better to empower young people and give them the information they need about responsible sex. Trusting teens to act responsibly also includes accepting many will not wait for marriage or even stable relationships to have sex, so teens need to be made aware of ways to remain sexually active without the use of dangerous contraceptives.
Young women have some tough choices to struggle with if they choose to become sexually active, especially if they accidently become pregnant. Therefore, girls who are sexually active should figure out the answers to some of those tough choices they might have to make. Such decisions include whether to keep the child, have an abortion or put the baby up for adoption. Premarital sex carries with it the risk of bringing another life into this world and young couples need to be prepared for that immense responsibility. If the answers to these questions are too difficult to find, abstinence might then be the best option. Although sex is a huge part of our society today, we have the choice whether we let that influence our lives or stand up to the trend and find fulfillment elsewhere.
Call my office in Wilmington (815) 476-5210 or Lombard (630) 627-3700 to set up an appointment or email me at jones.gretchen@gmail.com
Sexuality becomes more pervasive in our culture every year. More than ever, it’s used to promote and sell products, entice consumers and entertain the masses. However, all this brazen sexuality has actually led to higher rates of sexual activity, especially for younger Americans. Unfortunately, the spread of sexually transmitted disease and unwanted pregnancy are two serious outcomes of this social trend, especially for women. Although pregnancy rates have recently declined for teenage girls in the U.S., sexually transmitted disease numbers continue to climb, indicating that teens are not choosing to abstain from sex, but instead finding products which allow them to continue to be sexually active without the risk of pregnancy. However, teens need to understand that sexual promiscuity is not possible without some degree of risk.
Unfortunately, sex education in this country doesn’t do enough to teach teens this. While attempting to inform today’s teens, it actually might promote more negative results associated with sex than good. With the government renewing its abstinence-focused education programs this year, readily available and unbiased information for teens still choosing to be sexually active might be in short supply. This education, telling teens that abstinence is the only legitimate way, runs the risk of alienating some teens, in addition to providing little useful advice. By failing to recognize sexually active teens, this legislative measure successfully disregards the population of teens needing that information the most.
Some evidence-focused groups have even found this renewal of funding unwarranted, pointing out that no conclusive results showing its value has been found. However, the gaps in sex knowledge don’t stop there for young Americans between the ages of 18 and 29. Although most of these young adults agree that pregnancy should be planned, about half fail to use contraceptives regularly. This again highlights the inconsistency in the value of the information provided by this legislation.
However, even if teens do use contraceptives, as many parents would prefer, there remains a serious lack of information available as to their effectiveness and safety. While it’s tempting to point to the slew of birth control options on the market and trust their value, it’s also worth realizing that some of these products might not be completely effective. Worse still, some of these contraceptives may cause serious medical injury to the user.
Easy solutions to this lifestyle concern aren’t simple. Barrier methods, while safer than no contraceptive, are fallible. Hormonal methods, while relatively effective, can falsely imply complete protection to all outcomes of casual sex, including sexually transmitted diseases. In fact, the growing number of complaints against oral contraceptives, exemplified by pending Yaz lawsuit, indicates that the safety of such birth control options is far from guaranteed. Users of this particular product have seen serious, and sometimes fatal, side effects including heart attack, stroke, blood clots, pulmonary embolisms, and gallbladder disease.
Although our culture is often brazen about sexuality, reiterating the seriousness of the act, both emotionally and from a health standpoint, needs to be a part of sexual education today. As we have seen, complete condemnation of a particular act does little to deter it. Therefore, it might be better to empower young people and give them the information they need about responsible sex. Trusting teens to act responsibly also includes accepting many will not wait for marriage or even stable relationships to have sex, so teens need to be made aware of ways to remain sexually active without the use of dangerous contraceptives.
Young women have some tough choices to struggle with if they choose to become sexually active, especially if they accidently become pregnant. Therefore, girls who are sexually active should figure out the answers to some of those tough choices they might have to make. Such decisions include whether to keep the child, have an abortion or put the baby up for adoption. Premarital sex carries with it the risk of bringing another life into this world and young couples need to be prepared for that immense responsibility. If the answers to these questions are too difficult to find, abstinence might then be the best option. Although sex is a huge part of our society today, we have the choice whether we let that influence our lives or stand up to the trend and find fulfillment elsewhere.
Call my office in Wilmington (815) 476-5210 or Lombard (630) 627-3700 to set up an appointment or email me at jones.gretchen@gmail.com
Tuesday, October 19, 2010
Whats Wrong with OCP?
So What is wrong with Oral Contraception? Why such the controversy over Hormone Replacement for women and no controversy over synthetic drugs to stop our hormones? These are questions YOU need to be asking the pharmaceutical companies AND your doctors.
I get asked this question in my clinic often so I am going to explain why the birth control pill is not a good idea. Birth control pills are synthetic hormone drugs. They contain either a form of mutated synthetic estrogen, fake progesterone, or androgenic medication. Some contain only medroxyprogesterone acetate (which is synthetic progestin). They are given in many ways, orally, transdermal patch, IUD, vaginal ring, or depo injection. They suppress your own production of ovarian hormones; estrogen and progesterone. Therefore, they prevent you from ovulating. That's why they work and you don't get pregnant. But, there is another way to prevent pregnancy. First, I will tell you why you should not use any of these OCP methods.
In 1998, Wyeth-Ayerst Pharmaceuticals began a study on their synthetic hormones (Premarin and Prempro) on 16,608 postmenopausal women. I know, you guys are young, so who cares, right? Wrong! This study PROVED that oral synthetic hormones are bad for us!! They had to stop the study 3 years early because women were dying! They found in the 4-5 short years the study did go on (it was supposed to be an 8 year study) that women had an increase in breast cancer by 26%, strokes by 41%, heart attacks by 29%, Alzheimers dementia by 76% and 2 times increase in bloodclots. Well, birth control pills and synthetic progestins are the SAME STUFF! They just have different names.
Birth control pills make women's body look like my peri-menopause women. They aren't ovulating! That means you get the same symptoms as 35-45 year old women. i.e. you're aging faster!! Weight gain around the middle, dry skin, low libido, moodswings, more yeast infections, more UTI's, more joint aches, more irritability, more anxiety, etc. etc. It's a painful irony that when we are young and have everything to lose (our fertility and potential for genetic immortality) many of us eagerly tossed back hormones made out of mutated synthetic estrogens, fake progesterone, and even, sometimes testosterone. And when birth control pills first came onto the market in the 1960's (generation of "free love") doctors who prescribed them had no idea they might impact our future fertility or what those hormones might be doing to us physically by preventing pregnancy. We have figured out NOW how toxic these synthetic hormone "drugs" like PremPro can really be.
So let's understand what is happening. In a normal cycle, estrogen causes the uterus lining to grow and progesterone then occupies the estrogen receptor site for two weeks out of the cycle every month and if conception does not occur, the uterus lining is shed. When two drugs are packaged together what you get is no resemblance to what goes on hormonally in your body. In reality the static, chronic dose of fake progesterone (progestin) in combination with a synthetic estrogen actually blocks the estrogen's effect every day. So any benefits known from estrogen in heart, brain, and breast are lost or diminished. The birth control pill not only increases your risk of cancer, but also causes heart disease. It does have side effects. The hormones made in your body really don't!
Call my office in Wilmington (815) 476-5210 or Lombard (630) 627-3700 to set up an appointment or email me at jones.gretchen@gmail.com
I get asked this question in my clinic often so I am going to explain why the birth control pill is not a good idea. Birth control pills are synthetic hormone drugs. They contain either a form of mutated synthetic estrogen, fake progesterone, or androgenic medication. Some contain only medroxyprogesterone acetate (which is synthetic progestin). They are given in many ways, orally, transdermal patch, IUD, vaginal ring, or depo injection. They suppress your own production of ovarian hormones; estrogen and progesterone. Therefore, they prevent you from ovulating. That's why they work and you don't get pregnant. But, there is another way to prevent pregnancy. First, I will tell you why you should not use any of these OCP methods.
