Hormones and Aging

Natural Ways to Stay Healthy

Declining hormones are a big part of the loss of well being that many people experience as they get older.

And it's not just loss of estrogen from menopause either. Men experience less testosterone. Both men and women experience less melatonin, (regulates sleep and circadian rhythm.) There are other losses as well.

Recognizing the importance of these substances for our health and quality of life, modern medicine has developed a wide array of hormone replacement therapies to address the problem. However, if you've kept up with the news about these, you know that there are often unwanted side effects from some of these therapies.

Natural Alternatives

Fortunately there are some natural alternatives you may want to consider. First we'll talk about the specific problems associated with aging and your endocrine system. Then you'll learn about the options you can consider to address these issues.

Here are the most important hormone losses as we age:

Estrogen

Declining estrogen in women leads to menopause around age 50 or so. Usually there is increased dryness and sometimes other symptoms like hot flashes, restlessness, and irritability.

These changes can also happen with female surgeries such as a hysterectomy.

The increased dryness caused by less estrogen contributes to dry, wrinkled skin, as well as vaginal dryness. Vaginal dryness can lead to pain and discomfort during love-making.

Testosterone

Testosterone is, in a sense, the male equivalent to estrogen. As it turns out, both men and women have both estrogen and testosterone, however in different ratios.

Many health and quality of life issues accompany decreased testosterone. For many men (and some women) the loss of sex drive is high on the list.

Other problems associated with low testosterone are loss of muscle mass and strength, added fat accumulation, reduced mental focus and even prostate problems. Adequate levels of testosterone even help reduce the likelihood of heart disease, strokes, Alzheimer’s disease, osteoporosis (weak bones), type II diabetes, and depression.

To Learn More...