Are you one of those guys who are burning the candle at both ends and maybe only getting 4 or 5 hours of sleep a night? Are you also one of those guys having problems with his sex drive and feeling out of sorts? Well, recent studies done in the last 3 years show that these symptoms could all be due to the effect of sleep on testosterone - just how, though, may be a chicken and egg question!
While it’s true that lower testosterone levels can be the cause of a sluggish sex drive and irritability it seems to be a matter of research opinion whether low sleep levels cause low testosterone or low testosterone causes lack of sleep.
Here’s what we know about sleep, and testosterone to date as it relates to men:
After age 30, men’s testosterone levels drop between 1 and 2% a year! By the time they reach 40 they start experiencing trouble sleeping. They complain of less deep sleep time, the period of sleep where the body repairs itself.
In fact, as a man gets older, the most recent studies assert, he can lose deep sleep time altogether! That means the older a man gets, the more his testosterone levels continue to decline, the less deep sleep he gets, the more his body’s repair mechanisms decline and the higher his risk climbs for disease!
The reason for this decline in deep sleep time is thought to be due to a loss of neuron activity, which synchronizes brain activity. These neurons are responsible for about 20% of achieving deep sleep. They are intact in young men and get further scrambled as a man ages.
To further complicate things, low testosterone levels are thought to contribute to this loss of neuron activity in the brain. The take away of these studies, then, whichever perspective you come from, seem to say that restoring testosterone to healthy, youthful levels would likely help a man not only achieve deep, restorative sleep again, but also keep him healthier, re-invigorate his sluggish sex drive and keep him in a happier frame of mind.
Do You Have Symptoms of Low Testosterone?
One of the most frequent complaints I hear from my over-40 patients is that their sex drive has diminished significantly from when they were younger. One of the first things I do is to check a testosterone level and most often find that it is decreased. Interestingly, as well, is that they also often complain of not sleeping very much and are depressed!
Now whether their lack of sleep is from a too hectic lifestyle, stress, or from their decreased testosterone level, is not clear. However, when I recommend that they try to get between 6-8 hours of sleep a night their testosterone levels seem to naturally increase and their mood is brighter!
But decreased testosterone levels don’t just affect men over 50, it can start as young as the 30-40’s! Many men don’t seek treatment because they think it’s just a part of getting older and they’re embarrassed to talk about it! Like menopause in women, low testosterone is not something men have to suffer through just because it’s associated with getting older. Here are some other symptoms you may not associate with low testosterone levels:
• Fatigue
• Emotional changes, like depression, irritability, “grumpy old man” syndrome
• Decreased muscle strength
• Loss of height
• Weight gain, especially belly fat
What Does Cause Low Testosterone?
Low testosterone levels can be caused or aggravated by a number of things both nutritional and environmental. For my patients who have lower than optimal testosterone levels, here are some other things I tell them to pay attention to in their diet and lifestyle:
• Xenoestrogens – in food and water supplies. These are “environmental estrogens” from soy products and plastics that get into our food and can decrease testosterone levels. Stay away from foods containing soy, most notably protein bars and soymilk. If you buy frozen foods, transfer them from their plastic container into a glass dish before heating.
• Lack of Protein – men need between 0.5 to 1 gram of high quality protein per pound of body weight per day to both build muscle strength and testosterone. Sources include pork, beef, and chicken, which also have higher levels of zinc, which is testosterone friendly.
• Lack of Cholesterol – many men over 40 are watching cholesterol intake for the sake of their arteries, but too little cholesterol will stop testosterone production. Aim for about 30% fat, mostly monounsaturated (nuts, olive oil) and some saturated (red meat, eggs) to build testosterone. Go very light, or leave out, polyunsaturated fats (fish, vegetable oils) as studies have shown they can decrease testosterone perhaps because they may contain xenoestrogens.
• Lack of Nutrition – zinc is a major building mineral for testosterone. The B vitamins, especially B1, B6, and B12 are helpful in keeping testosterone levels healthy. Be sure that your vitamin/mineral supplement includes these.
• Too Much Alcohol – alcohol increases blood sugar levels, which decreases testosterone. Limit to a few drinks per week.
