Going through menopause comes with many mental and physical changes. One of these changes is the amount of muscle mass, and menopause causes women to lose muscle mass and feel weak and exhausted. Countering this effect can be achieved through strength training, proper nutrition, and supplements to help build muscle after menopause. 

As women age, hormones naturally start to decline. For women, the primary sex hormone is estrogen, and as they approach menopause, estrogen levels decrease dramatically. This drastic reduction in estrogen plummets you into menopause. You're considered postmenopausal once you haven't had your period for 12 months or more. 

While this transition is natural, it comes with many side effects, and one of them is less muscle mass and weaker bones. The lack of muscle can bring out feeling exhausted and normal activities that once were easy like carrying groceries up flights of stairs or even exercising harder.

Estrogen is a vital hormone known more for its essential role in female reproduction. Still, it also has an effect on muscle growth. Estrogen has antioxidant properties and helps protect against inflammation. This can help with recovery post-workout from any possible muscle damage. It can also affect satellite cell activity, which is crucial for muscle repair and growth since it aids in muscle fiber enlargement. 

Estrogen is primarily produced in the ovaries and comes in three types. After menopause, only the weakest form of estrogen is produced. This type is estrone or E1. Your body can convert E1 into the stronger forms of estrogen, including estriol (the strongest form) but since reservoirs are lower, a supplement may be needed to boost levels.

Estrogen can also help use glucose in the muscles to provide more energy. More energy during a workout can encourage you to work harder and build more muscle. Another benefit of estrogen for muscle building is that it can help with using fat for energy, which could help with endurance exercises. 

Bone density is not directly related to muscle growth, but it needs to be mentioned. Estrogen plays a prominent role in building and maintaining strong bones. Healthy bones support solid muscles and with weight-bearing exercises that promote muscle growth. 

Cortisol, known as the stress hormone, has many effects on the body, but one of them is that it breaks down muscle tissue. Some evidence suggests that cortisol may help mitigate the muscle-degrading impacts, which helps protect muscles. 

Estrogen and menopause are directly linked, as are testosterone and muscle mass. While testosterone is a primary male sex hormone, women produce it, albeit at a much smaller level. And even more minor levels after menopause. Testosterone is critical for building muscle.  

Besides low hormones like estrogen and testosterone, other factors contribute to muscle loss. People with a poor diet and lack of protein will have difficulty increasing muscle mass. The level and type of exercise affect muscle maintenance and growth. Besides your lifestyle choices, genetics affect how strong you are and how much muscle you have. 

Taking supplements to build muscles has long been an activity health experts and laypeople have advocated. When used correctly, supplements can complement diet and exercise to support muscle growth and maintenance. However, it's essential to consult with your doctor or healthcare provider regarding which supplements are right for you. 

Below are some essential supplements for postmenopausal women to build muscles. It's important to note that choosing high-quality supplements tested by a third party and not interacting with your medications is essential for your health. 

Protein is the primary building block for muscle repair and growth. Protein powders come in many forms, from whey, casein, and plant-based forms. Some evidence suggests that women post-menopause need more protein than in child-bearing years. 

Regarding muscle-building supplements, creatine is one of the most researched and supportive supplements for athletic performance and muscle growth. It does this by helping workout performance by replenishing adenosine triphosphate (ATP) in your body's cells. This increases energy and workout endurance. Both can lead to more muscles.

See above

Also see below.  If you love fatty fish, flaxseeds, and walnuts, you'll be happy to know you're lapping up omega-3 fatty acids. They have long been recognized for numerous health benefits connected to cardiovascular health and inflammation modulation. 

Still, over the past few years, research has looked at the potential advantages of omega-3 fatty acids in muscle growth and health. Some studies indicate that supplementation with omega-3 can stimulate muscle protein synthesis in adults. 

Collagen is the most abundant protein in the body, and it's the connective tissue in your skin, bones, and ligaments. It's not typically associated with muscle growth, but it indirectly affects muscle mass and function. Since tendons and ligaments are full of collagen, having an abundant supply makes transferring force between the bones and muscles easier during a workout. 

The most common and effective treatment for menopause is estrogen hormone replacement therapy. It also can improve muscle mass indirectly due to its relationship with healthy bone creation and the cortisol effect. Estrogen supplementation comes in different forms, but the most effective is a topical cream. Your skin soaks up the hormone and transfers it to awaiting receptors.

Menopause brings about many changes, but one is the amount of individual strength. Decreasing muscle mass is expected, and certain supplements like estrogen, vitamin D, and collagen can help bring back some power in your life - in more than one place. 

Like the burning of a fuse, telomeres at the ends of our chromosomes steadily shorten every time a cell replicates itself.1,2

A study from The Lancet evaluating telomere length on a group of individuals age 60 and over found that those with shorter telomeres had a 3.18-fold higher mortality rate from heart disease and an 8.54-fold higher mortality rate from infectious disease.

Telomeres, which are made up of repeating units of DNA sequences, hold the key to biological aging.4 Once telomeres reach a critically short length, further cellular replications are prevented, leading to aging (senescence) of the cell.1,2,5

These senescent cells eventually accumulate or die. Senescent cells no longer contribute to active tissue maintenance.1,2 In fact, telomere length has become useful as a biomarker of cellular aging.4-7

Studies show plenty of triggers that accelerate telomere shortening, including oxidative stresses, inflammation, and obesity.1,8 Shortened telomeres are found in people with age-related disorders such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes, neurodegeneration, and osteoporosis.9,10 Not surprisingly then, the search is on for ways to preserve telomere length in normal cells, with the aim of sustaining cellular youth and healthy functioning.

Cells naturally contain an enzyme called telomerase, which adds new DNA to the ends of telomeres, helping to keep them long enough to support cellular activities.11 In the past few years, scientists have accumulated an impressive array of evidence showing that one way of supporting healthy, long telomeres is to get an adequate intake of vitamins.4,11-14

There is now intriguing evidence demonstrating how supplemental vitamins can preserve telomere length and sustain more youthful cell functions.

