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Circulating Tumor Cell (CTC) Test: A New Breakthrough in Early Cancer Detection

LifeClinic — Mon, 20 Nov 2023 08:26:24 +0000

Cancer Statistics in Hong Kong: The Need for Early Detection

According to 2022 statistics from the Hong Kong Cancer Registry under the Hospital Authority, there were 35,373 new cancer cases in Hong Kong, averaging 97 daily diagnoses. Cancer incidence rates per 100,000 population were 482 overall, with males (514) slightly higher than females (454). The top five cancers—lung, breast, colorectal, prostate, and liver cancers—accounted for 58% of all new cases. Despite advancements in treatment, late-stage diagnoses remain a critical challenge, underscoring the urgent need for Early Cancer Detection strategies.

What is a CTC test?

The CTC test (Circulating Tumor Cell Test) is an innovative cancer screening method that detects cancer cells in the bloodstream before tumors are visible on imaging scans. This test is particularly effective for identifying cancer at its earliest stages, such as when tumors are smaller than 6 mm.

How is CTC test Done?

The CTC test involves a simple blood draw, where a sample is analyzed for the presence of circulating tumor cells (CTCs). These cells are released into the bloodstream as cancer progresses, making them a key biomarker for early detection.

How Accurate is the CTC test?

A 2015 study by Papasotiriou et al. demonstrated that the CTC test achieves 86.2% sensitivity and 83.9% specificity across various cancers, including breast, prostate, pancreatic, colon, and melanoma. This high accuracy makes it a reliable tool for Early Cancer Detection.

Key Benefits of the CTC Test

1. Early Cancer Detection

The CTC Test can identify cancer at its earliest stages, even before symptoms appear or tumors are visible on imaging. This is crucial for improving survival rates and treatment outcomes.

2. Monitoring Treatment Effectiveness

By tracking CTC blood test results, doctors can assess how well a patient is responding to treatment. For example, a decrease in CTC levels often indicates successful therapy.

3. Personalized Cancer Therapy

The CTC Test evaluates how cancer cells respond to specific treatments, such as chemotherapy or immunotherapy. This information helps doctors tailor personalized treatment plans for better outcomes.

Who Should Consider CTC Testing?

Individuals with a family history of cancer or elevated risk factors (e.g., smoking, obesity).
Those seeking proactive Early Cancer Detection through advanced cancer screening methods.
Patients undergoing cancer treatment who need to monitor their progress.

CTC Testing Process

Consultation : Review medical history and test details with a healthcare provider.
Blood Draw : A simple blood sample is collected.
Lab Analysis : Samples are processed in ISO-certified labs using advanced flow cytometry.
CTC Test Report : A detailed CTC Test report is generated, highlighting the presence and quantity of circulating tumor cells.
Results Interpretation : Your doctor will explain the CTC Test results and recommend appropriate next steps, such as further testing or treatment adjustments.

CTC Test Price and Accessibility

CTC Test Price: The cost typically ranges from 10,000to 20,000 HKD, depending on the provider and location.
CTC Test Registration: Many hospitals and specialized clinics offer CTC Test services. You can easily register online or by contacting a healthcare provider

CTC Test Near Me: To find a CTC Test facility near you, search for “CTC Test near me” or consult your local cancer center.

The Importance of Early Cancer Detection

Early Cancer Detection is critical for improving survival rates and reducing treatment complexity. Studies show that catching cancer early significantly increases the chances of successful treatment. For example:

Early Detection of Cancer Statistics: Patients diagnosed at an early stage have a 5-year survival rate of over 90% for many cancers.
Does Early Detection of Cancer Save Lives?: Yes, early detection can lead to less aggressive treatments and better quality of life.

Future Prospects

The CTC Test is poised to revolutionize cancer care by integrating with AI and other advanced technologies. This will enhance its accuracy and expand its applications in Early Cancer Detection and personalized treatment.

Conclusion

The CTC Test is a groundbreaking tool for Early Cancer Detection, offering high accuracy, non-invasive testing, and personalized insights. Whether you’re at risk for cancer or currently undergoing treatment, the CTC Test can provide valuable information to guide your healthcare decisions.

Contact us to learn more about CTC testing services.