In 1998, Wyeth-Ayerst Pharmaceuticals began a study on their synthetic hormones (Premarin and Prempro) on 16,608 postmenopausal women. I know, you guys are young, so who cares, right? Wrong! This study PROVED that oral synthetic hormones are bad for us!! They had to stop the study 3 years early because women were dying! They found in the 4-5 short years the study did go on (it was supposed to be an 8 year study) that women had an increase in breast cancer by 26%, strokes by 41%, heart attacks by 29%, Alzheimers dementia by 76% and 2 times increase in bloodclots. Well, birth control pills and synthetic progestins are the SAME STUFF! They just have different names.
Birth control pills make women's body look like my peri-menopause women. They aren't ovulating! That means you get the same symptoms as 35-45 year old women. i.e. you're aging faster!! Weight gain around the middle, dry skin, low libido, moodswings, more yeast infections, more UTI's, more joint aches, more irritability, more anxiety, etc. etc. It's a painful irony that when we are young and have everything to lose (our fertility and potential for genetic immortality) many of us eagerly tossed back hormones made out of mutated synthetic estrogens, fake progesterone, and even, sometimes testosterone. And when birth control pills first came onto the market in the 1960's (generation of "free love") doctors who prescribed them had no idea they might impact our future fertility or what those hormones might be doing to us physically by preventing pregnancy. We have figured out NOW how toxic these synthetic hormone "drugs" like PremPro can really be.
So let's understand what is happening. In a normal cycle, estrogen causes the uterus lining to grow and progesterone then occupies the estrogen receptor site for two weeks out of the cycle every month and if conception does not occur, the uterus lining is shed. When two drugs are packaged together what you get is no resemblance to what goes on hormonally in your body. In reality the static, chronic dose of fake progesterone (progestin) in combination with a synthetic estrogen actually blocks the estrogen's effect every day. So any benefits known from estrogen in heart, brain, and breast are lost or diminished. The birth control pill not only increases your risk of cancer, but also causes heart disease. It does have side effects. The hormones made in your body really don't!
Call my office in Wilmington (815) 476-5210 or Lombard (630) 627-3700 to set up an appointment or email me at jones.gretchen@gmail.com
Friday, October 15, 2010
TRANSDERMAL HORMONES AND WOMEN
I have been using transdermal hormone replacement using the Wiley Protocol for over three years now. Hormones are stored in fat cells. Transdermal application of hormones cannot mimic "exactly" how the ovaries or testicles release hormones into our blood stream. We apply a "glob" of cream twice a day, not a small amount every second of the day to our skin. If you have a nice fat pad on the back of your arms then the hormones can "store" in the fat and release with each heart beat pulsating blood through your body. I find there are times when I have to apply the hormone creams three times a day as I feel my estrogen levels falling. It is important to use the hormone creams consistently every day or your blood levels drop pretty quickly.
Hormones in your blood stream do not cause cancer! Chemicals can! Radiation can! Synthetic drugs can! Know what you are taking and know what your normal range is. I have measured thousands and thousands of male and female hormone levels over the past three years. Normal range of estradiol in cycling females is 150 pg/ml to 550 pg/ml and that is of fractionated estradiol, not TOTAL ESTROGEN. Total Estrogen would be much much higher because of the fact that estradiol breaks down into estrone. Estrone isn't dangerous, it is the inactive form of estradiol. Every woman has estrone; cycling females, pregnant woman, and menopausal women who are doing hormone replacement.
What is dangerous is if when you stop ovulating. The corpus luteum produces progesterone after ovulation every month for two weeks out of the month. When ovulation stops your body no longer has enough progesterone to "control" estrogen. Progesterone is much different from PROGESTINS. And there are many names for "progestins" that the media, medical articles, and doctors refer to as progesterone. If it isn't called PROGESTERONE then it is a PROGESTIN. Huge difference.
Here are a few of the names of Progestins that is NOT Progesterone:
Aygestin
Crinone
Medroxyprogesterone
Norethindrone Acetate
Drospirenone
Levnonorgestrel
These all are "hidden" under their brand names which are:
Activella
Angeliq
Climara Pro
Combipatch
Femhrt
Mimvey
Prevest
Premphase
Prempro
These are BAD medications that are not healthy for your body and can actually CAUSE negative effects inside your body including higher risk for blood clots, breast cancer, heart disease, dementia, weight gain, hair loss, depression, insomnnia to name just a few.
You have a choice people. Which option do you want to choose?
Hormones in your blood stream do not cause cancer! Chemicals can! Radiation can! Synthetic drugs can! Know what you are taking and know what your normal range is. I have measured thousands and thousands of male and female hormone levels over the past three years. Normal range of estradiol in cycling females is 150 pg/ml to 550 pg/ml and that is of fractionated estradiol, not TOTAL ESTROGEN. Total Estrogen would be much much higher because of the fact that estradiol breaks down into estrone. Estrone isn't dangerous, it is the inactive form of estradiol. Every woman has estrone; cycling females, pregnant woman, and menopausal women who are doing hormone replacement.
What is dangerous is if when you stop ovulating. The corpus luteum produces progesterone after ovulation every month for two weeks out of the month. When ovulation stops your body no longer has enough progesterone to "control" estrogen. Progesterone is much different from PROGESTINS. And there are many names for "progestins" that the media, medical articles, and doctors refer to as progesterone. If it isn't called PROGESTERONE then it is a PROGESTIN. Huge difference.
Here are a few of the names of Progestins that is NOT Progesterone:
Aygestin
Crinone
Medroxyprogesterone
Norethindrone Acetate
Drospirenone
Levnonorgestrel
These all are "hidden" under their brand names which are:
Activella
Angeliq
Climara Pro
Combipatch
Femhrt
Mimvey
Prevest
Premphase
Prempro
These are BAD medications that are not healthy for your body and can actually CAUSE negative effects inside your body including higher risk for blood clots, breast cancer, heart disease, dementia, weight gain, hair loss, depression, insomnnia to name just a few.
You have a choice people. Which option do you want to choose?
Thursday, September 23, 2010
Aspartame is, by far, the most dangerous substance on the market that is added to foods.
Aspartame is, by far, the most dangerous substance on the market that is added to foods.
Aspartame is the technical name for the brand names NutraSweet, Equal, Spoonful, and Equal-Measure. It was discovered by accident in 1965 when James Schlatter, a chemist of G.D. Searle Company, was testing an anti-ulcer drug.
Aspartame was approved for dry goods in 1981 and for carbonated beverages in 1983. It was originally approved for dry goods on July 26, 1974, but objections filed by neuroscience researcher Dr John W. Olney and Consumer attorney James Turner in August 1974 as well as investigations of G.D. Searle's research practices caused the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to put approval of aspartame on hold (December 5, 1974). In 1985, Monsanto purchased G.D. Searle and made Searle Pharmaceuticals and The NutraSweet Company separate subsidiaries.
Aspartame accounts for over 75 percent of the adverse reactions to food additives reported to the FDA. Many of these reactions are very serious including seizures and death.(1) A few of the 90 different documented symptoms listed in the report as being caused by aspartame include: Headaches/migraines, dizziness, seizures, nausea, numbness, muscle spasms, weight gain, rashes, depression, fatigue, irritability, tachycardia, insomnia, vision problems, hearing loss, heart palpitations, breathing difficulties, anxiety attacks, slurred speech, loss of taste, tinnitus, vertigo, memory loss, and joint pain.
According to researchers and physicians studying the adverse effects of aspartame, the following chronic illnesses can be triggered or worsened by ingesting of aspartame:(2) Brain tumors, multiple sclerosis, epilepsy, chronic fatigue syndrome, parkinson's disease, alzheimer's, mental retardation, lymphoma, birth defects, fibromyalgia, and diabetes.
