Anti-Aging Medicine attempts to improve health, not just treat illness. When you went for a check-up with your doctor were you told, “everything is fine”? What does that mean? What it means is that your doctor didn’t find a disease that you are suffering from now. The effects of aging aren’t seen as a medical problem, and therefore not in the realm of anything that your doctor will deal with other than prescribe medication for symptoms as they arise. With the application of Anti-Aging Medicine treatments some disease processes can be at least partially reversed.
Maintaining Youthful Vitality
1. Hormone Replacement Therapy
As adults get into their mid-forties and beyond, their levels of sex hormones start dropping. The most common use of hormone replacement therapy is for women undergoing menopause which is characterized by hot flashes. Often these occur most severely at night keeping women from getting a good nights’ sleep, which results in their seeking medical help. There are also many other problems which occur as a result of diminishing hormone levels that can be successfully treated. The following is a list of symptoms that affects both sexes: low libido, depression, forgetfulness, sleep disturbance, fatigue, thinning skin & hair, headaches, bone loss, decreased stamina and feeling burned out.
Hormone replacement therapy is clearly important not just for women, but for men as well. These are the recommended hormones most important for testing: Estrogen, Testosterone, Progesterone, DHEA-S and Cortisol. Measuring these hormones and also measuring how one’s hormones are being metabolized, can help your doctor provide a safer and individualized hormone regimen to restore and improve health and to enhance healthy longevity.
2. Platelet Rich Plasma
Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP) is produced from your own blood. After a blood sample is taken, the blood is put into a centrifuge which separates the platelets from the red blood cells. One of the platelet cells’ natural functions is to help the healing process in the body through its release of biologically active substances into areas of dysfunction. After it is collected, the PRP is then injected back into the body and delivered to the area of the body that needs treatment. PRP treatments are done via a simple in-office procedure that can be performed and completed in less than an hour.
Sexuality problems for both sexes can be improved with injections of PRP to the appropriate areas. One treatment may do the trick. Improvement has been seen for men with Erectile dysfunction and Peyronie’s Disease. For women who experience painful intercourse, or have difficulty achieving orgasm, PRP can be very helpful.
3. Dementia Prevention
As more study is being done to try and help people avoid the devastating consequences of dementia and Alzheimer’s Disease, the scientific validation for dietary and other Natural Medicine approaches is appearing in studies. There are some basic recommendations that are proving to be successful in managing and even restoring mental function to a better state. Here are some fundamental lifestyle changes:
- Follow a gluten free diet and minimize sugar intake.
- Get seven to eight hours of sleep per night.
- Exercise for at least 30 minutes four times per week.
- Practice a stress reduction method every day.
- Optimized supplementation. Some of the most beneficial nutrients studied are Methylcobalamin, methylated folate, Fish oil, Vitamin D, curcumin, activated B complex, phosphatidyl serine, phosphatidylcholine, resveratrol, lipoic acid. acetyl L-carnitine, and green tea. Ideally one should be tested for nutrient levels, not commonly done in most medical offices. It should be noted that these recommendations while successful in the early stages of dementia are unlikely to provide meaningful results when the condition is very advanced.
4.Stem Cell Therapy
This treatment is still considered experimental and thus not covered by Medicare or insurance. However, as it has shown itself to be very safe, stem cell treatments are available for patients who wish to avail themselves of this futuristic technology now. There are two basic forms of stem cell therapy in common use. One is known as autologous stem cell treatment. These stem cells are derived from the patient’s own body during an in-office procedure to extract the stem cells. An alternative for patients who may not be appropriate for having a procedure, or may wish to avoid any procedure, is the use of umbilical stem cells. These cells are taken from the umbilical cords of healthy mothers’ of healthy babies, donated for this purpose.
Stem cells are being studied worldwide for their effectiveness in treating a variety of medical conditions including the following: Osteoarthritis, Orthopedic Conditions, Rheumatoid Arthritis, Autoimmune Disease, Heart Disease, Type II Diabetes, COPD, Alzheimer’s, Dementia, Multiple Sclerosis, Parkinson’s Disease , Crohn’s Disease, and Ulcerative Colitis.
Rather than waiting for a disease to manifest and then dealing with it by symptom relief, it is possible to be proactive and stay younger, healthier and possibly prevent disease before it happens. The Anti-Aging Medicine treatments described above may be safer than drug therapy. Our goal is to enhance a healthier, more vital longevity.
Dr. Henry C. Sobo, M.D. is a member of the American Academy of Anti-Aging Medicine. Dr. Sobo has been practicing Nutritional Natural Medicine for over 25 years. He specializes in Weight Reduction Medicine and Hormone Replacement Therapy. For more information, visit: www.drsobo.com or call 203-348-8805.