References:

- Hospital Authority Hong Kong Cancer Registry (2022 data).
- Papasotiriou et al. (2015). Journal of Cancer Therapy.
- Cristofanilli, M., Budd, G. T., Ellis, M. J., et al. (2004). Circulating tumor cells, disease progression, and survival in metastatic breast cancer. The New England Journal of Medicine, 351(8), 781-791. https://doi.org/10.1056/NEJMoa041993
- Nagrath, S., Sequist, L. V., Maheswaran, S., et al. (2007). Isolation of rare circulating tumour cells in cancer patients by microchip technology. Nature, 450(7173), 1235-1239. https://doi.org/10.1038/nature06385
- Pantel, K., & Alix-Panabières, C. (2010). Circulating tumor cells in cancer patients: Challenges and perspectives. Trends in Molecular Medicine, 16(9), 478-485. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.molmed.2010.07.001
- Alix-Panabières, C., & Pantel, K. (2016).Clinical Applications of Circulating Tumor Cells and Circulating Tumor DNA as Liquid Biopsy.Cancer Discovery
- World Health Organization (WHO).Cancer: Early Diagnosis and Screening.https://www.who.int/cancer/prevention/diagnosis-screening/en/

*Disclaimer: The content of this article is provided solely for general informational, educational, and reference purposes and is not intended for medical diagnosis, treatment, or as a substitute for professional medical advice. Always consult a qualified medical doctor or healthcare provider for any health-related concerns, individualized diagnosis, or treatment plans.

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Men’s Health: Understanding Testosterone

LifeClinic — Fri, 04 Nov 2022 10:42:21 +0000

What is testosterone and how important is it?

Testosterone is a steroid hormone produced in men’s testes throughout their life from puberty onwards. However, it starts to decline with aging, about 1-2% per year, from the age of 30 onwards. This process can be sped up through poor lifestyle habits, like too much alcohol, poor sleep, little exercise, too much stress and a poor diet.

Testosterone is responsible for regulating not just the sex drive (libido), but also bone mass, body fat and muscle mass as well as the production of red blood cells. When testosterone levels fall below normal levels this can result in reduced muscle mass, low libido, irritability, depression, poor concentration, loss of body hair, fatigue, and an increased risk of brittle bones.

It’s important to remember that libido is not just driven by hormones. If your lifestyle habits are out of balance, like doing too much or too little exercise, drinking too much alcohol or having psychological issues like depression / anxiety, they can all influence your libido too. So finding the root cause is important, rather than just thinking it’s a testosterone deficiency.

Why you should check Sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG)

All hormones are carried around in the body by carrier proteins. Testosterone is carried through the body by SHBG predominantly and by albumin.₁ SHBG binds more to testosterone than to the estrogens.₂ The main role of SHBG is to control the availability of sex hormones to cells and to transport them through the body. In order to determine how much testosterone is getting into the cells, aka the ‘free testosterone’ we need to know your SHBG and your total testosterone levels and calculate the difference. Laboratories now do this calculation on your behalf to gauge the free testosterone. Measuring the free testosterone levels is a more accurate measure of testosterone status than the total testosterone._{3, 4}

The normal range for SHBG is 10-57mmol/L. An all too common situation as men get older is that is the SHBG begins to rise to high levels thereby block the availability of free testosterone to cells. The symptoms of high SHBG are similar to those of low testosterone as indicated previously.₅

Therefore, we need to identify what causes high SHBG, in order to reduce it. For men it could be related to high thyroid levels (hyperthyroidism),₆ or low growth hormone₇. Other issues could be related to the liver, as SHBG is produced in the liver if one has diseases of the liver like NAFLD, hepatitis infections or cirrhosis, then SHBG can be high_8,9.

Lifestyle factors can also play a role like drinking too much alcohol_10,smoking_11,and too much stress₁₂. This stress can also come from over exertion as in too much training.

Long term implications of too much SHBG

There are potential long-term disease risks with too much SHBG. It is linked to bone loss and reduced bone density in a number of studies_13,14. Also there’s an increased risk of Alzheimer’s disease₁₅ and prostate cancer₁₆

What can be done to reduce it?

There are some dietary changes which can help. High protein diets are associated with reduced SHBG_17.How much protein? As long as you’re getting your baseline 1.2 g/kg of bodyweight protein you should be fine, some people may need more based upon their training regimes. A liver function test can help determine your total protein levels as a first line blood check.

Getting the body fat levels down to healthy levels also helps to reduce SHBG.₁₈ For women that’s below 22% body fat and for men that’s below 20%.

Additionally, some supplemental minerals and vitamins can lower SHBG. Boron tops the list with researchers recommending an intake of up to 10mg / day lowering SHBG_19.The best forms of boron are Boron Glycinate or citrate. Boron is especially powerful in lowering your SHBG and if your total testosterone is already high, you’re naturally going to have higher than normal SHBG, so it would be safer to start on a lower dosage of 3mg or 6mg/day of boron then follow up with a ‘free’ testosterone test 2-4 weeks later and see where your levels are at. Having your free testosterone levels between 2-4% is ideal.

