HUMAN GROWTH HORMONE RESEARCH & NEWS

Best Sources of Resveratrol

In previous articles we discussed various potential benefits of Resveratrol in the diet. In this article, we will discuss some ways that you can increase the level of Resveratrol that you consume in your daily routine while also encouraging you to reap the other benefits inherent in these various and healthy foods.

Resveratrol is Abundant in Red Wine

Red Wine is the most well known, as well as the most potent, form of Resveratrol available without resorting to supplemental forms of the compound. There is a reason why the French have some of the most resilient cardiovascular systems in the world, and it's not because of their smoking habits. If you choose to enjoy alcohol responsibly, then Red Wine is a fantastic way to get a physiological boost.

Red Wine is full of multiple flavonoids, as well as polyphenols such as Resveratrol, which reward the body for their consumption in multiple ways. If you choose not to consume alcohol, non-alcoholic Red Wine appears to offer many of the same benefits of its alcoholic counterpart.

Red Grape Resveratrol

Although Red Wine is the most well known source of Resveratrol, Red Grapes themselves are an efficient vehicle for Resveratrol as well. Grape seeds contain the highest concentration of Resveratrol in the plant. The skin of the grape offers the second highest level of Resveratrol. Something to keep in mind in regard to grapes: The darker the grape, the higher the concentration of Resveratrol. Choose grapes that have a sharp color as near to black as possible in order to maximize the amount of Resveratrol you receive from your snack.

Why is Red Wine a Better Source of Resveratrol?

The reason that Red Wine is a better source of Resveratrol than Grapes themselves is a result of the wine-making process. The process of fermentation increases the amount of Resveratrol that is available in the liquid that you actually consume.

Resveratrol is largely trapped in the seeds and the skin of grapes. This means that when you eat raw grapes, much of the resveratrol that passes through your system in never unlocked and released into your body

The process of fermentation leaches the vast majority of Resveratrol from these parts of the grape which are normally poorly digested, vastly increasing the amount of Resveratrol available in your glass of wine.

Why is Red Wine a Better Source of Resveratrol than White Wine or White Zinfandel?

The level of Resveratrol available in a glass of wine is directly related to the amount of time that the fermented liquid has been in contact with the pressed skin and seeds of the wine. The color of the wine is directly related to the amount of time that the wine is allowed to soak in the presence of the grape skin. Darker Wine = More Resveratrol

Dark Chocolate: A Significant Source of Resveratrol

Dark chocolate is one of the densest forms of natural Resveratrol available from any food product. Red Wine contains the highest level of Resveratrol out of any other food or drink, but dark chocolate is the third best source of this amazing polyphenol compound, behind red wine and boiled peanuts. A serving of dark chocolate contains around three quarters as much resveratrol as a glass of wine.

All forms of chocolate contain at least some Resveratrol, but the amount of Resveratrol is directly related to the purity of the chocolate. Cocoa powder has the highest concentration of Resveratrol among chocolate products. After the powder itself, baking chocolate has the second highest amount of the compound, followed by dark chocolate. The least potent form of chocolate is milk chocolate.

Peanuts: An Efficient Alternative to Red Wine

Peanuts are an incredibly versatile food, but did you know that they are also a fine source of Resveratrol? The amount of Resveratrol in a serving of boiled peanuts is nearly identical to that contained within a glass of wine. Boiled peanuts are the best source of Resveratrol from peanuts. Peanut butter comes in second place, and Roasted Peanuts come in third place.

The reason why boiled peanuts provide higher levels of Resveratrol than peanut butter or roasted peanuts is similar to why Red Wine provides more of the compound than grapes. The highest level of Resveratrol is available in the shell, and the thin casing of the peanut itself. The boiling process works the Resveratrol out of the portions of the peanut that the human body is less effective at digesting, providing a higher active dose. The process of making peanut butter also coaxes these same polyphenols free, but to a lesser extent.

Various Berries Contain Resveratrol

A number of types of berries contain Resveratrol. Like grapes, the concentration of Resveratrol is related to the color of the berry itself. Dark berries like cranberries and blueberries contain the highest levels of Resveratrol.

Resveratrol is also available in the same primary locations in berries: The seeds and the skin. Like Red Grapes, the fermentation products can also draw out increased levels of Bio-Available Resveratrol.

