Hormone Test Results are in

[mommysunshine]

I decided to get my hormones tested and the results are in:

Estradiol saliva 0.5 (Low) Range is1.3-3.3
Progesterone saliva 54611 (High) Range is 200-3000
Testosterone saliva 75 (High) Range is 16-55
DHEAS saliva 3.1 Range is 2-23
Cortisol saliva (morning) 9.6 (High) Range is 3.7-9.5

What do you guys think?

 

[Arrowwind09]

I think you could use a little more DHEA and estradiol.
If you take those your testosterne will be adequately opposed the E and may come down.

for the cortisol you just need more rest and less worry. A B5 supplement of 500mg a day may help some. or simply some homeopathic remedies to reduce stress. Having more DHEA will help reduce stress also.

Once the doc gets you on a program you will have to be restested in a month or so.

 

[mommysunshine]

Thanks Arrowwind09! I didn't expect my estrogen to be low because there are so many phytoestrogens in my diet like flaxseed and with all the plastics in our culture and environment it seemed more probable to be estrogen dominant with low progesterone being the problem. Perhaps there's a lot of fake/unnatural estrogens from plastics in my body that won't allow real estrogens to be detected? I don't know.

DHEA seems like the magic bullet. In one of my nutrition books it stated in tests with mice their lifespan increased 50% when they were supplemented with DHEA. The hemotologist said DHEA increases testosterone in women and for me that wouldn't be good as my testosterone is high.

I'm nervous to add estrogen as there are many complications with too much estrogen. This will have to be a careful process.

I'm in the process of coming up with a high dose B vitamin complex. They're all synergistic and work together. I hope it doesn't mess things up to take several at high doses. What I've been wanting to try is what Dr. Atkins suggests for cardiovascular health: folic acid 10 mg., B12 2 mcg., B6 100 mg. Now I may add pantothenic acid as you suggested. I've been taking niacin 100 mg. 3x a day. I wonder how the heck to get the B's to balance. I don't want to cause more complications. Who does? lol

Thanks as always for being there on this health journey.

 

[saved1986]

Thanks Arrowwind09! I didn't expect my estrogen to be low because there are so many phytoestrogens in my diet like flaxseed and with all the plastics in our culture and environment it seemed more probable to be estrogen dominant with low progesterone being the problem. Perhaps there's a lot of fake/unnatural estrogens from plastics in my body that won't allow real estrogens to be detected? I don't know.

DHEA seems like the magic bullet. In one of my nutrition books it stated in tests with mice their lifespan increased 50% when they were supplemented with DHEA. The hemotologist said DHEA increases testosterone in women and for me that wouldn't be good as my testosterone is high.

I'm nervous to add estrogen as there are many complications with too much estrogen. This will have to be a careful process.

I'm in the process of coming up with a high dose B vitamin complex. They're all synergistic and work together. I hope it doesn't mess things up to take several at high doses. What I've been wanting to try is what Dr. Atkins suggests for cardiovascular health: folic acid 10 mg., B12 2 mcg., B6 100 mg. Now I may add pantothenic acid as you suggested. I've been taking niacin 100 mg. 3x a day. I wonder how the heck to get the B's to balance. I don't want to cause more complications. Who does? lol

Thanks as always for being there on this health journey.

B 12 2 mcg. I would take a 500 mcg once a month on top of that.

B-6 100 mg, way too much. Cut down to 10mg a day

You can get DHEA in 5 mg capsules (the lowest dose). I would try those for a couple months.

 

[u&iraok]

I would go to a doctor that specializes in balancing hormones and uses bioidentical hormones. Balancing is delicate.

Phytoestrogens, plant estrogens, are a weak form of estrogen so would only have a weak estrogen effect. Xenoestrogens are the chemical ones and the bad ones.

 

[Arrowwind09]

I've been taking bio-identical estrogens, DHEA testosterone and progestone for almost 4 years now. You do need to get checked periodically and more frequently in the beginning. They are made in a compounding pharmacy specifically for me. I've never had menapause.

My doc doubles the dose of the prescription then I split them and take half of that twice a day... that saves me $30 a month... before it cost $60

My doc also insists that I take lugols iodine every day as iodine will help prevent ill effects of bad estrogens. I have absolutley proven this out on myself a couple of times.. I strongly recommend it.

 

[mommysunshine]

B 12 2 mcg. I would take a 500 mcg once a month on top of that.

B-6 100 mg, way too much. Cut down to 10mg a day

You can get DHEA in 5 mg capsules (the lowest dose). I would try those for a couple months.

I meant B12 2,000 mcg a day. Did you mean 5,000?

