Biote HRT Flashcards
dr. charles brown- sequared self injected what into himself and what year
self injected testicular extracts from animals in 1889
what did Dr. charles brown start to notice an increase of when self injecting with testicular extracts
increased energy, muscular strength, stamina, and mental agility
who developed isolated Ts for injection and won a noble prize
in 1891 leopold ruzicka
in 1942 what was testosterone used to prevent
peripheral vascular disease (PVD)
in 1953 what was testosterone used to treat
angina pectoris in both males and females (vasodilator)
91% of patients showed improvement
what age range do women lose 50% of their testosterone production
age 20-40
what age range do men lose 1-3% of total testosterone production per year
30-70
what are bioidentical hormones
structurally identical to those made by the body
what is the most biologically active estrogen
estradiol
what e’s are present in the body
estriol and estrone
don’t get progesterone confused with progestin because
progestin is synthetic and are bad
what is a bioidentical molecule
exact molecular structure of hormones that the body produces
what is a synthetic molecule
different molecular structure than what body produces
what are bioidentical molecules made from
soy or yams (but not an issue with food allergy)
what are the bioidenetical molecules (E2)
17b estradiol-estrace, climara, vivelle, minivelle, estrogel, estring
what are synthetic molecules made from
animal parts or urine
what are the synthetic molecules (E2)
estradiol valerate or cypionate, Premarin (CEE), enjuvia, cenestin, menest
what are the bioidentical molecules of testosterone
testosterone
what are the synthetic molecule of testosterone
testosterone cypionate, enanthate, undecanoate
what are the different routes of administration of testosterone
oral
transdermal/vaginal
injectable
pellot
what are the cons of oral delivery
1st pass is effective but GI upset is common
daily administration
testosterone itself given orally is not effective
TID very short half life
what are the cons of injectable delivery
levels fluctuate like a roller coaster
weekly/biweekly shots
allergies to oil suspension
higher level of erythrocytosis and aromatization
may increase platelet stickiness
what are the cons of transdermal/vaginal/ scrotal delivery
skin irritation
possible transfer to others
45% of people do not absorb
blood levels very
administer daily or BID
what are the cons of pellet delivery
some pain with insertion
possibility of extrusion
activity restrictions after procedure
what delivery route is the superior option
pellets
why is pellets the best option for delivery
avoids unnecessary risk of platelet aggregation
unlimited dosing options
steady levels
predictable absorption
convenient and improved patient satisfaction and compliance
how often do men and women get pelleted
3-4x/ yr for women (3-4 months)
2-3x/ yr for men (5-6 months)
**when does testosterone kick in
7-10 days
if a client is taking testosterone and then wants to get pellet when do you tell the patient to stop taking their testosterone
a week after pelleting
20 years ago what kind of implant was used for testosterone for androgen replacement therapy
fused, crystalline implants for a 13 year study of 221 men
testosterone use in women dates back to
1937 very effective for vaginal atrophy and other climacteric symptoms
despite overwhelming evidence in support for testosterone supplementation in women, there is no…
fda approved product
despite any lack of clear rationale, what was assumed to be the hormone of choice for “replacemet therapy” in women
estrogen (premarin)
when was testosterone reported to effectively treat symptoms of menopause
as early as 1937
what is the consensus on female use of testosterone
testosterone is not a male exclusive hormone
it is most abundant gonadal hormone throughout a womans life
female testosterone insufficiency is a clinical syndrome
testosterone therapy may be breast protective
testosterone insufficiency in women negatively impact sexuality, general health, and quality of life
test insufficiency may be linked to increased risk for CVD
may be brain protective and enhance cognitive function
may be improved bone health
testosterone is not a male exclusive hormone and production is how much more production than estrogen
3-4x
when do androgen levels peak in women
their twenties with symptoms preset both in pre and post menopausal women
what are the 3 sources testosterone production in women
overies, adrenal glands, and peripheral conversion from other circulating androgens
by age 4 in women how much testosterone is lost
half of their testosterone production
in women, the androgen production from adrenals decline but testosterone production from _________ remain somewhat intact after menopause
overies ( women with BSO have 50% further incline)
what are the benefits of people hormones being optimized with HRT
energy increase
better sleep and mental clarity
ability to lose weight
sex drive increases
breast, bone, and heart health
as hormone levels drop, what is seen
low energy
mood swings
weight gain
joint pain
difficulty sleeping
brain fog
low sex drive
risk of age related illness
with testosterone replacement therapy in women what are the two symptoms with high percentages of complete relief after receiving
hot flashes 90.8%
depression 75.8%
testosterone was superior for relief of energy, well being, somatic complaints, and psyichological symptoms but what was the worst during studies
estrogen alone and placebo
what are the top 10 myths about testosterone use in women
testosterone is a male hormone
the only role of T in women is sex drive and libido
T masculinizes women
T causes hair loss
T has adverse effects on the heart
T causes liver damage
causes aggression
may increase risk of breast cancer
the safety of T use in women has not been established
what are women at increased risk for if they have low T
alzheimers
cardiovascular disease
osteoporosis related fractures
diabetes mellitus
sarcopenia
possibly an increased risk for breast cancer
what are positive effects of bioidentical testosterone in women
enhanced libido
heart protection
lower cholesterol/LDL
increased HDL
increased energy
enhanced sleep
feeling of overall well being
reduction of body fat
stonger bones an muscles
relief of anxiety/depression
reduced “brain fog”, memory and cognition
when do testosterone levels start to decline in men
after age 30 they will decline 1-3% every year after 30
total ______ _________ is most commonly used measurement of __________ __________, though it is a poor indicator of tissue activity
serum testosterone, androgen activity
age related decline in testosterone is associated with increased all cause…
mortality in aging men
in men there is increased mortality with…
low testosterone levels
(cardiovascular related, cancer related)
*men in the highest quartile T levels were found to have 30% reduction in mortality compared to those in the lower quartile
free T measurements are equally inaccurate in the clinical setting and normal ranges very widely between laboratories and bear little correlation to clinical finding so….
