I have long found it very interesting to learn about the body's many hormones and have studied and also applied topical bioidentical (=identical to the hormones produced by your body) hormones onto myself after I entered menopause.
Later, I also hope to write a little about "andropause", the man's counterpart.
This interest culminated in April this year (2013), when I had the opportunity to attend a 4-day long symposium in Las Vegas, along with several hundred doctors from the United States, Australia and Canada (and perhaps there were some other countries represented too..) who were there to further educate themselves ..
An "Anti-aging" Conference, primarily about Bio-identical hormones (* I will shorten it to BIH in this text)
Every day, the lectures started at seven o'clock in the morning and lasted until at least 19 o'clock (a couple of times until 21 o'clock!). We went through over 400 pages. It is this compendium that I intend to go through again, and at the same time share some information from with you the reader.
This information is not meant to replace your doctor's advice, but only to provide you with up-to-date information, and thus take responsibility for your own body.
First, I simply want to explain the difference between Bio-identical vs. Synthetic hormones .
BIH is produced by Wild Yam, a kind of sweet potato, in such a way as to mimic the body's own hormones, and therefore rarely or never causes the many unwanted side effects that synthetic hormones can have. The important thing here is that the body's receptors should be able to recognise them fully, much like a key fits into a special lock! This conversion can only be done in a laboratory- you can not eat a lot of yams and get the desired effect!
As far as patented synthetic hormones are concerned, the plant has been manipulated (yam is also used here) in such a way that the end product gives a molecule that is
not "
natural" anymore and can therefore be patented by the pharmaceutical company and earn them huge profits.
A not bioidentical product will most likely have many unnatural side effects - such as breast cancer etc. (did you know that also men can get breast cancer).
As said before,the synthetic hormones still fit into the lock, the receptors, but the body does not really know what to do with some parts of the molecule (the changes) since they dont appear exactly the same as the ones the body produces.
With regards to other "natural" hormone preparations such as Premarin for example- they are really good! For a horse!…
Premarin consists of:
Estrone , Sodium Equilin sulfate, 17 Alpha dihydroequiline,
17 Alpha Estradiol, 17 Beta-dihydroequiline -can cause cell changes and much more(in humans) .
BIH is prescribed by a doctor or other approved physician and then a specific prescription, just for you, is made by a so-called Compounding pharmacy (USA).
What I understand there are some BIH in Sweden as well, but I have heard that doctors in Sweden are rarely aware of which ones are, and which are not.
However, "compounding pharmacies" are not found in Sweden(yet?)
Female hormone treatment
The hormones are unique to each person, just like your fingerprints. Hormone treatment should not be started without thorough knowledge of how the hormones interact with each other in the body. It has been estimated that half of the women using synthetic hormones stop using them after one year, because they can not tolerate the side effects.
Synthetic hormones waste and discard valuable energy by giving the cells incomplete messages, therefore the cells fail to respond properly and thus cannot balance the hormone system.
The experts recommend to not using synthetic hormones for more than six months (!)
but BIH as long as you need it.
Menopause
Usually, menopause begins somewhere between 35 years and 55 years of age. A woman may thus live half her life without a menstrual cycle. If menstrual cycles continue after age 55, the risk of breast cancer increases.
Menopause symptoms. Below are just a "sample" of some.
* Hot (or cold!)
* Night sweats
* Anxiety
* Panic attacks
* Mood swings
* Irritation
* Sleep disturbances
* Depression
* Pain in especially lower back
* Bloating
* Hair growth in the face
* Infections of the urinary tract
... and many more!
Estrogen
has about/ takes part in + 400 functions in the body, including the following.
- Increases metabolism
- Improves insulin sensitivity
- Helps regulate body temperature
- Helps to prevent muscle damage
- Increases skin fluid content and is responsible for skin thickness and softness
- Helps prevent tooth loss
- Assist in the formation of neurotransmitters in the brain, such as serotonin, which reduces the feeling of irritation, depression, anxiety and pain sensitivity
- Reduces the general risk of heart disease
- Increases concentration
- Preserves skeletal density ……. and much much more!
But the coin also has a backside!
It is very common with estrogen dominance
It does not mean that you have lots of estrogen in your body, but it means that it is not in balance with other hormones, such as progesterone.
Here we are not talking here about the synthetic and problematic progestin, which we will return to later).
Estrogen must also be well balanced with other hormones, not just the sex hormones.
For example imbalances in the production and levels of cortisol -another hormone, that helps us to regulate stress, among many bodily functions, has to be just right.
Symptoms of Estrogen dominance;
Cervical dysplacia - ie. cell changes of the uterus (cervix)
Fibroids are caused by estrogen dominance.
Depression with and/or anxiety
Increased risk of uterine cancer
Weight gain, around the abdomen, hips and thighs
Fluid retention in the body
Headache
Poor sleep, fatigue, mood swings
Panic attacks
Swollen breasts, swollen stomach
fibroids
Heavy menstruation (heavy and long bleeding --- progesterone is missing)
Increased risk of breast cancer
Increased risk of autoimmune disease, such as Lupus, Sjogrens etc.
Underactive /low thyroid
Causes of Estrogen dominance:
-Adding too much estrogen (whether synthetic or BIH)
-Difficulties in eliminating estrogen (eg, liver function problems)
-Lack of exercise
-The diet does not contain enough fiber (helps absorb and "sweep up" abundance)
-Estrogens from the environment so-called xenoestrogens
In the next part I will continue to write about Estrogen, because there is so much to say.
I hereby conclude by giving the name of the three most important estrogens below, which I will discuss in the next blog.
Natural Estrogen:
E1 -Estrone
E2 -Estradiol
E3 -Estriol
Live well and smart!
Barbro Kravetz
Bsc Natural Health (USA)