The B vitamins, including vitamins B6, B12, and folate, are essential factors in the metabolism of the molecules that make up DNA.6 Their importance is therefore critical in supporting normal cellular replication. Low levels of B vitamins are common in aging adults, and are closely associated with risk for developing age-related diseases.5,15

Homocysteine is a molecule associated with increased cardiovascular disease risk and poor blood vessel function. B vitamins are necessary for normal disposal of homocysteine, which accumulates under conditions of B vitamin deficiency. Both elevated homocysteine levels and diminished B vitamin levels are closely associated with premature shortening of telomeres, leading to accelerated cellular aging.5,15,16 Thus, homocysteine-induced telomere shortening may be the central connection between B vitamin deficiency, high homocysteine levels and cardiovascular disease.16

It has long been known that B vitamin supplementation reduces homocysteine levels, and it was recently shown that people whose B vitamin levels are low have shorter telomeres.5,15

Taken together, these findings suggest that keeping B vitamins at adequate levels is an effective means of both lowering toxic homocysteine levels and supporting longer telomeres.

Long thought to be limited to promoting calcium absorption in the intestines, vitamin D has become known as one of the most versatile of nutrients.10 Vitamin D receptors are found on cells throughout the body, suggesting that still more functions await discovery.17

Recently, a molecular link was found between vitamin D and DNA repair an action required for maintenance of telomere length.18 Higher plasma vitamin D levels have been associated with longer telomeres.19 These findings have triggered other studies of vitamin D and its role in telomere function.

For example, patients undergoing hemodialysis for kidney failure have both decreased telomere length and lower vitamin D levels compared with healthy controls.12 But dialysis patients treated with vitamin D3 were shown to have longer telomeres than untreated patients, potentially explaining the beneficial health effects of supplementation in these individuals.12

In a more generalized study, vitamin D supplementation in a group of overweight Americans, at a dose of 2000 IU/day, increased subjects' telomerase activity by more than 19%.1 This finding suggests that vitamin D plays an important role in supporting telomere lengthening and as a result has antiaging potential.

Studies of vitamin C demonstrate that telomere shortening can be reduced by up to 62% on untreated controls in cultures of human blood vessel cells.20 The result was a significant extension of cellular lifespan, and reduction in physical changes associated with cell aging. This in turn was associated with sharp reductions in cellular free radicals.20

Near-identical results have now been shown in cultures of human heart-muscle cells, demonstrating that vitamin C can work to slow cardiovascular aging by preserving telomere length.21

A dramatic demonstration of the value of vitamin C's role in aging-deceleration was provided by a 2016 study of cellular model of Werner Syndrome, a premature aging disorder.22 After testing numerous compounds for their ability to slow or reverse the rapid aging, scientists identified vitamin C as the most efficient "rescue" for many premature aging characteristics of the cells.22 Treated cells showed longer telomeres, reduced secretion of inflammatory cytokines, and improved integrity of their cellular nuclei, all features of much younger cells. Indeed, in a mouse model of Werner Syndrome, vitamin C rescued aging cells from premature death by altering expression of genes involved in the maintenance of DNA integrity.22

Vitamin E comes in a total of 8 different forms, four each in the tocopherol and tocotrienol categories. Alpha-tocopherol, one of the most-studied forms of vitamin E, dramatically slows age-related telomere shortening, even in the presence of powerful oxidant molecules such as hydrogen peroxide.13,14 This has been proven to result from a tocopherol-induced increase in telomerase that persists even into middle-aged cells.14 Similar results have been shown in cells treated with gamma-tocotrienol, which not only prevented telomere shortening but also enhanced the viability of older cells in culture.23

In a dramatic finding, incubating aging human cells with a tocotrienol-rich formulation reversed the aging-induced structural changes to cells to the point that they resembled younger cells, with less DNA damage and more cells ready for fruitful replication.24 Here again, the effects were attributable to increased telomerase activity.24

A study measured telomere length in humans given fish oil supplements. The results showed that reducing plasma levels of omega-6 fats coupled with increased omega-3s (from fish oil) resulted in an increase in telomere lengths.27

The scientists attributed this telomere length increase to reductions in inflammatory cytokines and oxidative stress brought on by higher levels of omega-3s in relationship to pro-inflammatory omega-6s.

Omega-6 fats to avoid include corn, sunflower, and safflower oils, along with arachidonic acid found in red meat and egg yolks. Olive oil, rich in monounsaturated fats, should be substituted for omega-6 oils whenever possible. Dietary sources of omega-3s include coldwater fish, walnuts, and flax seed.

In this human study where telomeres were lengthened, scientists used between 1,250-2,500 mg of EPA/DHA fish oil daily to boost omega-3 plasma levels in relation to omega-6s.27 Life Extension readers typically consume 2,400 mg of EPA/DHA daily in their fish oil supplement.

Carotenoids are yellow pigment molecules closely related to Vitamin A. Their molecular structures promote their powerful antioxidant actions, though they also appear to have other effects.

Studies show that older people with higher plasma levels of the carotenoids lutein and zeaxanthin have significantly longer telomeres than those with lower levels.25 In people 20 years and older, a doubling of blood levels of alpha-carotene, beta-carotene, and beta-cryptoxanthin was associated with 2% longer telomeres.7 Those with the highest carotenoid levels had telomeres 5% to 8% longer than those in the lowest category.7

Intake of the carotenoid nutrients is also closely associated with longer telomeres, although this effect may depend to some extent on genetic factors related to carotene metabolism.26

 A detailed discussion can be found here 

The American Heart Association (AHA) recommends that between 25 percent and 35 percent of your total daily calories should consist of fat. Most of this intake should be from unsaturated fat- monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats. Foods containing unsaturated fats include:

• Nuts
• Plant oils such as canola, vegetable, or plant oil
• Certain fish like salmon, tuna, and anchovy, which contain omega-3 unsaturated fatty acids
• Olives/ olive oil
• Avocados

The Mediterranean diet is one heavily influenced by monounsaturated fats. People in Mediterranean countries consume more total fat than Northern European countries, but most of the fat is in the form of monounsaturated fatty acids from olive oil and omega-3 fatty acids from fish, vegetables, and certain meats like lamb, while consumption of saturated fat is minimal in comparison. A 2017 review found evidence that the practice of a Mediterranean diet could lead to a decreased risk of cardiovascular diseases, overall cancer incidence, neurodegenerative diseases, diabetes, and early death. 