treat the patient not the lab
low T in men are increased risk for
alzheimers disease
CVD
osteoporosis related fractures
prostate cancer
DM
sarcopenia
what do hormones protect
bones
brain
breast
prostate tissue
heart
what is the normal physiology of estrogen in normal menstrual cycle
follicular phase starts day 1 of cycle
gonadaptropin releasing hormone pulse frequency increases causing 30% rise in FSH which recruits follicles which causes granulose cell hypertrophy which forms serum E2
serum E2 make proliferation of endometrium
serum E2 lessens FSH but GnRH pulse increases which makes the LH surge (start of luteal phase)
estradiol peaks 1day prior to ovulation
luteal phase starts- egg is released from ovary through fallopian tube and to the uterus
the granulose cell produces progesterone which further suppresses LH
progesterone then prepares endometrium by thickening
what are the phases of menstrual cycles
follicular-proliferative (1 through 14)
ovulation (day 14)
luteal phase-secretory (15-28)
what are the physiologic effects of estrogen
actions mostly on reproductive organs but also act on
cardiovascular
skeletal
immune
gastrointestinal
brain
what is menopause
cessation of menses for over a year
significant decline in estrogen as well as testosterone and progesterone and increases FH (>23)
multiple symptoms associated: vasomotor, urogenital atrophy, bone loss
traditionally treated with HRT
treated with individualized bioidentical HRT or BHRT ideally
what are symptoms of estrogen deficiency
irregular absent periods
hot flashes
vaginal dryness
poor sleep
breast tenderness
HA or worsening pre existing migraines
depression/anxiety
frequent UTIs
what to know about FSH
gives overall status of estrogen
fluctuates through cycle in pre and perimenopause
increases consistently once E2 declines at menopause
cannot be measured by saliva
is supressed by estrogen therapy, including combination OCPs
may be >23 in perimenopause BUT E2 is HIGH
higher the FSH the more deficient E2
premenopausal patients make their own…
estradiol and progesterone
postmenopausal replacement estrogen replacement therapy (ERT) is
no longer menstrating
no longer able to make estradiol OR progesterone
**if patient has uterus and gets replacement dose E2, MUST give progesterone
if patient has intact uterus postmenopausal do they get a replacement dose of estrogen?
NO!!
because they still have their uterus
what is the patient screening of BHRT
prevention of adverse events (improves results and compliance)
BHRT must be individualized
dosages and combinations are fairly unique to each patient
patient history very important (may need to change dose, regimen)
between transdermal and oral estrogen what is the main takeaway
oral estrogen is more associated with an increased VTE risk
transdermal estrogen may improve the benefit/risl ratio of postmenopausal HT and should be considered a safer option for
women at high risk for VTE
what is the BHRT climacteric 2012
transdermal E2 showed no increase of VTE or CVA
P4 (unlike progestins) showed no increase risk of VTE or Breast Cancer
why is HRT in young post menopausal women safe and effective
to counteract climacteric symptoms and prevent long term degenerative diseases
non oral estrogens= NO VTE and better BP
natural progesterone = positive
non oral estrogens=
NO VTE and better BP
natural progesterone =
positive cognitive effects and no increase in breast cancer
transdermal E2=
no increased risk of stroke, VTE
no adverse cardioavascular effects
no effects on gallbladder function
can you use BHRT indefinitely?
yes
implant therapy for HRT
no increase in thrombotic activity with pellet therapy
reduces cardiovascular risk compared to oral therapy
does not increase the risk of breast cancer
does HRT increase the risk for breast cancer
no
80,377 post menopausal women study
does HRT increase risk of heart attack?