Aspartame is made up of three chemicals: aspartic acid, phenylalanine, and methanol. The book "Prescription for Nutritional Healing," by James and Phyllis Balch, lists aspartame under the category of "chemical poison." As you shall see, that is exactly what it is.
What Is Aspartame Made Of?
Aspartic Acid (40 percent of Aspartame)
Dr. Russell L. Blaylock, a professor of neurosurgery at the Medical University of Mississippi, recently published a book thoroughly detailing the damage that is caused by the ingestion of excessive aspartic acid from aspartame. Blaylock makes use of almost 500 scientific references to show how excess free excitatory amino acids such as aspartic acid and glutamic acid (about 99 percent of monosodium glutamate (MSG) is glutamic acid) in our food supply are causing serious chronic neurological disorders and a myriad of other acute symptoms.(3)
How Aspartate (and Glutamate) Cause Damage
Aspartate and glutamate act as neurotransmitters in the brain by facilitating the transmission of information from neuron to neuron. Too much aspartate or glutamate in the brain kills certain neurons by allowing the influx of too much calcium into the cells. This influx triggers excessive amounts of free radicals, which kill the cells. The neural cell damage that can be caused by excessive aspartate and glutamate is why they are referred to as "excitotoxins." They "excite" or stimulate the neural cells to death.
Aspartic acid is an amino acid. Taken in its free form (unbound to proteins) it significantly raises the blood plasma level of aspartate and glutamate. The excess aspartate and glutamate in the blood plasma shortly after ingesting aspartame or products with free glutamic acid (glutamate precursor) leads to a high level of those neurotransmitters in certain areas of the brain.
The blood brain barrier (BBB), which normally protects the brain from excess glutamate and aspartate as well as toxins, 1) is not fully developed during childhood, 2) does not fully protect all areas of the brain, 3) is damaged by numerous chronic and acute conditions, and 4) allows seepage of excess glutamate and aspartate into the brain even when intact.
The excess glutamate and aspartate slowly begin to destroy neurons. The large majority (75 percent or more) of neural cells in a particular area of the brain are killed before any clinical symptoms of a chronic illness are noticed. A few of the many chronic illnesses that have been shown to be contributed to by long-term exposure to excitatory amino acid damage include:
•Multiple sclerosis (MS)
•ALS
•Memory loss
•Hormonal problems
•Hearing loss
•Epilepsy
•Alzheimer's disease
•Parkinson's disease
•Hypoglycemia
•AIDS
•Dementia
•Brain lesions
•Neuroendocrine disorders
The risk to infants, children, pregnant women, the elderly and persons with certain chronic health problems from excitotoxins are great. Even the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology (FASEB), which usually understates problems and mimics the FDA party-line, recently stated in a review that:
"It is prudent to avoid the use of dietary supplements of L-glutamic acid by pregnant women, infants, and children. The existence of evidence of potential endocrine responses, i.e., elevated cortisol and prolactin, and differential responses between males and females, would also suggest a neuroendocrine link and that supplemental L-glutamic acid should be avoided by women of childbearing age and individuals with affective disorders."(4)
Aspartic acid from aspartame has the same deleterious effects on the body as glutamic acid.
The exact mechanism of acute reactions to excess free glutamate and aspartate is currently being debated. As reported to the FDA, those reactions include:(5)
•Headaches/migraines
•Nausea
•Abdominal pains
•Fatigue (blocks sufficient glucose entry into brain)
•Sleep problems
•Vision problems
•Anxiety attacks
•Depression
•Asthma/chest tigShtness.
One common complaint of persons suffering from the effect of aspartame is memory loss. Ironically, in 1987, G.D. Searle, the manufacturer of aspartame, undertook a search for a drug to combat memory loss caused by excitatory amino acid damage. Blaylock is one of many scientists and physicians who are concerned about excitatory amino acid damage caused by ingestion of aspartame and MSG.
A few of the many experts who have spoken out against the damage being caused by aspartate and glutamate include Adrienne Samuels, Ph.D., an experimental psychologist specializing in research design. Another is Olney, a professor in the department of psychiatry, School of Medicine, Washington University, a neuroscientist and researcher, and one of the world's foremost authorities on excitotoxins. (He informed Searle in 1971 that aspartic acid caused holes in the brains of mice.)
Phenylalanine (50 percent of aspartame)
Phenylalanine is an amino acid normally found in the brain. Persons with the genetic disorder phenylketonuria (PKU) cannot metabolize phenylalanine. This leads to dangerously high levels of phenylalanine in the brain (sometimes lethal). It has been shown that ingesting aspartame, especially along with carbohydrates, can lead to excess levels of phenylalanine in the brain even in persons who do not have PKU.
This is not just a theory, as many people who have eaten large amounts of aspartame over a long period of time and do not have PKU have been shown to have excessive levels of phenylalanine in the blood. Excessive levels of phenylalanine in the brain can cause the levels of seratonin in the brain to decrease, leading to emotional disorders such as depression. It was shown in human testing that phenylalanine levels of the blood were increased significantly in human subjects who chronically used aspartame.(6)
Even a single use of aspartame raised the blood phenylalanine levels. In his testimony before the U.S. Congress, Dr. Louis J. Elsas showed that high blood phenylalanine can be concentrated in parts of the brain and is especially dangerous for infants and fetuses. He also showed that phenylalanine is metabolised much more effeciently by rodents than by humans.(7)
One account of a case of extremely high phenylalanine levels caused by aspartame was recently published the "Wednesday Journal" in an article titled "An Aspartame Nightmare." John Cook began drinking six to eight diet drinks every day. His symptoms started out as memory loss and frequent headaches. He began to crave more aspartame-sweetened drinks. His condition deteriorated so much that he experienced wide mood swings and violent rages. Even though he did not suffer from PKU, a blood test revealed a phenylalanine level of 80 mg/dl. He also showed abnormal brain function and brain damage. After he kicked his aspartame habit, his symptoms improved dramatically.(8)
As Blaylock points out in his book, early studies measuring phenylalanine buildup in the brain were flawed. Investigators who measured specific brain regions and not the average throughout the brain notice significant rises in phenylalanine levels. Specifically the hypothalamus, medulla oblongata, and corpus striatum areas of the brain had the largest increases in phenylalanine. Blaylock goes on to point out that excessive buildup of phenylalanine in the brain can cause schizophrenia or make one more susceptible to seizures.
Therefore, long-term, excessive use of aspartame may provid a boost to sales of seratonin reuptake inhibitors such as Prozac and drugs to control schizophrenia and seizures.
Methanol (aka wood alcohol/poison) (10 percent of aspartame)
Methanol/wood alcohol is a deadly poison. Some people may remember methanol as the poison that has caused some "skid row" alcoholics to end up blind or dead. Methanol is gradually released in the small intestine when the methyl group of aspartame encounter the enzyme chymotrypsin.
The absorption of methanol into the body is sped up considerably when free methanol is ingested. Free methanol is created from aspartame when it is heated to above 86 Fahrenheit (30 Centigrade). This would occur when aspartame-containing product is improperly stored or when it is heated (e.g., as part of a "food" product such as Jello).