Vitamin D3 lowers the SHBG and raises testosterone and optimal levels to aim for are around 50ng/dL. There is an additional synergy between boron and Vitamin D3 in that boron extends the half life of vitamin D3 in the blood, providing even more time for vitamin D3 to exert its long ranging effects. Fish oil also reduced SHBG₂₀ and the safest way to get your omegas is with eating the fish. Having 4 portions a week of either sardine, mackerel, wild salmon, herring or anchovy should be sufficient. The tinned versions have comparable if not more levels of omega-3’s.

So depending on your circumstances, you may need to look at your lifestyle, your diet and your training regime in helping you lower your SHBG and working with a functional medicine specialist will help you find your sweet spot to feel great!

For more information regarding men’s hormones and sexual health, please contact us.

Written by Miles Price

References:

Anderson DC. Sex-hormone-binding globulin. Clin Endocrinol (Oxf). 1974;3(1):69‐96.
Dunn JF, Nisula BC, Rodbard D. Transport of steroid hormones: binding of 21 endogenous steroids to both testosterone-binding globulin and corticosteroid-binding globulin in human plasma. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 1981;53(1):58‐68.
Vermeulen A, Verdonck L, Kaufman JM. A critical evaluation of simple methods for the estimation of free testosterone in serum. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 1999;84(10):3666‐3672
Winters SJ, Kelley DE, Goodpaster B. The analog free testosterone assay: are the results in men clinically useful? [published correction appears in Clin Chem 1999 Mar;45(3):444]. Clin Chem. 1998;44(10):2178‐2182.
Ring J, Welliver C, Parenteau M, Markwell S, Brannigan RE, Köhler TS. The Utility of Sex Hormone-Binding Globulin in Hypogonadism and Infertile Males. J Urol. 2017;197(5):1326‐1331.
Vierhapper H, Bieglmayer C, Nowotny P, Waldhäusl W. Normal serum concentrations of sex hormone binding-globulin in patients with hyperthyroidism due to subacute thyroiditis. Thyroid. 1998;8(12):1107‐1111.
Menezes M, Salvatori R, Melo LD, et al. Prolactin and sex steroids levels in congenital lifetime isolated GH deficiency. Endocrine. 2013;44(1):207‐211.
Forbes A, Alexander GJ, Smith HM, Williams R. Elevation of serum sex hormone-binding globulin in females with fulminant hepatitis B virus infection. J Med Virol. 1988;26(1):93‐98. doi:10.1002/jmv.1890260113
Maruyama Y, Adachi Y, Aoki N, Suzuki Y, Shinohara H, Yamamoto T. Mechanism of feminization in male patients with non-alcoholic liver cirrhosis: role of sex hormone-binding globulin. Gastroenterol Jpn. 1991;26(4):435‐439.
Hirko KA, Spiegelman D, Willett WC, Hankinson SE, Eliassen AH. Alcohol consumption in relation to plasma sex hormones, prolactin, and sex hormone-binding globulin in premenopausal women. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev. 2014;23(12):2943‐
English KM, Pugh PJ, Parry H, Scutt NE, Channer KS, Jones TH. Effect of cigarette smoking on levels of bioavailable testosterone in healthy men. Clin Sci (Lond). 2001;100(6):661‐665.
Lennartsson AK, Kushnir MM, Bergquist J, Billig H, Jonsdottir IH. Sex steroid levels temporarily increase in response to acute psychosocial stress in healthy men and women. Int J Psychophysiol. 2012;84(3):246‐253.
Legrand E, Hedde C, Gallois Y, et al. Osteoporosis in men: a potential role for the sex hormone binding globulin. Bone. 2001;29(1):90‐95.
Slemenda CW, Longcope C, Zhou L, Hui SL, Peacock M, Johnston CC. Sex steroids and bone mass in older men. Positive associations with serum estrogens and negative associations with androgens. J Clin Invest. 1997;100(7):1755‐
Xu J, Xia LL, Song N, Chen SD, Wang G. Testosterone, Estradiol, and Sex Hormone-Binding Globulin in Alzheimer’s Disease: A Meta-Analysis. Curr Alzheimer Res. 2016;13(3):215‐222
García-Cruz E, Carrión Puig A, García-Larrosa A, et al. Higher sex hormone-binding globulin and lower bioavailable testosterone are related to prostate cancer detection on prostate biopsy. Scand J Urol. 2013;47(4):282‐289.
Longcope C, Feldman HA, McKinlay JB, Araujo AB. Diet and sex hormone-binding globulin. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2000;85(1):293‐296.
Hautanen A. Synthesis and regulation of sex hormone-binding globulin in obesity. Int J Obes Relat Metab Disord. 2000;24 Suppl 2:S64‐S70.
Naghii MR, Mofid M, Asgari AR, Hedayati M, Daneshpour MS. Comparative effects of daily and weekly boron supplementation on plasma steroid hormones and proinflammatory cytokines. J Trace Elem Med Biol. 2011;25(1):54‐58.
Nagata C, Takatsuka N, Kawakami N, Shimizu H. Relationships between types of fat consumed and serum estrogen and androgen concentrations in Japanese men. Nutr Cancer. 2000;38(2):163‐167.