Olive oil is one of the healthiest fats around and contains about 75% monosaturated fats.  

A large analysis of 42 studies with more than 800,000 participants found that olive oil was the only source of monounsaturated fat that seemed to reduce heart disease risk.

Research has shown that one of olive oil's heart-healthy effects is an increase in HDL cholesterol. This effect is thought to be caused by antioxidants it contains called polyphenols.

In addition to raising HDL levels, olive oil has been found to boost HDL's anti-inflammatory and antioxidant function in studies of older people and individuals with high cholesterol levels

Extra virgin olive oil has more polyphenols than more processed olive oils, although the amount can still vary among different types and brands. Whenever possible, select high-quality, certified extra virgin olive oils, which tend to be highest in polyphenols.

Omega-3 fats are a key family of polyunsaturated fats.   The human body can make most of the types of fats it needs from other fats or raw materials. That isn’t the case for omega-3 fatty acids (also called omega-3 fats and n-3 fats). These are essential fats—the body can’t make them from scratch but must get them from food. Foods high in Omega-3 include fish, vegetable oils, nuts (especially walnuts), flax seeds, flaxseed oil, and leafy vegetables.  The four most common omega-3s found in food are ALA, EPA, ETA and DHA. 

What makes omega-3 fats special?  They have many powerful health benefits for your body and brain.  In fact, few nutrients have been studied as thoroughly as omega-3 fatty acids.   They are an integral part of cell membranes throughout the body and affect the function of the cell receptors in these membranes. They provide the starting point for making hormones that regulate blood clotting, contraction and relaxation of artery walls, and inflammation. They also bind to receptors in cells that regulate genetic function. Likely due to these effects, omega-3 fats have been shown to help prevent heart disease and stroke, may help control lupus, eczema, and rheumatoid arthritis, and may play protective roles in cancer and other conditions.

Omega-3 fatty acids are vital for optimal health.

Getting them from whole foods — such as fatty fish two times per week — is the best way to ensure robust omega-3.  However, if you don't eat a lot of fatty fish, then you may want to consider taking an omega-3 supplement. For people deficient in omega-3, this is an inexpensive and effective way to improve health.   

 A detailed discussion can be found here

Methylation is a chemical process that happens billions of times per second in every cell of the body.  Methyl groups are transferred and donated between many different molecules which change their structure and function. Methyl groups act like billions of switches which turn genes on or off, help regulate mood, detoxify hormones, produce energy, and promote healthy aging.

Vitamins, minerals, and amino acids from the diet are needed to keep this process running smoothly. There are also genetic factors and oxidative stressors which can affect how well this pathway works.

Methylation defects have been associated with many clinical conditions including, but not limited to some forms of cancer, a variety of mental conditions ranging from depression to autism and dementia, and cardiovascular disease.   The role in pregnancy will be discussed in a separate post. 

Now consider this:  about 40% of people have mutations in methylation and 10% have more severe mutations. 

Methyl-folate is a key player in methylation, the process of adding a methyl group to a compound.   Methylation is needed to create DNA and RNA and regulate gene expression. It helps make creatine, which is needed for skeletal muscle contraction. Methylation is involved in basic energy production, fat metabolism, immune responses, vascular health, and cell membrane repair. It produces and metabolites neurotransmitters to regulate mood. Methylation also works to neutralize toxins and hormones.

Methyl-folate keeps your body running through methylation. 

It’s involved in: 

• Repairing and regenerating your cells, tissues and DNA
• Regulating gene expression and protein function
• Synthesizing neurotransmitters that influence mood, sleep, behavior, cognition and memory
• Controlling homocysteine (an amino acid that can damage blood vessels) 
• Controlling inflammation 
• Assisting your liver in processing fats
• Activating and regulating the immune system
• Modifying toxins and heavy metals.  

The human body contains over 50 trillion cells, and each cell contains a complete set of instructions for making you. The instructions are encoded in your DNA. Short segments of DNA are called genes. Your DNA is the cookbook, your genes the recipes. Genes encode for specific proteins, and those proteins play a crucial role in the function of the body’s tissues and organs. Humans have about 20,000 genes. 

The MTHFR gene provides instructions for making an enzyme called methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR).  The MTHFR locus is mapped on chromosome 1 at the end of the short arm, This enzyme is important for the folate metabolism which is an integral process for cell metabolism in the DNA, RNA and protein methylation.   

Variations of MTHFR include mutations of

• C677T. About 30-40% of the American population may have a mutation at gene position C677T. About 25%of people of Hispanic descent, and 10% of Caucasian descent are homozygous (have two mutations) for this variant which is a more severe variant. 
• A1298C. About 20% of the American population may have a homozygous mutation at gene position A1298C.
• It’s also possible to acquire both C677T and A1298C mutations (one copy of each).

Those of us with the MTHFR mutation produce 30 to 70% less methyl-folate than someone without the mutation does.  

Less methyl-folate can increase homocysteine levels and less of the anti-oxidant methione (see homocysteine metabolism here).    

 There has been considerable interest in homocysteine, a sulfur-containing amino acid because of the recognition that increased homocysteinemia is an important risk factor for vascular disease, including stroke, independent of long-recognized factors such as hyperlipidemia, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, and smoking.  In addition to its association with cerebrovascular disease, homocysteine may play a role in neurodegenerative disorders, even if only as a marker of functional vitamin B12 deficiency. Homocysteine is also important to neurologists since most anticonvulsants raise homocysteine levels, an effect that may explain the teratogenic effects of these drugs.  

