Hormone Imbalances

Hormones…many types, many functions. 

Hormones run the show, they make us happy, give us energy, and help us sleep.  Fluctuating levels can affect us in some of the following ways:

Thyroid 

The primary cause of thyroid hypofunction in the western world is an autoimmune disease called Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis.  Over time your thyroid is attacked and destroyed so it can’t produce thyroid hormone.  If you go to your provider with symptoms such as weight gain, hair loss, “foggy thinking”, you may be tested for thyroid stimulating hormone or TSH.  If it is “within range”, and it is a very big range of 0.5 to 5.0, you will be told your “thyroid is fine”.  Unfortunately, what often isn’t tested are your actual thyroid hormone levels, these are called free T3 and free T4.  When you are tested for these levels and they are low…we can use a variety of synthetic or bio-identical hormones to restore your thyroid function, and other interventions to bring down the levels of thyroid antibodies. 

Premenstrual Syndrome (PMS) & Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder (PMDD 

These conditions are due to fluctuating levels of progesterone.  Often these conditions are treated with the use of anti-depressants and oral birth control pills.  The regular use of bio-identical progesterone can alleviate these symptoms.

Source:  www.cemcor.ubc.ca

Menopause & Perimenopause

Women’s hormone levels start to drop and fluctuate in the years before menopause (perimenopause), and dramatically drop for good after menopause.  This drop and fluctuating levels of estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone can create depression, anxiety, mood swings, irritability, difficulty sleeping, night sweats, hot flashes, weight gain, changes in libido, vaginal dryness, brain “fog”, fatigue, and muscle weakness.  

Our life span has dramatically increased over the centuries, and whereas centuries ago we might have died from a dental infection before our 50’s, the average life span now for a woman is 81 years. So, we are living with the effects of low hormone levels for 30 years, or 37% of our average lifespan…how good do you want to feel?  

There are a few different ways of treating the effects of low hormones:

1. Treat with herbs, such as donq quai, or black cohosh (Remifemin), and glandular extracts. While these herbs may help with some of the symptoms, they will never raise hormone levels very high.

2. Drugs. Some women are prescribed anti-depressants to help with hot flashes, which can help reduce the frequency, but do nothing to raise hormone levels.

3. HRT. Synthetic estrogen comes in the form of Premarin (pregnant mares’ urine), and medoxyprogesterone. They can provide some relief, but are synthetic and not bio-identical.

4. BHRT – Bio-identical hormone replacement therapy. Yams or soybeans are tweaked in a laboratory to resemble the exact hormone your body produces and recognizes. The products come in the form of creams, injections, patches, pellets, pills, or tablets.

Testosterone for Males & Females

Testosterone levels peak at approximately age 18-20, and then slowly decline after that.  

We usually think of testosterone as primarily a male hormone, and the characteristics of low testosterone as low sex drive, loss of muscle mass, depression.  But women are also greatly affected by low testosterone levels with similar symptoms of low libido, depression, and fatigue.