This is our third interview I have with an overwhelmed menopausal
female (OMF)
CP: Good morning, how did it go with the HCL test?
OMF: Good morning to you too. I failed the HCL test miserably, got up
to 7 Digest Force in the middle of the meal, and zero burning.
CP: That is quite normal, the older the person is, the more stress
they have been, the lower the HCL levels. Most functional medicine
practitioners will tell you that 98% of their patients fail the test
miserably. Especially if they live in a large urban area such as New York City or London.
OMF: Older ? Are you telling me "getting a little action" now means my
prune juice and apricots is working ? I just want to be sure of this,. . why don’t
you just give me supplements until I get an HCL score.
CP: HCL is necessary for absorption and assimilation of vitamins and
minerals such as B12, folic acid, vitamin C, beta-carotene and iron,
by increasing their bioavailability and effecting their cleaving from
food. So, if you look at it from that point of view. You can avoid
taking supplements by just doing a better job with your food
digestion. It's not so much what we eat but more, what we digest that
counts.
As pointed out by Dr. Jonathan Wright, MD, Medical Director of the Tahoma Clinic, a wide number macro minerals and trace minerals have low absorption rates in cases of low stomach acid, namely calcium,magnesium, zinc, copper, chromium, selenium, manganese, vanadium, molybdenum and cobalt.
Many people come here having seen other nutritionists who could not
help them despite spending large of money on supplements. In every
single case, the practitioner had not bothered testing levels of HCL.
OMF: So in effect you're saying that adequate HCL levels make every
piece of food a multi-vitamin so to speak. I like that. Can we first
work on my hot flashes . .or as I like to call them, "My private
tropical moments" ?
CP: Sure, and I think it is also crucial that we concurrently help
with your sleep.
OMF: What will we do?
CP: You can start taking Perfect E 3.0, one three times a day. It is a capsule of mixed tocopherols, with the gamma fraction being the most abundant. Clinically, I find to be best supplement to stop hot flashes dead in their tracks.
OMF: What about Black Cohosh?
CP: Works okay, but not as well as the correct fractions of vitamin E.
OMF: Really. Why?
CP: Clinically, vitamin E in dosages of 400 I.U. to 1,200 I.U. has been shown to reduce the severity and frequency of hot flashes in 75% of subjects. So in my experience, it is the one most likely going to work.Within 5 days you should see results, if you don’t by next visit, we have other options. The other good news is that high intake of vitamin E at menopause reduces risk of breast cancer.
If you can remember this, vitamin E is the primary anti-oxidant for uterus health. The vitamin E should contain the gamma fraction of the tocopherol family. In most health food stores or pharmacies, they sell you alpha-tocopherol, which only works in rats or lawyers as they share much of the same genetic codes. Humans need most the gamma tocopherol fractions.
As opposed to alpha tocopherol, gamma tocopherol is a powerful line of defense against disease-provoking compounds in the body known as reactive nitrogen oxides (ROS). On top of that, gamma tocopherol has been shown to lower inflammation, regulate mechanisms that protect against many types of cancers, and turn on genes that are know to protect against various cognitive ailments such as senile dementia.
OMF: What about my sleep? . .At least I don’t have to deal any more with my ex-husband’s snoring?
CP: You know why men snore when they lie on their backs? Because their
testicles cover their bunghole and they vapor lock.
The first thing we're going to use to improve your sleep with you is magnesium glycinate. It will help with detoxification of the liver, and will help achieve sounder sleep. Lets start with two capsules with meals at each of the last two meals of the day. I want you to also use Topical Magnesium, two squirts behind the knees one hour before bed.
OMF: Why behind the knees?
CP: That is where the skin is thinnest in most people, even the ones
who are obese, it maximizes the likelihood of absorption.
OMF: That's good to know. My sister-in law's so fat, when she walked out in high heels, she came back in flip-flops. Why not take all the magnesium orally?
CP: The topical magnesium permits a slower magnesium absorption will
help lower adrenal stress hormones, and thus all allow to achieve
deeper sounder sleep. . Furthermore, most menopausal women have extremely poor gut health, especially if they are intolerant to gluten, and ate it for years. Because of that, intestinal absorption is compromised. We also do know that replenish magnesium levels accelerates the beneficial effects of vitamin E. It will also take care of Moody, the menopause dwarf of irritability
OMF: How?
CP: People’s tolerance to stress increases as they improve their
magnesium levels.
OMF: Are you saying I seem that stressed? Because suddenly my ex-husband is agreeing to everything I say and frankly his head looks like an
invitation to practice kick-boxing.
CP: No, more the fact you're snorting lines of chocolate chips.
OMF: OK so this is why are you making magnesium such a priority for me?
CP: Most adverse cardiovascular consequences, including broad and complex effects on hypertension, diabetes, cardiac arrhythmias, atherosclerosis, and sudden cardiac
death are directly linked to severe magnesium deficiency.
What are you two take home points for today?
OMF:
1. I need the HCL to absorb my minerals properly.
2. Taking vitamine E and magnesium together will nutritionally support me in getting rid of my menopause symptoms.
CP: Perfect, see you next Monday.
Copyright ©2010 Charles Poliquin