no
it is cardioprotective
transdermal estradiol (E2) does not…
increase risk of VTE (unlike oral)
it is cardioprotective and decreases risk of AMI
decreases risk of T2DM
micronized progesterone (P4)
reduces risk of T2DM
does not increase risk of VTE
reduces BP
what are the 6 “complex watches” of biotechs method optimal health and longevity
Testosterone
Estrogen
diet
thyroid
HGH
V&M
when compared to oral and patch for E2 what is seen with pellets
steady, consistent serum levels
what are the symptom reduction over time with pellets
men 4-5 months
women 3-4 months
what are potential and unnecessary effects of ORAL estrogen therapy
breast tenderness
vaginal bleeding
headaches
gallbladder dysfunction
nausea and vomiting
fluid retention
blood clots
leg cramps
gallstones
in women and med, “physiologic” replacement therapy needs to have relatively constant blood levels without daily spikes.. what is the only thing that does this
pellets
how are pellets made and absorbed
pure estradiol and testosterone
compressed into pellets using thousands of pounds of pressure
E-beam for sterilization- not autoclave
absorbed based on cardiac output, not time released
not depot
503B facility
how are pellets absorbed based on..
cardiac output, not time released
what are advantages of pellet therapy
steady state of hormones no roller coaster effect
2-4 insertions per year (improves patient compliance)
improves lipid sensitivity and body composition
no significant weight gain
best method to increase bone density
no increase in inflammatory markers
no increase in SHBG
in increased risk of breast or prostate cancer
no increase in blood clots, heart attack or stroke
what is progesterone
steroid hormone derived from cholesterol
involved in menstrual cycle, pregnancy, and embryogenesis
progesterone receptor sites in the uterus, breast, vagina, blood vessels and brain.
what hormone is important in menopausal women, perimenopausal women, premenopausal women, and pregnant women
progesterone
what is the source of E2 (estradiol)
ovary
what is the source of progesterone
ovary/ corpus luteum/ adrenals
what are the levels of E2 post menopausal
<20 pg/ml
what are levels of progesterone post menopausal
0.1-1 ng/ml
if progesterone is produced primary by the ovary then what would progesterone levels during menopause bee
zero
progesterone drops more drastically than estrogen does do to the limited areas of production
why bioidentical progesterone over synthetic?
because synthetic is increased risk for breast ca, cad, dvt/PE/ dementia, and diabetes
side effects are MULTIPLE
why no progesterone in pellets??
molecule is too large-> variable absorption
unpredicted duration -> leaves endometrium unprotected
cannot change dose if bleeding
what are the formulations of bioidentical progesterone
oral, SL, SL RDT, RX cream, OTC cream
what to know about progesterone cream
cream is NOT recommend in post menopausal patientsWITH a uterus
why is progesterone cream not recommended in post menopausal patients with a uterus
it does not protect the uterus adequately
what are the common dosing for post menopausal patients WITH a uterus for progesterone
generic capsules 200mg every night
compounded capsule 225mg every night
RDT or SL 100mg every day
cream- not recommended in its with a uterus
what are the 5 steps of progesterone dosage adjustment
if patient has side effects or abnormal bleeding
confirm proper use of progesterone
taking in EVENING at SAME TIME? half life is only 12 hrs
taking with food
if on sublingual or RDT, make sure it is dissolving not bittne or chewed
premenopausal women will not get progesterone unless
for another indication
if a women is menopausal ON ESTROGEN and with a uterus
absolutely MUST take progesterone
does biotechs method include use of progesterone in men?
NOO
when patient is on progesterone are monitoring levels required?
no, measurements are mainly with post menpausal bleeding
what are blood levels of progesterone
normal range= 4-25ng/ml
optimal range= 10-20ng/ml midluteal levels
are saliva levels taken for progesterone?
