Another medical diagnosis for similar symptoms to thyroid disease is hormone deficiency. Dr. Angela DeRosa, internal medicine doctor for DeRosa Medical in Scottsdale, says as women age, they become more at risk for irregular hormone levels; this includes both estrogen and testosterone. She adds that hormone deficiencies begin earlier than many women think, with the majority of women developing testosterone deficiency in their 30s followed by estrogen deficiency in their 40s.
Symptoms for estrogen deficiency:
- Unstable emotions — moody, anxious and irritable
- Trouble sleeping
- Hot flashes
- Night sweats
- Memory fogginess
- In some cases, heart palpitations
Symptoms for testosterone deficiency:
- Low libido
- Unstable emotions — irritable, depressed, anxious and, in some cases, panic
- Forgetfulness
- Low energy
- Poor response and recovery from exercise
- Weight-gain in the hips and stomach
Treatment
DeRosa says natural treatments for both estrogen and testosterone deficiency include maintaining a healthy lifestyle — working out, eating properly and limiting alcohol intake.
DeRosa and Dr. Alan Christianson of Integrative Health in Scottsdale agree that if deficiencies in both testosterone and estrogen are prominent, bio-identical hormone replacement generates the best results. DeRosa says these are the safe hormones that are not passed through the body orally and do not cause harmful side effects.
DeRosa says hormone pellets are the best supplemental treatment for both estrogen and testosterone replacement because they do not pass through the liver as with oral supplements; instead, they continually release hormones your body can regulate.
For more information about hormone pellets, visit derosamedical.com.
DeRosa Medical
9377 E. Bell Rd., 361, Scottsdale
(480) 619-4097
