No subject

[integer at www.god-emil.dk]

 >http://www.nature.com/nsu/020819/020819-10.html
 
 apropoz jerem! bernste!n + h!z ekual! bl!mp fr!end joshua goldberg
 
 
 
 Obesity and Hormone Imbalance
 
 A consistent finding in the scientific literature is that obese men have low testosterone and very high estrogen levels. Central or visceral obesity ("pot belly") is recognized as a risk factor for cardiovascular disease and type II diabetes. New findings have shed light on subtle hormone imbalances of borderline character in obese men and often fall within the normal laboratory reference range. Boosting testosterone levels seems to decrease the abdominal fat mass, reverse glucose intolerance, and reduce lipoprotein abnormalities in the serum. Further analysis has also disclosed a regulatory role for testosterone in counteracting visceral fat accumulation. Longitudinal epidemiological data demonstrate that relatively low testosterone levels are a risk factor for development of visceral obesity (7, 237).
 
 One study showed that serum estrone and estradiol were elevated twofold in one group of morbidly obese men. Fat cells synthesize the aromatase enzyme, causing male hormones to convert to estrogens (278). Fat tissues, especially in the abdomen, have been shown to literally "aromatize" testosterone and its precursor hormones into potent estrogens (80, 237-242).
 
 Eating high-fat foods may reduce free testosterone levels according to one study that measured serum levels of sex steroid hormones after ingestion of different types of food. High-protein and high-carbohydrate meals had no effect on serum hormone levels, but a fat-containing meal reduced free testosterone levels for 4 hours (243).
 
 Obese men have testosterone deficiency caused by the production of excess aromatase enzyme in fat cells and also from the fat they consume in their diet (240). The resulting hormone imbalance (too much estrogen and not enough free testosterone) in obese men partially explains why so many are impotent and have a wide range of premature degenerative diseases (45).
 
 Factors Causing the Estrogen-Testosterone Imbalance in Men
 If your blood tests reveal high estrogen and low testosterone, here are the common factors involved:
 
 Excess "aromatase" enzyme. As men age, they produce larger quantities of an enzyme called aromatase. The aromatase enzyme converts testosterone into estrogen in the body (17, 240, 241, 244, 245). Inhibiting the aromatase enzyme results in a significant decline in estrogen levels while often boosting free testosterone to youthful levels (279). Therefore, an agent designated as an "aromatase inhibitor" may be of special value to aging men who have excess estrogen.
 
 Liver enzymatic activity. A healthy liver eliminates surplus estrogen and sex hormone-binding globulin. Aging, alcohol, and certain drugs impair liver function and can be a major cause of hormone imbalance in aging men. Heavy alcohol intake increases estrogen in men and women (54, 246, 285).
 
 Obesity. Fat cells create aromatase enzyme and especially contribute to the buildup of abdominal fat (241, 242). Low testosterone allows the formation of abdominal fat (47, 239, 248), which then causes more aromatase enzyme formation and thus even lower levels of testosterone and higher estrogen (by aromatizing testosterone into estrogen). It is especially important for overweight men to consider hormone modulation therapy.
 
 
 
 
 u!ztle u!ztle