“Love Notes”

TriVita’s Weekly Wellness Report

By Brazos Minshew, TriVita’s Chief Science Officer

One of the questions I receive most often is about a very delicate subject: the libido, or sexual drive. The human libido, however, is not only about sex – it’s also a very important marker for both physical and emotional health. Disturbance in sexual drive is connected with almost all serious disorders, such as heart disease and even Alzheimer’s. We need to learn what a disturbance in sexual function may mean – at any age.

Hormones: special messengers

You may recall from previous reports that hormones are messengers. They convey instructions that demand a specific response. When that demand is met, your body will often send another hormone out to say, “Mission accomplished”.

There are thousands of different hormones. We know the names of some of the more familiar ones: estrogen, progesterone, testosterone, etc. These are special hormones for reproduction, but they also serve many other functions not even remotely associated with reproduction – this is a very important point!

Consider the hormone progesterone. Progesterone is produced in men, women and children. Progesterone has such a vital effect upon the brain that it is given after brain injury to promote healing. Progesterone also improves the beauty of the skin, lowers blood pressure, reduces muscle spasms, increases energy and opens the airways. Higher levels of progesterone are associated with stress resistance and improved libido. Progesterone is the messenger conveying “love notes” to your mind and body.

Stress: anti-progesterone, anti-libido

With higher levels of progesterone come higher levels of testosterone and DHEA, the “anti-stress” hormone. But when stress increases, the libido goes down because the levels of progesterone, testosterone and DHEA all decrease. This happens because the nutrients that normally help fuel the production of these three hormones are instead redirected through the body’s homeostasis process to help fuel its “fight or flight” functions, which are activated by stress.

Furthermore, progesterone is made from cholesterol. So when intermittent or chronic stress causes progesterone production to go down, the cholesterol that is normally used to produce it is freed from that function and ends up being released into the bloodstream. As a result, the body’s overall cholesterol level rises. And when “bad” cholesterol levels rise, so does the risk for heart attack and Alzheimer’s disease.

What to do

Hormones have a life cycle of three stages: we make them, we use them and we eliminate them. For the first stage of “making good hormones”, we need to remember that good hormones are made from good cholesterol, which in turn is made from good fats. OmegaPrime® contains a balanced blend of Omega fats to help your body make good hormones. Try two or more per meal for several months to help rebalance your hormones, improve the sexual function and reclaim the sexual drive. This recommendation is valid for both women and men.

To further help with the hormone life cycle, Balanced Woman® capsules contain botanicals such as damiana that instruct your body to make hormones from these fats and use them appropriately. For men, Prostate Health Formula™ contains the botanical remedy pygeum which works in a similar way. Doubling the label recommendations for both of these powerful nutrient combinations can help deliver restorative levels of these important ingredients.

Finally, remember that stress is like a poison for healthy sexual drive and sexual activity. Taking the anti-stress adaptogen rhodiola (found in Adaptogen 10 Plus®) can help – it acts as a bulwark against the damaging effects of stress. Also, the antioxidants in Adaptogen 10 Plus work to improve the nitric oxide cycle in your bloodstream in a similar way as medications do for sexual dysfunction. If you want to help reduce your stress daily, take Adaptogen 10 Plus. And take more when you want to send your body more “love notes”.

Remember, no matter what your age, a healthy libido is a sign of a healthy body and mind. If you are suffering from sexual dysfunction you should see a doctor soon, as this can be a sign of a serious illness. To help support healthy sexual function, remember OmegaPrime®, Balanced Woman® or Prostate Health Formula™ and Adaptogen 10 Plus®.

Take Control of Your Health

• Reduce stress – it poisons sexual performance
• Get your rest – hormones are produced in your sleep
• Increase “good” dietary fats; reduce “bad” fats
• Avoid alcohol
• Stop smoking
• Have a medical check-up
• Check all medications for sexual side effects

Please note that Weekly Wellness Report topics will be chosen at the discretion of Brazos Minshew and based on general relevance.
These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA, and are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.