What is Hypogonadism? Hypogonadism is a medical condition which causes the male testicles to produce less testosterone, and the female ovaries to produce less estrogen. The two most common causes are referred to as primary hypogonadism and secondary hypogonadism. Primary hypogonadism is a problem directly within the testicles/ovaries which causes insufficient hormone…
What is Systemic Mastocytosis? You are certainly not alone if you haven’t heard of systemic mastocytosis. This condition is incredibly rare, impacting the lives of only 5-10 people out of 1 million. It involves abnormally large numbers of mast cells in multiple organs and other body tissues. Mast cells are…
What is Multiple Myeloma? Multiple myeloma is a relatively rare form of cancer, accounting for less than 1% of all cancer diagnoses. The disease impacts 1 in 20,000 people and is most common in those age 50 and older. Multiple myeloma is a blood cancer involving the plasma cells produced…
What is Cushing’s Syndrome? Cushing’s syndrome refers to a medical condition where your body is exposed to an excessive amount of the hormone cortisol. It affects 1 in 100,000 people and can be caused by use of oral steroids (prednisone) for an extended period of time, excess production of cortisol…
What is Hyperparathyroidism? The parathyroid glands are four small glands that sit on the backside of your thyroid. They are the watchdog of your body’s calcium levels, and they make sure that these levels stay within a tightly controlled range. This is actually a very important job since calcium is needed not…
What is Celiac Disease? Celiac disease is an autoimmune disorder which causes your body’s immune system to produce antibodies to gluten found in certain grains and starches in your diet. This leads to inflammation and damage of the small intestine where the majority of important vitamins and nutrients are absorbed….
What is Rheumatoid Arthritis? Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disease which causes your body’s immune system to mistakenly attack its own joints and other body tissues. Approximately 1 in 100 people are affected, with women developing the disease two to three times more often than men. Rheumatoid arthritis antibodies lead…
What is Idiopathic Hypercalciuria? Despite the intimidating name, idiopathic hypercalciuria is really a simple concept—it is when you release too much calcium in your urine. We don’t entirely know the cause, but it appears to be related to a complex interaction between your genetics, diet, and environment. Those with idiopathic…
What is Hyperthyroidism? Hyperthyroidism refers to any condition which causes elevated thyroid hormone levels in your body. Most often, this is caused by an autoiummune disease—meaning your body starts producing antibodies that attack the thyroid gland and cause it to produce too much hormone. Other possible causes include thyroid nodules which produce…
What is Diabetes? Diabetes is a prevalent disease affecting more than 29 million people in the United States and 382 million worldwide. It impacts your body’s ability to use glucose (sugar) as a fuel for energy and growth. Normally, food is digested and glucose is absorbed into your bloodstream. Glucose…