Methanol breaks down into formic acid and formaldehyde in the body. Formaldehyde is a deadly neurotoxin. An EPA assessment of methanol states that methanol "is considered a cumulative poison due to the low rate of excretion once it is absorbed. In the body, methanol is oxidized to formaldehyde and formic acid; both of these metabolites are toxic." They recommend a limit of consumption of 7.8 mg/day. A one-liter (approx. 1 quart) aspartame-sweetened beverage contains about 56 mg of methanol. Heavy users of aspartame-containing products consume as much as 250 mg of methanol daily or 32 times the EPA limit.(9)
Symptoms from methanol poisoning include headaches, ear buzzing, dizziness, nausea, gastrointestinal disturbances, weakness, vertigo, chills, memory lapses, numbness and shooting pains in the extremities, behavioral disturbances, and neuritis. The most well known problems from methanol poisoning are vision problems including misty vision, progressive contraction of visual fields, blurring of vision, obscuration of vision, retinal damage, and blindness. Formaldehyde is a known carcinogen, causes retinal damage, interferes with DNA replication and causes birth defects.(10)
Due to the lack of a couple of key enzymes, humans are many times more sensitive to the toxic effects of methanol than animals. Therefore, tests of aspartame or methanol on animals do not accurately reflect the danger for humans. As pointed out by Dr. Woodrow C. Monte, director of the food science and nutrition laboratory at Arizona State University, "There are no human or mammalian studies to evaluate the possible mutagenic, teratogenic or carcinogenic effects of chronic administration of methyl alcohol."(11)
He was so concerned about the unresolved safety issues that he filed suit with the FDA requesting a hearing to address these issues. He asked the FDA to "slow down on this soft drink issue long enough to answer some of the important questions. It's not fair that you are leaving the full burden of proof on the few of us who are concerned and have such limited resources. You must remember that you are the American public's last defense. Once you allow usage (of aspartame) there is literally nothing I or my colleagues can do to reverse the course. Aspartame will then join saccharin, the sulfiting agents, and God knows how many other questionable compounds enjoined to insult the human constitution with governmental approval."(10) Shortly thereafter, the Commissioner of the FDA, Arthur Hull Hayes, Jr., approved the use of aspartame in carbonated beverages, he then left for a position with G.D. Searle's public relations firm.(11)
It has been pointed out that some fruit juices and alcoholic beverages contain small amounts of methanol. It is important to remember, however, that methanol never appears alone. In every case, ethanol is present, usually in much higher amounts. Ethanol is an antidote for methanol toxicity in humans.(9) The troops of Desert Storm were "treated" to large amounts of aspartame-sweetened beverages, which had been heated to over 86 degrees F in the Saudi Arabian sun. Many of them returned home with numerous disorders similar to what has been seen in persons who have been chemically poisoned by formaldehyde. The free methanol in the beverages may have been a contributing factor in these illnesses. Other breakdown products of aspartame such as DKP (discussed below) may also have been a factor.
In a 1993 act that can only be described as "unconscionable," the FDA approved aspartame as an ingredient in numerous food items that would always be heated to above 86 degree F (30 degree C).
Diketopiperazine (DKP)
DKP is a byproduct of aspartame metabolism. DKP has been implicated in the occurrence of brain tumors. Olney noticed that DKP, when nitrosated in the gut, produced a compound that was similar to N-nitrosourea, a powerful brain tumor causing chemical. Some authors have said that DKP is produced after aspartame ingestion. I am not sure if that is correct. It is definitely true that DKP is formed in liquid aspartame-containing products during prolonged storage.
G.D. Searle conducted animal experiments on the safety of DKP. The FDA found numerous experimental errors occurred, including "clerical errors, mixed-up animals, animals not getting drugs they were supposed to get, pathological specimens lost because of improper handling," and many other errors.(12) These sloppy laboratory procedures may explain why both the test and control animals had sixteen times more brain tumors than would be expected in experiments of this length.
In an ironic twist, shortly after these experimental errors were discovered, the FDA used guidelines recommended by G.D. Searle to develop the industry-wide FDA standards for good laboratory practices.(11)
DKP has also been implicated as a cause of uterine polyps and changes in blood cholesterol by FDA Toxicologist Dr. Jacqueline Verrett in her testimony before the U.S. Senate.(13)
References
1.Department of Health and Human Services, Report on All Adverse Reactions in the Adverse Reaction Monitoring System, (February 25 and 28, 1994).
2.Compiled by researchers, physicians, and artificial sweetner experts for Mission Possible, a group dedicated to warning consumers about aspartame.
3.Excitotoxins: The Taste That Kills, by Russell L. Blaylock, M.D.
4.Safety of Amino Acids, Life Sciences Research Office, FASEB, FDA Contract No. 223-88-2124, Task Order No. 8.
5.FDA Adverse Reaction Monitoring System.
6.Wurtman and Walker, "Dietary Phenylalanine and Brain Function," Proceedings of the First International Meeting on Dietary Phenylalanine and Brain Function., Washington, D.C., May 8, 1987.
7.Hearing Before the Committee On Labor and Human Resources United States Senate, First Session on Examing the Health and Safety Concerns of Nutrasweet (Aspartame).
8.Account of John Cook as published in Informed Consent Magazine. "How Safe Is Your Artificial Sweetner" by Barbara Mullarkey, September/October 1994.
9.Woodrow C. Monte, Ph.D., R.D., "Aspartame: Methanol and the Public Health," Journal of Applied Nutrition, 36 (1): 42-53.
10.US Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit, No. 84-1153 Community Nutrition Institute and Dr Woodrow Monte v. Dr Mark Novitch, Acting Commissioner, US FDA (9/24/85).
11.Aspartame Time Line by Barbara Mullarkey as published in Informed Consent Magazine, May/June 1994.
12.FDA Searle Investigation Task Force. "Final Report of Investigation of G.D. Searle Company." (March 24, 1976)
13.Testimony of Dr Jacqueline Verrett, FDA Toxicologist before the US Senate Committee on Labor and Human Resources, (November 3, 1987).
Call my office in Wilmington (815) 476-5210 or Lombard (630) 627-3700 to set up an appointment or email me at jones.gretchen@gmail.com
Aspartame is the technical name for the brand names NutraSweet, Equal, Spoonful, and Equal-Measure. It was discovered by accident in 1965 when James Schlatter, a chemist of G.D. Searle Company, was testing an anti-ulcer drug.
Aspartame was approved for dry goods in 1981 and for carbonated beverages in 1983. It was originally approved for dry goods on July 26, 1974, but objections filed by neuroscience researcher Dr John W. Olney and Consumer attorney James Turner in August 1974 as well as investigations of G.D. Searle's research practices caused the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to put approval of aspartame on hold (December 5, 1974). In 1985, Monsanto purchased G.D. Searle and made Searle Pharmaceuticals and The NutraSweet Company separate subsidiaries.
Aspartame accounts for over 75 percent of the adverse reactions to food additives reported to the FDA. Many of these reactions are very serious including seizures and death.(1) A few of the 90 different documented symptoms listed in the report as being caused by aspartame include: Headaches/migraines, dizziness, seizures, nausea, numbness, muscle spasms, weight gain, rashes, depression, fatigue, irritability, tachycardia, insomnia, vision problems, hearing loss, heart palpitations, breathing difficulties, anxiety attacks, slurred speech, loss of taste, tinnitus, vertigo, memory loss, and joint pain.
According to researchers and physicians studying the adverse effects of aspartame, the following chronic illnesses can be triggered or worsened by ingesting of aspartame:(2) Brain tumors, multiple sclerosis, epilepsy, chronic fatigue syndrome, parkinson's disease, alzheimer's, mental retardation, lymphoma, birth defects, fibromyalgia, and diabetes.
Aspartame is made up of three chemicals: aspartic acid, phenylalanine, and methanol. The book "Prescription for Nutritional Healing," by James and Phyllis Balch, lists aspartame under the category of "chemical poison." As you shall see, that is exactly what it is.
What Is Aspartame Made Of?
Aspartic Acid (40 percent of Aspartame)
Dr. Russell L. Blaylock, a professor of neurosurgery at the Medical University of Mississippi, recently published a book thoroughly detailing the damage that is caused by the ingestion of excessive aspartic acid from aspartame. Blaylock makes use of almost 500 scientific references to show how excess free excitatory amino acids such as aspartic acid and glutamic acid (about 99 percent of monosodium glutamate (MSG) is glutamic acid) in our food supply are causing serious chronic neurological disorders and a myriad of other acute symptoms.(3)
How Aspartate (and Glutamate) Cause Damage
Aspartate and glutamate act as neurotransmitters in the brain by facilitating the transmission of information from neuron to neuron. Too much aspartate or glutamate in the brain kills certain neurons by allowing the influx of too much calcium into the cells. This influx triggers excessive amounts of free radicals, which kill the cells. The neural cell damage that can be caused by excessive aspartate and glutamate is why they are referred to as "excitotoxins." They "excite" or stimulate the neural cells to death.