Written by Miles Price

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Eating Too Much During Holidays？

LifeClinic — Mon, 12 Jul 2021 02:56:19 +0000

If you’re emerging from the holidays having put on a little weight, you’re not alone. With high-calorie holiday dishes and party drinks, many have noticed a loss of muscle mass and a gain in excess fat.

The Common Causes of Weight Gain

The common causes of weight gain include both poor diet and a lack of exercise. But these aren’t the only factors involved in weight.

Indulging in high calorie foods and foods high in sugars, carbohydrates and saturated fats can lead to weight gain. In addition, a sedentary lifestyle lacking in exercise prevents calorie output which adds to the piling on of our weight. This is especially so during COVID-19 times when most of us are cooped up at home indulging in foods, snacks and drinks, plus not exercising, which leads to many people gaining weight while working from home.

In addition, a lack of sleep or stress can cause high cortisol and ghrelin levels and a reduction in leptin. Ghrelin is involved in sending hunger signals and leptin tells your body to stop eating. As a result, after a few nights of impaired sleep, levels of ghrelin have been shown to increase significantly leading to an increase in hunger and cravings for energy dense high glycemic index foods. (1) The increase in cortisol level due to stress stimulates the body to store fat.

Hormone imbalances, such as declining hormones like estrogen and testosterone after menopause and andropause, may lead to weight gain and fat accumulation in the belly or thighs. Testosterone is responsible for maintaining lean muscle mass in the body and that is why men with higher testosterone carry more lean muscle mass than women and less body fat. During menopause or andropause when the testosterone level declines, the body is more prone to fat deposition and middle weight gain. In women, often when we go into our forties, the progesterone level start to decline more than estrogen levels. This leads to estrogen dominance which causes storage of fat around the middle and weight gain.

Another common causes of unwanted weight gain include unchecked metabolic issues like low thyroid or insulin resistance. Insulin is a hormone that causes fat deposition. Insulin resistance means that your cells cannot respond to the glucose from food and thus the liver converts the glucose to be stored as fat. Insulin resistance is a common cause of carbohydrate addiction and uncontrolled weight gain. Suboptimal thyroid function which is common in the ageing process leads to lower metabolism in the body and reduction in fat burn. A sluggish thyroid leads to weight gain, fluid retention, fatigue, low mood which in turn causes a person to exercise less and less fat burn.

Functional Approach to Weight Loss

Once you have identified what are the likely causes for your weight gain, the initial step is to work on your diet to optimize nutrients and enhance fat burn. Weight loss is no longer just about reducing calories in the diet. Instead, work on optimizing nutrients help to rebalance your hormone and improve your metabolism. Remove foods that causes inflammation in your body like sugars, refined carbohydrates, dairy products like milk and cheese. Cut off saturated, trans-fats and vegetable oils. Instead, substitute with monounsaturated or polyunsaturated fats. It is also important to eliminate or reduce alcohol intake as alcohol contains sugars and can reduce the metabolism rate. Work with a functional practitioner or nutritionist to identify food traps and make healthier food choices.

Incorporate targeted exercise into your daily regime to improve fat burning. The American Heart Association recommends 150minutes each week of moderate intensity exercise or 75min per week of vigorous exercise. HIT exercise (high intensity exercise) involves short periods of high intensity exercise which besides helping fat-burn, also raise testosterone and growth hormone that helps maintain lean body muscle mass. Strength training helps build muscle mass which encourages fat-burn even when resting.