 

[mommysunshine]

I've been taking bio-identical estrogens, DHEA testosterone and progestone for almost 4 years now. I've never had menapause.

My doc doubles the dose of the prescription then I split them and take half of that twice a day... that saves me $30 a month... before it cost $60

My doc also insists that I take lugols iodine every day as iodine will help prevent ill effects of bad estrogens. I have absolutley proven this out on myself a couple of times.. I strongly recommend it.

Are you planning on being a centurian because it sounds like you're optimizing your body to do that. Suzanne Summers has several books about the benefits of rebalancing and optimizing your levels.

Hormones are the foreman in the body telling enzymes, vitamins and organs what to do.

I'm starting to seek out answers as to why they get out of balance.....age, heredity, plastic toxins, heavy metal toxicity or other toxicity, nutrient deficiency, not methylating, brain dysfunction......maybe it doesn't matter.

I hope one day a healthy body system doesn't seem so complex to understand.

 

[saved1986]

I meant B12 2,000 mcg a day. Did you mean 5,000?

You are fine 2000 is good

 

[mommysunshine]

I would go to a doctor that specializes in balancing hormones and uses bioidentical hormones. Balancing is delicate.

Phytoestrogens, plant estrogens, are a weak form of estrogen so would only have a weak estrogen effect. Xenoestrogens are the chemical ones and the bad ones.

Phytoestrogens actually lowers estrogens in the body. Correct me if I'm wrong.
https://www.ehow.com/facts_5724663_herbs-lower-estrogen-levels_.html

 

[u&iraok]

Phytoestrogens actually lowers estrogens in the body. Correct me if I'm wrong.
https://www.ehow.com/facts_5724663_herbs-lower-estrogen-levels_.html

Phytoestrogens can act like estrogen at low doses and block it at high doses. If your estrogen level is high, phytoestrogens can be good to block the bad estrogens, xenoestrogens. But I was thinking about the fact that your estrogen level was low and that the phytoestrogens probably wouldn't be enough to cause your low levels to come up or that they wouldn't be blocking estrogen unless you ate a lot of them and a lot of the ones high in phytoestrogens like soy or alphalfa. Or maybe you are taking herbs that are high in phytoestrogens?

Many herbs have high levels such as the ones used for menopause to raise estrogen levels: red clover, dong quai, black cohosh, chasteberry, gingseng, sage. Also, licorice, fennel, nettle and milk thistle are high in phytoestrogens. People who are estrogen dominant, who have high levels of estrogen should be careful about taking too many phytoestrogens but you have a low level of estrogen. But really, not enough is understood about phytoestrogens or hormones for that matter, and phytoestrogens can act differently on different people. And I couldn't find anything that showed what was considered a high intake, enough to block estrogen.

Most of the studies have been on soy which have a high level of phytoestrogens. Also, how much of that soy is not organic and soy crops use high levels of pesticides which may be a source of xenoestrogens. Also, many soy products are highly processed which means more xenoestrogens.

How do phytoestrogens act in the body?
There are many different ways that phytoestrogens may work in the body. The chemical structure of phytoestrogens is similar to estrogen, and they may act as mimics (copies) of estrogen. On the other hand, phytoestrogens also have effects that are different from those of estrogen. Working as estrogen mimics, phytoestrogens may either have the same effects as estrogen or block estrogen's effects. Which effect the phytoestrogen produces can depend on the dose of the phytoestrogen. The phytoestrogen can act like estrogen at low doses but block estrogen at high doses. Estrogen activates a family of proteins called estrogenreceptors. Recent studies have shown that phytoestrogens interact more with some members of the estrogen receptor family, but more information is needed about how these receptors work, especially in breast cancer. Finally, phytoestrogens acting as estrogen mimics may affect the production and/or the breakdown of estrogen by the body, as well as the levels of estrogen carried in the bloodstream.

envirocancer.cornell.edu/factsheet/diet/fs1.phyto.cfm

<H1>Dietary soy supplementation and phytoestrogen levels.

Albertazzi P, Pansini F, Bottazzi M, Bonaccorsi G, De Aloysio D, Morton MS.
Source

Menopause and Osteoporosis Center, University of Ferrara, Italy.