Aspartic acid is an amino acid. Taken in its free form (unbound to proteins) it significantly raises the blood plasma level of aspartate and glutamate. The excess aspartate and glutamate in the blood plasma shortly after ingesting aspartame or products with free glutamic acid (glutamate precursor) leads to a high level of those neurotransmitters in certain areas of the brain.
The blood brain barrier (BBB), which normally protects the brain from excess glutamate and aspartate as well as toxins, 1) is not fully developed during childhood, 2) does not fully protect all areas of the brain, 3) is damaged by numerous chronic and acute conditions, and 4) allows seepage of excess glutamate and aspartate into the brain even when intact.
The excess glutamate and aspartate slowly begin to destroy neurons. The large majority (75 percent or more) of neural cells in a particular area of the brain are killed before any clinical symptoms of a chronic illness are noticed. A few of the many chronic illnesses that have been shown to be contributed to by long-term exposure to excitatory amino acid damage include:
•Multiple sclerosis (MS)
•ALS
•Memory loss
•Hormonal problems
•Hearing loss
•Epilepsy
•Alzheimer's disease
•Parkinson's disease
•Hypoglycemia
•AIDS
•Dementia
•Brain lesions
•Neuroendocrine disorders
The risk to infants, children, pregnant women, the elderly and persons with certain chronic health problems from excitotoxins are great. Even the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology (FASEB), which usually understates problems and mimics the FDA party-line, recently stated in a review that:
"It is prudent to avoid the use of dietary supplements of L-glutamic acid by pregnant women, infants, and children. The existence of evidence of potential endocrine responses, i.e., elevated cortisol and prolactin, and differential responses between males and females, would also suggest a neuroendocrine link and that supplemental L-glutamic acid should be avoided by women of childbearing age and individuals with affective disorders."(4)
Aspartic acid from aspartame has the same deleterious effects on the body as glutamic acid.
The exact mechanism of acute reactions to excess free glutamate and aspartate is currently being debated. As reported to the FDA, those reactions include:(5)
•Headaches/migraines
•Nausea
•Abdominal pains
•Fatigue (blocks sufficient glucose entry into brain)
•Sleep problems
•Vision problems
•Anxiety attacks
•Depression
•Asthma/chest tigShtness.
One common complaint of persons suffering from the effect of aspartame is memory loss. Ironically, in 1987, G.D. Searle, the manufacturer of aspartame, undertook a search for a drug to combat memory loss caused by excitatory amino acid damage. Blaylock is one of many scientists and physicians who are concerned about excitatory amino acid damage caused by ingestion of aspartame and MSG.
A few of the many experts who have spoken out against the damage being caused by aspartate and glutamate include Adrienne Samuels, Ph.D., an experimental psychologist specializing in research design. Another is Olney, a professor in the department of psychiatry, School of Medicine, Washington University, a neuroscientist and researcher, and one of the world's foremost authorities on excitotoxins. (He informed Searle in 1971 that aspartic acid caused holes in the brains of mice.)
Phenylalanine (50 percent of aspartame)
Phenylalanine is an amino acid normally found in the brain. Persons with the genetic disorder phenylketonuria (PKU) cannot metabolize phenylalanine. This leads to dangerously high levels of phenylalanine in the brain (sometimes lethal). It has been shown that ingesting aspartame, especially along with carbohydrates, can lead to excess levels of phenylalanine in the brain even in persons who do not have PKU.
This is not just a theory, as many people who have eaten large amounts of aspartame over a long period of time and do not have PKU have been shown to have excessive levels of phenylalanine in the blood. Excessive levels of phenylalanine in the brain can cause the levels of seratonin in the brain to decrease, leading to emotional disorders such as depression. It was shown in human testing that phenylalanine levels of the blood were increased significantly in human subjects who chronically used aspartame.(6)
Even a single use of aspartame raised the blood phenylalanine levels. In his testimony before the U.S. Congress, Dr. Louis J. Elsas showed that high blood phenylalanine can be concentrated in parts of the brain and is especially dangerous for infants and fetuses. He also showed that phenylalanine is metabolised much more effeciently by rodents than by humans.(7)
One account of a case of extremely high phenylalanine levels caused by aspartame was recently published the "Wednesday Journal" in an article titled "An Aspartame Nightmare." John Cook began drinking six to eight diet drinks every day. His symptoms started out as memory loss and frequent headaches. He began to crave more aspartame-sweetened drinks. His condition deteriorated so much that he experienced wide mood swings and violent rages. Even though he did not suffer from PKU, a blood test revealed a phenylalanine level of 80 mg/dl. He also showed abnormal brain function and brain damage. After he kicked his aspartame habit, his symptoms improved dramatically.(8)
As Blaylock points out in his book, early studies measuring phenylalanine buildup in the brain were flawed. Investigators who measured specific brain regions and not the average throughout the brain notice significant rises in phenylalanine levels. Specifically the hypothalamus, medulla oblongata, and corpus striatum areas of the brain had the largest increases in phenylalanine. Blaylock goes on to point out that excessive buildup of phenylalanine in the brain can cause schizophrenia or make one more susceptible to seizures.
Therefore, long-term, excessive use of aspartame may provid a boost to sales of seratonin reuptake inhibitors such as Prozac and drugs to control schizophrenia and seizures.
Methanol (aka wood alcohol/poison) (10 percent of aspartame)
Methanol/wood alcohol is a deadly poison. Some people may remember methanol as the poison that has caused some "skid row" alcoholics to end up blind or dead. Methanol is gradually released in the small intestine when the methyl group of aspartame encounter the enzyme chymotrypsin.
The absorption of methanol into the body is sped up considerably when free methanol is ingested. Free methanol is created from aspartame when it is heated to above 86 Fahrenheit (30 Centigrade). This would occur when aspartame-containing product is improperly stored or when it is heated (e.g., as part of a "food" product such as Jello).
Methanol breaks down into formic acid and formaldehyde in the body. Formaldehyde is a deadly neurotoxin. An EPA assessment of methanol states that methanol "is considered a cumulative poison due to the low rate of excretion once it is absorbed. In the body, methanol is oxidized to formaldehyde and formic acid; both of these metabolites are toxic." They recommend a limit of consumption of 7.8 mg/day. A one-liter (approx. 1 quart) aspartame-sweetened beverage contains about 56 mg of methanol. Heavy users of aspartame-containing products consume as much as 250 mg of methanol daily or 32 times the EPA limit.(9)
Symptoms from methanol poisoning include headaches, ear buzzing, dizziness, nausea, gastrointestinal disturbances, weakness, vertigo, chills, memory lapses, numbness and shooting pains in the extremities, behavioral disturbances, and neuritis. The most well known problems from methanol poisoning are vision problems including misty vision, progressive contraction of visual fields, blurring of vision, obscuration of vision, retinal damage, and blindness. Formaldehyde is a known carcinogen, causes retinal damage, interferes with DNA replication and causes birth defects.(10)
Due to the lack of a couple of key enzymes, humans are many times more sensitive to the toxic effects of methanol than animals. Therefore, tests of aspartame or methanol on animals do not accurately reflect the danger for humans. As pointed out by Dr. Woodrow C. Monte, director of the food science and nutrition laboratory at Arizona State University, "There are no human or mammalian studies to evaluate the possible mutagenic, teratogenic or carcinogenic effects of chronic administration of methyl alcohol."(11)
He was so concerned about the unresolved safety issues that he filed suit with the FDA requesting a hearing to address these issues. He asked the FDA to "slow down on this soft drink issue long enough to answer some of the important questions. It's not fair that you are leaving the full burden of proof on the few of us who are concerned and have such limited resources. You must remember that you are the American public's last defense. Once you allow usage (of aspartame) there is literally nothing I or my colleagues can do to reverse the course. Aspartame will then join saccharin, the sulfiting agents, and God knows how many other questionable compounds enjoined to insult the human constitution with governmental approval."(10) Shortly thereafter, the Commissioner of the FDA, Arthur Hull Hayes, Jr., approved the use of aspartame in carbonated beverages, he then left for a position with G.D. Searle's public relations firm.(11)
It has been pointed out that some fruit juices and alcoholic beverages contain small amounts of methanol. It is important to remember, however, that methanol never appears alone. In every case, ethanol is present, usually in much higher amounts. Ethanol is an antidote for methanol toxicity in humans.(9) The troops of Desert Storm were "treated" to large amounts of aspartame-sweetened beverages, which had been heated to over 86 degrees F in the Saudi Arabian sun. Many of them returned home with numerous disorders similar to what has been seen in persons who have been chemically poisoned by formaldehyde. The free methanol in the beverages may have been a contributing factor in these illnesses. Other breakdown products of aspartame such as DKP (discussed below) may also have been a factor.