Detoxing your body is helps remove toxins that may inhibit weight loss. Toxins are usually hidden within the fat cells. These toxins including organophosphates and BPA are known as endocrine disruptors and may interfere with your hormones like estrogen and thyroid which also damage your cells. Toxins can also trigger adipogenesis and cause visceral fat deposition. Detoxing your body will not only improve weight loss but also benefit your overall health. Supplements like DIM or fiber helps to detoxify estrogen from the body and reduce the effects of estrogen on the body causing weight gain.

Next, if you are experiencing sudden weight gain when you reach your 40s or stubborn weight that refuses to budge no matter how hard you exercise, work with a functional practitioner to test your hormones including the thyroid and male and female hormone levels. Thyroid hormone deficiencies can lead to slow metabolism and correcting this with thyroid medications may help boost your metabolism and encourage fat burning. Hormonal imbalances like estrogen, progesterone or testosterone deficiencies that occur during perimenopause or menopause can be addressed either by hormone boosting supplements or bioidentical hormone replacement therapies.

Check for metabolic imbalance in the body like insulin resistance which could have developed from many years of indulging in rich foods high in refined sugars and high glycemic index carbohydrates. Work with your practitioners to use nutrients like cinnamon, chromium (2) and berberine (3) to control blood sugar. For patients with diabetes or diabetic risk, medications may be needed to improve insulin sensitivity and reduce uncontrolled blood sugars which may cause excess fat deposition. Nutritional supplements like Relora which helps reduce stress-induced carbohydrate cravings may also be necessary at the start to reduce sugar cravings and change your tastebuds.

Finally adding certain supplements to boost metabolism may be helpful to enhance fat-burn for weight loss. Nutraceuticals like Carnitine promotes metabolism and fat-burn for weight loss. (4) Green tea extracts help in fat oxidation and improve energy expenditure which may support weight management. (5)

Maintaining a healthy weight should be a long-term skill to manage a healthy diet and lifestyle habits. It is no longer all about counting calories or fad diets which could lead to yoyo weight management. Rather, it should be about knowing the right nutrients to take to promote detoxification, cellular repair and enhance metabolism. This is the route to optimal weight and health management.

Contact us here to learn more about our approach to healthy and lasting weight loss.

Dr See Yunn Ho

Dr Ho See Yunn is a Physician with more than 15 years experience. She is board certified in both Singapore and Hong Kong and received her specialization in Family Medicine from Singapore. She also received her Advanced Fellowship in Functional and Nutritional Medicine and Peptide certification from the American Academy of Anti-Ageing and Regenerative Medicine. Dr Ho is trained and certified under Dr. Walsh’s advanced nutrient therapy protocols that use personalized nutrient treatment strategies to treat patients with behavior disorders, ADHD, autism, depression, anxiety, bipolar disorders, schizophrenia and Alzheimer’s Disease.

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The Functional Approach to Infertility

LifeClinic — Wed, 21 Apr 2021 17:32:43 +0000

I am always so happy to hear from friends and patients when they come to me with excited eyes to tell me they are pregnant. On the other hand, I have also met countless patients who are struggling to get pregnant, have experienced pregnancy losses, and are confused with what to do with egg freezing, infertility treatments and countless hormone injections. My heart goes out to you and hopefully this article will shine some light on to how to navigate your health and improve your fertility chances. I myself have been so fortunate to have experienced pregnancy and motherhood. I wish that motherhood journey on anyone who longs to have children and I would want to set them up for success by using a functional approach to improve fertility chances in every way they can.

In Functional Medicine, we always look at the underlying root causes of imbalances in the body. We try first of all, to use nutrition, lifestyle changes, and supplementation to boost the hormonal balance in the body and optimize egg and sperm health.

1. Full Body Evaluation

As a practitioner, I would always start with an initial evaluation of the whole body’s system, including hormonal health, to rule out underlying diseases like thyroid dysfunction which can be the cause of irregular periods and infertility. The initial evaluation also checks for imbalances or deficiency in the sex hormones like progesterone which can affect the uterine lining and reduce the chances of pregnancy. Testing for sexually transmitted diseases helps to rule out infections like Chlamydia which can cause pelvic inflammatory diseases and affect fertility. I would also check for metabolic disturbances in the body like Insulin Resistance and rule out underlying causes like polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), which can lead to infertility. Gynecological issues like endometriosis and uterine fibroids should also be ruled out with a pelvic scan.

2. Stress Reduction and Proper Sleep

Lifestyle is an important aspect to improve fertility. Today, many young women are in high-stress jobs working long hours. I have seen many young women’s blood results showing low progesterone and high cortisol, which can lead to unnecessary weight gain and problems getting pregnant.