• Lack of Sleep – as mentioned earlier, less than 6 hours of sleep a night can seriously rob your body of its repairing mechanisms and this includes the re-manufacturing of hormones like testosterone. See that you get at least 6-8 hours of sleep at night, more if you have been ill or under a lot of stress. Try some natural sleep aids like Valerian, calcium/magnesium supplements with some warm milk before bed. Cut back caffeine to not past 4 pm, and limit heavy meals to 2-3 hours before bedtime.
Researchers may finally decide which comes first; low testosterone then poor sleep, or poor sleep then low testosterone. In the meantime, I’m going to continue to counsel my patients that adequate sleep is at least a significant factor in low testosterone levels. However, before you start thinking dangerous steroids or prescription testosterone replacements, try the natural suggestions offered here. I believe your T-levels will be up to optimal levels and your sex drive and pleasant mood back on track in no time!
Stay well,
Mark Rosenberg, M.D.
Institute For Healthy Aging
Guard Against Summer Ear Injuries
With summer just around the corner, I know I’m going to start seeing a lot more patients with ear complaints and injuries. Why? Many ear conditions and injuries arise from things associated with warm weather and busier outdoor activity, like water sports, motorcycles, and amusement park rides, Fourth of July celebrations, flying insects! They all can create their special problems for your ears if you’re not careful. Let me tell you how.
Water Sports and Other Amusements
Infections and barotrauma injury (sudden atmospheric pressure changes from wind force or deep water) to the ears are the two most common types of injuries that can occur frequently in summer. Here’s how they happen:
Swimmer’s Ear: Water gets into the ear canal and destroys its natural acidity that normally checks bacteria. Infections can start deep in the ear and become very painful. Kids most often get swimmer’s ear but I see a lot of adult patients with it as well. In fact, you can get swimmer’s ear from getting water in your ear in the shower!
The symptoms are itching at first, a sense of blockage, decreased hearing, and then pain. However, swimmer’s ear is pretty easily treated with antibiotic eardrops that should relieve the symptoms in about 48 hours.
Helpful Tips: If you like to dive and/or swim under water a lot, use earplugs. Make sure you dry your outer ear canal so water doesn’t trickle down into your inner ear. To prevent infection, restore acid balance by instilling 3-4 drops of an equal mixture of white vinegar and rubbing alcohol into your ears. The vinegar restores the acid balance and the alcohol dries out the water. Do not use Q-tips in your ears! Not only can your hand slip and cause an eardrum penetration injury, but also tiny cotton fibers can get lodged in your ear and cause infection.
Scuba Diving, Jet Skiing, Kite Surfing, and Motorcycles: When the pressure from rushing wind (like that in fast jet skiing, motorcycles, or kite surfing) or deep water (scuba diving) isn’t equalized, it can damage the eardrum. Symptoms include ringing in the ears, hearing loss, or blood coming from the ear.
Helpful Tips: If you have trouble equalizing pressure while scuba diving, rise up in the water until you can. Don’t go diving with cold or sinus congestion already present as this causes extra pressure on your inner ear. If you’re going to jet ski, wind surf, kite surf, cover your ears with either a neoprene hood made for water sports and/or ear plugs. For motorcycling, keep a helmet on, with your head facing forward. Turning it sideways allows wind to rush into the ear canal at a high pressure. Not only can it blow dirt and bugs into your ear, but also the pressure alone can damage your hearing.
Surfer’s Ear: This is an overgrowth of bone in the external ear canal that occurs from exposure to cold water and wind. Bony lumps grow in the ear canal and can cause infections and a feeling of congestion and muffled hearing. Prevalent amongst cold-water surfers, people who jet ski, wind surf, kite surf, or participate in any water sports where high pressure wind effects their ears. Surgery is usually the treatment of choice to remove the bone growths.
Amusement Park Rides: Riding roller coasters and high sudden drop type amusement park rides can cause a loss of pressure in your ears, much the way deep water can damage the eardrum. Researchers studied people who rode high, fast roller coasters and found that if they turned their head even slightly during the first big drop, rushing, high-pressure air forced into the ear canal was significant enough to cause hearing loss.
Helpful Tips: Wear a neoprene hood or swim cap for water or kite surfing to keep your ears covered. Use earplugs and keep your head facing forward if you want to brave the extreme height of roller coasters or “sudden drop” type rides.
