Leann Poston, M.D. – Invigor Medical

What Causes a Lack of Energy and How Do You Increase It?

October 17, 2022

A lack of energy and motivation has many causes and consequences. Sometimes it even becomes a vicious cycle. Low energy and motivation may cause you to feel lazy and out-of-sorts, which certainly provides no motivation to make a change. Having no energy is debilitating. Lack of energy and motivation leads some people to turn to unhealthy health habits such as alcohol or drug use. About 6.6% of U.S. adults (16 million people) are using prescription stimulants, and about 5 million of them...

The words "boost your immune system" and a stethoscope.

Immunosuppressant Drugs: Common Medications and Tips for Boosting Your Immune System

October 13, 2022

Immunosuppressive drugs are medications and therapies that block the function of part of the immune system. These medications are lifesaving when treating autoimmune disorders or after organ transplants. However, suppressing the immune system puts people at greater risk for infections. Many people have sought ways to boost their immune systems, but so far, research has not supported this possibility. The immune system is a complex system of organs, cells, and chemicals. It has so many...

The 10 Most Common Causes of Hair Loss

October 8, 2022

Alopecia, or hair loss, can be localized or diffuse, reversible or permanent, limited to the scalp or widespread, and caused by scarring or not. Everyone sheds 50 to 100 hairs daily, but as you lose more, patchy areas on the scalp or hair thinning becomes more obvious. Alopecia has several subtypes according to the various causes. In this guide, we will consider the top 10 most common hair loss causes. Age The three phases of hair growth are the same for everyone: anagen (growth...

Anti-aging Medicine: What Is It and Does It Work?

October 2, 2022

The aging process is the same for everyone, but how fast it occurs depends on genetic and environmental factors. Scientists compare populations that age slowly with those that boast large numbers of centenarians to gather clues about the aging process and how to slow it. As your body ages, it loses its ability to adapt to your environment.1 The life expectancy of humans has almost doubled in developed countries over the past century. However, longer life spans mean an increased prevalence of...

woman eating a donut in front of a refrigerator.

9 Reasons for Increased Appetite in Women

September 9, 2022

A sudden increase in appetite may indicate a medical condition or the need to make dietary or lifestyle adjustments. Increased appetite can cause uncomfortable stomach cramping and burning, headaches, and symptoms of low blood sugar. Most people can go several hours between meals, but some people experience constant hunger. Excessive hunger is a sign that your body needs more energy, but it can also lead to weight gain and changes in body composition if you consume more calories than your...

5 Benefits of Exercise for Aging Adults

September 6, 2022

The over 65 population in the US is expected to double by 2030, reaching about 20% of the population. The prevalence of osteoporosis, type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and some cancers increases with age. Body composition also changes with aging due to a 5% to 25% decrease in resting metabolic rate, which leads to increased body weight and body fat even when diet and exercise habits are unchanged.1 Testosterone, a sex hormone with both androgenic and anabolic properties, and growth...

The word "brain food" surrounded by healthy food.

8 Best Foods for Better Brain Health

September 4, 2022

It is hard to prove that foods boost brain function, but there is a lot of evidence that nutrient deficiencies can cause cognitive delays, oxidative damage to brain cells, decreased cellular energy, increased inflammation, changes in immune function, increased depression and other mood disorders, and hasten the aging process. Many groups are working on getting aging and the chronic diseases associated with aging to be recognized as a disease. While aging is a natural process, there is...

Best Ways To Prevent and Treat Age Spots

September 4, 2022

Age spots (also called solar lentigo or liver spots) and wrinkles are signs of a lifetime of accumulated skin damage. Skin aging is a complex process determined by internal and external factors. Age spots are flat brown, gray, or black spots that appear in sun-exposed areas, especially the face, back of the hands, shoulders, and back. Age spots appear when excess melanin-producing cells clump in the skin. They are usually oval, round, or irregular, a few millimeters to a few centimeters in...

What Is DHT’s Role in Male Baldness?

September 2, 2022

Androgenetic alopecia is a common and treatable and sometimes reversible form of hair loss. Its cause is thought to be a genetic sensitivity of the hair follicles to dihydrotestosterone (DHT), a hormone essential for male sexual development that is also thought to cause miniaturization of the hair follicles. DHT is a contributing factor to both male and female pattern hair loss. An extremely common condition, androgenetic alopecia affects about 50 million men and 30 million women in the U.S....

Why Is My Hair Falling Out? You Could Just Be Shedding

August 26, 2022

Everyone sheds about 50 to 100 hairs each day. As hair goes through its growth cycle, it is completely normal for hair follicles to go through a resting phase and shed hair. However, when excessive hair is shed, it may indicate that your body is under stress and is conserving energy by not supporting hair growth. While the three phases of hair growth are the same for everyone—anagen (growth phase), catagen (transition phase), and telogen (rest phase)—the length of these phases and the percentage...