Resveratrol Supplements

You may be interested in turning to supplemental forms of Resveratrol. As we mentioned in earlier articles, the levels of Resveratrol used in scientific study of the compound are often higher than the levels of Resveratrol that can normally be acquired from diet alone.

Supplemental sources of Resveratrol provide a higher dose of this particular polyphenol than can be acquired from normal dietary sources. You should be conscientious when choosing your Resveratrol Supplement, because supplements are not regulated by the FDA and, as a result, don't carry the same guarantees of quality and conformity.

Just do your research, and choose a Resveratrol Supplement that actually offers what it claims to provide. Most Resveratrol Pills contain between ten and fifty milligrams of Resveratrol, although there is evidence that the body can benefit from much higher doses. Although there are many brands of Resveratrol, one of the most trusted brands of Supplemental Resveratrol is Biotivia Transmax Trans-Resveratrol.

Although there is not a strict Recommended daily allowance, it appears that the ideal level of Resveratrol for optimized physiological health is between five hundred and two thousand milligrams per day. This is not to say that the lesser amount you can acquire from a normal diet will not provide benefits, but that the maximum potential benefits of Resveratrol continue to accumulate as the dosage grows!

Add Resveratrol to your Daily Routine!

As you can see, there are many ways to add Resveratrol to your diet. We encourage you to at least try out Supplemental Resveratrol, to see if it works for you. Even if you find the results unsatisfactory, there is absolutely no risk in adding this potentially highly beneficial nutrient to your diet!

Increased Awareness of Testosterone Deficiency Beneficial to Aging Men

Many males suffer from the symptoms of Low Testosterone. It is clear that Testosterone Deficiency is a legitimate medical condition which needs to be appropriately treated. The problem is that even though Low-T is a real issue that can be treated and needs to be dealt with, there is still no clear line at which Testosterone Hormone Replacement Therapy is unequivocally recommended. There are a few reasons for this.

What Are the Roadblocks to a Concrete Diagnosis of Testosterone Deficiency?

One: Unity Within the Medical Community: Different Doctors, Different Opinions

First is an issue of scientific agreement. It is true that Testosterone Replacement Therapy has been available to patients for decades, but our knowledge of Testosterone Deficiency is still not complete. Original studies compared healthy patients to those with severe or total deficiency. We definitely know the issues involved with having a clear lack of healthy Testosterone.

The problem is, our knowledge of the titrated effects of Testosterone Deficiency lag far behind our knowledge of the black and white of severe deficiency and absolute health. Some patients may benefit greatly from a small infusion of Testosterone, while others may need full treatment in order to restore their physiological hormone balance.

Two: Physiological Individuality: Testosterone Deficiency is Different for Everyone

The second issue is a matter of physiology. As we learn more about health and the human body, it is clear that every person's body is fine-tuned in a somewhat unique way. Some patients can have a relatively low level of Testosterone (without fully being declared deficient) and still have to deal with symptoms of Low-T.

Other patients have Clinically Low Testosterone Levels but don't seem to suffer from symptoms of that deficiency in the same way. As our knowledge of Testosterone and its Function continues to grow and become more elaborate, these lines will eventually be drawn accurately, and we will more fully take into account individual physiology in regard to Testosterone Deficiency Diagnosis.

Three: Disorders Symptomatically Similar to Testosterone Deficiency

Another issue related to Testosterone Use and Replacement is that there are a number of other conditions that can mimic the symptoms of Testosterone Deficiency, such as Anemia, in addition to other medical disorders and nutritional deficiencies. Reduced Sex Drive, Diminished Erectile Ability, Fatigue, and Reduced Muscle Mass can be the result of a number of different medical problems, and it is important to make an accurate diagnosis for the sake of every patient's health.

Current Trends in Testosterone Deficiency Diagnosis

In recent years, Hormone Physicians came together in order to form a more concrete set of guidelines to streamline an approach to Testosterone Deficiency that is more careful and considerate. They believe that Testosterone Deficiency Diagnosis should be the result of a consistent set of guidelines which take into account chronic symptoms in males that suffer from decidedly low levels of Testosterone.