Elevated homocysteine levels have been associated with a range of 'inflammatory' conditions and health risks:

• Elevated homocysteine levels affect the interior lining of blood vessels in the body, increasing the risk of atherosclerosis or narrowing of blood vessels. This can result in early heart attack and stroke.
• There is a relationship between the levels of homocysteine in the body and the size of the carotid arteries that supply the brain with blood; the higher homocysteine level, the narrower (stenosed) the carotid artery becomes.
• The risk of deep vein thrombosis (DVT) and pulmonary embolism may be linked to elevated homocysteine levels.
• There may be a relationship between elevated homocysteine levels and broken bones, especially in the elderly.
• Alzheimer's disease and other types of dementia may be more frequently seen in patients with increased or elevated levels of the amino acid in the blood.
• In infants who have the genetic condition homocystinuria, the inherited abnormalities affect the body's metabolism of homocysteine to cysteine with a range of abnormalities. 
• In pregnancy, elevated homocysteine levels may be associated with some fetal abnormalities and with potential blood vessel problems in the placenta, causing abruption. There may also be an association with pre-eclampsia. 

  Biosynthesis and regulation of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+) has recently gained a lot of attention. A systemic decline in NAD+ across many tissues is associated with all the hallmarks of aging. NAD+ can affect a variety of cellular processes, including metabolic pathways, DNA repair, and immune cell activity, both directly and indirectly. These cellular processes play a vital role in maintaining homeostasis, but as people get older, their tissue and cellular NAD+ levels decrease, and this drop in NAD+ levels has been connected to a number of age-related disorders. By restoring NAD+ levels, several of these age-related disorders can be delayed or even reversed.  

 NMN is a potent precursor for NAD+, synthesized from vitamin B3 in the form of nicotinamide. For years, it was thought that NMN was unable to enter cells on its own. It was thought necessary to convert NMN to nicotinamide riboside (NR), a different NAD+ precursor. NR would then enter cells, and be converted back to NMN. Yet no one could explain the fast pharmacokinetics  the surprising speed with which it moved from the gut to the bloodstream and then tissues throughout the body. Animal experiments had already proven that this entire journey takes place in a matter of minutes—too fast for multiple biochemical transformations.17 In 2019 groundbreaking research showed that NMN has a unique and dedicated transporter (Slc12a8) that can move the molecule quickly across the cell membrane and into the cell where it can be transformed rapidly into NAD+.3  The researchers report that this NMN transporter is critical for aging individuals; as NAD+ levels fall with age, levels of this transporter are upregulated so that more NMN can enter cells and enrich levels of NAD+. These new findings suggest that, due to NMN’s critical role in repleting NAD+, the body has more than one route of bringing it into the cell—both directly with its own transporter, and by moving NR into the cell and then transforming NR into NMN. Supplementing with NMN may improve adult human metabolism, rendering it more like that of someone ten or twenty years younger.18 In animal studies, NMN has enhanced NAD+ biosynthesis in pancreas, adipose, heart, eyes, blood vessel, skeletal muscle, kidney tissues and more.8,19,20 NMN has been shown to improve against age-associated physical decline, weight gain, energy decline, and decreased physical activity, without any obvious toxicity.17 NMN also suppresses age-related adipose tissue inflammation, enhances insulin secretion and insulin action, supports healthy mitochondrial function, improves neuronal function in the brain, stimulates new blood vessel  

 NMN and NR demonstrated protect against diabetes, Alzheimer disease, endothelial dysfunction, and inflammation. They also reverse gut dysbiosis and promote beneficial effects at intestinal and extraintestinal levels. 

 R and NMN are chemically identical, with the exception of one phosphate group present on NMN. The study demonstrates that this additional phosphate group must be removed from NMN, converting it into nicotinamide riboside before it can enter the cell. 

 NAD+ is a very important molecule, having a myriad of effects in our cells, including enabling the proper functioning of sirtuins, enzymes that protect our DNA and regulate the epigenome, and helping PARPs to do their job, which is repairing damaged DNA. 

 nicotinamide mononucleotide (NMN) has been shown to offer great therapeutic potential with promising results in age-related chronic conditions such as diabetes, cardiovascular issues, cognitive impairment, and many others. Further, human interventions are required to study the long-term effects of supplementing NMN with varying doses 

 NMN is ultimately converted to NAD+, a redox cofactor that mediates many metabolic enzymes. NAD+ also serves as the substrate for poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) and sirtuins, and regulates various biological processes, such as metabolism, DNA repair, gene expression, and stress responses. Previous mouse models showed that NMN administration can increase NAD+ in various organs and ameliorate aging-related diseases, such as obesity, diabetes, heart failure, stroke, kidney failure, and Alzheimer's disease through NAD+-mediated pathways. However, evidence of its effect on humans is still scarce. 

Nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+) levels in the body deplete with aging and it is associated with downregulation of energy production in mitochondria, oxidative stress, DNA damage, cognitive impairment and inflammatory conditions. However, NMN, as the precursor of NAD+, can slow down this process by elevating NAD+ levels in the body. A number of in vivo studies have indicated affirmative results of therapeutic effects for various age-induced complications with NMN supplementation 

 WHY TMG? As NAD+ biosynthesis rises, methylation activity increases. Trimethylglycine (TMG) is a methyl donor that supports the action of NMN and the liver.24 TMG provides significant methylation support by donating three methyl groups. Methylation is needed by the ‘longevity’ enzymes known as the sirtuins, which depend on NAD+ and which require the methylation of nicotinamide (NAM), a form of vitamin B3.25,26 The sirtuin family is thought to delay fundamental aspects of aging and to be responsible, in great part, for the cardiometabolic benefits of lean diets and exercise.27 Nicotinamide (NAM) has been shown to consume a significant amount of TMG when being methylated by the body.28 

 Curr Nutr Rep 2023 Sep;12(3):445-464. doi: 10.1007/s13668-023-00475-y. 

 Mol Biol Rep 2022 Oct;49(10):9737-9748. doi: 10.1007/s11033-022-07459-1. Epub 2022 Apr 20. 

 J Adv Res. 2022 Mar; 37: 267–278. 

Dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA), and its metabolite, dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate ester (DHEAS), are the most abundant circulating steroid hormones in your body.  It has a similar chemical structure to other steroid hormones and helps to produce these hormones- estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone.  DHEA levels peak in early adulthood and then slowly fall as you ag.  reflecting the fall in other hormones.  