In a 1993 act that can only be described as "unconscionable," the FDA approved aspartame as an ingredient in numerous food items that would always be heated to above 86 degree F (30 degree C).
Diketopiperazine (DKP)
DKP is a byproduct of aspartame metabolism. DKP has been implicated in the occurrence of brain tumors. Olney noticed that DKP, when nitrosated in the gut, produced a compound that was similar to N-nitrosourea, a powerful brain tumor causing chemical. Some authors have said that DKP is produced after aspartame ingestion. I am not sure if that is correct. It is definitely true that DKP is formed in liquid aspartame-containing products during prolonged storage.
G.D. Searle conducted animal experiments on the safety of DKP. The FDA found numerous experimental errors occurred, including "clerical errors, mixed-up animals, animals not getting drugs they were supposed to get, pathological specimens lost because of improper handling," and many other errors.(12) These sloppy laboratory procedures may explain why both the test and control animals had sixteen times more brain tumors than would be expected in experiments of this length.
In an ironic twist, shortly after these experimental errors were discovered, the FDA used guidelines recommended by G.D. Searle to develop the industry-wide FDA standards for good laboratory practices.(11)
DKP has also been implicated as a cause of uterine polyps and changes in blood cholesterol by FDA Toxicologist Dr. Jacqueline Verrett in her testimony before the U.S. Senate.(13)
References
1.Department of Health and Human Services, Report on All Adverse Reactions in the Adverse Reaction Monitoring System, (February 25 and 28, 1994).
2.Compiled by researchers, physicians, and artificial sweetner experts for Mission Possible, a group dedicated to warning consumers about aspartame.
3.Excitotoxins: The Taste That Kills, by Russell L. Blaylock, M.D.
4.Safety of Amino Acids, Life Sciences Research Office, FASEB, FDA Contract No. 223-88-2124, Task Order No. 8.
5.FDA Adverse Reaction Monitoring System.
6.Wurtman and Walker, "Dietary Phenylalanine and Brain Function," Proceedings of the First International Meeting on Dietary Phenylalanine and Brain Function., Washington, D.C., May 8, 1987.
7.Hearing Before the Committee On Labor and Human Resources United States Senate, First Session on Examing the Health and Safety Concerns of Nutrasweet (Aspartame).
8.Account of John Cook as published in Informed Consent Magazine. "How Safe Is Your Artificial Sweetner" by Barbara Mullarkey, September/October 1994.
9.Woodrow C. Monte, Ph.D., R.D., "Aspartame: Methanol and the Public Health," Journal of Applied Nutrition, 36 (1): 42-53.
10.US Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit, No. 84-1153 Community Nutrition Institute and Dr Woodrow Monte v. Dr Mark Novitch, Acting Commissioner, US FDA (9/24/85).
11.Aspartame Time Line by Barbara Mullarkey as published in Informed Consent Magazine, May/June 1994.
12.FDA Searle Investigation Task Force. "Final Report of Investigation of G.D. Searle Company." (March 24, 1976)
13.Testimony of Dr Jacqueline Verrett, FDA Toxicologist before the US Senate Committee on Labor and Human Resources, (November 3, 1987).
Call my office in Wilmington (815) 476-5210 or Lombard (630) 627-3700 to set up an appointment or email me at jones.gretchen@gmail.com
Why Do So Many Skin Care Products Use These Potentially Hazardous Ingredients?
Why Do So Many Skin Care Products Use These Potentially Hazardous Ingredients?
Simple answer: because they’re cheap, readily available, and easy to dilute.
Are they in the products you currently use? It’s time to check. Go grab your containers of skin care products and check them against the following …
Ingredient Use Dangers
Parabens Heavily used preservatives in the cosmetic industry; used in an estimated 13,200 cosmetic and skin care products. Studies implicate their connection with cancer because their hormone-disrupting qualities mimic estrogen and could disrupt your body’s endocrine system.
Mineral Oil, Paraffin, and Petrolatum These petroleum products coat the skin like plastic – clogging pores and creating a build-up of toxins. They can slow cellular development, creating earlier signs of aging. They’re implicated as a suspected cause of cancer. Plus, they can disrupt hormonal activity. When you think about black oil pumped from deep underground, ask yourself why you’d want to put that kind of stuff on your skin…
Sodium laurel or lauryl sulfate (SLS), also known as sodium laureth sulfate (SLES) Found in over 90% of personal care products! They break down your skin’s moisture barrier, potentially leading to dry skin with premature aging. And because they easily penetrate your skin, they can allow other chemicals easy access. SLS combined with other chemicals may become a "nitrosamine" – a potent carcinogen.
Acrylamide Found in many facial creams. Linked to mammary tumors.
Propylene glycol Common cosmetic moisturizer and carrier for fragrance oils. May cause dermatitis and skin irritation. May inhibit skin cell growth. Linked to kidney and liver problems.
Phenol carbolic acid Found in many lotions and skin creams. Can cause circulatory collapse, paralysis, convulsions, coma, and even death from respiratory failure.
Dioxane Hidden in ingredients such as PEG, polysorbates, laureth, ethoxylated alcohols. Very common in personal care products. These chemicals are often contaminated with high concentrations of highly volatile 1,4-dioxane that’s easily absorbed through the skin. Its carcinogenicity was first reported in 1965, and later confirmed in studies including one from the National Cancer Institute in 1978. Nasal passages are considered extremely vulnerable, making it, in my opinion, a really bad idea to use these things on your face.
Toluene May be very poisonous! Made from petroleum and coal tar… found in most synthetic fragrances. Chronic exposure linked to anemia, lowered blood cell count, liver or kidney damage…May affect a developing fetus.
So, having read the above, do you really think it’s OK to put these things on your skin?
No?
I don’t think so either.
Call my office in Wilmington (815) 476-5210 or Lombard (630) 627-3700 to set up an appointment or email me at jones.gretchen@gmail.com
Simple answer: because they’re cheap, readily available, and easy to dilute.
Are they in the products you currently use? It’s time to check. Go grab your containers of skin care products and check them against the following …
Ingredient Use Dangers
Parabens Heavily used preservatives in the cosmetic industry; used in an estimated 13,200 cosmetic and skin care products. Studies implicate their connection with cancer because their hormone-disrupting qualities mimic estrogen and could disrupt your body’s endocrine system.
Mineral Oil, Paraffin, and Petrolatum These petroleum products coat the skin like plastic – clogging pores and creating a build-up of toxins. They can slow cellular development, creating earlier signs of aging. They’re implicated as a suspected cause of cancer. Plus, they can disrupt hormonal activity. When you think about black oil pumped from deep underground, ask yourself why you’d want to put that kind of stuff on your skin…
Sodium laurel or lauryl sulfate (SLS), also known as sodium laureth sulfate (SLES) Found in over 90% of personal care products! They break down your skin’s moisture barrier, potentially leading to dry skin with premature aging. And because they easily penetrate your skin, they can allow other chemicals easy access. SLS combined with other chemicals may become a "nitrosamine" – a potent carcinogen.