Abstract

OBJECTIVE:

To investigate the relationship between levels of phytoestrogens in blood and urine and symptom control in postmenopausal women whose diets were supplemented with soy containing high levels of phytoestrogen.
METHODS:

Phytoestrogen levels in blood and urine were correlated with the number of hot flushes and vaginal maturation indices in 104 postmenopausal women whose diets were supplemented with 60 g of soy powder daily for 3 months in a double-masked, parallel, placebo-controlled trial. The effect of soy supplementation on menopausal symptoms in this study population was reported previously.
RESULTS:

Serum levels of genistin, daidzin, and equol were significantly higher in women after soy diet supplementation (+756%, +593%, +1008%, and 57% respectively). The concentration of enterolactone in the soy group was increased by 57% compared with baseline, but the difference with placebo was not statistically significant. The increase in phytoestrogen levels in the soy group in blood or urine did not correlate with fewer hot flushes. Vaginal maturation indices did not change in the soy group.
CONCLUSION:

Phytoestrogen levels increased in women who consumed soy supplement, but that does not fully explain climacteric symptom reduction. It is possible that other types of yet unknown phytoestrogens or components in soy other than phytoestrogen influence hot flushes

</H1>

 

[Arrowwind09]

I dont understand all the hormonal stuff either and sometimes I tend to find my mind glazing over when I try to figure it out.

Soy certianly is high in estorgens and is very dangerous for babies as in soy formula.

I know herbs can rectify some of the problems but lots of women dont know which herbs for what. I strongly recommend either saliva or blood testing to look at whats acutally happening with the herbs or at least to select the correct products if you want to go the herbal route... They have figured much out in the last 10 to 15 years... and you want to be taking the right stuff rather than sending your body on a roller coaster ride.

Homeoapthy can help with hormonal issues also and before I took bio-identicals I used Heel combo remedies to keep some of my symptoms in check.. Iodine can also help.

But in my opinion the cadilliac of care is in BHRT. This way you can balance a number of things at one time. So far Im quite pleased with results... My doc said you can take them forever if you want, There is no upper age limit... well, we shall see as time goes by how my opinions develop on that. I haven't read Summers books in total.. Just thumbed through them and read a few chapters... they looked good but were not on my priority list... guess I could get them at the library.

For anti-aging I just started protandim.. or rather my own knock off. You can read about it here and I just added to the comments yesterday: https://www.healthsalon.org/504/protandim-turn-back-the-aging-clock/

 

[u&iraok]

Arrowwind, what do you mean when you say you've never had menopause?

 

[Arrowwind09]

I had some pretty uncomfortable peri-menapausal symptoms after a life time of having near perfect cycles. Excessive bleeding. breast tenderness, moodiness etc etc with each monthly cycle. Finally when I couldnt manage it on my own it drove me to the doc.

So I started BHRT before menapause happened. My doc says I will never have menapause. She says that some woman who take BHRT actually stop the supplement for 6 days or so a month and have periods...but I can't say if they actually ovulate.. but she said it was not necessary to do this and I thought 'why would anyone want to?'. ..so I dont do that. I just take it every day.. Menapause is the result of falling hormonal levels. If you keep your levels up menapause never comes. Infertility of the ovum happens long before menapause comes for most women.... and I wonder if supplemental hormones would keep those ova alive if started earlier?

 

[mommysunshine]

Protandim has some powerful ingredients. They say we live off of 1/3 of what we eat, our doctor lives off the rest. If that 1/3 has powerful supplements like protandim, pine bark,and herbs Wow! our bodies should be happy.

But things never seem as easy as they sound.

u&irok, I'm beginning to think my body has blocked estrogen receptor sites because of such a high intake of phytoestrogens. I didn't realize my diet of a couple cups of sprouted beans (daily), miso, fennel (used it at nearly every meal), milk thistle (every meal), red clover leaf tea, flax seed, and maca could negatively affect my estrogen. I don't know what else to think.

The supplements I looked at mentioned increasing progesterone and balancing estrogen dominance. Not good for me. Estrovan was recommended to me but it has propylene glycol and other nasties in the ingredient list.

 

[mommysunshine]

"Dr. Atkins' Age Defying Diet Revolution" is on audio cassette I own. In it Dr. Atkins says to help woman with menopausal symptoms increase their estrogen they can take 30 - 60 mg. of folic acid. That pharmaceutical quantity stimulates a womans body to produce more estrogen.

With the RDA's limit at 800 mcg. for folic acid getting 30 - 60 mg. from supplementation will take a lot of pills. I wonder how his patients did with this protocol and how their overall balance with their other B vitamins did at time progressed.

I wish I could hear some testimonials.

 

[kind2creatures]

Bee Propolis for Estrogen Deficiency

I never had my hormones tested, and got through my menopausal hot flashes with Red Clover only. Here's some info about using bee propolis for those who are estrogen deficient. Thought it might be worth considering...

Here's something for those of you experiencing the symptoms of estrogen
deficiency, (post-menopause or following a hysterectomy) who are also at risk
for breast cancer (We all are, just some more than others.) Of course, it's
important for you to avoid estrogens and most phytoestrogens. Bee Propolis
offers a healthy, natural approach that's safe and effective.