In spite of these recommendations for care by Endocrine Doctors, drug manufacturers continue to work hard to increase public awareness of Testosterone Deficiency, showcasing the numerous benefits of treatment in order to spur conversations about Hormone Replacement Therapy between patients and their physicians.

Testosterone Awareness at It's Highest Levels

Research has shown that in recent years, national awareness of both the symptoms of Testosterone Deficiency and the Benefits of Testosterone Replacement Therapy have become an engrained aspect of the communal American Psyche, as Testosterone Prescriptions have risen at a rapid pace. When discussing the increase in popularity of Testosterone Hormone Treatments, it is important to not only look at the issue from a medical perspective, but from the perspective of advertising as well.

Testosterone Commentaries

In a recent study regarding the nature of Advertising and Testosterone, the authors presented two commentaries regarding the marketing and marketability of Testosterone Sprays, Creams, and Gels.

Testosterone Advertising Perspective One

One perspective comes from a writer that has been intricately involved in the process of advertising Testosterone and other health treatments. This writer, named Stephen Braun, intimately understands the process, because he has written pamphlets and other advertisements for Testosterone, both to medical audiences and to the audience of the potential patient.

He has often written under his own name, and admits to ghostwriting for a number of clients as well. He claims that the rapid increase in Testosterone Prescriptions is largely the result of an ingenious marketing campaign in order to globally define Low-T as a set of individual symptoms related to the aging process, which can be treated effectively through the use of Testosterone Treatment, rather than simply a hormonal disorder.

Testosterone Advertising Perspective Two

Another point of view comes from two physicians that work in Veterans Affairs for Dartmouth. Their names are Dr. Steven Woloshin and Doctor Lisa Schwartz. A major aspect of their research is to figure out ways to encourage older patients to go visit their doctor, especially older patients that are experiencing negative medical symptoms.

They say that there is an immense value in regard to the overall campaign to increase awareness for Testosterone Deficiency and Low-T, because these campaigns provide working examples regarding how to get older men engaged and interested in preserving their health and talking to their physician about other medical issues which may be adversely affecting their health.

These ad campaigns may exaggerate slightly, but in the end, it benefits the consumer even if they do not choose Testosterone Hormone Replacement Therapy. These advertisements increase the awareness of Testosterone Treatment to patients while also reducing any underlying stigma and increasing the odds that the patient will go see a medical professional for treatment.

The Doctors' perspective continues as follows: There are a lot of aging men in the United States that don't regularly visit their doctor, but are concerned with many of the symptoms of the aging process that are often a direct result of Testosterone Deficiency, including irritation, fatigue, and low-libido. This audience is also one of the primary audiences which make up a large number of aging veterans in the United States that share the same concerns.

Increased Medical Awareness Good for Everyone!

The mythos behind Testosterone Replacement has the capability of both treating patients with the legitimate issue of Testosterone Deficiency while also increasing the odds that patients will just go visit a doctor! Medical professionals around the United States can learn a lot from Testosterone Advertisements, because this market has really figured out how to target their audience perfectly.

Testosterone HRT Promising

As we learn more about the complex interactions of different hormones within the endocrine system, we will undoubtedly uncover a number of new, potent, and amazing methods to preserve ourselves and our bodies throughout the lifespan. Testosterone Hormone Replacement Therapy shows a large amount of promise in spite of the hype, and as we learn more about other treatments such as HGH Hormone Injections and Estrogen Replacement Therapy, we will no doubt uncover more and more secrets to enhancing our lives well into old age.

Testosterone and Aging

Aging is a natural and inevitable process, but it is becoming more and more clear that there are countless things that we can do to improve our ability to live a long and healthy life. It is also becoming evident that, although some aspects of aging may be unpreventable in the long term, a large number of the symptoms of aging are related to Hormone Balance, and only tangentially related to aging. Although our knowledge of the field as a whole is relatively young, the study and practice of Hormone Optimization will have a vastly net-positive effect on national and global health in the coming decades.

Testosterone Replacement is another piece of the puzzle in regard to health maintenance, and, even though it may not be needed in every instance, even increased interest in the therapy will help patients turn to physicians and health professionals that can help them take control of their health and make knowledgeable and empowered life choices.