Acrylamide Found in many facial creams. Linked to mammary tumors.
Propylene glycol Common cosmetic moisturizer and carrier for fragrance oils. May cause dermatitis and skin irritation. May inhibit skin cell growth. Linked to kidney and liver problems.
Phenol carbolic acid Found in many lotions and skin creams. Can cause circulatory collapse, paralysis, convulsions, coma, and even death from respiratory failure.
Dioxane Hidden in ingredients such as PEG, polysorbates, laureth, ethoxylated alcohols. Very common in personal care products. These chemicals are often contaminated with high concentrations of highly volatile 1,4-dioxane that’s easily absorbed through the skin. Its carcinogenicity was first reported in 1965, and later confirmed in studies including one from the National Cancer Institute in 1978. Nasal passages are considered extremely vulnerable, making it, in my opinion, a really bad idea to use these things on your face.
Toluene May be very poisonous! Made from petroleum and coal tar… found in most synthetic fragrances. Chronic exposure linked to anemia, lowered blood cell count, liver or kidney damage…May affect a developing fetus.
So, having read the above, do you really think it’s OK to put these things on your skin?
No?
I don’t think so either.
Call my office in Wilmington (815) 476-5210 or Lombard (630) 627-3700 to set up an appointment or email me at jones.gretchen@gmail.com
Friday, September 17, 2010
Bioidentical Estrogen, Heart Disease, and Cholesterol and Your Health
Estrogen refers both to natural estrogen hormones in the body and estrogen products used in medications. The main forms of estrogen found in women's bodies—endogenous estrogen—are:
estradiol, the main estrogen made by women’s ovaries before menopause (also described as 17-beta estradiol and E2)
estrone, a weaker estrogen produced both in the ovaries and in fat tissue from other hormones, and the main estrogen found in women after menopause (E1)
estriol, the weakest of the three main forms of estrogen, made in the body from other estrogens (E3) and found in utero with growing fetus.
The amount of these estrogens in the body varies over the course of the menstrual cycle. After menopause, estrone becomes the predominant endogenous estrogen in women’s bodies even though the ovaries continue to produce small amounts of estradiol, as do the secondary hormone-production sites. The adrenal gland continues to produce androstenedione, which is converted to estrone and estradiol in body fat and in muscle and skin cells. In addition, the ovaries continue making small amounts of testosterone, which can be converted to estradiol, but often is not in significant amounts.
How does estrogen function in the body?
Estrogens, particularly estradiol, are powerful female hormones that make a girl develop into a woman capable of reproduction. Whether from your own ovaries or from an external source, estrogens work in the body by traveling in the blood to body tissues where there are estrogen receptors. Estrogen receptors are found in the brain, breasts, heart, blood vessels, uterus, vagina, bladder, liver, bones, skin, and gastrointestinal tract. Estrogen molecules bind, or attach, to estrogen receptors much like a key fits into a lock, and this leads to effects that vary from one body part to another.
Not all parts of the body have estrogen receptors, and not all estrogen receptors are alike. Estrogen receptors in bone tissue are not the same as estrogen receptors in breast tissue, for example. There are other factors that influence the differing effects of estrogen in different parts of the body, but not a great deal is known about these other factors.
What are the effects of lower estrogen levels?
Because estrogens have important effects on so many body tissues, it is not surprising that when a woman’s estrogen levels drop (especially when they drop suddenly), there may be negative or potentially negative effects. One of the most noticeable effects, of course, is the end of menses, the monthly periods. The end of menses is due in part to estrogen levels that are too low to stimulate the lining of the uterus (endometrium).
In addition to the end of menses, significant estrogen loss can also lead to:
hot flashes and night sweats with disturbed sleep
vaginal dryness and loss of elasticity of vaginal tissue , elasticity of skin, blood vessels, heart vessels
increased urinary tract infections and problems with urinary incontinence (difficulty holding one’s urine)—although childbirth appears to be the most important cause of incontinence in postmenopausal women
loss of sexual desire and function
changes in mood, or depression
memory problems and possible increased risk of Alzheimer’s disease
breast changes—loss of firmness
skin changes—thinner skin, less collagen and moisture in the skin
loss of bone density—may eventually lead to osteoporosis
increase in cholesterol levels—may increase risk for heart disease
loss of numerous beneficial effects of estrogen on body organs and systems
Estrogens used in ERT, HRT and NHRT
Estrogen products may provide either a single type of estrogen or mixed estrogens. The most commonly prescribed form of estrogen for HRT in the U.S. for many years has been a mixture of estrogens extracted from the urine of pregnant mares (Premarin, and the estrogen in Prempro and other estrogen products that begin with Prem-). Prempro is the combined synthetic estrogen/progestin formulation that was found in the WHI study to be associated with a somewhat increased risk of breast cancer, heart attack, stroke, and blot clots.
There are many alternatives to Premarin available to women today. Other estrogen products, including bio-identical estrogens, are made in the laboratory from plant materials, usually wild yam or soy. Estrogens can be taken in pill form or as sublingual (under the tongue) tablets. There are also estradiol skin patches (transdermal estrogen), and some estrogen products can be used in the vagina. An estradiol skin gel (EstroGel) is available in many countries including Canada and the U.S. An estrogen nasal spray is being tested. Most estrogen products delivered through the skin are bio-identical estrogens, but some oral and vaginal estrogens are not (e.g., Premarin, Ogen, Cenestin, Premarin vaginal cream). The estrogen used in transdermal patches is bio-identical estrogen (estradiol); however, the estrogen used in the contraceptive skin patch (Ortho Evra) is a synthetic estrogen.
Examples of estrogen products
Oral (pills): Estrace, generic estradiol, Ogen, Premarin, Cenestin
Transdermal: Vivelle, Climara, Alora, Estraderm (skin patches)
EstroGel (now available in the U.S.)
Vaginal: VagiFem, Estring
I prefer to use the Wiley Protocol transdermal estrogen because it is bioidentical and is the only standardized cyclic hormone therapy available at this time to replace hormones the way young cycling female hormones are.
Estriol is not often used in HRT, although it is possible to have an estrogen cream that contains estriol made to order by a compounding pharmacy. Estriol, while much weaker than estradiol, is still able to cause systemic effects on the user, and studies have found that oral estriol can stimulate the endometrium. Vaginal estrogens are less likely to cause systemic effects and are sometimes effective for restoring vaginal and urogenital tissues to premenopausal conditions and reducing urinary tract infections.
Different products may have somewhat different effects and side effects. Oral estrogens seem to have more side effects than estrogens delivered through the skin or the vagina, apparently due to the "first pass" through the liver that occurs when drugs are taken by mouth.
The differences between oral and transdermal estrogens
Oral estrogens are quickly broken down by the liver, and this "first pass" through the liver seems to be responsible for certain side effects as well as for the positive effects of oral estrogen on cholesterol levels, lowering LDL (the "bad" cholesterol) and raising HDL (the "good" cholesterol). Oral estrogen sometimes raises triglycerides (another type of blood fat) and women who have high triglyceride levels should be aware of this.
Transdermal estrogen given in the doses I prescribe can raise HDL and lower LDL cholesterol, and it does not affect triglycerides, so it may be a better choice in women with elevated triglyceride levels. Avoiding the first pass through the liver also may prevent the increased risk of blood clots and gallbladder problems associated with oral estrogens.
UPDATE: Results of a study reported in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology (April 2003) show that Premarin pills, a form of oral estrogen, increase C-reactive protein (CRP) in the blood, while Climara, an estrogen skin patch, does not. CRP is a marker of inflammation in the blood that has been found to be a heart disease risk factor. Read Could Heart Risks of Estrogen Replacement Be "Patched" Up? for more information. The study confirms earlier research showing that transdermal estrogen does not raise CRP levels in the blood, while estrogen pills do (Vehkavaara S et al., 2001).