The Noise of Summer
With the warm weather comes noisy building/road construction, Fourth of July celebrations, loud rock concerts, auto races, even lawnmowers, all of which can damage your hearing. Let me share with you how loud noise from situations like this can injure your ears.
Firecrackers, Concerts, Auto Races: If you’ve ever shot off M-80’s or cherry bomb firecrackers on the Fourth of July, you know how loud they can be up close. If you attend an outdoor fireworks lightshow, these rapid percussion explosions can have the same effect on your ears as being in a war zone with shells going off. Similarly, ever go to an outdoor rock concert, or auto race and see people holding their hands over their ears? Typically, these events are very loud in the 90 to 140 decibel range. Anything over 80 db can permanently damage your hearing. At best it can leave your hearing muffled for several hours afterwards.
Helpful Tips: You go to fireworks displays for the beautiful colors and designs bursting against the night sky, not the explosive noise they make. Do yourself a favor and protect your ears, wear earplugs! For concerts and auto races, yeah, it’s great to be right up near the stage or the track, but your ears/hearing will thank you for getting seats farther back or lawn tickets.
Building/road construction, lawnmowers: I don’t know what are louder, jackhammers or those very high pitched, high velocity saws cutting through steel. If you live or work nearby this kind of very loud decibel construction and find you have to shout to talk to someone, this is too much noise for the safety of your ears and hearing. Similarly, lawn services with those big, loud lawnmowers on yours or your neighbors’ lawn all summer can adversely affect your hearing.
Helpful Tips: Again, get some earplugs. Try damping the noise by keeping the windows closed and pulling heavy sound muffling drapes over them.
Insects, Dirt, and Other Fly Bys
It may sound like something out of an urban legend but insects really do get into people’s ears, eyes and mouth! In fact, it’s happened to several of my patients. Most often this occurs while riding a bike and you run into flying bugs at just the right angle to your ear. It can also occur when you are swimming because bugs floating on the water see a safe haven to swim into.
Similarly, dirt, or other flying debris, can get into your ears from working outside, especially if its windy and you are clearing brush, or gardening, where debris can easily fall onto your ears. This kind of ear intrusion can cause inflammation and irritation for both you and your ear.
Helpful Tips: If you get an insect, dirt or debris in your ear, do not put your finger or any other object, like Q-tips or tweezers, in your ear to try and remove it. This can cause an insect to sting or bite, and/or drive what’s in there further into your ear canal. Instead put some baby oil or olive oil in a dropper and put several drops into your ear. Then lay with your affected ear down. The oil usually will suffocate an insect and it will float out. Similarly, dirt or other debris should be able to float out too. It might be best to seek medical attention as a doctor can safely flush your ear of any obstruction.
Insects, Dirt, and Other Fly Bys
If you cut or scrape an ear somehow, apply pressure if bleeding badly. Outer ears are very rich in blood vessels and can bleed profusely. Seek medical attention immediately if ear tissue has been lost and bleeding does not stop after 5 minutes of pressure. For more minor scrapes, gently clean with warm soap and water or hydrogen peroxide. Apply a compressive bandage and some ice to avoid swelling and pain. See your doctor if the swelling or pain doesn’t let up.
If you get hit in the ear by a flying object such as a baseball, Frisbee, or rock, seek medical attention as soon as possible to determine that there is no damage to the inner ear.
Although summer sports and outdoor fun have their own particular ear health and safety concerns, taking a few precautions ahead of time can help assure that you don’t damage your hearing or inner ear. Accidents always happen, especially in the summer, but using a little common sense can minimize any permanent damage to your ears and allow you to enjoy all the fun that summer can bring!
Stay well,
Mark Rosenberg, M.D.
Institute For Healthy Aging
Pros and Cons on Botox Injections
It’s hard to believe that people would actually pay to have their faces injected with a bacterium that causes paralysis of the face muscles. But that is of course what millions of Americans do every year and the number continues to increase. Since the procedure received FDA approval in April of 2002, my phone continues to ring off the hook from patients with questions regarding the pros and cons of Botox injections.
