Centre for Optimum Health

Dhea  or 7 Keto DHEA – Can it make a Difference?                            

Clearing up information regarding the utilization of DHEA or 7Keto DHEA which is a necessary hormone made by the adrenal glands and that you need to know their differences. 

Why should you be interested?

The way we handle stress has a lot to do with our type of personality as well as our genetics.  Even those that proclaim to be okay and feel they are not affected by external stress suffer from more of the invisible, internal imbalances.  Some just have a hard time admitting anything that has to do with the word stress. 

So, if you feel that you are free of emotional and mental stress let your Anti-Aging Doctor prove that your body stress is in balance also.  They are able to do this through specific blood work and saliva testing.  Your traditional doctor may not offer any help in this matter as it does not fall under the usual look see areas.

Adrenal Fatigue and Cortisol Levels seem to be the new kids on the block and are at the base of all our ailments.  The other hormone produced by the adrenal glands and depressed by stress is DHEA (dehydroepiandrosterone).  DHEA is considered the most abundant of all the steroid hormones and is commonly referred to as The Anti-Aging hormone.  As we age, the production of cortisol rises and the DHEA decreases which leaves us more likely to experience heart disease, depressions, weight problems, cancer and diabetes.

What does DHEA do?

• ·         Bone Building (stimulates osteoblasts)
• ·         Skin renewal (fibroblasts)
• ·         Protects the Brain from aging decline (neurotransmitter production)
• ·         Regulates  and supports Immune Function
• ·         Low levels can be associated with Impotence
• ·         Increases Muscle Mass
• ·         Reduces high levels of Cortisol
• ·         Lowers Triglyceride Levels
• ·         Enhances Thermogenics
• ·         Increases Conversion of Stored Fat to Energy

What are the benefits of balancing the levels of DHEA?

• ·         Enhanced Energy and Relieves Fatigue
• ·         Improvement in handling stress
• ·         Better Moods
• ·         More relaxed
• ·         Better Sleep
• ·         Enhanced Memory
• ·         Helps Depression
• ·         Reduces Inflammation (arthritis, lupus)
• ·         Improves Gut Issues
• ·         Helps Balance Thyroid
• ·         Helps overcome Insulin Resistance
• ·         Fights Allergic Reactions
• ·         Cholesterol Reduction

The 7-Keto DHEA is a non-toxic version of DHEA.  It declines with age and can be a major culprit in the later part of life.  Urinary excretion studies show a 50% loss by age 50.  Upping your level of 7-Keto DHEA helps prevent and improves many signs of aging. 

It is a natural metabolite or converted form of DHEA and is unable to be utilized to make Testosterone or Estrogen.  The 7-Keto DHEA is also better at promoting loss of stored fat.  In an article by Dave Tuttle, May 2005 Life Extension wrote about how when 7-Keto DHEA is low that age-related declines in cellular immunity have an impaired response to flu vaccine, making them susceptible to catching the flu, even after flu shots.

DHEA is a very important component that is rarely acknowledged in traditional medicine.  Your doctor may look at a DHEAS which is the sulphated level in blood tests, find it to be too low and not know what to do with it. Over the counter supplements can help but please do it with guidance.  Low DHEA, like low Thyroid hormone, is a major marker of Aging and is necessary in our bodies.

What Time of Day Should DHEA or 7-Keto DHEA Be Taken?

Take all amounts in the AM hours with or without food as the body’s natural production of DHEA peaks in the morning.  If you take it at night you may stimulate your brain activity and experience bouts of insomnia.

If you or someone you love relates to any of the above indicators, don’t hesitate to pursue knowing your DHEA levels.  I suggest you find a specialist in the area of Anti-aging, Regenerative and Functional Medicine as they will listen, test and advise what would be the best bio-identical direction for you to achieve Optimal Health

ASK THE DOCTOR 4

Dr. Leila Kirdani: PREVENTING INFLAMMATION

As a society, we are experiencing the first generation which is projected to live shorter lives than their parents.  Why?  The number of people with diseases is increasing.  At the root of all of these diseases is inflammation.

Inflammation is what starts us down the slippery path to any medical ailment, including:

• ·         diabetes
• ·         heart disease
• ·         hypertension
• ·         arthritis
• ·         and even cancer

Inflammation damages arteries and causes problems with our metabolism, creating obesity and increased blood sugar.  Inflammation alters our immune system, making it harder for us to fight off illness and cancer.

Dr. Leila Kirdani Explains: WHERE DOES INFLAMMATION COME FROM?

 There are several things that lead to increased inflammation.  Fortunately, most of them are treatable.

STRESS: 

Whether it be psychological (time, money, relationships), physical (not enough sleep, over-exertion), or environmental (toxins), stress increases inflammation.  Evolutionarily, we were meant to fight tigers, not our continuous, prolonged, ever-constant stress.

VITAMIN D3: 

This most essential vitamin that is made in our skin when we are exposed to sunlight!  We now know that Vitamin D is really a hormone that not only is important for bone health, but also modulates the immune system.  When we are low in Vitamin D, we have more inflammation, muscle tightness and chance of developing Cancer.

