Maybe It’s Your Hormones

Dr. Steve Jepson with the Utah Dermatological Medical Procedures Clinic breaks down two common hormone deficiencies.

When most people think about hormone problems or hormone replacement, they tend to think of menopause or “the change” that invariable happens to all women around the age of 50. But did you know that hormone imbalance is a very common problem in younger women too? In fact, more than 50% of the women I see in my office for hormonal problems are between the ages of 30 and 50. So I want to tell you about two different types of hormone deficiencies that are common in this younger age group – deficiencies that few doctors even address.

Testosterone Deficiency

Though generally thought of as a male hormone, women make testosterone too. And it is not unusual for a woman’s testosterone production to start slowing down about the age of 35. Common symptoms of testosterone deficiency include decreased sex drive, fatigue, saggy skin, and foggy thinking. Most doctors don’t test for this problem in women with these complaints, and often these symptoms are attributed to depression. However, testosterone deficiency can be easily diagnosed with a simple saliva test, and easily treated with a testosterone-containing prescription cream. And women taking testosterone replacement shouldn’t worry about unusual hair growth or big muscles (common fears that my patients initially express). Only a very small female-appropriate amount of testosterone is used – the same amount your ovaries used to make before you became deficient.

Progesterone Deficiency

This problem is even more common than testosterone deficiency, and again, few doctors do anything about it. In fact, in the 10 years that I practiced Internal Medicine before switching my focus to Aesthetic and Anti-Aging Medicine, I never once checked a progesterone level in anybody. But low progesterone is the cause of Premenstrual Syndrome, and also causes pre-menopausal hot flashes and night sweats, insomnia, fluid retention, cyclical adult acne, fatigue, unexplained weight gain, anxiety, irritability, feeling cold, and decreased sex drive. Progesterone deficiency can affect women ages 17-70, but most commonly starts in the 30’s and 40’s. And again, most doctors will attribute many of these symptoms to depression and prescribe Prozac or other anti-depressants, which of course don’t address the root problem – inadequate production of progesterone by the ovaries. This type of hormone deficiency is very easy to evaluate with saliva testing, and very easy to treat with prescription progesterone creams or lozenges.
So if you are a women suffering from many of these same symptoms, and have not been given any solutions by your doctor, don’t give up! Get an evaluation for testosterone and/or progesterone deficiency.

I will be presenting a seminar on these types of hormone imbalance, along with other hormonal issues facing women (including menopause and thyroid deficiency), tonight in Murray. This is a free event and the public is invited to attend

Bioidentical Hormone Conference

Presented by Dr. Steven Jepson, M.D.

Murray City Library

Tuesday, October 7

Murray City Library

166 East 5300 South

7:00 – 8:30 p.m.