Kyle and Candace invite our great friend and compounding pharmacist Natalie Gustafson, R.Ph., back into the studio for the second part of our interview on Testosterone and DHEA, the ‘workhorse’ hormones that actually build and maintain the bone and muscle mass that our strength and stamina depend on, while also supplying the biochemical messengers that drive sexual energy, competitive drive, metabolism, mental clarity, and even our outlook on life! In Part One of the interview, we dug in to the need-to-knows: where androgens are made in the body, how they function and make their magic in both men and women and what happens to our minds and bodies when levels of these work horse hormones decline, fall out of balance, or for various reasons become depleted. In part 2 we cover the opposite end of the spectrum - High androgens - how they got that way, the factors that contribute to their imbalance and what happens when these powerful drivers remain elevated, triggering a whole raft of symptoms that impact skin, weight, periods, and our peace of mind! We tackle the thorny issue of PCOS, the key role that high Testosterone and DHEA levels play, the causative link between diet, insulin resistance and ovarian overproduction of the androgens, lifestyle and treatment approaches that don’t help and of course great advice about what natural approaches we know can help … beginning with hormone testing to pinpoint the extent to which androgens are out-of-whack and serve as a guide to the necessary diet, exercise and stress-wise steps as well as specific vitamins, herbs and bioidentical hormone options (as needed) known to be helpful in turning the tables and getting back to balance. BIO for Natalie Gustafson: R.PH and compounding pharmacist for over a decade, she owns Lloyd Central Compounding Pharmacy in Portland, Oregon. Being able to customize medicine to a patient’s needs and helping providers achieve holistic care of their patients are the cornerstones of her practice. Women’s health is a huge focus of her work. She has struggled with her own health issues and is passionate about helping women regain their health, balance and quality of life. In her downtime she enjoys reading, practicing mindfulness, yoga and taking pictures of her three cats.

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