Your ability to lose weight is based on many individual factors. In a similar manner your weight loss program must be tailored to your individual body chemistry. At the Lee Clinic, your program is developed and monitored by a physician. Your first visit includes the physician taking an in depth history, then (as indicated) the following lab tests may be ordered:

Thyroid evaluation, particularly Free T3 and Free T4. Optimal weight loss occurs when the Free T 3 is in the upper third of normal.

• Saliva testing- evaluating the sex hormones and cortisol  Reasoning- if you are “estrogen dominant” (which means you have too much estrogen, unopposed by not enough progesterone) the estrogen makes fat and fat makes more estrogen which becomes a vicious cycle. The saliva is also tested for cortisol. If your cortisol levels are elevated, this can cause insulin resistance which then causes weight gain. Patients with low cortisol levels crave sugar in order to maintain their blood sugar levels which of course prevents weight loss. We use Access Lab for testing because they are able to   test for dihydrotestosteron (DHT). This level is important to know as it is responsible in women for hair loss and in men it is important to know for prostate evaluation.
• Low cortisol levels can also indicate adrenal insufficiency.
  Human Growth Hormone – low growth hormone can be related to difficulty in losing weight. HGH if it is low, as we age, is a source of weight gain.  There have been recent developments in providing HGH  In the 1990’s when I prescribed it to patients the cost was $1500 per month forthe 5 day per week injections.  The price for the injections is now approximately $500 per month A break through is  Secretoin Rx, an alternative to GH, which is a secretogogue that you spray under your tongue at night. .  You must have quarterly lab tests and office visits along with yearly physical exams.

• B-6 and B 12 levels are often tested as well
  A regular exercise regime is essential to any weight loss program. Walking three times a week for 30 minutes is a good start. Sometimes it takes the correct hormones, thyroid and cortisol levels to get a person in a positive mood to start an exercise program. If you exercise for at least 3 weeks you will get “hooked” on the sense of well being that being more fit gives you.

After the test results are in, each patient is seen by Dr. Lee to go over the results in detail and a prescribed program is initiated to “rebalance” the hormone levels (if indicated). Lab work is repeated at 6 months, but many patients report a difference in energy levels within the first month. For example, when a patient who has low thyroid levels may not have the energy or desire to begin an exercise program. However, once the thyroid levels improve, your energy levels and the desire to begin a healthy routine also improve.