Androgel Low-T Campaign

One of the most vivid campaigns regarding Testosterone Deficiency is that of Androgel by the pharmaceutical company AbbVie. These advertisements are heavily broadcast both on the radio and on television, while also being printed in newspapers and magazines across the United States. Their advertisements popularized the use of the term Low-T as the layman's term for Testosterone Deficiency. These Low-T Ads aggressively target middle-aged men in order to increase the odds that they will visit a doctor in order to assess their hormone status.

A representative of AbbVie and Androgel explains that such targeted efforts are not discouraged, but actively encouraged by the Food and Drug Administration because of the way that they rapidly increase disease awareness in a target population. These type of advertisements are allowed by the FDA because they lean on patients to become more proactive about their own lives, even if Testosterone Deficiency doesn't turn out to be their biggest problem.

In addition to this, it gets middle-aged males to go visit a physician, which is important, because this subset of the population is rewarded heavily for preventative care while simultaneously being the group of patients among the least likely to take advantage of preventative care. The FDA sees Testosterone Replacement as only one tool in the arsenal of Public Health, and advertisements for Low-Testosterone are beneficial because they encourage the patient to learn about various forms of therapy which they may not have been previously aware of.

All advertisements for Androgel are written in total compliance with Food and Drug Administration Regulations, and were designed to increase knowledge among the general population of aging men regarding the potential benefits of Testosterone Replacement and the Drawbacks of Testosterone Deficiency, so that they can be more appropriately armed to talk to a qualified medical professional regarding their personal campaign to safeguard their health. In the end, it is the doctor that chooses which therapy is right for the patient.

Self-Awareness is the Key to Good Health!

This is why it is important to learn as much as you can about your own body and your personal health risks as you grow older. Testosterone Replacement Therapy is just one of many tools that can help you live a longer, happier, life. If you feel that you may be experiencing the symptoms of Testosterone Deficiency, don't be afraid to talk to a doctor!

Prescriptions Written for Bio-Identical Testosterone Triple in Last Ten Years

Testosterone Hormone Replacement Therapy is quickly becoming one of the hottest topics in endocrinology. As a result of new research and new methods of Testosterone Treatment, more and more people are turning to the hormone Testosterone in order to improve their health and their love life.

Testosterone Prescribed More Often Than Ever!

A new research study presents evidence that Testosterone is being prescribed at a rate three times faster than it ever has in the United States for male patients over the age of forty. Twelve years ago, in the year 2001, only 0.81 percent of males in the United States utilized Testosterone in any form. Today, that percentage has increased to over three percent of males!

Researchers find that there are many reasons why there has been such a rapid increase in interest in this potent hormone. In the past fifteen years, Testosterone has become increasingly advertised in a manner which reaches directly out to potential patients. Most of these advertisements have been directed to males in their forties and fifties, during the period in which the symptoms of Testosterone and the aging process are producing more and more of an effect on a man's life.

In addition to this, more clinics are starting to specialize in the areas of Hormone Replacement, Aging, Longevity, and General Health and Wellness, increasing the number of doctors and physicians that work heavily with Testosterone and Other Hormones by virtue of their specialization.

A third reason for this expansion is that Testosterone HRT is becoming simpler and easier by the year as new treatment methods become available in the United States.

Testosterone Debate Rages On

Although the use of Recombinant Testosterone for Hormone Replacement has risen dramatically in recent years, the debate over the benefits and risks of the treatment are hotly contested around the country. Testosterone Replacement has been shown to produce some beneficial and potent changes in the human body.

Bio-Identical Testosterone is proven to significantly increase muscle mass while reducing the fatigue associated with low decreased strength. In addition to this, Testosterone vastly increases libido and sex drive in patients that are Deficient in Testosterone. Other studies, however, have shown that under certain circumstances, Testosterone Replacement can actually have a negative effect upon fertility and sperm counts in male patients.

Also, there is a mild correlation between Testosterone Hormone Replacement Therapy and Prostate Cancer that is being explored further in order to uncover potential hard links. At this point, evidence seems to suggest that Testosterone Treatments have a negative effect upon Prostate Tumors, but does not seem to increase the risk of the development of new tumors. In any case, Male patients that utilize Testosterone should meet on a regular basis with their general practitioner in order to maintain proper health and uncover any negative issues before they become overly problematic.