no they are inaccurate and dangerous to relay on saliva test because if used while taking transdermal RX it will read high but serum levels will be low
contraindications for progesterone in women
ER/PR positive breast cancers
allergy to peanuts
if a patient is allergic to peanuts and is needing progesterone (females only but not all)
cannot use generic or brand name, must be compounded
*write RX “peanut free base”
compounded capsules do not contain peanut oil
do i use progesterone in women receivign E2 for menstrual migranes
no
premanopausal women make their own progesterone
E2 6mg is NOT a replacement dose
additional progesterone is NOT recommended for these patients
if a woman is bleeding after pellets what could it be
if there is a uterine problem, the pellets will expose it. (uterine fibroids, endometrial polyps, adenomyosis, endometrial hyper plasia or even carcinoma)
may occur soon after 1st insertion if pt has underlying pathology OR if misses progesterone dose
what is considered abnormal bleeding in women
premenopausal patients- any change in “normal” menstrual pattern
what is polymenorrhea
more frequent bleeding
what is oligomenorrhea
less frequent bleeding
what is amenorrhea
missed period for >3 months
what is post menopausal bleeding
bleeding that occurs after > 1 year of no period (in association with low E2 and high FSH)
can be light spotting or even just one day/ one time
can be red, pink, brown, may be heavy like true period
we do NOT use full, replacement dose of ____ in perimenopausal patients who have had a period in the last _____ months to avoid bleeding
E2, 12 months
for progesterone therapy we should rule out anatomical cause THEN consider hormonal cause
- was progesterone taken correctly
- exam and vag ultrasound +- EMB
- if normal anatomy, 4 causes of bleeding : too much E2, too little E2, too much P, too little P
what is the HPT axis and process
the hypothalamus sends TRH (thyroid releasing hormone) to the pituitary gland which then sends TSH (thyroid stimulating hormone) to the thyroid gland which then sends out T3 and T4
what is total T3 and T4
form of thyroid hormone that is bound to a protein carrier in order to be transported throughout the body (thyroid binding globulin)
T3/T4 hormone have to be separated from TBG to become metabolically active and bind to cells receptor and perform their respective function.
*key concept, its possible to have normal amounts of total T4 and total T3 but have low amounts of free T3/T4
what is reverse T3
chemically similar to T3, completely inactive, it lowers the amount of active thyroid hormone (T3) available, “emergency brake” on the system
*RT3 reverses T3
what causes elevated RT3
nutrient deficiency (selenium)
excess physical/mental/ environmental stress, adrenal compromise, high toxic burden, dysbiosis
what is elevated RT3 called
low T3 syndrome or sick euthyroid
what are 4 thyroid myths
1.T4 is good, T3 is bad (negative clinical effects)
*T3 iss present at birth and is essential to life
2. T3 will cause atrophy to the gland causing permanent dependence on thyroid hormone replacement
3. suppressing TSH will cause osteoporosis
*hyperthyroid disease (graves) from too much endogenous production of thyroid hormone IS linked to bone loss
4. once you start thyroid, you will need it the rest of your life
what is regulated by the thyroid hormones
regulate:
temperature
metabolism
cerebral function
energy
how is our metabolism regulated by the thyroid hormones
increase fat breakdown resulting in weight loss as well as lower cholesterol
help fix leptin resistance (increase hunger, slowed metabolism)
what does the thyroid hormones protect against
cardiovascular disease
cognitive impairment
fatigue and weight gain
memory loss
what is the enzyme that serves as essential control points of thyroid activity
deiodinases
what does the deiodinase enzyme do
determines intracellular activation and deactivation of thyroid hormones dependent of serum hormone levels
what are the 3 diodinases present in different tissues of our bodies
D1= converts T4 to T3
D2= converts T4-T3
D3= converts T4- reverse T3
where does D1 work
in the liver and kidney
what is the key enzyme that controls intracellular T3
D2
what surpresses D1 and D2
stress, depression, dieting, insulin resistance, obesity, DM, inflammation, systemic illness, chronic fatigue syndrome, chronic pain, exposure to toxins
what are symptoms related to thyroid deficiency (not enough)
weak, cold, tired, fatigued
thin hair, thin nails, thin skin
weight gain, increased body fat
loss of energy and motivation
loss of cognitive, memory, mood
poor sense of well being, depression
infertility, loss of libido, menstrual irregularities
constipation/compromised gut motility
how many americans are hypothyroid
30-40%
what are reasons for thyroid deficiency
decreased production by the gland
decreased conversion of T4 to T3
less effectiveness at the receptor sites causing low thyroid symptoms in spite of “normal” blood levels
what are the 3 types of hypothyroidism
primary
secondary
tertiary
primary thyroidism
decreased production of thyroid hormones
TSH elevates, T3 and T4 will be normal or low depending on severity
secondary thyroidism
poor conversion of T4 to T3 in peripheral tissue
conversion of T4 to reverse T3 (rT3)
euthyroid sick syndrom = low T3 syndrome
tertiary hypothyroidism
receptor site insensitivity
symptoms of low thyroid persist despite normal labs
what are causes of decrease thyroid production
autoimmune thyroiditis
surgical removal of gland
iodine deficiency
failure of the hypothalamus or pituitary gland
inflammatory cytokines involved in stress response
gastrointestinal lipopolysaccharides, an endotoxin produced from bacterial overgrowth aka leaky gut
free T3 lab range
2.3-4.3
*optimal is 4.0-4.3
TSH lab range
0.3-5.0
* optimal .3
what are treatment options for hypothyroidism
levothyroxine/ synthroid/ tirosint (T4)
cytomel/liothyronine (T3)
desiccated thyroid (T4/T3/T1/T2)
no desiccated compound (T4/T3)
what medication for hypothyroid is more readily available and well absorbed
NP thyroid
what is treatment of choice for hypothyroid
NP thyroid