People use DHEA as an anti-aging therapy and to improve physical performance. DHEA is also used to treat depression and symptoms of menopause.

DHEA and DHEAS are made in the adrenal adrenal glands, the gonads (ovaries and testes), and in the brain. The precise physiological role of DHEA and DHEAS is not yet fully understood, but these steroid hormones can act as androgens, estrogens, and neurosteroids, and perform many roles in the human body. Since both levels decline with age, use of DHEA supplements are commonly used as an antidote to aging in postmenopausal women.

At the time of menopause, the secretion of DHEA decreases to around 60%  and the production of estrogen stops, resulting in low E2 levels.

Multiple studies have found lowered serum concentrations of DHEA in patients with poor life quality, psychosocial stress, and functional impairment. Higher concentrations of DHEA have been connected to better functioning, greater enjoyment of leisure activities, and overall higher life satisfaction.  In one study, 80% of postmenopausal women undergoing DHEA treatment reported improved well-being and energy (vitality). 

As women age, they experience a drop in DHEA levels, which are potentially linked to hormone deficiency, postmenopausal symptoms, and many age-related diseases.  Since DHEA is able to convert to androgen or estrogen, many propose DHEA replacement therapy may yield beneficial effects, such as improving menopausal vasomotor symptoms when converted to estrogen, increasing libido and boosting well-being from its androgenic effects. With a daily dose of 50 mg of oral DHEA, data suggest DHEA supplements may have a role in preserving the integrity of the immune system by attacking cancer cells and viruses, maximizing anti-cancer function, and enhancing the activity of monocytes, especially in individuals with autoimmune diseases. Moreover, due to inhibitory effect on the development of mammary carcinoma, DHEA may be used to treat breast cancer. 

DHEA supplements can increase the level of these sex hormones- testosterone and estrogen. That's why a number of claims have been made about their potential health

Many studies have shown those who have low DHEA may be prone to cardiovascular diseases; therefore, the correlation between the two has been contended by several researchers. Studies have confirmed that DHEA is inversely associated with cholesterol levels, obesity, and diabetes, which may play an important role in the pathogenesis of coronary artery disease and heart failure. DHEA is a potent inhibitor of fibroblast growth and carcinogenesis in cell culture, which may be a reasonable mechanism between DHEA and coronary diseases.  DHEA treatment also improves the cardiac index and inhibits right ventricular capillary rarefaction, fibrosis, and oxidative stress.

Since DHEA levels decline with age, some researchers speculate that supplementing your body's falling levels of the hormone might help fight aging. And some small studies have reported positive anti-aging effects from the use of DHEA supplements. However, not all studies have shown this effect. 

DHEA supplements are sometimes used by athletes because of a claim that it can improve muscle strength and enhance athletic performance. That's because DHEA is a "prohormone" -- a substance that can increase the level of steroid hormones such as testosterone.  There is little evidence to show that DHEA has any effect on enhancing muscle strength. But its use is banned by sports organizations such as the National Football League, Major League Baseball, and the National Collegiate Athletic Association.

Possible side effects of DHEA supplements can include testosterone related effects.  

We would suggest adding DHEA to your hormonal cosmetic cream.  However, if you are concerned about potential side effects related to increased testosterone, then you can choose our creams without DHEA.

 DHEA and Pregnenolone are precursor hormones. This means that cholesterol makes pregnenolone-the mother hormone, which makes DHEA, which makes oestrogen, progesterone and testosterone, amongst other adrenal hormones (cortisol, aldosterone). 

 DHEA is in fact known to decrease cardiovascular risk factors by improving vascular remodeling in the face of high blood pressure, improving insulin sensitivity and reducing obesity, and increasing HDL levels.9-12 No studies have been published demonstrating that pregnenolone raises any cardiovascular risk factors. 

 Because both DHEA and pregnenolone boost natural levels of testosterone as well as estrogen, there is some concern that women who take the supplements might express more masculine traits such as male pattern baldness, hair growth on the face, and aggressive behaviors. In practice, however, these effects appear infrequently and are mild and reversible when they do occur.18,19 

 Some of the beneficial neurosteroid effects of pregnenolone result from an increased activity of brain cells. But in people with known seizure disorders (epilepsy), and in animal studies where the steroid is directly injected into the brain, this effect can lower the seizure threshold and make a seizure more likely.20-24 There are no published studies, however, suggesting an increased risk of seizures from pregnenolone supplementation in humans without a prior seizure history. 

Pregnenolone creams are dietary supplements that can help with different medical conditions in women's health and men's health. Taking pregnenolone can boost hormone levels, encourage weight loss, and improve sleep quality. The potential benefits vary depending on age, health situation, and dosage, but scientific and anecdotal evidence show that pregnenolone creams work. 

Pregnenolone is a precursor hormone that helps produce steroid hormones in the body. As a naturally occurring hormone, it's generated in the adrenal glands and converted from cholesterol. 

Sometimes called pregnenolone sulfate, the mother hormone can be confused with progesterone because of the similar name. But this confusion is understandable because, as a precursor hormone, pregnenolone is the foundation for the steroid hormones DHEA, testosterone, progesterone, and estrogen. 

Small amounts of pregnenolone become these hormones, so in essence, progesterone and pregnenolone are the same. The body uses pregnenolone to fight age, improve heart health and stress management. Yet too much can cause some possible side effects, such as hair loss. However, this usually comes from oral pregnenolone supplementation. 

Pregnenolone creams are different from oral pregnenolone. Transdermal creams come in an easy-to-use pump system that makes it easy to control the amount of pregnenolone. Compound pharmacies can make pregnenolone cream to fit individual dosage and mixtures. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) doesn't assess nutritional supplements, but this doesn't mean they aren't valuable or work. 

Pregnenolone creams are available without a prescription refill. They come infused with other natural ingredients, such as aloe vera gel and grape seed extract. Men and women can gently rub the pregnenolone on the skin's delicate parts, such as the wrists, inner thighs, and neck, for quick absorption. 

The aloe vera and pregnenolone together soothe skin while helping boost levels. In related products, transdermal creams come in estrogen, testosterone, progesterone, and other hormones. 

