BHRT: An Overview of the Key Natural Hormones

Natural hormones are chemical messengers that bind to various receptors throughout the body from head to toe. They have such a wide array of functions that it would be impossible to name them all here as the list is virtually endless. In general hormones help us look, think and feel our best when they are optimized and balanced. They can serve functions anywhere from relieving hot flashes, to ensuring a successful pregnancy, to regulating our blood pressure, to keeping us calm and happy and everything in between. They also have a protective effect on our bodies in the long run against conditions such as osteoporosis, heart disease and Alzheimer's Disease.

Progesterone

If you have been following along you guessed right! This is typically the first hormone to get depleted in most women. It is the hormone that helps to regulate the menstrual cycle and is also essential for creating and maintaining a successful pregnancy. Most women who are progesterone deficient will almost always express concerns with insomnia and anxiety. Many women who are low on progesterone may also experience migraines, fluid retention, mood swings, depression, irritability etc. The menstrual flow may also be heavier than it should be and sometimes unnecessary cramping and/or clotting can be present. Therefore it is very helpful for treating PMS symptoms. Progesterone is also your greatest defense against neutralizing excess estrogen (i.e. protective against high estrogen) and is considered cancer protective. Many of your other hormones in your body are also derived from this all so important hormone. Unfortunately, many conventional practitioners still have challenges distinguishing the differences between progesterone from medroxyprogesterone (i.e. Provera). As a result of this conventional medicine still has not been able to see the positive health benefits from natural or bio-identical progesterone. In stark comparison medroxyprogesterone is contraindicated in pregnancy and breaks down bone, whereas progesterone is vital for a successful pregnancy and is a key factor for building strong bones!

Estrogen

This is the hormone that helps make a woman a woman! That is endowing her with breasts, hips, soft skin, menstrual periods and a higher pitched voice. To confuse people more there are many different types of estrogens in the body but the 3 main estrogens to focus on are estriol, estradiol and estrone. All 3 are important and serve different functions and ideally should be in the right amounts for proper hormone balance. Most women who are deficient in estrogen will usually experience brain fog, depression and vaginal atrophy amongst other symptoms. On the other hand if estrogen is high compared to progesterone, one is likely to experience pronounced PMS symptoms and lashing out at their partners for no apparent reason is not unusual! Excess estrogen can also cause flooding, cramping and/or clotting with the menstrual cycle. The cramping can cause much pain whereas the flooding can cause some women to become anemic. In fact the pain caused by the cramping can be so severe that some women may not be able to function properly and thus have to miss work or social outings and resort to taking pain relievers.

Testosterone

The challenge here is most women often think of this being a hormone only for men. However that is furthest from the truth as both men and women have testosterone and need it for optimal health. The main difference here is women just have much less testosterone than men! Just like any other hormone too much or too little can cause problems or symptoms to develop. If women are low on testosterone they may experience low energy, depression, less than optimal cognitive functioning, decreased exercise tolerance, decreased muscle mass, lower libido, decreased bone density etc. It is also thought that small doses of testosterone in women may also enhance the effects of other hormones in a positive manner. However, if testosterone levels are too high symptoms such as oily skin, acne, unwanted facial hair growth or irritability may develop. Testosterone often gets forgotten in many hormone balancing protocols especially in women who are in the menopausal or post-menopausal stages of life.

Dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA)

It is unfortunate that most health authorities and conventional medicine do not recognize or understand what DHEA really is. As a result many doctors are uncertain and hesitant when it comes to prescribing it. I still get clients calling me to say they have heard DHEA is banned in Canada or their pharmacist has told them there is no such thing. DHEA is a natural hormone that the body produces and is a precursor for making many other hormones in the body, most notably testosterone and the various estrogens. It is typically beneficial for individuals who are experiencing chronic stress or adrenal fatigue/exhaustion as situations like this can deplete the body of this important hormone over a long period of time. Just like the other hormones listed above it can also be part of a healthy aging protocol for both women and men as levels tend to decline with age and the change of life occurs (i.e. menopause and andropause). Most people who are low on DHEA report an improved sense of well-being, better immune functioning, better able to adapt to stress and improved energy levels when this hormone is restored to adequate levels. However an excessive amount can potentially cause acne, oily skin and irritability. From our pharmacy practice we have even had women tell us they wanted to road rage when the dosage was too high for them!

Pregnenolone

This hormone is the precursor for making all the hormones in the body including DHEA. It is at the very top of the hormone tree and has no actual hormone effect itself. It is thought by some practitioners to help with managing adrenal fatigue and also can be used as part of a healthy aging protocol. Some feel it can also help with mental sharpness and cognition. To date we have not heard of any significant side effects with its usage. It has also been brought up and it is debatable that pregnenolone supplementation may not convert the same way if the body were making it's own pregnenolone.

Cortisol

Corticosteroids are produced by the adrenal gland in response to dealing with stress. This stress could be in the form of emotions, infections, physical pain, chemicals or intense exercise. For our purposes of hormone balancing, cortisol or hydrocortisone is the main corticosteroid to deal with here. Both too little cortisol and too much cortisol can have ill effects on our health. When the body is subject to excess stress the brain releases cortisol to help you deal with the stress. If this happens occasionally your body typically can handle it as there is enough cortisol in the reserves to accommodate this. In acute stressful situations cortisol levels may be higher than normal. However, if you live a very stressful life your body will continuously draw cortisol from its reserves. If this continues indefinitely you will run out of reserve and become very ill. Consequently this hormone tends to be very depleted in individuals who have undergone a tremendous amount of stress over an extended period of time. Most of these individuals will have experienced multiple stressful events one after the other. In situations like this it is likely cortisol levels are extremely low. Working with a practitioner who is skilled with cortisol replacement therapy can help get you back on your feet while you work simultaneously on taking care of yourself both physically, emotionally and spiritually. We see both ends of the spectrum in our clinical pharmacy practice where clients have run themselves down so ragged they have almost nothing in their cortisol reserves. On the other end of the spectrum we see individuals who have problems staying asleep at night because the normal daily pattern of cortisol production has been put out of balance as a result of the excess stress. These individuals may be experiencing higher than normal levels of cortisol at night time which leads to the sleeplessness and frequent wake ups in the middle of the night.

"Your Natural Hormone Compounding Specialist"