As a matter of fact the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery (ASAPS) says nearly 1.6 million Botox treatments took place in the year 2001, a 46% increase since 2000 and a whopping 2,356% increase since 1997. 1 It is estimated that 2.8 million individuals in the U.S. underwent Botox treatment in 2008.
Although women usually outnumber men in their desire to look more youthful, men are finding they too are happy with their appearance after a visit to their skin specialist for a quick Botox enhancement.
Most people associate Botox with the “next best thing” to a facelift for getting rid of frown lines and forehead furrows. Not to mention that it costs a whole lot less and recovery time is minimal. Botox is fast and convenient to the extent that the treatment has been aptly named “the lunch hour procedure”.
What many people don’t know is that Botox was used in the past to treat a variety of medical conditions before it became widespread for cosmetic purposes. It was administered effectively to treat crossed eyes, uncontrollable blinking, skin conditions, as well as glandular and neurological disorders.
When the FDA finally approved it, a press release stated that Botox should be used temporarily for improving “the appearance of moderate to severe frown lines between the eyebrows”. In a random study, placebo-controlled, researchers found that frown lines vastly improved or disappeared in people within a month of being injected with Botox.
Why the Controversy?
First of all, Botox comes directly from a deadly bacterial toxin, Botulinum Toxin Type A, a protein complex produced by Clostridium botulinum, a bacterium known to cause severe food poisoning and even death. A shot of poison into your face doesn’t sound like a very smart thing to do, but here is how it works.
When injected into the face, Botox blocks acetylcholine receptors and halts the pathway leading to the contraction of muscles controlling the ability to frown. When used properly by a qualified doctor, the results are surprisingly beneficial. It only takes about a fraction of a teaspoon of
Botox to make a dramatic difference in the disappearance of frown lines.
Typically, Botox treatment is done in a doctor’s office. The patient is asked to sit upright and flex his or her facial muscles while the Botox is injected. The patient is advised not to lie down for the next four or five hours to give the treated facial muscles a chance to fall into the natural positions they would hold during the day.
Results last for four to six months for most people but every patient responds differently to the drug.
Pros and Cons of Botox
I’ve touched on some of the pros of Botox treatment earlier in this article. It is quick, less costly than surgical procedures, minimally invasive, and you see results within a few days. The cosmetic industry refers to it as the ideal procedure and it has become a multi-million dollar market to say the least.
Let’s talk about the downside of using Botox cosmetically. Any time you take a foreign substance into your body, especially a drug, there is the risk of side effects. These may include flu-like symptoms, nausea, respiratory problems, and facial pain like stinging, burning, or allergic reactions. Botox also weakens the facial muscles that have been affected by the injection.
There may also be complications with medications that you might presently be taking or if pregnant, it could affect your unborn fetus. However, the evidence of such potential side effects is at this time inconclusive.
One of the biggest concerns is that the person injecting the substance may not be qualified to do so. If Botox is not administered properly, it can cause the patient to have droopy eyelids for a week or longer. The FDA insists that a trained certified physician who specializes in facial cosmetics, in a sterile environment, give Botox injections.
Is Collagen a Botox Competitor?
Collagen is another popular cosmetic treatment that is often used alone or in conjunction with Botox. It is used to fill in creases, wrinkles and depressions in the face with results lasting anywhere from 3 to 6 months. Collagen is derived from purified bovine (cow) but can also be made synthetically for those who have a positive reaction to a preliminary collagen skin test.
The injections may be more painful than Botox and can become very expensive to keep up. The procedure is usually done as an outpatient in a similar fashion to that of how Botox is administered.
If you think Botox or collagen injections are for you, make sure to check the qualifications of your doctor and ask a lot of questions. Talk to your doctor about your concerns, identify your expectations and be specific on the results you are looking to achieve.
Weigh the pros and cons, consider the risks, and proceed only when you are completely comfortable with your doctor. The good news is the results are usually temporary, and the treatment is much less invasive than laser and surgical procedures. At the end of the day the choice is up to you!
In Good Health,
Jay Brachfeld, M.D.
1 www.jyi.org/volumes/volume6/issue6/features/lee.html
Reap the Healing Power of Medicinal Herbs
Lately, more and more of my patients have expressed an interest in using herbs for their specific health concerns. They are concerned, as am I, about side effects, as well as rising costs of prescription drugs with health care insurance issues being what they are these days.