SEX-HORMONES:

  Estrogen for women and testosterone for men are our biggest anti-inflammatory.  This of course means our own natural, bio-identical hormones, and excludes traditional hormone replacement therapy.  Traditional HRT consists of estrogen and testosterone molecules that are not the same molecule as our bodies produce and therefore cause very different reactions. 

ENVIRONMENTAL TOXINS:

On a daily basis we are bombarded with chemicals and toxins that our bodies were not meant to have to deal with and they all create inflammation.  These include additives and preservatives in food, pthalates in plastics and heavy metals found in gasoline fumes, our fish supply, dental amalgams, cigarette smoke, and industrial pollution.    

GENETICS:

Each of us has our own genetic susceptibilities.  Our “weak link” in how our bodies interact with our environment.  Increased inflammation for some of us may lead to thyroid issues and for others heart disease.  The good news is that we can change the environment our genes are in, thereby changing their expression.  We are not doomed to repeat our parents’ diseases.

FOOD ALLERGIES: Last but not least in the inflammation list is food allergies.  The most common food allergens include wheat, corn, shellfish, dairy products and peanuts.

Dr. Leila Kirdani 

Reviews: HOW DO I KNOW IF I HAVE INFLAMMATION?

In addition to symptoms, there are several tests we can get to determine levels of inflammation.  These include:

• ·         a high-sensitivity C-reactive protein
• ·         homocysteine
• ·         vitamin D – the 25-hydroxycalciferol form
• ·         ferritin
• ·         fibrinogen
• ·         fasting blood sugar and fasting insulin levels

All of these tests can be performed by your doctor if they are willing.  However you may need to work with a Board Certified Anti-Aging/Functional Medicine Doctor to truly bring them down.

ASK THE DOCTOR SERIES  #2 Dr. Leila Kirdani Asks:

Questions about Adrenal Fatigue

• Do you feel exhausted?
• Burned out?
• Do you crave sugar and caffeine?
• Do you get frequent colds and upper respiratory infections?
• Are you gaining weight despite diet and exercise?
• Do you have muscle and joint pain?
• Have you been to your doctor and told there was nothing wrong?
• You could have adrenal fatigue!

Dr. Leila Kirdani Describes:

What is Adrenal Fatigue?

Adrenal fatigue is a condition where the adrenal glands are unable to produce the amount of cortisol, or stress-hormone, our bodies need to function during the day. 

Where Does Adrenal Fatigue Come From?

Adrenal fatigue can arise from prolonged stress, or after a major stressor such as surgery, a car accident, or even a divorce. Think of it this way: Our bodies were built for danger, not for chronic stress.  We were designed to stay alive in the face of mortal danger. 

Example: The tiger jumps out of the bush at us and our cortisol (fight or flight hormone) immediately increases to compensate.  This also causes an increase in blood sugar, so our muscles and brain have fuel to run from the tiger.  Part of our immune system is activated to produce inflammation so that if the tiger bites us we can clot well and keep running. Another part of our immune system is suppressed – the part that helps us to fight cancer, because who is worried about cancer when we are facing a tiger?  Additionally, blood flow to our intestines decreases, because we are not concerned with digesting and absorbing food when in front of a tiger.

 Dr. Leila Kirdani Explains: 

What Happens?

While these changes are important for our survival when faced with mortal danger intermittently and for short periods of time, over the long run they cause detrimental changes in the body.   In the 21^st century we are facing “tigers” all of the time. Our tigers today are childhood trauma, relationships, finances, time, job stress, car accidents, and a toxic environment. Chronically increased blood sugar leads to weight gain.   Chronically increased inflammation leads to numerous medical problems;

• including hypertension
• asthma, allergies
• arthritis
• diabetes or insulin resistance
• obesity
• muscle and joint pain.

With chronically suppressed natural killer cells we have an increased risk of cancer.  Low blood flow to the intestines over time can cause constipation, diarrhea or irritable bowel.  After years of overproducing cortisol, the adrenal glands can’t keep up.  They start to tire and then they don’t produce enough cortisol. 

All of the above changes occur if cortisol levels are too high or too low. 

Without enough cortisol, we feel exhausted all the time.  We may be irritable, anxious or depressed.

Dr. Leila Kirdani on the Traditional Doctor’s View!

Most doctors do not look for adrenal fatigue.  Doctors are trained to watch out for elevated cortisol levels, but rarely do we look for low cortisol.  There is a distinct bias in the medical community when it comes to adrenal fatigue.  For some reason doctors think that either your adrenal glands are perfectly fine, or they have ceased to function, a condition known as “Addison’s Disease” which lands you in the Intensive Care Unit.

Dr Leila Kirdani Explains:

WHAT TO DO FOR ADRENAL FATIGUE?

The good news is that there is help for adrenal fatigue!  Working with a Board Certified Doctor who is trained in adrenal fatigue is optimal, especially to obtain a proper diagnosis and direction.  However, the basic things you learned as a child can help as well.  Getting enough sleep, moderate exercise, proper diet, supplements and calming exercises like meditation are essential to healing adrenal glands.  A Functional Doctor considers the Whole Person and not just the symptom.