Bioidentical Hormone Replacement Therapy

Balancing Your Hormones

When our hormones are balanced we can enjoy a long healthy and productive life. Hormone imbalance can lead to PMS, breast cancer, heart disease, osteoporosis, prostate cancer, weight gain, endometriosis, menstrual difficulties, mood disorders and ovarian cysts. Hormone problems should not be seen as something that we should accept. Obtaining a basic knowledge of our hormones will begin the process of restoring our body’s natural synchronization.

 

Estrogens

For women:

 

Estrogens have over 400 functions in the body including the following:

 

• Aids in the formation of neurotransmitters in your brain such as serotonin which decreases depression, anxiety, and irritability
• Stimulates the production of choline acetyltransferase, an enzyme which prevents Alzheimer’s disease
• Increases concentration and improves mood
• Protects against macular degeneration and reduces your risk of cataracts
• Helps prevent tooth loss
• Helps you sleep deeply
• Inhibits platelet stickiness and dilates your small blood vessels
• Lowers your blood pressure
• Helps maintain the elasticity of the arteries and decreases the accumulation of plaque
• Decreases the LDL cholesterol and increases the HDL cholesterol
• Reduces the overall risk of heart disease by 40 to 50%
• Reduces homocysteine and lipoprotein (a) which are both risk factors for heart disease
• Increases the metabolic rate and improves insulin sensitivity
• Maintains bone density
• Increases sexual interest
• Decreases wrinkles
• Decreases your risk of colon cancer

Natural Estrogens:

Your body makes three types of estrogens

• E1 is called Estrone
• E2 is called Estradiol
• E3 is called Estriol

 

Estrone is the main estrogen that your body makes during menopause. High levels stimulate breast and uterine tissue and may be related to an increased risk of breast and uterine cancer.

 

Estradiol is the strongest estrogen and the main estrogen prior to menopause. Most is made in your ovaries. Estradiol is the estrogen that you lose at menopause. High estradiol levels are associated with an increased risk of breast and uterine cancer.

 

Estriol has a much less stimulating effect on the breast and uterine lining than estrone and estradiol. Estriol has a strong attraction for the estrogen receptors and blocks the dangerous metabolites from overstimulating the breast tissue. Estriol is the safest estrogen because it is not converted to metabolites that have been linked to breast cvancer. European women have used estriol for decades. Estriol also excels at treating vaginal and urinary problems when given intravaginally. Estriol, however, does not have the brain, bone, or heart protection of estradiol.

It is important for optimal health that your HRT be made of estradiol and estriol and not estrone.

 

Estrogens For Men:

 

Seven reasons for estrogen elevation in men (according to Eugene Shippen in his book “Testosterone Syndrome”:

1. Age related increase in aromatase activity
2. Alterations in liver function
3. Zinc deficiency
4. Obesity
5. Overuse of alcohol
6. Drug-induced estrogen imbalance
7. Ingestion of estrogen-enhancing food and environmental estrogens

When working with men’s HRT it is important to check an estradiol level. Appropriate lifestyle changes and nutritional supplements can lower the elevated estrogens.

 

Progesterone

 

Progesterone is made by the corpus luteum starting just prior to ovulation. It is a precursor hormone that can be converted by the body into other steroid hormones. After menopause, some progesterone is made in the adrenal glands. In the women’s menstrual cycle estrogen and progesterone should rise from ovulation until just before menstruation. If the progesterone is inadequate, then only the estrogen rises causing many symptoms:

• Fluid retention
• Fibroid and tumor development
• Increased cholesterol and triglycerides
• Thyroid hormone dysfunction
• Mood swings
• Excessive menstruation
• Insomnia

Progesterone’s functions are:

• Maintain secretory endometrium
• Protects against fibrocystic breasts and breast cancer
• Acts as a natural diuretic
• Helps burn fat
• Protects against endometrial cancer
• Lowers high blood pressure and cholesterol
• Helps balance estrogen
• Natural calming effect and helps you sleep
• Increases scalp hair
• Natural anti-depressant

Synthetic progesterone is called progestin and is a very different compound than natural progesterone. Natural progesterone is bio-identical to what your body makes on its own. Progestins do not reproduce that same actions and functions as progesterone.