Herbs have been used as medicine for centuries in many cultures around the world. Traditional Chinese Medicine and Indian Ayurvedic medicine lead the way in treating illness with herbs. In fact, prior to 1930, herbal medicine was the only medicine used in America!
For the past 30 years, however, herbal, or botanical, medicine is enjoying resurgence in America. People are revisiting the healing power of all those ancient herbal formulas. Echinacea fights colds, St. John’s Wort brightens mood, chamomile settles upset stomach, and ginseng boosts energy. These herbs are so commonly known they’re sold in grocery stores!
The use of medicinal herbs is a vast subject, so I’d like to touch on some of the most common herbs and their uses.
Herbs for General Health
Especially in men and women over age 40, along with a healthy diet, regular exercise, and enough restorative sleep, taking at least 1 of these herbs can help keep you healthy in general:
• Garlic – antioxidant, antibiotic, and cholesterol reducer, can help prevent heart disease.
• Green tea – an all-around powerhouse antioxidant, can lower cholesterol and help prevent mouth and stomach cancers. Drink 2-3 cups a day without milk or cream.
• Turmeric – (yellow mustard ingredient) long used in Indian Ayurvedic medicine, an excellent antioxidant which lower cholesterol and is said to prevent cancer.
• Olive Leaf Extract – anti-inflammatory, immune system booster, kills viruses and bacteria that can cause illness.
Herbs for Men’s Health Issues
There are several herbs that are beneficial to men’s specific health concerns such as prostate and impotence issues. Here are a few of them:
• Saw palmetto/beta sitosterol - one of the most popular herbs, treats BPH, benign prostatic hypertrophy, by shrinking the enlarged prostate and relieving urinary problems.
• Gingko biloba – helps increase blood flow throughout the body which can alleviate impotence and help cognitive brain function and circulatory issues.
• Muira puama – stimulates libido (both male and female), treats erectile dysfunction, and balances hormones.
• Tribulus – stimulates testosterone production, addressing impotence and libido.
Herbs for Women’s Health Issues
Women’s specific health concerns such as painful menstruation, menopause, libido and infertility have been treated with herbs for centuries. Recently, traditional medical doctors have turned to safe, herb-derived bioidentical hormone replacement to treat symptoms of menopause. The following are herbal estrogen and progesterone sources that come from:
• Black cohosh – full of natural plant estrogens, good for menopause symptoms and PMS.
• Wild Yam – contains isoflavones, treats menopause symptoms, and maintains bone strength.
• Dong Quai – for menopause, treats hot flashes, vaginal dryness, and weak bladder tone.
• Red Clover – like soy, contains isoflavones, treats menopause symptoms.
The Big Three and Herbs
In the United States, the highest rates of illness are from cancer, diabetes, and heart disease. Let me share with you some herbs that have shown a lot of promise in research studies to specifically address these conditions:
• Sheep Sorrel – Cancer. Noted for its tumor shrinking, anti-metastasizing properties.
• Green Tea Extract - Cancer. Contains ECGC, an antioxidant that neutralizes free radicals that damage healthy cells. Slows/prevents the rapid cell replication of cancer.
• Turmeric – Cancer. Contains curcumin, boosts immune system, and prevents tumor growth.
• Cinnamon – Diabetes. ¼ to 1 tsp sprinkled on food, can control insulin spikes. Also helps lower high blood pressure.
• Banaba – Diabetes. An herb from the Philippines extensively studied for diabetes. Like cinnamon, has insulin-like activity that helps maintain normal blood sugar.
• Ampalaya (bitter melon) – Diabetes. Also extensively researched, the favorite treatment for diabetes in India, Asia, Africa. Said to stimulate beta cell production in the pancreas that helps the body’s natural production of insulin.
• Valerian – Heart/high blood pressure. Relaxes you, lowers blood pressure, and aids sleep.
• Alfalfa and Garlic – Heart/arteries. Lowers LDL cholesterol by blocking absorption and preventing oxidation into plaques or clots.
• Cayenne – Heart/circulation. Stops heart pain by rapidly increasing blood flow to the heart. It has been touted as a first aid treatment for heart attack – 1 tablespoon Cayenne in a glass of warm water drank quickly.
