Healthy hormonal rhythms require much more than just the proper production of estrogen and progesterone. Many systems are involved to insure this highly, fined tuned monthly process occurs smoothly. Unfortunately, all too often, women are misled into believing their hormonal symptoms are normal (i.e. PMS), or instructed to wait until after menopause to see if changes occur (e.g. will her fibroids shrink?). Often women  receive pharmacological hormone therapy for a myriad of dysfunctions (without proper laboratory monitoring) that may provide temporary relief but mask the underlying causes.

The majority of female hormonal dysfunctions are not a production problem but can be attributed to the inability to metabolize estrogens effectively. Once estrogen is released into the system it seeks out the appropriate tissue cells. It attaches itself to the cell surface at a specific location known as a receptor site. This site will allow only estrogen to “dock”, thus sending its signal into the cell to carry out its function. Following this activity, estrogen is then relegated for detoxification by the liver. Here it goes through a three step process to be broken down to inactive components. Then it is stored with bile in the gall bladder until it is released into the digestive tract for elimination through the feces.

If any of these steps are impaired, the breakdown and/or the elimination of estrogen is incomplete. Some of the yielding by-products can actually be very harmful (they are implicated in reproductive cancers as well as bone, brain and intestinal cancers), can re-circulate and cause inappropriate signaling at the cell sites thus causing aberrant cell function (pain, cramping, flashes), or overburden the detoxification system because they have to yet be broken down and eliminated again. Determining imbalances in digestive function and detoxification capacity is essential to correct any hormonal imbalance.

A few other key factors must be addressed. Two intricately related compounds insulin and cortisol have a tremendous influence on estrogen regulation. When we pursue a lifestyle that is out of balance with our individual needs, both these substances are produced outside of their healthy range. This results in many physiological alterations that directly impact estrogens. Some major ones are:

   *Increased obesity which acts as a secondary site for estrogen production

   *alter receptor site function

   *possibly increase testosterone production

   *decrease detoxification capacity

   *increase inflammatory response (involved with all pain signals)

Modification of lifestyle including dietary changes, exercise programs, balance of work and play, examination of personal relationships, possible historical psychological influences, and related supplementation regimen are important components of any plan oriented to restore healthy hormonal balance. Other strong agents compounding this situation include environmental toxins, especially those known as xenoestrogens (approximately 15,000-20,000 exist). These are estrogen-like compounds that aggressively stimulate cell activities without any regulation and are extremely difficult to detoxify and eliminate. Research is now verifying that these substances are directly responsible for some of the precocious development we see in pre-adolescent girls and increased development of hormonal disease, including cancer.

By correcting the previously mentioned systems, allows the body to more effectively remove these poisons and insure greater hormone balance.

Once the aforementioned priorities are addressed properly, then judicious use of physiologically based hormone application may be extremely beneficial. At this point it will not be masking any underlying influences but will be administering to any deficiency in hormone production.

There are times when hormone usage is indicated before taking all these steps. Also, not every problem is related to estrogen metabolism. Each of these specific situations can be revealed via a detailed patient intake and concurrent laboratory testing. Feel free to inquire with your practitioner.