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This part of the day is devoted to establishing measurements on a number of indicators of biological aging. This is important to do this for two reasons:
• We believe it is essential to fully understand your state of health, prior to embarking on any hormone -modulating program.
• By establishing a baseline, we are able to track your progress objectively.
Before actually arriving at Age Management MD for the Complete Evaluation day you will have a battery of blood tests done to assess hormones, fitness and other factors. During the Complete Evaluation day we will do the following tests to round out the picture of your biological age. Bone densitometry and body composition. Physical Therapy evaluation of strength, balance, range of motion, and resting VO2. Also a nutritional assessment, and then coaching. Taken together with the blood tests, they present a remarkably complete picture of your current state of health and vitality, whether you are in perimenopause, menopause, andropause or are post menopause.
Strength, Flexibility, Posture, and Resting Metabolic Rate
Balance, agility, stability, and reaction time all decrease with age due to a decline in both strength and conditioning. The number one reason for admission into a nursing home is a fall. Changes in hormone levels and a lack of essential nutrients contribute to this decline in physical well being. An evaluation by our Physical Therapists , is an important component to knowing where we are and what we can do to improve.
For this evaluation, you¹ll want to wear comfortable, loose fitting clothing. The evaluation is simple. You won¹t work up a sweat. And it¹s very informative.
If you like the Resting Metabolic Rate, you can arrange to return at another time and have them do what¹s called a VO2submax or VO2max (they will charge you an extra nominal fee). That will tell us at what point in exercise your body changes from aerobic to anaerobic metabolism. That¹s important to know so that you can exercise in the proper heart rate range to accomplish what you want. You can exercise to burn fat, or you can "push the limit" to increase speed and exercise tolerance or indurance.
The time for these tests is no more than 45 minutes; it¹s fun, and you get a chance to move around a little.
Muscle Strength
An exercise, using different muscles is used for this test. We measure muscular strength by finding out the maximum weight you can lift for approximately 10 to 12 repetitions. First there is a brief instructional period where you will be shown the proper technique for the motion; once you are comfortable with it, you will perform the test.
Studies have shown that after the age of twenty we lose approximately 1/2 pound of lean muscle every year. Human Growth Hormone, testosterone and other appropriate hormones and supplements help rebuild your lean body mass, thereby gradually increasing your strength over time. Performing the arm curl test before treatment establishes a baseline strength level and lets us measure your increase in strength over time.
Lunar Densitometer
This is another test which will be done prior to coming to the clinic. It is easily and painlessly administered by another Doctor. The Lunar Densitometer and body composition examination is easy: You lie back and let the instrument do the work! The Lunar Densitometer will perform the following two tests:
Total Body Scan: This test provides us with total-body bone density, total body fat percent, and lean mass.
AO Spine Scan: This test scans your lumbar vertebrae to determine bone density for that area, one of the most important regions for detection of osteoporosis.
Mirror Image (recommended but optional)
This is a series of fourteen digital photographs of your body (face, torso, and legs from various angles), taken to help follow your progress through the Age Management MD process. These photographs are for Age Management MD use only, and will be kept strictly confidential. To best assess your baseline measurements and body shape, as well as track your future progress, we need to obtain an unobstructed view of your shape; therefore we ask that women wear a two-piece bathing suit (or a "jogbra" type top and bikini style bottoms) and that men wear shorts or a bathing suit that is neither excessively baggy nor tight.
Diagnostics A Basis For Comparison
Age Management MD repeats all the diagnostic tests on an annual basis to provide objective comparisons wherever possible. Diagnostic tests allow you to know where you are when you start, and to track your progress on our programs. Age Management MD programs are designed for results. While our diagnostic testing documents your physical improvement on paper, an equally important measure is how you feel.
If You Chose the Neurologic Chronometric Assessment (NCA) Option...
If you chose the optional NCA as an addition to your Complete evaluation, this assessment enables our physician to measure and monitor your cognitive processing speed and efficiency with regard to short term or working memory as well as early detection of disease, such as Alzheimer¹s. This testing and resultant therapies improve cognitive function.
Coming soon will be a new test which can measure brain speed, memory, and look for any form of brain dysfunction. This will be an inexpensive, and important, add on to the usual battery of testing. This will be very superior to the NCA testing. This device is under development, and is not yet available. Dr Lee is serving as a consultant for this valuable, important, cutting edge technological improvement.
If You Chose The Disease Risk Profile Option...
If you chose the optional Disease Risk Profile as an addition to your Complete evaluation, your Age Management physician will discuss with you the results of this highly sophisticated assessment of 30 fatty acids and 5 clinically significant ratios. Maintaining a proper balance between the various families of fats is probably one of the most positive and proactive measures a person can take to reduce the likelihood of developing the "chronic diseases of civilization", such as diabetes, heart disease, obesity, irritable bowel syndrome, and auto-immune disease. The testing and resultant therapies have even helped some of those who already have these diseases.
If You Chose The Oxidative Stress/ Anti-Oxidant Profile Option...
If you chose the optional Oxidative Stress/ Anti-Oxidant Profile as an addition to your Complete evaluation, this profile will enable your Age Management physician to objectively look at evidence of a patient¹s level of oxidative stress damage and at intracellular levels of specific antioxidants. Oxidation damages the body¹s tissues; therefore, the body¹s repair rate never quite keeps pace with the rate of damage. Antioxidants act to prevent oxidative damage to cells and have consistently been shown to prevent or lessen declines in cognitive function. This specialized test can measure factors and give us objective measures to use to specifically guide an individual¹s supplementation regimen. This information is important to have because it is becoming more apparent that an excess of certain nutrients can be as harmful as too little. Again, this testing allows us to be much more precise in our recommendations.
Remember: If you did not choose either the Disease Risk Profile or the Oxidative Stress/ Anti-Oxidant Profile, you can always choose to add these additional tests during any one of your follow-up blood draws. If you did not choose the Neurologic Chronometric Assessment during your Complete Evaluation, you can always choose to add it at your annual follow-up Complete Evaluation.
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