There you have a basic introduction to medicinal herbs. There are innumerable health conditions that herbs can be used for. However, they are not without risk. You have to take them properly as you would prescription drugs. Consult a doctor familiar with the use of herbal medicine to treat illness. They can ensure correct usage and monitor you for any possible adverse reaction.
Stay well,
Mark Rosenberg, M.D.
Institute For Healthy Aging
Doctors Still Hounding You About Cholesterol?
Walk into any doctor’s office with a cholesterol level over 300, and they’ll wheel you out on a stretcher, shove you in an ambulance, and rush you to the hospital.
But, let me tell you something about cholesterol: As long as your HDL is high enough, you’re at little to no risk of heart disease.
Even if your total cholesterol is 305.1
Here’s the bottom line: You and everyone in this country has been coerced into believing that high cholesterol means you have one foot in the grave.
I’ve been going on about this since I was in med school, and still the myth is believed as fact. Wherever I go, I hear people talking about this.
Just the other day, I was standing in line at the grocery store and overheard two people sharing stories about which cholesterol-lowering drug they were taking and how high their cholesterol was at their last doctor’s appointment.
Let me say this again: Cholesterol is a fallacy. It’s a red herring. And this “high cholesterol myth” was supported with billions of dollars by drug companies when they patented drugs that lowered cholesterol.
Here’s something else: 75% of the people who have heart attacks have “normal” cholesterol.2
The fact that high cholesterol is safe and normal people are having heart attacks isn’t some kind of fantasy. I didn’t pull these numbers out of thin air. They come from the Framingham Heart Study.
This landmark study, which has been ongoing since the 1940s, is considered the most reliable data on heart disease. Why? Because it has no interference from drug companies.
In a time when drug companies sponsor, pay for, and manipulate clinical studies to prop up their best-selling drugs, the Framingham Study is untouched by corporate hands.
But there’s this one, little problem. The data that doesn’t support their cholesterol theory gets ignored, blackballed, or driven into oblivion. But the numbers are there for anyone to see.
I can’t even tell you how many heart patients I’ve seen. It’s in the thousands. And for decades, I’ve been the “go to” doctor for people who instinctively believe the mainstream is wrong.
Have you ever tried to challenge your doctor on cholesterol?
They’re so adamant about treating “high cholesterol,” they’ll refuse to see you as a patient if you don’t buy into their propaganda.
That’s why people come to me.
These heart health rebels who “dropped out” with other doctors because they refused to lower their cholesterol have always had the last laugh. Out of all my patients, they’re the ones who
have the fewest heart attacks.
They’re also the happiest.
They don’t waste their time with low-fat diets, prescription drugs, or scare tactics designed to make you feel guilty, weak, and helpless.
When I wrote The Doctor’s Heart Cure, I had these folks in mind. I wanted to give them a real alternative to the drug-fueled culture of fear we’re exposed to everyday.
I wanted to empower them to make choices based in fact, not in a well-orchestrated tragedy.
If your doctor is still pressuring you to get your cholesterol lower and lower... or if you’re already taking cholesterol drugs and starting to feel the fatigue, muscle pain, and depression that comes with them, let me make a recommendation.
Get The Doctor’s Heart Cure.
Arm yourself against the myth masquerading as fact.
I’ll show you how to build a disease-proof heart WITHOUT drugs, crazy diets, or boring gym routines.
Even if your cholesterol is 305.
To Your Good Health,
Al Sears, MD
________________________________________
1 Castiglioni A, Neuman WR. “HDL Cholesterol: What Is Its True Clinical Significance?” Emergency Medicine, January 2003:pp 30-42.
2 Castelli WP. “Cholesterol and lipids in the risk of coronary artery disease – the Framingham Heart Study.” Canadian Journal of Cardiology. 1998 July; 4 Suppl A:5A-10A.
Al Sears, MD
________________________________________
1 Castiglioni A, Neuman WR. “HDL Cholesterol: What Is Its True Clinical Significance?” Emergency Medicine, January 2003:pp 30-42.
2 Castelli WP. “Cholesterol and lipids in the risk of coronary artery disease – the Framingham Heart Study.” Canadian Journal of Cardiology. 1998 July; 4 Suppl A:5A-10A.
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