Véronique Liesse
Let’s take a look at a few hormones whose deficiency or excess can speed up the aging process.
This list is not exhaustive.
- Oestrogen: Not just a sex hormone! If any hormone can fight aging in women, its oestrogen! In addition to its known role in reproduction, oestrogen is also important for keeping the skin hydrated, plumped and elastic. It also has an antioxidant effect and protects our insides from oxidation. Soya and clary sage are two examples of what nature has to offer for a mild oestrogenic effect. Remember that the most important thing is to have balanced oestrogen and progesterone levels, as the latter is also an important anti-aging hormone.
- Testosterone for great muscles and a clear mind. This sex hormone, though more prominent in men, still plays an important role in women. Though it is well-known for its influence on the libido, sex organs and sexual features, people are less aware of how it affects bone density, muscle mass, skin quality, cognitive function and motivation. A lack of testosterone can make your muscles waste away, as well as your hair and your memory, it can make you gain weight and make your skin crumpled. None of this will help you stay looking young! If you want to avoid these effects, make sure you get enough zinc, vitamin D, vitamin C and vitamin A. Serenoa Repens is one of the best herbal medicines for boosting testosterone.
- Insulin. This hormone’s main function is to maintain normal blood sugar levels by enabling blood glucose to enter the cells. When insulin becomes less efficient, glycaemia (glucose in the blood) increases for the long term. This glucose can “caramelise” the blood proteins, which leads to the formation of toxic components that accelerate aging. Zinc, vitamin D, omega 3, magnesium and cinnamon are some of the nutritional solutions that can help us correct this situation. Make sure you sleep properly and get some exercise, which are both vital for maintaining proper blood sugar levels.
- Cortisol is an essential anti-inflammatory, but we tend to have too much of it. Cortisol is a two-sided hormone. It is vital for getting us up and out every morning and has a great anti-inflammatory effect. However, it is also the hormone of chronic stress and we tend to have too much of it. Our lifestyle puts us all in a state of chronic stress, so much so that we become immune to its effects, which can affect our immunity and speed up aging. Stay calm and learn to manage your cortisol levels, namely by taking enough magnesium and vitamin C.
Aging is a normal process that nobody can escape. But our hormones rule our lives. Maintaining them at optimum levels – physiologically and naturally – enables us to stay in shape, hormonally-speaking, slows down endocrine decline and reduces any potential deficiencies in order to keep us young, even when we’re old.
Véronique Liesse is a nutritionist, dietician, micro-nutritionist and author of several books. She is a veritable expert in the field of child and teen nutrition, sports nutrition, micronutrition and life coaching. She has a practice in the Thermes Marins Monte-Carlo, is a member of the Scientific and Educational Committee and teaches a university degree in Health, Dietetics and Physionutrition (Grenoble University) and at Cerden®. She teaches preventative health in companies and has her own YouTube channel, L’Healthential.