“If you haven’t heard of Glutathione yet, you will,” says Mark Hyman, MD, founder of The UltraWellness Center in Lenox, Mass., and a pioneer in the field of functional medicine. “In terms of staying healthy, it is one of the most important molecules in the body.”

People with higher Glutathione levels:

• Have less inflammation.
• Have reduced joint discomfort.
• Have strengthened immune systems.
• Have more energy.
• Have improved stamina and endurance.
• Recover faster from exercise and illness.
• Have greater mental clarity and focus.
• Sleep better.
• Live better, longer.

Glutathione is perhaps the single most important adjunct therapy offered at Boston Testosterone.

It’s the most powerful anti-oxidant in the world. Contained within our bodies, Glutathione acts as a buffer for any harmful toxins, chemicals or damaged cells that are introduced. And in an increasingly toxic environment, having optimized Glutathione levels has never been more important. It’s been dubbed the Mother of all Antioxidants by Dr. Hyman.

It’s also a powerful and immensely important anti-cancer and heart disease protector. Glutathione also also detoxifies the brain by way of its scavenging of oxidative byproducts and chelation (capture and excretion) of heavy metals. Glutathione protects neve cells and the nerve conduction critical to our mental processing, especially from the toxin mercury.

Glutathione occupies an important place in our bodies and is believed to neutralize at least thirty cancer-causing substances. It acts by blocking free radicals that damage cell DNA, leading to mutations and transformations into tumors.

Can high Glutathione levels be the key to living to 100?

With Glutathione meaning better detoxification, it follows logically then that people with the highest levels should live the longest. That was the theory that drove Danish researchers to enroll 41 centenarians (people over 100 years of age) in a study of glutathione levels. Their results, published in the journal Age and Ageing, found that Glutathione levels were highest in the healthiest seniors. Additionally, they discovered that the centenarians had higher levels of glutathione than people 20 to 40 years younger, hinting that Glutathione may be one reason why their subjects had lived to such a ripe age. Andersen HR, et al., Age Ageing. 1998 Sep;27(5):643-8

Glutathione also prevents peroxidation of fats which damage cell membranes. This is facilitated by deposition of fat in the blood vessel walls. By preventing this process, Glutathione greatly reduces the risk of heart disease, including the most fatal angina, myocardial infarction.

Scientists are now speculating that low glutathione levels are partly to blame for the free-radical-induced illnesses so common in middle age and later, such as Alzheimer’s, cancer and heart disease. Indeed, research published in the New England Journal of Medicine found that, among people with heart disease, those with the least amount of Glutathione in their blood were 30 percent more likely to have a heart attack than those with the most glutathione.

The bad news: Glutathione can be depleted rather quickly if a person is sick, has been working out hard, drinking or smoking which can lead to more illness. High stress levels, certain medications, past infections and a poor diet can all nibble away at the body’s Glutathione stash.

And naturally decreasing Glutathione production leaves most of us deficient. (see the chart to the right).

The good news: Protecting your glutathione levels is simple with Boston Testosterone Centers! As a patient of ours, we can optimize your Glutathione levels quickly and easily through SubQ administration prescription or through an IV Infusion at one of our clinics.

And for those that exercise or are athletic-orientated people, Glutathione is very beneficial.

Top athletes have discovered maintaining high levels allow them to train harder, longer, and recover faster.

They consistently report their energy levels have reached new highs and they have higher levels of endurance.

“Raised glutathione levels include increase strength and endurance. Those interested in physical fitness can benefit from a definite athletic edge.” Journal of Applied Physiology 87: 1381-1385, 1999

“We literally cannot survive without this super antioxidant.” Earl Mindell, R.Ph., PhD

Read also the following excerpt from Dr. Herbert Nagasawa, one of the worlds leading research scientists on cellular function.

“Categorically and without any equivocation whatsoever, I can tell you that Glutathione is THE most important endogenous antioxidant there is. For one thing it is manufactured by your own body. Secondly… it is the only antioxidant that can recycle itself. No other antioxidant can do that.

One of the major functions of Glutathione is maintain what is known as cellular redox homeostasis. The simplification of this is that Glutathione helps maintain the oxidational level of cells and holds it in check.

A good example of this is the hemoglobin in your red blood cells has to be in a reduced state before it can carry oxygen. In other words, if it is oxidized hemoglobin, like in methemoglobin, oxygen cannot bind to methemoglobin therefore methemoglobin is not any good for carrying oxygen to your cells. It is Glutathione that reduces hemoglobin to the +2 state, which is the reduced state, and then it can carry oxygen on through your blood.

Another function of Glutathione is that it will protect against oxidative stress of the immune system allowing newly formed immune cells to proliferate to attack germs, viruses and the like.

Glutathione is the master of sequestering free radicals. Free radicals are generated normally in your metabolic processes. It not only sequesters those free radicals that are unwanted, it will take the free radicals that are generated as a result of exposure to your environment. You are constantly expose to industrial environments and chemicals and other agents that produce free radicals in your body. Glutathione will sequester this.

Glutathione is also important in protecting the nucleus and DNA of the cell and most importantly the mitochondrial DNA of the cell. Mitochondrial DNA is not very well protected. If you damage the mitochondrial DNA it results in cell death. This is what Glutathione protects against.

Glutathione is also important in the protein biosynthesis process. What happens is Glutathione takes amino acids, which are as you know the building blocks of protein, from the outside of the cell and transports it to the inside of the cell where protein biosynthesis can take place.

One of the most important things in this modern industrial world is that Glutathione is the first line of protection against environmental chemicals and toxins. It not only sequesters free radicals but other things like household chemicals that could be ingested or [absorbed] on the skin.

I can tell you again that Glutathione is the most important endogenous antioxidant there is.”