Bee propolis has very powerful anti-cancer qualities AND helps eliminate hot
flashes and other symptoms of estrogen deficiency without added hormones making
it a preferred choice for women at risk for developing breast cancer.

Michelle
https://www.HolisticMenopause.com

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Here are some of the health benefits offered by Bee Propolis:

Anti-inflammatory
Anti-viral; anti-yeast (candida albicans)
Wound Healing
Immune stimulant
Free radical scavenging
DNA protection
Anti-tumour effect
Cancer cell death
Anti-metastatic activity

Here's some good information re: menopause symptoms:

As women continue to seek alternatives to estrogen replacement therapy, a large
amount of clinical trials have proven that organic flower pollen alleviates
symptoms of perimenopause and menopause. Organic Flower Pollen is a non-hormone
herbal remedy which relieves hot flushes and premenstrual syndrome (PMS). This
is great news for those women who have been seeking answers from natural and
safe pathways of health. In one clinical study, women were randomly given either
organic flower pollen each morning, or two identical placebos for three months
of treatment. The goal was to see whether the herb alleviated the symptoms of
menopause, specifically hot flushes.

The patients were asked to evaluate sixteen symptoms of menopause using
Menopause Rating Scales (MRS) at four-week intervals and on inclusion or the
study. Additionally, certain menopausal symptoms were recorded every day
throughout the study. Among those who received the organic flower pollen,
sixty-five percent responded with a reduction in hot flushes, compared to
thirty-eight percent of those in the placebo group. MRS evaluation of hot
flushes showed similar results demonstrating the benefits of organic pollen
extract. The pollen extract significantly reduced hot flushes and certain other
menopausal symptoms when it was compared to the placebo in this study.

Organic flower pollen also offers one of the safest methods of achieving optimal
health for women. This herb is made from the pollens of seven specific varieties
of organically grown flowers, which are cultivated in the southern parts of
Sweden. Highly specialized processes are then used to produce the pollen
extracts, in turn, simulating the natural pollination processes of flowers by
mixing fresh pollen and pistils. In order to ensure purity, only one type of
flower is grown in each field or greenhouse, and the pollen in the fields is
hand-collected at precisely the right time, before it is collected by bees or
carried away by the wind. A special enzymatic process then extracts the
nutrients from inside the pollen grain, leaving the hard outer shell behind.
This minimizes the allergy potential and makes the extracted pollen very easy to
absorb. Finally, each finished batch is tested to ensure the removal of
allergens.

Organic flower pollen has been researched in many clinical studies since 1991,
all of which have shown significant improvement in PMS and menopause symptoms
after only two months of continuous use. Although no known direct hormonal
effect has been found in organic flower pollen, those who use it can have the
following results: less bloating and water retention; fewer aches, pains, and
cramps; improved mood and less irritability; more restful sleep; fewer hot
flushes and less sweating; and overall improved well-being.

This herb is not bee pollen, but rather flower pollen that is harvested before
it is gathered by bees. It is an extremely nutrient-dense substance that has
been used for a long time in the treatment of many different conditions and
diseases. Pollen from one plant has an entirely different pharmalogical effect
than other pollens. Bee pollen contains an unknown variety of pollens because
the bees collect from a number of different flowers. Organic flower pollen is a
specific blend of seven distinct cultivars, each of which is organically grown
in organically cultivated fields and greenhouses.

Courtesy of https://www.BeePropolis.org

 

[mommysunshine]

My doc doubles the dose of the prescription then I split them and take half of that twice a day... that saves me $30 a month... before it cost $60

My doc also insists that I take lugols iodine every day as iodine will help prevent ill effects of bad estrogens. I have absolutley proven this out on myself a couple of times.. I strongly recommend it.

Great Arrowwind09, I love that your doctor doubles your prescription so it's more economical.

I read yesterday that caffeine can increase estrogen by 70%!!!!! I cracked up when I read it. Caffeine is good - no, caffeine is bad - no, it's good - no, it's bad. Actually, if I'm dehydrated, have adrenal fatigue or sugar metabolism issues then it's bad. But, if I'm low in estrogen it's good.

kind2creatures, thanks for the heads up on red clover tea. I purchased a pound of it from Mountain Rose herbs several months back so it's time for me to drink up. I've enjoyed it these past couple days thanks to your suggestion.

Has anyone heard of children having unbalanced hormones? I'm beginning to wonder if low hormones have been why I'm who I am - personality wise - because depression/anxiety has been a part of me from young childhood.