ESTROGEN
DOMINANCE & PROGESTERONE DEFICIENCY
|
Hormone
test results |
| Recommendations
|purchase progesterone | Purchase
|
"If
so much of a woman's health depends on a consistent level of progesterone,
why does progesterone deficiency occur at (or before) menopause in Western
societies? Did Mother Nature make a mistake? Mother Nature did not make the
mistake; we did. Many plants (over 5000 known) make sterols that have progesterone producing
effects. In nonindustrialized cultures not subjected to xenoestrogens (chemicals
or food that mimic estrogens and increase estrogen levels) and whose diets are
rich in fresh vegetables of all sorts, progesterone deficiency is rare. Not only
do the majority of women in these cultures have healthy ovaries with healthy
follicles producing sufficient progesterone, but at (or before) menopause their
diets provide sufficient progesterone producing substances to keep their sex
drive high, their bones strong, and their passage through (peri-menopause) &
menopause uneventful and symptom-free.
Our
food supply system uses many processed foods and foods that are picked days,
weeks or even months before being sold. Their vitamin (especially vitamin C)
content and their sterol levels fall. We do not receive, in our food, the
progesterone producing substances our forebears did. A Lancet
article reported that the
bone mineral density of skeletons from a church in England dating back to 1729
showed better bones at all ages compared to our skeletons of today. It is likely
that both exercise and diet had something to do with that.
A
drop in progesterone can cause a concurrent drop in corticosteroid production,
leading to a whole other set of symptoms.
Progesterone is a major precursor of the important corticosteroid hormones aldosterone and cortisol, made in the adrenal cortex. These corticosteroids are not made via any other hormone pathway. They are responsible for mineral balance, sugar control, and response to stresses of all sorts, including trauma, inflammation, and emotional stress. A lack of corticosteroids can lead to fatigue, immune dysfunction, hypoglycemia, allergies, and arthritis. Not infrequently, progesterone supplementation effectively resolves these problems.
The adrenal cortex is also capable of making progesterone, principally for its precursor role in making corticosteroids, but many women are so stressed out trying to work, raise children, and be wives that by the time they're in their mid to late thirties or early forties their adrenal glands have nothing left to give. My guess is that when Western women stop making progesterone in their ovaries and their adrenal cortex and brain need to pick up 100 percent of that function to produce corticosteroids, there isn't much progesterone left over for other functions, such as balancing estrogen levels. The adrenals of many women in Western cultures are so depleted they can't even make enough progesterone to make the corticosteroids. This may be an important factor in chronic fatigue syndrome, which is so common in women in their
mid-thirties and early forties." 1
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Below are the test results of a 46 year old pre-menopausal female. She
would be described as "Estrogen Dominant" because of her extremely low
levels of progesterone. In fact, if you look closely you will see that her
progesterone level of 0.04 ng/ml is well below the lowest level of a
normal MALE (0.07 ng/ml).
This
female has all the features of "Estrogen Dominance", one of which is,
she cannot lose weight even if she starves herself. This effect is caused
by an almost complete deficiency of progesterone which would act in opposition
to the estrogens, which in her case are at normal levels.
Estrogens
tell the body to store fat for an emergency and progesterone attempts to
regulate a normal body fat level. Without balancing these opposing
hormones it is almost impossible to lose weight and feel your best.
Although
DHEA was not tested, an educated guess would be that her levels of DHEA are
about half of what they were when she was in her mid-20's and supplementation
would probably be indicated.
The
following recommendations were made by her medical
advisor:
1.
Use a USP grade progesterone supplement such as Projuvine
or Progest-E or
both to increase Progesterone levels. Use as directed!
2.
Take 50mg of USP grade DHEA orally for
two weeks and then take 25mg every other day for 2 weeks and then skip a
week. Resume 25 mg every other day for 3 weeks then recycle.
3.
Use one capsule orally of Diindolylmethane
(DIM #75) each morning. This product exerts a balancing effect on the
hormonal balance and allows weight loss to occur when dieting. Continue use
after desired weight is obtained.
4.
Begin a calorie restricted diet (or life style change) concentrating on lower
fat content foods. An overall fat content of 10% -20% is desirable. Do not
attempt a high protein diet as this approach may permanently damage your
kidneys or even cause death. A high protein diet creates ammonia as a byproduct
and if your kidneys cannot filter the excessive ammonia created by a high
protein diet then you can die and folks have. In fact, the second largest
weight-loss company some years ago went bankrupt because many of their customers
on their high protein diet plan died.
Another
kidney damaging effect brought on by a high protein red meat diet can be Gout,
which is the inability of the kidneys to filter out Uric acid. This damage
cannot be reversed and you must then take Gout medications for the rest of your
life. Not a fun situation.
5.
Re-test these hormones along with DHEA after 60 days.
6.
Keep a weight diary, or log, beginning prior to starting this program and weigh
yourself once a week upon awakening. Do not weigh daily or at different
times of the day. Do not try to lose weight rapidly. One or two pounds per
week would be excellent.
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Hormone
test results from a 46 year old pre-menopausal female taken January 2004
|
Hormone
Tested |
Patient
Results |
Optimal Range |
|
| Estradiol
Saliva (pg/ml) |
0.6
( 7:45 AM) |
Female:
Follicular: 0.5-5.0
Midcycle: 2.0-7.0
Luteal:
0.2-5.0
Menopause: 1.0-2.0
Male:
0.8 - 1.5 |
|
| Estrone-Saliva (pg/ml) |
1.0
pg/ml (7:45 AM) |
Female:
Follicular: 0.5-3.5
Luteal:
1.0-4.5
Menopause: 1.0-3.0
Male:
1.0-2.5 |
|
| Estriol, Free-Saliva (pg/ml)
|
4.5
pg/ml ( 7:45 AM) |
Nonpregnant
Females: < 10
Menopause: 20-50
Males: 5-10
|
|
| Progesterone-Saliva
(ng/ml) |
0.04
ng/ml ( 7:45 AM) |
Female:
Follicular: < 0.1
Luteal:
0.1-0.5
Menopause: 0.2-0.5
Male:
0.07-0.15 ng/ml |
|
Testosterone, Free-Saliva
(pg/ml) |
13.0
pg/ml ( 7:45 AM) |
Female:
15-35 pg/ml
Male: 75-95
PM concentrations
for Testosterone are
significantly lower
than AM concentrations
|
|
Laboratory
test was performed by Pharmasan Labs, CLIA 4 52D0914898; NY Lab PH 4 7426; EIN
39‑1841640; Medicare Provider # 89065.
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(1) What Your doctor May Not Tell You About
Menopause by John R. Lee, M.D.