Text: Are you suffering from depression?

Signs of Depression in Men: What to Look Out For?

August 25, 2022

Anyone can experience depression, but the signs and symptoms vary among people. For example, some people express sadness, while others show anger or frustration. Women tend to be more expressive and willing to seek help for depression than men. However, men sometimes have more physical symptoms that are associated with depression. While men and women may experience and express depression differently, making blanket statements about any group of people is inappropriate and can be harmful....

35 Best Foods to Eat Before Sex

August 24, 2022

Your libido fluctuates over time, and many environmental and personal factors contribute to this. While reducing stress, ensuring you get enough sleep, managing anxiety, and treating depression and any chronic health conditions are more likely to influence your libido than the foods you eat. There are some potential connections, and these foods are likely to improve your overall health, in addition to your sex drive and stamina. Sex involves a coordinated response between the nervous,...

9 Easy Ways to Boost Your Immune System When Sick

August 21, 2022

The immune system is a complex, hard-working, and life-preserving organ system. Many of its cells, enzymes, chemical messengers, and hormones are involved in complex chains of chemical reactions that require nutrients, vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, fats, and amino acids to function properly. So while you can’t boost your immune system, i.e., you can’t make it better than its physiology and immune potential, you can support its function. The immune system is a system with...

11 Ways to Lose Belly Fat For Men

August 19, 2022

Losing belly fat is a common weight-loss goal. Where you carry fat is more important than how much fat you carry. Visceral fat, also called abdominal fat or organ fat, is metabolically active, has a more direct connection to the liver, and is a major risk factor for cardiovascular disease, abnormal lipids, insulin resistance, fatty liver disease, and type 2 diabetes.1,2 Subcutaneous fat is fat located under the skin. It is more visible but less harmful to your health. Hormones and genetic...

How To Increase Male Libido: 7 Methods

August 18, 2022

Low libido describes a decreased interest in sexual activity. Low libido may be pervasive or only occur with a single partner. It may be episodic or persistent and may indicate an underlying medical or psychological condition. Most men experience a decreased libido at some point in their lives. Testosterone is involved in every aspect of the male sexual response. However, low testosterone is not usually the reason for a low libido. Instead, relationship, psychological, and environmental...

Low Libido in Women: Causes and Treatments

August 18, 2022

Low libido is the lack of desire to have sex. It is your sex drive. Having periods of low libido is very common, but if it is persistent, a physical, psychological, or relationship issue is likely affecting your desire. Low libido can be pervasive or only with a single partner. It can also be episodic or persistent. Low libido may have a single cause, but it is more likely to have a combination of underlying causes. There is no normal sex drive because libido varies between people and even...

Minoxidil Side Effects: What Are They?

August 17, 2022

Topical minoxidil is available over the counter and is used to treat hair loss. Minoxidil was initially developed to treat ulcers, but it was not effective. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved it as a blood pressure medication in the 1970s. About 20% of people taking oral minoxidil to control their blood pressure had increased hair growth (hypertrichosis), which led to developing minoxidil as a medication to treat hair loss. Due to its serious side effects, the oral form of minoxidil...

Erectile Dysfunction: Causes, Symptoms and Treatment

August 16, 2022

Erectile dysfunction (ED) is a common, treatable medical condition. Almost all men will have an episode of erectile dysfunction at some point in their lives. But just because it is common, does not mean it should be taken lightly. ED can be an indicator of a more serious medical condition and, if left untreated, it can lead to relationship and psychological issues. ED affects approximately 30 million men in the United States,1 with nearly a quarter of them under the age...

13 Medications That Can Cause Hair Loss

August 16, 2022

Hair loss is not life-threatening, but it can be distressing, especially when you don’t know what’s causing it. Some medications cause hair loss. Depending on the medication’s effect on the hair follicle, hair can thin or come out in clumps. While many medications can cause hair loss, not everyone who takes the medication experiences this side effect. A wide range of medications can cause hair loss. In some medications, such as some chemotherapy drugs, hair loss is an expected...

Amazing Benefits of B12 Injections

August 15, 2022

You may be vitamin B12 deficient and not even know it! Vitamin B12 deficiency is common and underdiagnosed. In the United States, one in five people over age 40 and 6% of people under age 40 are thought to be B12 deficient.1 In most people, B12 deficiency is mild, and therefore the symptoms may be nonspecific.2 Supplementing vitamin B12 or taking vitamin B12 injections, when your body is low on this key nutrient, can restore your energy and provide other health benefits. What does...

Author: Leann Poston, M.D.