 

The following are side effects of progestins which are contained in birth control pills, Provera and Prempro:

• Weight gain, fluid retention, bloating, and breast tenderness
• Irritability, depression, decreased energy, insomnia, headaches
• Interferes with your body’s own progesterone production
• Breakthrough bleeding
• Increases LDL and decreases HDL cholesterol
• Protects only the uterus from cancer
• Can cause spasm of your coronary arteries

Natural progesterone offers a safer approach to HRT than synthetic progesterone. If you have had a complete hysterectomy you still need progesterone for all of the positive affects it has on your body. It is important that you have your levels of progesterone measured before you begin HRT and then on a regular basis to confirm that you are on the optimal dose for you. It is important to look at the estrogen/progesterone ratio to achieve optimal hormone balance.

 

Testosterone

 

For women:

 

Testosterone is made from your adrenal glands and ovaries. As you age your levels will decline which can lead to symptoms of decreased well-being, a loss of vital energy, and reduced sexual libido.

 

Testosterone does the following functions for your body:

• Increases sexual interest
• Increases muscle mass and strength and decreases excess body fat
• Helps maintain bone strength
• Increases self-confidence, emotional well-being and motivation
• Helps maintain memory

For replacement it is important to combine testosterone with estrogen. If testosterone is given alone there will increased plaque formation in your heart vessels which increases your risk for a heart attack. If given with estrogen there will be a beneficial effect on your arterial walls.

 

Testosterone for men:

 

DHEA

 

Dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) is the most abundant hormone secreted by the adrenal glands. It is called the “mother of all hormones” because it supports and regulates the functions of other steroids in their immune system activity. The body uses DHEA to produce testosterone, estrogen, progesterone, and corticosterone. DHEA levels rise until the age of 25 and then the production sharply drops off. By the age of 70 you only make one-fourth of the amount you make earlier.

 

DHEA functions in your body to:

• Support your immune system
• Helps your body repair and maintain tissues
• Decreases allergic reactions
• Decreases cholesterol and formation of fatty deposits
• Prevents blood clots
• Increases brain function
• Helps you deal with stress and increases sense of well-being
• Promotes weight loss
• Increases sensitivity of insulin

DHEA replacement has shown to have a protective effect against cancer, heart disease, diabetes, increases cholesterol and autoimmune diseases. It is important to have your levels of DHEA measured before and after replacement: too much DHEA can lead to acne, facial hair, deepening of the voice, anger and irritability.

 

Cortisol

 

Cortisol is the only hormone in your body that increases as you age. Both cortisol and DHEA are made from your adrenal glands which also make your sex hormones after menopause.

 

Cortisol is involved in the following ways in your body:

• Stress reaction – flight and fight
• Sleep
• Protein synthesis and bone turnover rate
• Mood and thoughts
• Immune system response
• Weight control
• Blood sugar balancing
• Promotes weight loss
• Affects pituitary, thyroid and adrenal systems

Stress, high progestins, and depression increases cortisol levels which long term can lead to:

• Fatigue, irritability, sleep disturbances, night sweats
• Decreased immune system with increased risk of infections
• Increased blood pressure, cholesterol, trigyclerides, blood sugar and insulin resistance
• Shakiness between meals
• Sugar cravings
• Increased risk of osteoporosis
• Weight gain
• Muscle weakness
• Thin skin and easy bruising

All of the hormones in your body work together so if one is out of balance so will be some of the other hormones. If your cortisol is increased it decreases the making of progesterone and its activity. A high cortisol level will also make the thyroid hormone become more bound and therefore less active.