SPECIFIC FEMALE & MALE HORMONES
ESTROGENEstradiol
Produced mainly by the ovaries and is the main and most powerful estrogen hormone.
Estrone
Most associated with menopause, it is made in the adrenal glands and ovaries and is derived from body fat.
Women with more fat tend to have more estrone and thus less menopause symptoms. However, there can be higher levels of estrogen in women with breast cancer.
Estrone's function is similar to estradiol but it is weaker.
2-hydroxyestrone can prevent cancer and cell proliferation.
16-hydroxyestrone can cause cell proliferation and cancer.
Estriol produced in the ovaries and the placenta during pregnancy. It is the weakest of the estrogens. Estriol is a breakdown product of Estradiol and Estrone. It seems to be the safest of all the estrogens.
PROGESTERONE
Progesterone comes from cholesterol and is important during the second half of the menstrual cycle. Progesterone is just as important as Estrogen to a woman's body. Progesterone helps support balance between other hormones like estrogen, testosterone, cortisol, blood sugar and the thyroid hormones. It even supports healthy bones and studies have shown it to help reverse osteoporosis.
There is an abundance of evidence that supports progesterone protecting a woman from female type cancers. Progesterone can be taken orally or in a transdermal creme which makes the hormone easily absorbed into the blood stream and utilized.
Note: not all progesterone cremes are bio-available, they need to have the USP seal on them.
DIHYDROEPIANDROSTERONE (DHEA)
DHEA is produced by the adrenal glands and the ovaries. It can be converted by the body into estrogen or testosterone. DHEA can help the immune system, bone health, improve sexual interest and function, increase energy, enhance memory and overall wellness. Low levels can lead to degenerative diseases. DHEA should only be used when cortisol levels are not low.
TESTOSTERONE
Testosterone is a steroid hormone from the androgen group. It is mostly produced in the testes of males and the ovaries of females, although small amounts are also secreted by the adrenal glands. It is the principal male sex hormone and an anabolic steroid. When testing for proper testosterone levels it is also important to test for DHEA levels.
In men, testosterone plays a key role in health and well-being as well as in osteoporosis. On average, an adult human male body produces about forty to sixty times more testosterone than an adult female body. Testosterone levels are usually low in boys and then increases during puberty but starts to decline when men reach age 40 and becomes even less in older men.
In women, the ovaries account for half of the testosterone in the woman's body. Women have less testosterone in their bodies compared to men.
Testosterone plays an important role throughout the body in both men and women. It affects the brain, bone and muscle mass, fat distribution, the vascular system, energy levels, genital tissues, and sexual functioning.
PREGNENOLONE
Made from cholesterol, pregnenolone is a natural steroid hormone produced mostly in the adrenal glands. Pregnenolone is the precursor (building-block) for all other steroid hormones. It is converted directly into DHEA and/or progesterone. DHEA converts to testosterone and estrogens; progesterone converts to estrogens, cortisol, and aldosterone. It is this succession of conversions that makes human life possible. Benefits are memory enhancement, mood elevation, anti - aging, increased energy and stress reduction.
SOME HELPFUL BOTANICALS AND VITAMINS
Black Cohosh contains a natural precursor to estrogen (i.e., the body uses these elements as raw materials to produce its own hormones and only in the amount it needs)
Chasteberry (Vitex agnus-castus)
Chasteberry is a favorite herb in Europe, proclaimed to "work wonders" for all menopausal symptoms. Pharmacological studies have indicated it works mainly through the pituitary, our master gland, which regulates all other glands, including those that produce sexual hormones. Chasteberry contains estrogen- and progesterone-like compounds.
Siberian Ginseng
This herb is a hormone balancer for both men and women, improves stamina and energy levels. Contains progesterone and testosterone precursors, as well as an anti-carcinogenic.
Evening Primrose Oil & Borage Oil
These beneficial fatty acids contain precursors of prostaglandins, important to the proper functioning of every cell in your body. They can aid in hormone balance, reduce breast tenderness and menstrual pains.