Transdermal estrogen and oral estrogen have differing effects on androgens in the body. Oral estrogen lowers free testosterone and can lead to androgen deficiency (affecting libido among other things), while transdermal estrogen has little effect on testosterone levels. Transdermal estrogen may offer other advantages over oral estrogens, although more research is needed.
I have over 500 women on transdermal estrogen and progesterone using the Wiley Protocol who are doing awesome. I've been tracking their progress since 2008 and have amazing results and data showing how replacing your hormones to reflect what your hormones do in young cycling women restores health and well being.
Call my office in Wilmington (815) 476-5210 or Lombard (630) 627-3700 to set up an appointment or email me at jones.gretchen@gmail.com
estradiol, the main estrogen made by women’s ovaries before menopause (also described as 17-beta estradiol and E2)
estrone, a weaker estrogen produced both in the ovaries and in fat tissue from other hormones, and the main estrogen found in women after menopause (E1)
estriol, the weakest of the three main forms of estrogen, made in the body from other estrogens (E3) and found in utero with growing fetus.
The amount of these estrogens in the body varies over the course of the menstrual cycle. After menopause, estrone becomes the predominant endogenous estrogen in women’s bodies even though the ovaries continue to produce small amounts of estradiol, as do the secondary hormone-production sites. The adrenal gland continues to produce androstenedione, which is converted to estrone and estradiol in body fat and in muscle and skin cells. In addition, the ovaries continue making small amounts of testosterone, which can be converted to estradiol, but often is not in significant amounts.
How does estrogen function in the body?
Estrogens, particularly estradiol, are powerful female hormones that make a girl develop into a woman capable of reproduction. Whether from your own ovaries or from an external source, estrogens work in the body by traveling in the blood to body tissues where there are estrogen receptors. Estrogen receptors are found in the brain, breasts, heart, blood vessels, uterus, vagina, bladder, liver, bones, skin, and gastrointestinal tract. Estrogen molecules bind, or attach, to estrogen receptors much like a key fits into a lock, and this leads to effects that vary from one body part to another.
Not all parts of the body have estrogen receptors, and not all estrogen receptors are alike. Estrogen receptors in bone tissue are not the same as estrogen receptors in breast tissue, for example. There are other factors that influence the differing effects of estrogen in different parts of the body, but not a great deal is known about these other factors.
What are the effects of lower estrogen levels?
Because estrogens have important effects on so many body tissues, it is not surprising that when a woman’s estrogen levels drop (especially when they drop suddenly), there may be negative or potentially negative effects. One of the most noticeable effects, of course, is the end of menses, the monthly periods. The end of menses is due in part to estrogen levels that are too low to stimulate the lining of the uterus (endometrium).
In addition to the end of menses, significant estrogen loss can also lead to:
hot flashes and night sweats with disturbed sleep
vaginal dryness and loss of elasticity of vaginal tissue , elasticity of skin, blood vessels, heart vessels
increased urinary tract infections and problems with urinary incontinence (difficulty holding one’s urine)—although childbirth appears to be the most important cause of incontinence in postmenopausal women
loss of sexual desire and function
changes in mood, or depression
memory problems and possible increased risk of Alzheimer’s disease
breast changes—loss of firmness
skin changes—thinner skin, less collagen and moisture in the skin
loss of bone density—may eventually lead to osteoporosis
increase in cholesterol levels—may increase risk for heart disease
loss of numerous beneficial effects of estrogen on body organs and systems
Estrogens used in ERT, HRT and NHRT
Estrogen products may provide either a single type of estrogen or mixed estrogens. The most commonly prescribed form of estrogen for HRT in the U.S. for many years has been a mixture of estrogens extracted from the urine of pregnant mares (Premarin, and the estrogen in Prempro and other estrogen products that begin with Prem-). Prempro is the combined synthetic estrogen/progestin formulation that was found in the WHI study to be associated with a somewhat increased risk of breast cancer, heart attack, stroke, and blot clots.
There are many alternatives to Premarin available to women today. Other estrogen products, including bio-identical estrogens, are made in the laboratory from plant materials, usually wild yam or soy. Estrogens can be taken in pill form or as sublingual (under the tongue) tablets. There are also estradiol skin patches (transdermal estrogen), and some estrogen products can be used in the vagina. An estradiol skin gel (EstroGel) is available in many countries including Canada and the U.S. An estrogen nasal spray is being tested. Most estrogen products delivered through the skin are bio-identical estrogens, but some oral and vaginal estrogens are not (e.g., Premarin, Ogen, Cenestin, Premarin vaginal cream). The estrogen used in transdermal patches is bio-identical estrogen (estradiol); however, the estrogen used in the contraceptive skin patch (Ortho Evra) is a synthetic estrogen.
Examples of estrogen products
Oral (pills): Estrace, generic estradiol, Ogen, Premarin, Cenestin
Transdermal: Vivelle, Climara, Alora, Estraderm (skin patches)
EstroGel (now available in the U.S.)
Vaginal: VagiFem, Estring
I prefer to use the Wiley Protocol transdermal estrogen because it is bioidentical and is the only standardized cyclic hormone therapy available at this time to replace hormones the way young cycling female hormones are.
Estriol is not often used in HRT, although it is possible to have an estrogen cream that contains estriol made to order by a compounding pharmacy. Estriol, while much weaker than estradiol, is still able to cause systemic effects on the user, and studies have found that oral estriol can stimulate the endometrium. Vaginal estrogens are less likely to cause systemic effects and are sometimes effective for restoring vaginal and urogenital tissues to premenopausal conditions and reducing urinary tract infections.
Different products may have somewhat different effects and side effects. Oral estrogens seem to have more side effects than estrogens delivered through the skin or the vagina, apparently due to the "first pass" through the liver that occurs when drugs are taken by mouth.
The differences between oral and transdermal estrogens
Oral estrogens are quickly broken down by the liver, and this "first pass" through the liver seems to be responsible for certain side effects as well as for the positive effects of oral estrogen on cholesterol levels, lowering LDL (the "bad" cholesterol) and raising HDL (the "good" cholesterol). Oral estrogen sometimes raises triglycerides (another type of blood fat) and women who have high triglyceride levels should be aware of this.
Transdermal estrogen given in the doses I prescribe can raise HDL and lower LDL cholesterol, and it does not affect triglycerides, so it may be a better choice in women with elevated triglyceride levels. Avoiding the first pass through the liver also may prevent the increased risk of blood clots and gallbladder problems associated with oral estrogens.
UPDATE: Results of a study reported in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology (April 2003) show that Premarin pills, a form of oral estrogen, increase C-reactive protein (CRP) in the blood, while Climara, an estrogen skin patch, does not. CRP is a marker of inflammation in the blood that has been found to be a heart disease risk factor. Read Could Heart Risks of Estrogen Replacement Be "Patched" Up? for more information. The study confirms earlier research showing that transdermal estrogen does not raise CRP levels in the blood, while estrogen pills do (Vehkavaara S et al., 2001).
Transdermal estrogen and oral estrogen have differing effects on androgens in the body. Oral estrogen lowers free testosterone and can lead to androgen deficiency (affecting libido among other things), while transdermal estrogen has little effect on testosterone levels. Transdermal estrogen may offer other advantages over oral estrogens, although more research is needed.
I have over 500 women on transdermal estrogen and progesterone using the Wiley Protocol who are doing awesome. I've been tracking their progress since 2008 and have amazing results and data showing how replacing your hormones to reflect what your hormones do in young cycling women restores health and well being.
Call my office in Wilmington (815) 476-5210 or Lombard (630) 627-3700 to set up an appointment or email me at jones.gretchen@gmail.com
