By Alfred J. Plechner, D.V.M.
Supplements, good nutrition, and exercise are highly important in slowing down the aging process, but none more important than are the homogeneity of the endocrine system, and its regulation of the immune cells, which hopefully will protect the body and relate to anti-aging.
I personally believe the "Fountain of Youth" relates to the proper balance of active cortisol to total estrogen in the body allowing for a normal protective immune system that will protect the body and not lose sight of self tissue and not begin making anti antibodies that may lead to autoimmunity and early aging.
When an imbalance occurs between natural, active cortisol, and total estrogen, not only are the thyroid hormones bound, but a total, slow down of metabolism can occur. When this happens, breakdown products, toxins etc, are not decreased or properly broken down within a 24 hour period, but remain in the body, to kill vital cells needed for healthy maintenance of the body. This is where aging and not anti-aging begins.
This is one reason normal cells cannot live out their normal life for 120 days and often perish within 90 days or less. You can begin to see that there may be a 25-30% hastening of cellular death, contributing to early aging of the person and their pet. The lack of immune regulation due to hormonal imbalances, further leads to the immune cells losing recognition of "self tissue". This is a further reason why early aging occurs, by allowing these "immune soldiers", a better chance of attacking the person or pets tissue. This condition is often referred to as "auto-immunity". Yes this is auto-immunity, but also leads to early aging. To determine if this is occurring or not, certain bodily fluids [hormones and antibodies] measurements need to be done.
At this time, only partial tests are being done, to measure estrogen. Total estrogen must be done. In males, usually only estradiol is measured. In females, the three ovarian estrogens are only measured. Why then, in my spayed females, that have no ovaries, can the total estrogen be high? There is a mechanism imbalance which is being called Atypical Cortisol Estrogen Imbalance Syndrome (ACEIS) or as the public refers to it as Plechner’s Syndrome. Obviously, there are other sources of estrogen in the patients that are not being measured. Besides the recognized sources of estrogen, there may be large amounts of adrenal estrogen. Estrogens that come from plants are referred to as phyto-estrogens. Plastic may contain xeno-estrogens. Do you think, that switching from copper water pipes to plastic water pipes might be a significant reason why, there has been an increase in cancer, throughout our nation. There should also, be a concern, about municipal water sources that we drink, and have not been tested for estrogen yet. If antibiotics can show up in the ground water, would you might think, estrogen might also be present, due to flushing an estrogen supplement, or birth control medication down the toilet.
Last but not least, why would any female patient, whether a person or a pet, take any estrogen supplement without first doing a test for total estrogen?
These all play a major roll, in the total estrogen picture. With the high estrogen binding the thyroid, the estrogenic effects, even become worse, because the slow metabolism in the liver, further reduces the breakdown of the total estrogen.
Once you have an accurate total estrogen, how do you determine what has occurred with the immune cells? The antibody production by the one immune cell (B cell) will determine if, these immune cells, now if deficient, will protect the body, or allow the cell to turn against the body.
With proper hormone supplementation, you not only normalize the hormones, but can normalize both the B and T cells. This further means, that each patient can be solely titrated to determine what their specific needs will be, to normalize the B cells antibody production and help with anti-aging.
Over the years, I have had the privilege of treating several large breeds: Great Danes, Irish Wolfhounds, Newfoundland Retrievers, St. Bernard's and Great Pyrenees. It has always been assumed that these large breeds die early in life, by the time they are 5 to 7 years of age. Could this be a form of early aging?
Even with proper nutrition, proper supplements and proper exercise, the 5 to 7 year time frame still exists. This not to say, that the above is not important, but what it may say, is that we need to look elsewhere, for another reason, why their lives, are shorter. There is another reason. By measuring my hormonal-antibody mechanism [Plechner's syndrome] in a 6 month old large or giant breed, if there is an imbalance, and it is controlled, I have been able to markedly extend the lives of my patients. [Anti-aging]
It was not unusual, to have Great Danes live to 15-16 years of age, Irish Wolfhounds live to 12-14 years, Newfoundland retrievers to 15-17years and St. Bernard's and Great Pyrenees live to 14-15 years of age.
Actually this test not only helps against early aging, but also helps prevent medical disorders that will occur if there is a mechanism imbalance. Remember this, the cause, will almost always, will precede the effect.
Pets and People are definitely similar, if not the same, when it comes to early aging.
There may never be a "fountain of youth", but there is a regulation of hormones and antibodies that will do the same, called Plechner's Syndrome.
Copyright ©2012
