“The Golden Years” are supposed to be one of the best periods of our lives. Our youthful exuberance may appear to be fading, but we’ve hopefully reached a point where we are financially stable, and perhaps even retired. The kids may be out of the house and leading their own lives. They may be bringing the grandchildren around to play with now and again. We would all like to remain vibrant and healthy, blessed with the wisdom that comes with age.

Our society has a relatively well-defined set of characteristics that we tend to ascribe to masculinity. These include facial hair, muscle structure, a high libido, physical strength, and a deep voice among others. What you may not know is that each of these “manly” characteristics is largely controlled by a powerful hormone called Testosterone. In men this hormone has a profound effect on their mind, body, drives, desires, and performance.

Hormones are powerful, naturally occurring chemicals in our bodies that send signals through the bloodstream to keep our bodily systems working together with rhythm and harmony. While some of these hormone levels may begin to decline as we age, Estrogen (most prevalent in women, but also present in men) levels will typically ebb and flow throughout a woman’s life.

The female body provides, perhaps, the most wondrous ability to create life. Because their bodies are capable of this miracle, women have more intricate hormonal systems than men. These systems must work together to ensure that everything is running just as it should. One of the hormones that helps to control a woman’s ability to create life is Progesterone. This hormone is essential to pregnancy and for post-birth breastfeeding. Even if a woman is not pregnant or does not plan on getting pregnant, it is important to pay attention to Progesterone levels, as they can cause significant issues if they fall too low.

DHEA (DeHydroEpiAndrosterone) is one of the most abundant substances made by the human adrenal glands and is present in both men and women. As a precursor to the sex hormones Estrogen and Testosterone, DHEA is produced in the ovaries for women and is produced in the adrenal glands, brain, and testes for men.

Many of our body’s systems and processes may seem like one simple step to us as we breathe, eat, digest, sleep, and wake up. But these simple functions are the result of a chain of interrelated events that must all work together in perfect harmony. Many of these processes are controlled by hormones. These are powerful chemicals that are naturally produced in the body. Hormones signal each system to work together to perform a variety of metabolic tasks.

Sometimes medications are used to treat conditions other than what they were originally developed or intended to treat. In some instances, doctors and researchers may not fully understand the mechanisms of exactly why a repurposed medication works. But studies often show that they may offer better results than the original purpose.

To those who have never personally experienced or known someone who has suffered from insomnia, it may not really seem like a big problem. In their minds, insomnia just means that someone is less well-rested. They simply can’t get a full night of sleep on some nights. However, those who do have personal experience with insomnia know just how debilitating the affliction can be. We are going to examine some of the issues that can cause insomnia, and new, groundbreaking ways that one medication is being used to treat it.

Although powerful, hormones exist within our body in relatively small amounts when compared to other elements like blood and oxygen. But despite being so small, these naturally occurring chemicals are extremely powerful and carry the messages that drive many of the functions and metabolic processes that our body performs.

While the subjects of physical performance and sexual drive may seem like they have nothing to do with one another. But if you understand the way the body works, you know that they are very closely related. In large part our bodies are run by tiny, but powerful chemicals called hormones. Hormones are produced by endocrine glands. Hormones signal our bodies to perform and regulate certain critical metabolic functions.