Women’s Health

Beginning around age 30, a man's testosterone levels start to decline, and continue to do so as time goes on, unless you proactively address your lifestyle. Environmental factors, including pesticides, plastics, and other pollutants, have resulted in a significant decrease in the average testosterone levels for men, so most men will have, at least, a […]

We all perceive testosterone as a male hormone, and its presence in our body is associated with virility. But testosterone is also present in the female body, only in a much lower quantity. The cause of low desire isn't always medical, but it turns out that a large percentage of women with this problem have blood […]

It only seems appropriate to delve deeper into this topic and give people a better understanding of the thyroid in general and the various types of cancer that can plague it. What is the Thyroid? The thyroid is a butterfly-shaped gland located at the base of the neck. Though it is small it is a […]

With summer almost here, there are good reasons to heed the wisdom of "Slip-Slop-Slap — slip on a shirt, slop on the sunscreen, and slap on a hat." On the other hand, chemical sunscreens have their dangers too. What to do? A new study suggests your lifespan could be affected by solar activity that occurred […]

Introduced in the United States in 1964, Diet Pepsi was the first nationally marketed diet soda. In 1983, Coca Cola introduced Diet Coke, a beverage that celebrated its 30th anniversary in 2013. Today, four carbonated, low calorie, diet drinks rank in the top ten best-selling carbonated beverages in the country. In order, they are: In […]

For more than a decade, doctors have been disagreeing about the benefits of thyroid screening before or during early pregnancy, even though there is clear evidence that even mild hypothyroidism in a woman can cause infertility or miscarriage, and can negatively affect the health and cognitive function of the baby. At the 2012 annual meeting […]

A research team, led by Melanie Ceko, looked at the role of selenium in the ovaries, and found that selenium is crucial to the development of healthy ovarian follicles. Follicles are responsible for production of eggs in women. According to Ceko: Selenium is an essential trace element found in protein-rich foods like red meat, seafood […]

Researchers looked at whether subclinical hypothyroidism and/or autoimmune thyroid disease during early pregnancy — the 4 to 8 week period — was also associated with higher rates of miscarriage. The researchers evaluated more than 3,000 women in early pregnancy. They grouped the women according to the severity of their subclinical hypothyroidism, as well as presence […]

Rosemarie's Baby Rosemarie was trying, and failing, to get pregnant for several years. Like many fertility clinics, the clinic she and her husband chose did NOT include any thyroid testing as part of Rosemarie's infertility workup. At first, Rosemarie didn't know to ask. Since infertility is rarely covered by insurance, Rosemarie was getting side-effect laden […]

A study recently published by the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism looked at the connection between TSH levels and pregnancy outcomes in hypothyroid women being treated with thyroid hormone replacement medication, in this case, the synthetic T4 medication levothyroxine. The study, which evaluated more than 50,000 hypothyroid women, found that during the first trimester, […]

There are so many things wrong with these Guidelines that we could write volumes, but let's cut to the chase. Here are five ways the new ATA hypothyroidism guidelines hurt thyroid patients. 1. The ATA's Conflict of Interest Makes the Guidelines Findings Questionable at Best While the ATA goes out of its way to assert […]

Low levels of thyroid during pregnancy is not an uncommon thing seeing as it can be caused by iron deficiency, which is a common side effect of pregnancy. That is why women are required to do various blood tests during pregnancy and are advised to eat a certain diet, which most likely consists of lean […]

2.5 OR LOWER Thyroid Stimulating Hormone (TSH) levels above 2.5 are considered to be suspicious for subclinical hypothyroidism by many integrative physicians. The "normal" reference range for the TSH test tends to run from .3 to 4.5, and many patients with levels above 2.5 are told their thyroid is "normal," while their physicians fail to […]

A British study was developed, to look at the connection between childhood obesity and weight gain, and the later development of an underactive thyroid and autoimmune thyroid conditions in the 60 to 64 age range. The researchers were able to access a study group of more 2500+ women, and 2500+ men who were born in […]

Magnesium Deficiency One of the most common causes of leg cramps and pain is magnesium deficiency. In fact, a key symptom of magnesium deficiency is cramps, spasms, pain and aches in the legs and feet. If you notice aching in the legs and/or feet at night, ask your physician to check magnesium levels via a blood […]

Melatonin is produced — primarily at night — by the pineal gland, a tiny gland located in the brain. The pineal acts as a controller of our body's clock, including the day-to-day 24-hour clock that tells us when to sleep and when to wake. It also controls our lifetime biological clock that decides on bigger […]

Your immune system's job is to protect you against infections, toxins, and invaders — everything from bacteria, to viruses, to allergens. When the immune system encounters something that could be potentially harmful, it mounts a defense to help kill or overcome the "invader," and protect the body. For a number of reasons — many which […]

"Yep," said the doctor, chuckling. "Looks like an overactive thyroid to me. Every one of you practically go airborne!" He had reviewed her chart and latest symptoms, and suspected correctly that she had an overactive thyroid. While his diagnostic method is not one Holtorf Medical Group doctors would use, we still consider this patient luckier […]

Let's talk about PMS, which is for some women, the next key mood-hormone link. For a variety of reasons — nutrition, genetics, hormone balance, etc. — some women sail through monthly cycles with few symptoms, while others struggle every month with debilitating depression, anxiety, and fatigue. While PMS may be a favorite joke of comedians, […]

What is PCOS? PCOS, also called Stein-Leventhal Syndrome, is the most common endocrine disorder among women, affecting as many as 5% to 10% of all women. And while many of its symptoms are externally visible, PCOS can involve multiple organ systems within the body. It is the most common cause of infertility in women, and […]

Brief periods of mental or physical exertion left them exhausted. And while their pains might migrate from one area of the body to another at any given time, there were 11 points on the body that were always more tender than other areas. This illness has been studied since the 1800's, and identified by a […]

Don't blame yourself for failure. Sometimes there's a medical reason for weight gain or the inability to lose weight! Here is a list of key tests that can determine if there's a physiological cause for your weight problems. Thyroid hormone imbalance An imbalance of thyroid hormones, specifically hypothyroidism or thyroid hormone conversion disorders, can make […]

Senate bill S.959, now being called the "FDA Power Grab Bill," would widen the powers of the FDA and allow it to disallow entire categories of compounding drugs in "complex dosage forms," including time-released and transdermal patches. It would give the FDA authority to ban bioidentical hormones and restrict access to compounded medications, even when […]

Some people can take the "good" along with the "bad" in life, but for others, any stressful life event — whether the loss of a loved one, a dramatic break-up, or a layoff — can all act as depression triggers and lead to a downward spiral. Tips On How To Effectively Manage Your Mood Working […]