Take the first steps to incorporate stress-reduction techniques like meditation or breathing exercises to help relieve stress. Ensure proper rest and at least 6-8hours of sleep to enable the liver proper time for detoxification and allowing the adrenals to rest. Acupuncture is helpful to reduce stress, improve the circulation of “qi” of the body, and boost the “kidney qi” essence to improve fertility.

It’s also important to not put additional stress on the body by overexercising and undereating. Many young women are going to the gym 6-7 times a week doing intense exercises to maintain their figure. Too much exercise can instead have negative consequences on fertility. Instead, make sure to balance the exercise between intense and relaxing exercises.

3. Check for Toxicity

At least 6 months before planning pregnancy, work to support detoxification. Especially if you have symptoms of toxicity like chronic fatigue, brain fog, body pains, chronic allergies etc. Check for heavy metal toxicity and organic pollutant toxicity – things like BPA, phthalates, parabens, and lead and mercury toxicity, which can affect fertility. Work with your functional practitioner to help detoxify the body of excess toxins if they are present and best to start half a year before planning for pregnancy to allow your body time to detoxify.

4. Look Out for Nutrient Deficiencies

With today’s culture of fast, convenient food, it is not surprising to find many women have nutrient deficiencies that may be preventing the body from getting pregnant. Oftentimes, women go on a low-fat diet to stay slim, but fats are needed to produce hormones and maintain the health of their eggs. Some women have difficulty getting pregnant due to inflammation in the body from multiple food allergies or intolerances. It is useful to do a food allergy and intolerance test to know which foods could be causing inflammation in the body.

Dietary advice: Eat a diet low in saturated or trans fats but load up on good monounsaturated fats – eat nuts and seeds and cut down on vegetable oils. Load up on antioxidants and polyphenols in the diet to reduce oxidative stress on the eggs and sperm.

5. Balance the Gut

A healthy gut is essential to maintain a good immune system and help the body eliminate toxins. Eat a diet high in fiber and drink enough water to prevent constipation. Increase your intake of cruciferous vegetables to help support detoxification in the body.

Dietary advice: Fermented foods like sauerkraut, kimchi, kefir, or taking pre and probiotics are useful to help maintain a healthy gut microbiome and a healthy immune system.

6. Supplementation to Boost Egg and Sperm Health

As we go into our 30’s and 40’s, our fertility rate drops as the quantity and quality of our eggs start to decline. Also, the remaining eggs start to accumulate more oxidative stress and may be at risk of abnormal chromosomes. IVF doesn’t help improve the quality of the eggs. It is essential to protect the health of the eggs with a high antioxidant supplement. Also, studies have found that the loss of egg quality is associated with declining levels of the metabolic cofactor nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD). Treatment with NAD+ was found to help rejuvenate the declining egg quality in aged animals leading to restoration in fertility. (Ref: Michael J. Bertoldo, Dave R. Listijono, Wing-Hong Jonathan Ho, NAD+ Repletion Rescues Female Fertility during Reproductive Aging, Cell Reports, Volume 30, Issue 6, 2020)

Although in recent years due to our food and lifestyle changes, the fertility rates of women have been found to be declining at a rapid pace, the good news is that there are now ways that you can find out the root causes of infertility, reverse and even regain fertility. If you are struggling with issues of infertility and not sure where to start, I would recommend you start with a trained Functional Medicine practitioner to understand the root cause of your problem and help you with a targeted approach to improve your fertility.

Contact us at LifeClinic to learn more about optimizing your fertility with Functional Medicine.

Dr See Yunn Ho

The post The Functional Approach to Infertility first appeared on LifeClinic | Private Healthcare Company in Hong Kong.

Male Menopause – Does it exist?

LifeClinic — Thu, 12 Mar 2015 00:15:05 +0000

As men approach their forties, subtle changes may begin to take place. They may start putting on weight, lose stamina (both in the bedroom and out) or find themselves losing interest in things that previously excited them. Some may appear less decisive or sure of themselves, which may herald a full-blown mid-life crisis where they try to recoup their dwindling youth (often with disastrous effects). A few will become moody or suffer depression.

By Dr Stephen Chan, Medical Director in Life Clinic

Like women, a man’s hormones decline as he gets older. Although less dramatic than female menopause, this drop in sex hormone still has a profound impact on a man’s health.

Whereas most men accept these changes and losing their edge as “just getting older”, few will know the reasons for it happening – a phenomenon known as andropause, or “male menopause”. Likewise, they may not know that something very simple can be done about it.

