Overview of Human Hormone System and Hormone Replacement Therapies

What Are Hormones?
Our body makes a number of chemicals which have very specific tasks of running, maintaining, supporting and enhancing our physical, mental, emotional and spiritual functioning as well as help protect us and help us reproduce and procreate. One of these specific groups of chemicals which is made by our endocrine system are hormones.

The human endocrine system is made up of a number of major hormone producing glands: the pituitary gland, the thyroid gland, the adrenal glands, the parathyroid glands, pineal gland, thymus, pancreas, the ovaries and the testes (see Diagram below).

When the endocrine system and all of it glands are working correctly we generally have optimal health and feel good. That is, we feel well, look well and act as if we are well. When any one of these glandular system, any combination, or all of them, are malfunctioning or off, either making too much or too little of these individual or combines hormones, we will likely feel ill, be ill, suffer from some or many symptoms of illness.

What Is Hormone Replacement Therapy?

There are certain glandular systems that either dysfunction or with age begin to malfunction or fail, that is, they intrinsically or because of outside factors begin to decrease, reduce or stop make their normal and effective amounts of hormones and a efficiency is created. The most widely recognized of these problems is diabetes. Other commonly recognized hormone deficiency problems are thyroid dysfunction, when too little thyroid hormone is being made, menopause (loss of female reproductive hormones), andropause (loss of reproductive hormones in men) and infertility (both men and women), growth hormone deficiency and DHEA deficiency in both men and women.

When any one gland makes too little hormone or the hormone made is inefficient or defective, then replacement of these hormones may be essential for return to optimal health and wellness. When this happens their specific hormones must be prescribed and either taken orally, topically or by injection then we are performing hormone replacement therapy.

Thyroid Hormone Replacement Therapy

When the thyroid for whatever reason age, injury, chemical toxicity or surgery fails and your body does not make sufficient thyroid hormone (hypothyroidism) a series of symptoms are likely to occur: fatigue, cold intolerance, depression, constipation, muscle aches and pains, arthritis, thin, brittle nails, dry, itchy skin, weight gain, water retention, slow heart rate, menstrual irregularities, infertility, and lowered metabolism.

When hypothyroidism exists then thyroid replacement therapy is needed to return you to optimal functioning and feeling well again.

Hyperthyroidism the cration of too much thyroid hormone is the exact opposite of hypothyroidsim and should be mentioned. Whit hyper thyroidism we do not replace thyroid hormone but rather suppress the thyroids abiility to makeand distruibute thyroid hormone. If this is done too aggressively such as when all or some significant portion of the thyroid is removed surgically or using radiation then thyroid hormone replacement maybe necessary.

Insulin Replacement Therapy

There are twotyes of Diabetes. Type I Diabetes which occurs at birth or during early childhood which is a genetic disorder or Type II Diabeties which is a nutritional deficiency syndrome. With Type I Diabetes hamoney and balance can be restored and controlled by replacing insulin or using oral medications that controls or manages the deficiency of insulin or how insulin is used by the individuals body. With Type II Diabetes insulin is either not being manufactured in sufficient amount (or at all), or insulincannot beused to breakdown or manage sugar intakee, fat metabolism or the use of sugar within or body orgrans or cellls. Effective control of these mechanims can be establihed by improving the individuals diet to return essential vitamins, minerals andenzymes necessaruyufor insuling production and the useof insulin by tissues andorgans or once again by adequate insulin replacment so that the indivual will have sufficient insulin to manage and control sugar metabolism and he/she can return to normal.

Menopause and Estrogen/Progesterone Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT)

As women move into their mid-fourties and early fifties or because of surgery their ovaries may begin to fail, they redueor even stio producing estrogen and they enter into menopause. Estrogen failure is responsible for a host of medical and health problems including hot flashes, flushes and vasomotor instability but also an increased risk of heart disease, osteoporosis, stroke, Alzheimer=s Disease, various cancers and premature aging. These symptoms and medical problems can be controlled and eliminated by estrogen and progesterone hormone replacement. See Information articles on Estrogen and Estrogen Hormone Replacement (HRT).

Andropause and Testosterone Replacement Therapy (TRT)

As men age or through injury or surgery, the testes may fail to make sufficient male hormone, testosterone. Deficiencies of testosterone can create a syndrome similar to menopause along with increased risk of heart disease, stroke, osteoporosis, cognitive and memory problems, loss of vitality, muscle wasting and premature aging. See Information articles on Testosterone and Testosterone Hormone Replacement (TRT).

These negaative symptoms and medical problems can be reduced and even eliminated by Testosterone Replacement Therapy.

Other Essential Hormonal Replacement Therapies

There are a number of other hormones made by endocrine which when production is impaired or decreased can cause symptoms and health problems:

Melatonin

Made by the pituitary gland melatonin plays an essential role in maintaining health and wellness. Melatonin regulates the sleep-wake cycle, causes drowsiness, lower body and has a positive effect on the entire endocrine systems. When melatonin is deficient or being made, and/or supplemented, in excess can cause sleep disturbances. There may be an increased risk of certain types of cancers, disturbances of the immune system depression, cardiovascular disease and sexual dysfunction when deficient, used to excess or used inappropriately. Proper melatonin replacement can reverse these problems.

Dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA)

Dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) also known as androstenolone, is an internally made steroid hormone precursor. It is one of the most abundant circulating steroid hormones within humans. DHEA is produced by the adrenal glands, the testes and ovaries, and within the brain. It plays an essential role maintaining a hormonal balance as it is the main building block for both the male and female hormones, testosterone and estrogen. Deficiencies of DHEA are associated with increased risk of death from cardiovascular disease, depression, mood swings, and insulin resistance.
Appropriate replacement therapy has benefits on many levels.

Growth Hormone (Somatotrophin)

Made by the pituitary gland growth hormone (also referred to as somatotrophin) has many important affects including promoting human growth during childhood and adulthood.
Deficiencies of growth hormone can lead to both a host of non-specific problems as well as very specific developmentand and health problems including truncal obesity, decrease in muscle mass, decreased energy and decreased quality of life, premature aging. Many researchers believe that it is a major factor in triggering the aging process and increasing the risk of cancer and heart disease when overproduced. Growth hormone replacement is now recommended for people with multiple sclerosis, and is used for treating severe obesity, fibromyalgia, Chron=s disease and ulcerative colitis. During adulthood growth hormone activates and manges our immuneand healing systems.

A Two Edged Sword

Deficiencies of these essential hormones can play havoc with your body and lead to increased risk of death, cardiovascular disease, loss of energy, obesity, sleep disturbances, infertility and a host of individual symptoms and changes within the body (see information articles on each of these hormones individually). On the other hand, treatment with hormones by physicians inexperienced in their use or self treatment by an individual has no idea what they are doing, can also be quite dangerous.

Hormonal replacement treatment should always require a competent medical consult, a comprehensive medical history and physical examination, appropriate diagnostic and laboratory testing and then prescription by someone who knows what they are doing and does what needs to be done correctly. Education is essential so that you know exactly what you are doing so as not to undermine or compromise your well being.

With proper hormonal replacement therapy (HRT/TRT/Thyroid/Insulin/DHEA) those individual whoare deficient can return to optimal functioning and feel totally well again. A good long-term relationship with competent and caring physician can help you greatly.
For more information and consultation, contact Advanced Wellness Medical by: Calling 626.365.1084 or
E-mail your questions or specific search for information to info@advancedwellnessmedical.com