Being overweight affects every body system and virtually every chronic medical disease. We discuss weight with most patients during their visit, and we know that by the time patients are seeing us, they’ve already tried the aged saying “Eat Less, Do More”.
So why does it become so difficult to lose weight? Many know at least one person blessed with the metabolism of a hummingbird and “eat whatever they want”. Metabolism is partially a genetic trait, but there are many other factors within your control.
Thyroid – Respected by some as the “master gland”, the thyroid is very useful when it comes to weight loss. Patients with too little thyroid hormone have difficulty losing weight, more problems with digestion, lose their hair (and uniquely the outer 1/3 of their eyebrow), poor concentration/memory, and cold hands and feet. Dry skin and cold intolerance are the two most sensitive symptoms of low thyroid hormone. Many patients have had their hormones tested and told “they’re normal”. Often this is not the case. Other indicators for low thyroid hormone is weight gain in the face and low body temperature.
Thyroid Treatment – many of patients enjoy the added energy levels from supplementing their thyroid hormone. Others find their clothes fit better even if the scale doesn’t change. Many women notice their hair falls out less often when a more appropriate thyroid hormone level. Ask your provider about thyroid symptoms and treatment and it might help you lose weight too.
Insulin – Notoriously feared as a “diabetic hormone”, insulin is essential to your cells transporting sugar to and from your blood stream. What many don’t know about is a subject called insulin resistance. Insulin resistance is a body state where your pancreas (which makes insulin) has to work a lot harder to keep your blood sugar “normal” but the effects of weight gain are often the result.
Insulin Resistance Treatment – we can detect insulin resistance long before your blood glucose enters the abnormal or “diabetic range” and use therapies to help decrease your insulin “resisting” your efforts to lose weight.
Testosterone – Men love it, women aren’t sure if they need it. Testosterone is a hormone found in both sexes but in different amounts. Why is it important? Testosterone helps with mental focus, confidence, and clarity and… weight loss! Testosterone when present in the right amounts help you retain muscle mass – muscle burns calories just by breathing, so the more lean mass you have, the more calories you’ll burn just by looking at yourself in the mirror. Get your testosterone checked and ask your provider if it would be a helpful therapy in your weight loss goals.
Testosterone Treatment – available in injectable and topical forms, we customize your therapy to balance your hormones and give you the best chance to lose fat and retain lean muscle mass.
Vitamin B12 – A ubiquitous vitamin with a variety of uses. The FDA amounts of B12 recommended are a bit dated, even more so for patients trying to lose weight. This “stress vitamin” is used more rapidly during periods of dieting and stress (IRS audits, mother in law moving in, etc.) Often times, even with “normal range” B12 levels, patients will find surges of energy when supplementing this vitamin with oral or injectable vitamins.
Vitamin B12 Treatment – After checking your levels, our clinic carries regular b12 injections as well as a specialized weight loss formula of b12 containing 5 other agents designed to augment your energy levels and weight loss efforts. Given in lower but more frequent doses, we have great success when combining this therapy to others for our weight loss goals.
Vitamin D – Isn’t this in my milk? Vitamin D has a resurgence in medical literature in recent years. Once only regarded as useful for children in building bones, more recent studies are showing Vitamin D’s special role in multiple health issues. Many labs still regard a Vitamin D level of 30 as NORMAL. More astute clinicians have found that Vitamin D not only plays a role in bone health, but also studies are showing direct correlation to Vitamin D LESS THAN 60 correlating to higher levels of cardiac risk. Other researchers are trying to prove that Vitamin D also plays a role in the prevention of colon cancer. All the benefits are not fully understood yet, but we feel this vitamin from the sun helps many health issues.
Vitamin D Treatment – what should your vitamin D level be? We aim for Vitamin D levels about 80. Often times, to reach these goals where patients feel better (often times their joints will ache less with a higher Vitamin D level), we use prescription doses of Vitamin D and monitor your levels to ensure they respond appropriately.