Testosterone and the Lifespan

It is a proven fact that Testosterone Production slowly and steadily declines throughout the lifespan, but there is some controversy regarding exactly what level of deficiency should be officially declared Low-T. The scientific term for Low-T as well as Testosterone Deficiency is Hypogonadism, referring to an inability of the body to efficiently produce sex hormones. This deficiency is primarily defined in two ways: Primary Hypogonadism and Secondary Hypogonadism.

Primary and Secondary Hypogonadism

Most male patients experience the former, Primary Hypogonadism. Usually in this form of deficiency, the Testes slowly lose their ability to effectively produce and secrete Testosterone, at a rate which averages around one to two percentage points every year starting in the later twenties or early thirties. Some patients may experience this form of Hypogonadism for other reasons such as Testicular Trauma, however.

The second, less common form of Testosterone Deficiency is Secondary Hypogonadism. This type of deficiency originates in the brain, usually from the Pituitary Gland or the Hypothalamus, preventing the Testes from getting the appropriate stimuli to produce Hormonal Testosterone.

What is the Threshold for Low-T?

The most commonly agreed upon standard for Testosterone Deficiency is a Free Testosterone level that is beneath 300 ng/dl, although the number may very dependently upon the physician. If Testosterone Levels are beneath this threshold, then the patient will likely qualify for Hormone Replacement with Testosterone.

Testosterone Research Analysis

In the research that we mentioned at the beginning of the article, around fifty percent of patients that received Testosterone Hormone Replacement Therapy were treated after Hypogonadism Diagnosis. A surprising piece of data is that nearly one quarter of patients received no diagnostic testing in order to evaluate their hormone levels before they received treatment.

Also, among the males that did undergo Testosterone Testing, it is not completely clear exactly how many of the patients actually suffered from Low Testosterone. Researchers explain that Free Testosterone Production can be sensitive to many factors, including the time at which the test is administered.

AMA Opinion on Testosterone

In a recent issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association, the researchers of this study wrote that additional examination is necessary in order to figure out exactly how many patients that seem to have Testosterone Deficiency are prescribed Testosterone Treatments even though they truly have clinically normal levels of the hormone. By evaluating this data, scientists hope that Testosterone Replacement can be prescribed more appropriately to patients that are truly in need.

On the other hand, as our knowledge of Testosterone Hormone Replacement Therapy expands, we may find that the Threshold in which benefits outweigh risks is higher than we first suspected, in which case, more patients will qualify for treatment.

Make Sure Low-T Symptoms are Really the Result of Low Testosterone

If you believe that you may be suffering from the symptoms of Testosterone Deficiency, it is important to rule out other potential causes of your symptoms before turning fully to Testosterone Replacement Therapy. Dr. Lizza, a New York City Urologist, explains that many symptoms that seem to be the result of Testosterone Deficiency may actually be due to other disorders that cause similar symptoms in the same stage of life.

Although Testosterone Replacement can be an effective tool to treat the symptoms of the disorder, if Testosterone Deficiency is not your primary medical issue, you may simply be covering up other underlying health conditions. Dr. Lizza also claims that for many patients, other common treatments for erectile issues are likely better for patients that do not suffer from a legitimate Deficiency of Testosterone.

Testosterone Research Data Source and Qualifications

The data for this study was obtained from the files of a large health insurance provider, and the data-set included over ten million males over the age of forty in order to determine the exact number of patients utilizing Testosterone Replacement Products.

Of course, the data-set obtained for this research cannot be used to provide a complete view regarding what percentage of males use Testosterone, because access to Testosterone through Private Health Insurance is not fully predictive in revealing the number of patients without healthcare, or the number of patients with public insurance through Medicare, that choose to turn to Testosterone.

Hormone Replacement Therapy: The Future of Medicine?

In the end, the researchers feel that more testing is needed in order to examine Testosterone HRT, in order to maximize the effectiveness of treatment while limiting the number of patients that receive the therapy when other treatments may be more effective at safely improving their health care situation.

There is no doubt that in the coming years, our knowledge about the pros and cons of Testosterone Hormone Treatments will increase tremendously.