When do men start losing testosterone?

Compared to women, whose main sex hormone, oestrogen, declines precipitously around the age of 50, Men’s main sex hormone, testosterone, declines more gradually after their peak in their twenties. This is the time when a man is physically his strongest and most sexually virile. After that peak, testosterone gradually begins to fall most noticeably after the age of 40. By the time men have reached 70, the hormone levels may only be 20 percent of what they were at their peak.

In addition to playing a major role in male fertility and sex drive, testosterone also has many other functions, explains Dr. Stephen Chan, director of Life Clinic. “Testosterone keeps the muscles strong, and there’s one muscle that’s especially important – the heart. Testosterone not only keeps the heart strong, but also helps also keep the blood vessels dilated, lowers bad cholesterol, and helps the blood from getting too sticky, in effect protecting men from heart disease. As they get older, men will lose this protective effect as testosterone levels fall, explaining the rise in heart attacks after the age of forty.”

As testosterone levels continues to fall in a man’s forties and fifties, psychological changes can occur like loss of confidence,low self esteem, and a general loss of the focus and ambition they had in their younger years.

What can done to retain testosterone?

Men’s initial reaction to feeling older is often to exercise more and eat healthier. “While that is admirable, there is usually only so far they can go with these lifestyle changes,” Dr. Chan says. “When they reach a plateau, that is when they often seek help.”

“We do a full assessment and will check their hormone levels on saliva and blood tests. We will check not just testosterone, but also oestrogen, DHEA, stress hormone, sleep hormone, thyroid hormones and sleep hormones,” Dr. Chan says.

The reason for this, he explains, is because hormones like to play together – if you change one, it will often affect another. So when we balance the hormones, he says, it is important to look across the board at all the hormones.

“If hormone testing confirms the patient has low testosterone, we help him boost them with bioidentical hormone creams or injections,” Dr. Chan says. “I prefer creams because they mimic our own natural production of testosterone much more.”

“Our testes will produce 7-12 mg of testosterone per day. Applying a little bit of cream each day is simulating that process,” he says. However, for those who find apply a cream every day too much a hassle, an injection every one to three months can be a very convenient alternative.

Treatment options

Life Clinic prefers to use bio-identical hormones over artificial hormones to balance a patient’s hormone levels. Many originate from plant source, but are upgraded so that they are exactly identical to our own hormones. They fit our cell receptors exactly as our own hormones do, and are metabolised (or removed from the body) in exactly the same way. This, Dr. Chan says, vastly reduces the risk of side effects, since any potential side effect would be no different than having too much or too little of our own natural hormone in our body.

This is in stark contrast to conventional hormone replacement therapy (HRT), which has been linked to potentially harmful side effects. According to Dr. Chan, the problem with traditional HRT is that it uses high doses of an artificial hormone in a one-size-fits- all approach that takes no account of each person’s individuality or unique needs. The chemical is entirely different to our own hormones, and may partially fit in our cells receptors, and not be removed so easily, much like how the wrong key can sometimes open a door but then get jammed in the lock. This continued stimulation of the receptor is why traditional HRT has been linked to a variety of conditions including heart attacks, strokes and thrombosis.

In contrast, bio-identical hormones are exactly identical to our own hormones, are given in the small doses found naturally in our bodies, and tailored to each person’s needs. Each person is then regularly monitored to make sure they’re not overtreated or undertreated.

We like to use the lowest effective dose that’s possible to achieve the maximum effect,” Dr. Chan says. “Patients are reviewed once a month after starting, and then every few months after that. We typically repeat a saliva test six months later, but usually when clients report they are feeling much better, and back to their former selves, we pretty much know we are on the right track. Done in a very gentle way, we find there are almost no side effects.”

Although treatment with bioidentical hormones can be stopped at any time, Dr. Chan says that once patients begin to feel the benefits of treatment –sharper, quicker, more energetic, and more virile – most choose to stay on the treatment. After all, Dr. Chan says, all the treatment is doing is restoring a man’s hormones to more youthful levels.

Men with existing conditions such as high blood pressure and cardiovascular disease also have no problem using bioidentical hormone therapy, Dr. Chan says. “If anything, it’s likely to help with these conditions,” he says, “because of all the beneficial effects it has on the heart and blood vessels.”

“Most people think of testosterone as working just on the genitals and sex drive. But actually there are hormone receptors everywhere in the body – the brain, the heart, the liver, and the bones. The benefits are everywhere.”

