Have you found yourself forgetting things lately? Fishing for words, you can’t seem to find. Easily distracted while trying to complete a task? If so, you’re likely dealing with the frustrating medical condition that is known as memory loss.
Many things can cause memory loss. Sleep deprivation, for one. Not getting enough sleep has a sizable effect on your memory. Putting off sleeping because you’re staying up too late watching your favorite tv show will eventually catch up to you. Additionally, an endless amount of medications list memory loss as a side effect. Some medications might even make you feel like you’re in the movie “Cloud Atlas.” Mental health is another culprit. All those days, you spent hyperventilating over everything, feeling emotionally crushed by life, can, in turn, affect your memory. Anxiety, depression, and bipolar disorder all can cause memory loss. Also, hormones. Countless studies have shown that there’s a relationship between low hormone levels and memory loss.
When to Seek Help
It’s hard to discern. How significantly memory loss emotionally affects someone differs from person to person regardless of its severity. If you’re feeling emotionally distraught or generally discontent with life, you’ll likely want to seek out a provider. Dealing with memory loss can be deeply overwhelming. You might begin to have a lower sense of self-worth. Excusing yourself from certain situations because you feel that in your current state, you’re incapable of contributing. Disliking that others feel the need to help when you’re having memory issues. “I don’t need any help. I’m just having trouble remembering where I parked my car”. It can feel humiliating on a human level when people seek to help you when you’re trying to maintain that you’re completely normal. Again, if you’re feeling that your memory loss is negatively affecting your life, you might want to consider seeking medical help.
How Low T Affects Your Memory
Low testosterone levels can potentially cause cognitive impairment, lapses in concentration, and memory loss. “Findings suggest low testosterone may be an independent predictor of rapid cognitive decline in older men with early memory loss.”[1] Researcher Jeri Janowsky stated that testosterone deprived men “can’t hold or save the information as well in order to recall it over a retention interval, over a period of time.”[2] Although most commercials would lead you to believe that the main drawback of having Low T is feeling less macho and virile, cue the shot of a dejected man whose noticeably disappointed while looking at his reflection in the mirror. But the effects that Low T have on your cognitive functions and memory might be an even more pressing issue.
Hormones Also Affect Women
For women having low levels of the hormone’s estradiol, estrogen, and progesterone can significantly impact your memory. Researchers from Georgetown University in Washington, D.C., stated that “estrogen deficiency could lead to anxiety development and memory impairments.”[3]
How Bioidentical Hormone Therapy Can Help
If you’ve been desperately searching for a way to “take back” and improve your memory, Hormone Therapy has consistently proven through countless studies may dramatically improve your memory and cognitive function.
THE BIG 3
Testosterone, More Than A Macho Hormone
Study after study has observed that supplementing your body with testosterone can potentially improve and restore memory. “In young women, a single dose of testosterone improved spatial memory.”[4] Another study noted, “beneficial effects of testosterone treatment on spatial and verbal memory.”[5] Various studies have shown that testosterone can help deter Alzheimer’s and Dementia “Testosterone supplementation may benefit selective cognitive functions in men with Alzheimer disease and mild cognitive impairment. Testosterone improves spatial memory in men with Alzheimer disease and mild cognitive impairment.”
Estrogen Does Its Part
Estrogen has been successfully used to treat patients suffering from memory loss and to protect against cognitive aging, “longitudinal studies show that estrogen-replacement therapy preferentially protects against a decline in verbal memory in healthy postmenopausal women and decreases the risk of AD.”[6] Additionally, estrogen “enhances synaptic plasticity, neurite growth, hippocampal neurogenesis, and long-term potentiation.”[7]
Progesterone is Wicked Smart
Progesterone has been shown to not only improve your memory and cognitive function; it also can increase activity in parts of the brain. “We found that verbal working memory was improved after progesterone, and we found increased activation in the left prefrontal cortex and right hippocampus during the visual working memory task.”[8]
What Now?
A simple blood test will be able to determine if your hormone levels are on the fritz. If they are determined to be medically low, a doctor may recommend bioidentical hormone therapy or BHRT for short. Bioidentical hormones are man-made hormones that are chemically similar to hormones produced by humans. Many argue that BHRT is a more safe and consistent form of hormone therapy.
BHRT therapy is done by implanting hormones in your skin. Implanting hormone pellets is a simple and non-invasive procedure, typically taking less than five minutes. This treatment is called pellet-based therapy and is quickly becoming one of the preferred methods of hormone therapy for both providers and patients. Essentially, a provider will subcutaneously place hormone pellets in your skin. This subcutaneous placement of hormones allows patients to receive a steady flow of hormones 24/7. This constant flow helps you potentially avoid unwanted side effects.
If you’ve decided to pursue Hormone Therapy, it’s critical you find a provider that will dose hormones precisely, and every provider that works with Simpatra™ has access to cutting-edge dosing technology. This technology eliminates the guesswork when it comes to dosing and allows physicians to accurately dose patients based on each individual’s unique blood tests — ensuring that your treatment will be efficient and effective. Simpatra™ will also provide additional tools that allow for your patient journey to remain consistent throughout the whole process.
Hormone replacement pellets must be of the highest quality to ensure the best results, and all Simpatra™ providers receive their pellets from highly reputable and respected manufactures. To learn more about BHRT or to find a provider near you, visit us at www.simpatra.health.
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Disclaimer: The Simpatra website and blog does not provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment.
Content from the Simpatra website and blog is not intended to be used for medical diagnosis or treatment.The information provided on this website is intended for general consumer understanding only. The information provided is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice. As health and nutrition research continuously evolves, we do not guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or timeliness of any information presented on this website.
[1] Chu LW, “Bioavailable testosterone predicts a lower risk of Alzheimer’s disease in older men.”, 2010;21(4):1335-45.
[2] Society for Neuroscience (2004, October 27) Low Testosterone Linked With Memory Loss. Retrieved from https://www.foxnews.com/story/low-testosterone-linked-with-memory-loss
[3] American Physiological Society. (2018, October 1). Anxious and forgetful after menopause? Low estrogen may be to blame: Rat study finds anxiety and memory problems increase as estrogen levels drop. ScienceDaily. Retrieved November 21, 2019 from www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2018/10/181001110241.htm
[4] Aleman, A., Bronk, E., Kessels, R.P., Koppeschaar, H.P., & Honk, J.V. (2004). A single administration of testosterone improves visuospatial ability in young women. Psychoneuroendocrinology, 29, 612-617.
[5] Cherrier MM1, Asthana S, Plymate S, Baker L, Matsumoto AM, Peskind E, Raskind MA, Brodkin K, Bremner W, Petrova A, LaTendresse S, Craft S. (2001). Testosterone supplementation improves spatial and verbal memory in healthy older men. 57(1):80-8
[6] Sherwin, BB. (2006). Estrogen and cognitive aging in women. 138(3):1021-6
[7] American Physiological Society. (2018, October 1). Anxious and forgetful after menopause? Low estrogen may be to blame: Rat study finds anxiety and memory problems increase as estrogen levels drop. ScienceDaily. Retrieved November 21, 2019 from www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2018/10/181001110241.htm
[8] Berent-Spillson, A., Briceno, E., Pinsky, A., Simmen, A., Persad, C. C., Zubieta, J. K., & Smith, Y. R. (2015). Distinct cognitive effects of estrogen and progesterone in menopausal women. Psychoneuroendocrinology, 59, 25–36. doi:10.1016/j.psyneuen.2015.04.020