Dr. Nagasawa received his B.S. degree in chemistry from Western Reserve University (now, Case-Western Reserve) in Cleveland, Ohio, and a Ph.D. degree in organic chemistry from the University of Minnesota. Subsequently, he spent two years as a Post-doctoral Fellow in biochemistry at the University of Minnesota before joining the research staff of the V.A. Medical Center in Minneapolis as a Senior Chemist. He was appointed Assistant Professor of Medicinal Chemistry at the University of Minnesota in 1959. He was named Principal Scientist of the VAMC in 1961 and was promoted in 1976 to Senior Research Career Scientist, a nationwide VA title reserved for the VA’s top scientists. He was promoted to Associate Professor in 1963 and to Professor of Medicinal Chemistry in 1973.

Dr. Nagasawa has held joint professorships in the Department of Pharmacology and the university-wide Division of Toxicology, and served as Visiting Professor at Washington State University in 1990. He also served for 32 years as a Senior Editor for the prestigious international Journal of Medicinal Chemistry from 1972 to 2004, and one year as Acting Editor-in-Chief. In addition, he served on the Editorial Board of the journal, Bioconjugate Chemistry for eight years, and as an ad hoc grant reviewer for the NCI and NIAAA, National Institutes of Health.

Dr. Nagasawa has published over 165 papers in peer-reviewed journals. In June of 2010, Dr. Nagasawa and his team attended the National Institutes of Health-Homeland Security 4th Annual Countermeasures Against Chemical Threats Network Symposium to present their work on the cyanide antidote.

Dr. Nagasawa ha long been regarded as one of the worlds leading research scientists on cellular function, Glutathione and the chemistry and delivery of Glutathione. He and his laboratory have be awarded an extraordinary 9 patents.

If you’d like to read what other leading doctors have said regarding the importance of Glutathione, message us.

Taurine Improves Testosterone
Taurine has been proven to raise testosterone production, while not raising the concentration of estradiol, an estrogenic hormone. A study in Amino Acids  found that taurine supplementation stimulated testosterone production. A suggested dose ranges from 3 to 5 grams of taurine a day for an 85 kg man.

Obviously, having adequate testosterone levels is essential for the ideal male body composition because testosterone improves lean mass development and fights fat gain. Plus, it’s well known low testosterone in men is linked with poor health, particularly bad metabolism and the development of diabetes.

Taurine is one nutrient among many that should be attended to for adequate reproductive health in both men and women. Along with taurine, carnitine, omega-3 fatty acids, magnesium, zinc, and vitamin D are all essential for health and body composition.

Taurine Fights Oxidative Stress
Taurine is a highly effective, if lesser known, antioxidant. Its ability to abolish free radicals and keep cells alive and healthy is partly due to how it helps maintain homeostasis and balance in the body. 

The integrated benefits of omega-3s and taurine in the body were demonstrated in a new study published in the International Journal of Molecular Medicine that measured the inflammatory status  of fat tissue in response to a diet that included supplemental sardine protein. Sardines contain some of the highest concentrations of EPA and DHA omega-3s of all fish, making them an excellent dietary addition, and they also contain taurine and vitamin E, another potent antioxidant.

This study found that sardine protein minimized fat gain in response to a diet high in fructose. In addition, glucose uptake improved, oxidative stress markers were reduced, and inflammation decreased.

Taurine Enhances Performance & Accelerates Recovery 
Taurine supplementation will increase force production, improve endurance and performance in both aerobic and anaerobic system sports.

For example, one recent study showed that intense exercise significantly lowers muscle taurine levels, but that administering taurine during the exercise session counters the loss of taurine and helps improve work capacity.

In this study, taurine supplementation improved endurance performance compared to a placebo group. Plus, following the exercise tests, urinary loss of creatine and other biomarkers were reduced. This means that taurine administration improved recovery and reduced the effects of muscle fatigue.

One reason taurine improves performance and time to exhaustion is its ability to improve fat burning. One study showed taurine ingestion prior to a prolonged cycling time trial resulted in better performance and a 16 percent increase in total fat oxidation compared to a control group. 

Taurine also helps the fast-twitch muscles produce peak force by supporting the contractile properties and countering fatigue. It’s likely a combination of better energy production and the ability of taurine to maintain homeostasis in the body that play a role in increasing force in type 2 muscle fibers.

 Protects Cardiovascular Health
Taurine will protect the heart and lower blood pressure, and raising muscular levels has been shown to improve the exercise capacity of patients with heart failure. A recent study in the Journal of Cardiology compared the effects of 500 mg of taurine three times a day with a placebo on patients with left ventricular heart failure.

The patients who received the taurine significantly increased exercise distance, and they improved their functional mobility over a two-week period, while the placebo group demonstrated no changes. Researchers suggest taurine improves calcium homeostasis, which aids cardiovascular function, and has “an overall beneficial effect on the macrovascular system.”

The cardiovascular benefits of taurine are abundant and convincing. Multiple studies have shown taurine will lower blood pressure (it is particularly effective at preventing hypertension that is linked to insulin resistance and poor metabolic health).

Further, a recent study in the Journal of Biomedical Science found that taurine and magnesium levels along with body mass index and total cholesterol were most directly related to the lowest cardiovascular risk in a population of healthy Japanese.  Researchers suggest the combination of elevated taurine and magnesium stores support heart health in this population, and that the Japanese have higher levels of these nutrients due to the presence of fish in the diet.

Taurine Improves Fat Burning
Taurine helps the body metabolize fat, making it essential for energy production and a lean physique. But, it’s also necessary for many aspects of health because beneficial fats play a role in the health of every cell in the body.

Fat burning works like this: The nutrient carnitine is responsible for the transport of fats into the cells to be used for energy in the body. By raising the level of muscle carnitine, you support the fat burning process, but you also must have adequate taurine for this to happen.  Taurine plays a role in the initial phase of fat metabolism, while carnitine takes the fat into the cell to let your body burn it up.

Anti Aging

Taurine abundance decreases substantially with age. In people, taurine levels in 60-year-old individuals were only about one-third of those found in 5-year-olds. One animal study found that  taurine increased average lifespan by 12% in female mice and 10% in males. For the mice, that meant three to four extra months, equivalent to about seven or eight human years.  Taurine also enhanced the quality of life.  It  suppressed age-associated weight gain in female mice (even in “menopausal” mice), increased energy expenditure, increased bone mass, improved muscle endurance and strength, reduced depression-like and anxious behaviors, reduced insulin resistance, and promoted a younger-looking immune system, among other benefits.says.