Final thoughts

As men are genetically and anthropologically programmed to be providers, many are reluctant to seek help with symptoms associated with getting older. But men who consult an anti-ageing specialist to find out how to make the right changes in their lifestyle and take the right supplements to get their body back on track, find that they can see dramatic improvements in their well-being after only one or two months without a huge amount of effort, Dr. Chan says.

“Our aim, with anti-ageing medicine, is not for people to live to be 150 – although that would be nice,” Dr. Chan says, “it’s really to help people to be as fully-functioning as they can be.”

This means being full of vitality, mentally sharp and engaged, and sexually virile – to be a fully-contributing member of society well into old age, Dr. Chan says. “That’s very much our focus – to empower people to live the best lives that they can.”

If you have any further queries about bio-identical hormones, please contact us by email reception@lifeclinic.com.hk or call reception on 2881 8131.

The post Male Menopause – Does it exist? first appeared on LifeClinic | Private Healthcare Company in Hong Kong.

Are my fibroids, cysts or menstrual problems related to what I eat?

LifeClinic — Tue, 10 Jul 2012 19:34:12 +0000

By Miles Price, Certified Holistic Nutritionist

In today’s convenience-led culture, many of the “convenience food” we consume puts us at risk of being exposed to toxins like xeno-estrogen, which interferes with our hormones. Some researchers have shown the links between xeno-estrogen to a number of diseases like breast cysts, fibroids and menstrual problems.

Xeno-estrogen is found in industrial, agricultural and chemical compounds, like pesticides, herbicides and various plastic products. These compounds were introduced to our food supplies over 70 years ago and we are only now becoming aware of some of their side-effects.

Xeno-estrogen has the ability to mimic human estrogen which is disruptive to the human body. It is found in a variety of sources ranging from plastic bottles to commercial produced meats and milk. Xeno-estrogen is a 1000 times more potent than our naturally occurring human form of estrogen. It binds onto the estrogen receptor sites on cells thereby increasing the estrogenic ‘effect’ of stimulating undifferentiated cell growth.

Under normal circumstances, estrogen is kept under control by the balancing effect of progesterone, however the Xeno-estrogen tips the hormonal balance within our body causing problems such as breast cysts, fibroids, heavy periods for women.

Studies have shown that men are also affected by these Xeno-estrogen where some develop breasts (known as or ‘man boobs”) and other suffer from a lack of sex drive or focus.

What can you do to prevent the build-up of Xeno-estrogen in your system.

Looking after and managing your hormones requires awareness of the type of environmental estrogens coming into our bodies and eliminating or reducing them accordingly.

Switching our use of plastic bottles and food containers to glass is the easiest way to reduce our exposure to Xeno-estrogen.
Making better food choices (such as eating grass fed lamb and beef, and free range eggs). Also, eating fruits such as Cherries can help the liver break down Xeno-estrogen in our system. Vegetables like broccoli contain compounds called Indoles which also help with detoxification.
Reducing alcohol and coffee consumption can also reduce our exposure to Xeno-estrogen. The consumption of alcohol increases the estrogen levels in our blood due to the body’s need to metabolize the alcohol. The consumption of coffee increases estrogen receptor sensitivity on cells so that more estrogen can be accepted into the cells. Thus the reduced consumption of both alcohol and coffee not only reduces the levels of estrogen in our blood but also reduces the sensitivity of cell receptors to estrogen. Eliminating or reducing both has a overall positive impact on balancing estrogen levels.
Estrogens are also present in birth control pills, and if you have been on it for an extended period of time particularly if you are over 35, it would wise to review with your doctor, whether you should stay on it or switch to another birth control method. This will help ensure that exposure to these artificial estrogens do not disrupt the natural balance within the body. Research has shown that the long term use (over 10 years) of certain types of birth control pills can increase the risk of certain types of hormone related cancers like breast or cervical cancer.
Being aware of symptoms together with an appreciation of optimizing your liver and colon function supports the healthy elimination of excess hormones and toxins, and will go a long way to keeping your hormones in a naturally balanced state. Once the estrogen metabolites are dumped into the gut, it’s important to keep them there, so having extra fibre helps in this process as the estrogens are then bound with the fibre and expelled from the body naturally.

Managing hormonal health begins with awareness.

If you have any further queries about the assessment of your hormone status, please contact us or call reception on 2881 8131.

The post Are my fibroids, cysts or menstrual problems related to what I eat? first appeared on LifeClinic | Private Healthcare Company in Hong Kong.