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By Gloria Hakkarainen, MD, FACOG, FASBP, FABAARM –
Many experts have concurred-hormone deficiency and imbalance can greatly affect the way you look, feel and even your overall health. The risks for every type of illness can increase if critical hormone levels such as thyroid, adrenal, sex hormones (estrogen, progesterone, testosterone, DHEA) and growth hormone are low. Did you know – even Vitamin D is considered a hormone! Probably the most common “HRT” (Hormone Replacement Therapy) used today is insulin. Diabetes is actually a disease of hormone deficiency where there is an insufficient amount of insulin in the body to handle the everyday sugar load leading to ‘sugar toxicity’. Most adults peak with hormone production in their mid 20’s and by the age of 30 years we are slowly reaching a hormone plateau. Then…you guessed it – hormone levels start to fall and most patients start to feel their effects in their 40’s or even sometimes earlier. Some symptoms may include unexplained fatigue, loss of strength, weight gain, and new onset hypertension and elevated cholesterol levels. Why do these hormone levels fall anyway? Are there other critical components that change as well that support hormone balance? The answer is a resounding yes! Essential vitamins and minerals that enable critical enzyme systems to work under hormonal influence may start declining well before any other system is affected. The entire system of hormone and energy production in the body relies on life sustaining vitamins and minerals, which work in balance with each other to produce optimal health and metabolism.
The definition of the word vitamin, which means, ‘vital for life’ is a distinction given only to a few select ingredients that exist here on Mother Earth. When one reaches critically low levels life cannot be sustained. Many patients who are very sick in the hospital need these same essential vitamins run through an IV (intravenous) drip everyday. Other important minerals and electrolytes are often added to the mixture. Even in the ER department of most hospitals it is not unusual to see the popular “Rally Bag” (big bag of multiple nutrients which is typically bright yellow with lots of thiamine B1) being given to alcoholics whose B levels have reached such a depleted state that they can have memory and dementia issues. Today’s modern world of integrative medicine incorporates the best principles of vitamin and mineral deficiency testing and tests can be done to check the actual intracellular contents, one of the most functional tests that can be run on a patient. A patient’s white blood cells (lymphocytes) are actually grown in an incubator and then “tested” in different environments where one specific nutrient (like B12 for instance) isn’t in the solution bathing the cell. The cell then has to rely on its own internal store of the nutrient in order to survive. If the cell has inadequate amounts of the nutrient then it will not be able to survive and will die (ouch!). Lab assays are run where rescue ingredients are “added back” and cells are saved. This type of test ensures that the patient is only replenishing those exact nutrients, which they are missing. This test now run by many doctors specializing in integrative, anti aging or ‘functional medicine’ is called The Spectracell Test. Remember to ask for it by name.
Remember, buying many different vitamins and nutritional supplements can be useful only if you need them. When one takes in too many unnecessary ingredients the body’s detox systems have to clear these out, usually via the kidney and liver. It simply is not a wise idea to ‘OD’ on nutrients your body does not need. Mega dosing without supervision can lead to some unpleasant and occasionally dangerous toxicity. Make sure that you let your doctor or other healthcare professional know exactly what you are taking. Sometimes the formulation one is using is not the most bio-available or best for the body. For example, B12 should be either taken in the methyl or hydroxo cobalamine forms, not the cyano form. Most expensive isn’t always best either, if unsure check with your nutritionist or doctor and always ask before you buy!
Many chronic and difficult to treat diseases such as arthritis, chronic fatigue and fibromyalgia are often greatly helped with the use of IV nutrients such as the Myers cocktail (a special blend of Vit C, B’s and Magnesium) often used with separate IV Glutathione (a potent anti-oxidant). Many patients are simply unaware of how run down they are and are often amazed to see their anti-oxidant levels and risk level assessment for pre-diabetes. The Spectracell test also gives an index of immune system starts which is important for fighting infection. Combating infection risk is very important because we have more data than ever that point to infection as a starting point for the development of really serious disease such as cancer (HPV infection for cervical cancer or H. Pylori infection for ulcer diagnoses). So, don’t let your hormones or your nutrients (or lack thereof) make you sick! Get tested and keep yourself on track to wellness and enjoy the optimal health that you deserve!
Gloria Hakkarainen, MD, FACOG, FASBP, FABAAM
Dr. Hakkarainen graduated with a degree in biochemistry and psychobiology from Wellesley College. She worked as a research biochemist at Harvard Medical School and received her MD degree from Albany Medical College. After completing her residency at the University of Miami, she became board certified in Obstetrics and Gynecology. Pursuing her interest in Bariatric Medicine, Dr. Hakkarainen became board certified in Bariatric Medicine in 2004. Then in 2006, she became Board certified in Anti-Aging Medicine. She continues taking specialty classes in Functional Medicine, lectures nationally, writes articles for numerous publications, and has appeared on Lifetime Television and ABC News. She practices in Palm Beach County with locations in Palm Beach Gardens and Lake Worth.
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