When we take supplements that are found naturally in our bodies, or in common foods, these are called "endogenous". You should take such supplements for the rest of your life. All natural hormones are, of course, endogenous. This would include testosterone, pregnenolone, DHEA, melatonin, estradiol, estrone, estriol, T3, T4, progesterone, growth hormone, androstenedione, and cortisol, Read the Balance Your Hormones article.
When we take supplements that are not found in our bodies, or in common foods, they are called "exogenous". You can only take these for about 6 to 12 months, then will no longer work for you. Nearly all medicinal herbs are exogenous and will only help you temporarily.

Some examples of endogenous supplements we can take for the rest of our lives would also include all vitamins and minerals, since these are found in common foods. There are only 13 vitamins and about two dozen minerals we are known to need. Some permanent supplements that are endogenous would include beta-sitosterol, beta glucan, quercetin, soy isoflavones, food enzymes, DIM, FOS, acidophilus, glucosamine, PS (phosphatidyl- serine), L-glutamine, acetyl-L-carnitine soy isoflavones, flax oil (omega-3s), N-acetyl-cysteine (NAC), lecithin, FOS, CoQ10, and lipoic acid.

Everyone is biologically unique. Some people cannot use carnitine (or acetyl-l-carnitine, or propionyl-l-carnitine), or carnosine as they are animal proteins. Some people cannot use flax (or fish) oil, DIM, PS, TMG, or NAC. Sometimes people can use these for years, and then develop a negative reaction. You can tell if your estrone and estradiol rise and you gain weight and suffer from gynecomastia in men and breast growth in women. Just test your estrone and estradiol with a ZRT kit. They should be 0.5 and 1.3 respectively. That is the lowest of the range. Low E1 and E2 are good for both men and women.

Some people will not benefit from exogenous supplements. Some may actually be biologically incompatible with them. This includes nearly any medicinal herb. Examples would be Gingko biloba, boswellin, milk thistle, ginseng, nettles, golden seal, barberry, aloe vera, black walnut (ellagic acid), coltsfoot, fenugreek, tumeric (curcumin), mugwort, chaste tree, sarsaparilla, and others. Experience has shown that after about six months of regular use, they simply are no longer effective. After that you are wasting your time and money. In fact, you may even find a negative side effect if you keep using an exogenous supplement. Curcumin, for example, is a fine and proven supplement, but you simply cannot keep taking it after about six to twelve months. It will no longer be effective. Culinary herbs such as thyme, rosemary, cumin, nutmeg, parsley, oregano, basil, cloves, ginger, horseradish, caraway, mint, etc. would be considered exogenous as well.
If you want to know which supplements are scientifically proven to be effective, please go to www.youngagain.org and read my booklet The Supplements You Need. There are also articles in our free library on this. Anyone over the age of 40 should read Serious Supplement Program. Those under 40 only need about 8. Read the Supplements for Younger People article. Read my book Macrobiotics for Everyone. Men can also read The Natural Prostate Cure, and women can read Natural Health for Women.

You will be infinitely better off spending a hundred dollars or more every month for these proven natural supplements and hormones than you will for an overpriced health insurance plan. Health plans only help you symptomatically after the fact. PREVENTION IS YOUR BEST PROTECTION, and not some after-the-fact hospitalization coverage you pay too much for. Diet is everything, and no amount of supplements and hormones will make up for poor diet and life style. Read Don’t Buy Health Insurance and Be Your Own Doctor.