Men: "Hormone Hell" is NOT Just for Women!

By Layne Lowery

Can men go through menopause? Absolutely! You might not know it, but estrogen dominance, or andropause, is a major health hazard for men over 40. This hormone imbalance occurs when your body builds up too much estrogen and xenoestrogens -- which are synthetic forms of the hormone.

You've probably never heard of estrogen dominance -- and your doctor would probably misdiagnose your symptoms. But this could be the reason you suffer from...

• Memory loss and "senior moments"
• Depression and mood swings
• Sleepless nights
• Unwanted weight gain-- especially belly fat
• Muscles turning into flab
• Low sex drive and erectile dysfunction (ED)
• Enlarged prostate and other prostate problems-- and a frequent need to urinate
• Hair loss
• Male breasts or "man boobs"

There are three main reasons why these unpleasant symptoms of male menopause may be tormenting you: 1) aging, 2) environmental pollutants, and 3) your diet.

As you get older, your body doesn't make as much testosterone. The remaining testosterone gets weaker and easily converts to estrogen. Unfortunately, mid-life weight gain increases estrogen production because fat cells contain the aromatase enzyme, which changes testosterone into estrogen.

Another cause for hormone imbalances comes from xenoestrogens -- or toxins that imitate estrogen-- which are dumped into the environment by industrial, agricultural, and chemical companies. In his health newsletter, Dr. HingHau Tsang said these phony hormones are offshoots of products such as spermacides, detergent, plastics, plastic bottles, pesticides, herbicides, personal care products, and lacquers.

Dr. Tsang also said commercially raised beef, chicken and pork, as well as birth control pills and canned foods, contain xenoestrogens. He said massive amounts of hormones are regularly injected into beef and poultry, which can upset your natural estrogen levels.¹

John R. Lee, M.D., an expert in natural progesterone therapy, thinks that significant amounts of estrogen are the main cause of prostate enlargement AND prostate cancer!²

And estrogen dominance can also lead to erectile dysfunction (ED). According to Nick Delgado, Ph.D., a leading expert on anti-aging, a number of men with ED are "at greater risk for heart attacks, strokes, diabetes, or hypertension."³

So whether you call it estrogen dominance, "male menopause," or andropause -- estrogen overload is a real health hazard. And as indicated in a report titled "Manopause" by Lisa Marshall, large numbers of baby boomers are being hit with symptoms of male menopause.⁴

Therefore, Dr. John Morley, lead researcher of estrogen dominance in men and head of the geriatrics division at Saint Louis University Medical School, predicts that, "We are going to see an explosion of interest in it."⁵

What does this mean for you? Have your hormone levels checked to ensure that you don't have elevated levels of estrogen that can cause major health problems. A good naturopathic practitioner can advise you on lifestyle changes and nutritional supplements that will help keep your hormones in balance and reduce your risk of both male menopause and chronic disease.

References

1. HingHau Tsang, M.D., Dr. HingHau Tsang's Crusade on Nutrition: Newsletter #75--"Estrogen Dominance, Natural Progesterone and Men," Tsangenterprise.
   
2. John R. Lee, M.D., Natural Progesterone.
   
3. Nick Delgado, Ph.D., "Steps to Overcoming Estrogen Dominance and Slowing Symptoms of Aging," Ezine Articles.
   
4. Lisa Marshall, "Manopause," Natural Awakenings.
5. John R. Lee, M.D., Medical letter--"Prostate Disease and Hormones," March 2002.

[Ed. Note: Layne Lowery is the owner and operator of Health Resources ™, a manufacturer of high-quality nutritional supplements. In the health business since 1995, Layne's passion is providing affordable natural health solutions and educational tools based on the best scientific research available to empower his customers to make wise decisions on matters of personal health.]

Healthy Recipes: Halibut Chowder By Kelley Herring

Cook up a comforting pot of prevention! This sumptuous seafood soup provides an excellent source of seven nutrients, plus a good source of three more. But that's not all. It's ready in less than 30 minutes and budget conscious too.

Serves:
Time to Table: 20 minutes

The Benefits
Excellent source of calcium, magnesium, protein, selenium, vitamin A, niacin, omega-3
Good source of potassium, vitamin B12, vitamin C
Preferences: Low Carb, Low Sugar, High Protein

Ingredients
24 ounces wild Alaskan halibut
1/2 cup organic onion, finely chopped
1/2 cup organic green peppers, finely chopped
1/2 cup organic celery, finely chopped
1/2 cup organic carrots, finely chopped
3 Tbsp. organic butter, divided
3 cups organic chicken broth
3/4 tsp. Celtic sea salt
1/2 tsp. black pepper
2 cups organic whole milk
1 Tbsp. arrowroot
1/2 cup organic cheddar cheese
1 Tbsp. minced parsley

Preparation
Remove skin and bones from halibut; cut into bite-sized pieces. Sauté vegetables over medium heat in 1 tablespoons butter. Add halibut, chicken broth, salt, and pepper. Simmer covered for 5 minutes. Add milk and heat gently. Combine remaining butter with arrowroot and add to chowder. Cook and stir until slightly thickened. Add cheese; cook and stir over low heat until cheese melts. Sprinkle with parsley.

Nutrition Information
251 Calories, 7 g Carbohydrate, 55 mg Cholesterol, 12 g Total Fat, 1 g Fiber, 25 g Protein, 483 mg Sodium, 4 g Sugars, 6 g Saturated fat, 0 trans Fat,3 g Monounsaturated fats, 1 g Polyunsaturated fats

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These articles appear courtesy of Early to Rise’s Total Health Breakthroughs [Issue 12-19-08] which offers alternative solutions for mind, body and soul. For a complimentary subscription, visit http://www.totalhealthbreakthroughs.com/