  Diindolylmethane (DIM, in short) is the principal breakdown product of indole 3-carbinol (I3C), the phytochemical found in cruciferous vegetables like cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli, brussel sprouts, kale, collards, mustard greens, radishes, watercress, and turnips. DIM, has been shown in scientifi­c studies to reduce the risk of prostate and other hormone-driven cancers by helping the body to make a better balance of the hormones. DIM promotes a more active metabolism of estrogen, so unmetabolized estrogen levels fall and the 2-hydroxy-estrogens increase. The 2-hydroxy-estrogens possess the unique ability to displace testosterone from SHGB and set it free. Therefore, the combined effect of DIM to reduce unmetabolized estrogen and increase 2-hydroxy-estrogens can reduce elevations in SHGB and allow for more free testosterone. Both of these changes help maintain and restore a youthful balance between estrogen and free testosterone. This balance is a key to a healthy and active metabolism.  DIM appears to be able to reduce prostate size in men with enlarged prostate. 

 Male Libido Tonic Tongkat Ali, also known as long jack, has been shown to support male hormonal balance (including testosterone levels), libido and performance, according to preliminary research. It has been traditionally used to enhance energy levels, endurance and stamina, and to reduce occasional mental fatigue.  

The health benefits of tongkat ali likely stem from various compounds found in the plant.

Specifically, tongkat ali contains flavonoids, alkaloids, and other compounds that act as antioxidants. Antioxidants are compounds that fight cellular damage caused by molecules called free radicals. They may benefit your body in other ways as well

Zinc may do more than shorten your downtime the next time you catch a cold (1). The essential mineral plays an important role in many body processes, including protein synthesis, muscle growth, and wound healing. And for men, it may pack an additional perk. Studies suggest that, like a few other nutrients (including vitamin D, zinc may act as a testosterone boost in healthy men.

Worryingly, you may not be getting enough. Your body can’t produce zinc, and it can be tricky to get your recommended 11 daily milligrams from foods like oysters and red meat. 

Exactly how much zinc do you need, especially if you’re looking to increase testosterone? We’re glad you asked.

Research suggests it’s possible. 

In one clinical trial, 100 men with low zinc levels were given either a placebo or a zinc supplement daily for six weeks (2). At the end of the study, those in the zinc supplement group saw a significant increase in testosterone and luteinizing hormone (LH), a hormone that triggers testosterone production in the testes.

In another study, published in the Journal of Exercise Physiology, researchers found that men who took a zinc/magnesium/vitamin B-6 blend for eight weeks saw an increase in free testosterone compared to the placebo group.

And in an early study published in the journal Nutrition, researchers found that older men who had a marginal zinc deficiency and were given a daily zinc supplement for six months were able to almost double levels of testosterone in their systems, going from a starting average of 8.3 nanomoles per liter (nmol/L) to an average of 16 nmol/L at the end of the trial (3).

In a study, published in the Journal of Human Reproductive Sciences, researchers found that zinc supplementation dramatically increased sexual performance and frequency in rats (4).

The benefit was again linked to testosterone production, with levels of the hormone increasing incrementally based on how much additional zinc the animals were given. You’re no rat of course, but the study’s authors have speculated that the finding will carry over to mankind as well. 

A growing body of research is also beginning to suggest that zinc supplements may also help treat erectile dysfunction. Some studies have found that, in men with zinc deficiencies, zinc supplementation restored erectile function, which was also associated with an increase in testosterone levels. (5).

Zinc may also help with your sex drive: Low testosterone are a libido-killer, so getting your levels to a healthy place can help with your bedroom mojo.  

Potentially boosting testosterone isn’t the only perk men may get from getting enough zinc. Here’s what else it can do:

Protein is key to bulking up but zinc helps build new muscle and repair damage to existing muscle.

In one recent study researchers warned that zinc deficiency could have serious consequences on health, particularly in athletes by affecting sports performance (6).

Meanwhile, in a report published by the National Federation of Professional Trainers, certified personal trainer and former competitive bodybuilder Cathleen Kronemer cautioned that sufficient zinc levels should be considered essential to help facilitate muscle-building.

“Zinc plays an essential role in growth. It aids in muscle protein synthesis, which affects sports performance,” says Ehsani. She explains, “A zinc deficiency can inhibit growth and may result in reduced growth hormone production or insulin-like growth factor. These hormones promote muscle growth and are released in the body after muscle strengthening exercises, such as weight lifting.” (7).

A growing body of research suggests that zinc may be important to fertility and virility.

Just how clear are the findings? In a review by Chinese researchers of 20 previously conducted studies on the link between zinc and male fertility, researchers concluded that men with infertility had significantly lower levels of zinc in their sperm than men who didn’t have fertility issues. When the infertile men took zinc supplements, semen volume, sperm motility, and the number of healthy sperm increased (8).

So if you want strong and abundant swimmers, according to this study at least, good levels of zinc in your system are a must.

Need another reason to load up on Z? In a separate study published in the journal Advances in Nutrition, Spanish researchers set out to examine which nutrients might have the greatest overall impact on improving fertility. Their not-so-surprising answer? Zinc of course, was one of them, concluding that zinc yields a host of different benefits ranging from increased sperm concentration to better overall sperm motility (9).

Zinc may also be helpful for improving performance between the sheets and fighting off sexual dysfunction. Italian researchers found that men who were given a dietary supplement containing folic acid, biotin, zinc, and the herb golden root (Rhodiola rosea) were not only able to improve their ejaculatory control, but were also less likely to experience premature ejaculation (10).

“Zinc has powerful antioxidant effects and can help to reduce the formation of free radicals,” says Ehsani.

“The fewer free radicals you have in your system—and the less inflammation you have overall as a result of their absence—the lower your risk for a host of different illnesses including cancer, heart disease, arthritis, and Alzheimer’s.” (11)

Because obese individuals tend to have lower zinc levels, there’s even speculation zinc may play a role in how little or how much you weigh and your ability to gain and lose unwanted weight (12).