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Estrogen’s primary message for reproductive tissues, in men and women, is ‘‘D ivide, divide, divide; don’t bother fully developing, just keep dividing.’’ An extremely rapidly dividing, poorly developed cell is a cancer cell. Uncontrolled and elevated estrogen levels edge us in the direction of breast, ovarian, uterine, prostate, and/or testicular cancer. BI O I D E N T I C AL H O R M O N E T R E AT M E N T S - I N FO R M AT I O N A decrease in hormones at menopause can create a wide variety of health problems --- many of which you cannot feel, but are critical to your well being: o D epression & irritability, fatigue o Low sex drive, libido o C ardiovascular disease o W eight gain and decreased muscle tone o M emory loss and foggy thinking o Insomnia & sleep disturbances o H air thinning and loss o Bone loss - O steoporosis o C ancer o Acne W e recommend a full ‘‘intake’’ interview and salivary testing prior to initiating hormone replacement in order to correlate symptoms and accurately recommend individualized treatment. R eproductive H ormones: Both men and women produce estrogen, progesterone and testosterone. M en produce more testosterone; women have higher levels of progesterone and estrogen. Estrogen : E1/E2/E3 E2 or Estradiol, is the strongest of the three estrogens and has the greatest effect on maintaining bone density. E1, or Estrone, is the second strongest and the most potentially carcinogenic form of estrogen. For women, the ratio of estrone increases after menopause, contributing to increased breast and uterine cancer rates for post-menopausal women. E3 or Estriol, is the weakest of the three estrogens, and potentially the most protective against reproductive cancers. W omen who give birth before age 30 and breastfeed their children have a higher ratio of E3/estriol later in life. Estrogen stimulates cell division in the uterus, vagina, ovary, breast, and prostate cells. Estrogen blocks the activity of osteoclasts, cells that break down bone, thereby maintaining bone mineral density. In addition, estrogen stimulates nervous system activity and enhances libido. Estrogen D eficiency and M enopause: Low estrogen levels can contribute to vaginal dryness, hot flashes, irregular menstrual cycles, mood changes and decreased libido. Estrogen D ominance: an increase in estrogen activity as progesterone precipitously drops during peri-menopause may be associated with PM S; anxiety; headaches, weight gain; fluid retention; hypertension benign prostatic hypertrophy (BPH ); and reproductive cancers. Progesterone: ‘‘Pro’’ means ‘‘in support of,’’ and ‘‘gesterone’’ refers to gestation; thus, ‘‘progesterone’’ means ‘‘in support of gestation.’’ It is the hormone that soars during pregnancy, helping to maintain the lining of the uterus and stimulate nerve production and maturation in the fetus. D uring the monthly menstrual cycle, progesterone slows and maintains the lining of the uterus; slows and promotes maturation of breast cells; calms the nervous system; and enhances libido. Progesterone also helps stabilize blood sugar levels and relaxes blood vessel walls. Low progesterone levels contribute to insomnia, anxiety, panic attacks, dysglycemia, hypertension, PM S, infertility, and altered thyroid and adrenal function. Progesterone serves as a building block for stress-related hormones (cortisol and cortisone) as well as testosterone and small amounts of the three estrogens.Progesterone also helps the body more effectively utilize thyroid hormone. Testosterone Produced primarily in the male testes and the female ovary, testosterone is an anabolic (growth-inducing) hormone. For men at the time of puberty, testosterone increases muscle mass; bone mineral density and sebum production (contributing to acne) T estosterone promotes hair facial and body hair growth and red blood cell production. In addition, testosterone increases overall metabolism by 5 --- 10 percent. For both men and women, testosterone increases libido. C hanges in hormones change our lives. Something can and should be done to restore and rebalance healthy hormones. Adrenal Hormones – Cortisol C ortisol, produced in the adrenal glands, affects the activity of several other hormones, including insulin, aldosterone, thyroid and D H EA. C ortisol regulates fat, protein and carbohydrate metabolism, with the aim of maintaining blood sugar levels within a very narrow range. Progesterone: In late perimenopause and menopause, progesterone levels drop to almost nothing. T estosterone: U nless a woman has had an oophorectomy (surgical removal of the ovaries), testosterone levels usually remain the same or increase after menopause. If the ovaries are removed, testosterone levels drop by 50% depending on the amount made by the adrenal glands. . C ortisol modulates immune system response, with physiological levels moderating inflammation and excessive cortisol levels suppressing immune function. C ortisol modulates heart contractility and blood pressure. H igh or low levels of cortisol can affect moods and sleep. Physical or psychological stress and disease processes may disrupt normal adrenal function. In early stages of stress, cortisol levels are elevated; with prolonged stress, cortisol levels drop. For women, changes in cortisol production can contribute to PM S, infertility, menopause or other female disorders. T oo much or too little cortisol production can lead to a host of conditions, including dysglycemia, obesity, chronic fatigue, fibromyalgia, depression, anorexia nervosa, PT SD , panic disorders, and many chronic illnesses. 526 Bryne Drive Barrie Ontario DHEA, DHEA-S (Dehydroepiandrosterone) 705-735-0639 D H EA is a metabolic hormone that serves as a building block for estrogen and testosterone in the adrenal glands and D H EA has hormonal characteristics of its own. T he adrenal glands (just above the kidneys) produce almost all of the D H EA-S in the body. W omen experience the greatest decrease in D H EA production between 50 --- 60 years of age which is a correlated with decreased immune function and age-related diseases, chronic illnesses, thyroid disorders, obesity, decreased sex drive, chronic fatigue, rheumatological disorders, insomnia, and depression. Because D H EA is a precursor to testosterone, D H EA levels should be tested if testosterone levels are low. Excessive cortisol production or corticosteroid therapy will lower D H EA levels. HORMONE CHANGES WITH AGE Estrogen drops 40 --- 60% in menopausal women compared withtheir reproductive-aged levels. Hormone replacement best suited for women: • • • When periods are becoming irregular or just stopped (age 45-55) Less than 5 years post menopause No personal or direct family history of breast, uterine or ovarian cancer Why Salivary Hormone Testing? Salivary hormone testing measures unbound, or free, hormone levels in the body, unlike serum based hormone testing. Salivary hormone testing accurately reflects the active and unbound hormones which are biologically available to their receptors in target tissues. T he ease of sample collection allows for accurate timing to obtain samples at critical intervals throughout the day, yielding more accurate results than blood testing. Since hormone levels may vary during the day or during the month, multiple saliva specimens can be collected, conveniently offering precise measurement. If you are currently taking hormone replacement, including birth control then you are asked to discontinue the medication for 12-24 hours prior to salivary testing.