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"Hormone Heresy" Sample
Written by Dr Sherrill Sellman Chapter 5 Introducing Estrogen Dominance The natural design of the body is to produce the two hormones, progesterone and estrogen, in a very sensitive and precise balance so that reproductive ability is maximized. These two hormones are closely interrelated in many ways and although they are generally antagonistic towards each other, each helps the other by making the cells of a target organ more sensitive. Estrogen isn’t really a single hormone. Estrogen refers to a class of hormones with estrus activity (i.e., proliferation of endometrial cells in preparation for pregnancy). These estrogens include estradiol and estrone, both of which are implicated in stimulating abnormal cell growth when found in higher than normal amounts in the body, and estriol which is known to be cancer inhibiting. Each type of estrogen has a different function in the body. These estrogens are produced mainly in the ovaries, although small quantities are secreted from the adrenal glands, the placenta during pregnancy and fat cells. At puberty, estrogen in a girl encourages the development of breasts and the expansion of the uterus. Estrogen contributes to the moulding of female body contours and maturation of the skeleton. After that, estrogens help regulate the menstrual cycle and plays other necessary roles to maintain bone mass and keep blood cholesterol levels in check. When excessive quantities of estrogens, regardless of source, are present in a young woman’s body they will contribute to the ‘burn out’ of her ovaries and undermine fertility. In the case of progesterone, however, we are talking about one specific hormone. Thus, progesterone is both the name of the class and the single member of the class. In the ovaries, progesterone is the precursor of estrogen. Progesterone is also made in smaller amounts by the adrenal glands in both sexes and by the testes in males. It is also the precursor of testosterone and all important adrenocortical hormones. In addition to the sex hormones, corticosteroids are also derived from progesterone. Corticosteroids are essential for stress response, sugar and electrolyte balance and blood pressure, not to mention survival.1 While estrogen is the primary hormone during the first two weeks of a woman’s menstrual cycle, fulfilling its role of preparing the endometrium for pregnancy, progesterone is the major female reproductive hormone during the latter two weeks of the menstrual cycle. Progesterone is necessary for the survival of the fertilized ovum, the resulting embryo and the fetus throughout gestation when production of the progesterone is taken over by the placenta. One of the functions of estrogen is to store the energy derived from food as fat. This is why estrogen is readily given to cattle. Since cattle are sold by body weight, the more they’re fattened up the more they’re worth. Estrogen also adds weight by increasing water retention. It’s no wonder estrogen has been so widely used in the meat industry (and a good reason to avoid all meat products that are not organically raised). Progesterone, on the other hand, turns fat into energy. Increasing progesterone levels contributes to weight loss and higher levels of energy. There is a very delicate balance between the interplay of estrogen and progesterone. If that balance is interfered with, devastating effects occur. Unfortunately, introduced synthetic hormones, as well as environmental pollutants, are presently wreaking havoc with our hormones.
Growing Hormonal Imbalances ‘Estrogen Dominance’ is a term that was first used by Dr. John Lee. For the better part of the last two decades, Dr. Lee has been exploring the basis for the proliferation of such female problems as PMS, endometriosis, ovarian cysts, fibroids, breast cancer, infertility, osteoporosis and menopausal problems. From his clinical experience in the field of female health and from his published research, Dr. Lee believes that many women are suffering from the effects of too much estrogen. He finds that stress, nutritional deficiencies, estrogenic substances from our environment and taking synthetic estrogens combined with an ensuing deficiency of progesterone are the likely contributing factors to the creation of estrogen dominance. Dr. Lee has discovered a consistent theme running through women’s complaints about the distressing and often debilitating symptoms of PMS, perimenopause and menopause—too much estrogen, or estrogen dominance. Now, instead of estrogen playing its essential role within the well balanced symphony of steroid hormones in a woman’s body, it has begun to overshadow the other players, creating biochemical dissonance. The last thing a woman’s body needs is more estrogen—either in the form of contraceptives or HRT. And when estrogen dominance symptoms appear, guess what is prescribed? Even more estrogen! The delicate natural estrogen/progesterone balance is radically altered due to this excess of estrogen. Progesterone deficiency is then exacerbated. Some of the side-effects of unopposed estrogen include an influx of water and sodium into the cells, thus affecting aldosterone production, leading to water retention and hypertension. Estrogen causes intracellular hypoxia (oxygen deprivation), opposes the action of the thyroid, promotes histamine release, promotes blood clotting thus increasing the risk of strokes and embolisms. Estrogen unopposed by progesterone also decreases libido, increases the likelihood of breast fibrocysts, uterine fibroids, uterine (endometrial) cancer and breast cancer.2
Female problems seem to be on the rise. Between 40 and 60 percent of all women in the western societies suffer from Premenstrual Syndrome (PMS). In addition, women can suffer from a whole plethora of symptoms—some menopausal and others not. Something quite alarming certainly seems to be happening to women. There are indications that the proper hormonal balance necessary for a woman’s body to function healthily is being seriously interfered with by a number of factors. When a healthy woman has her menstrual flow, it is the time of her cycle when she is making essentially very little, of either hormone. Estrogen production begins to increase about eight days after her period has started. Normally, from day 12 to day 26, there are hundreds of times more progesterone being produced than estrogen. So, if progesterone is missing, estrogen is then circulating continuously from day 8 to day 26. Essentially, if a woman has a whole month of nothing but estrogen, that woman will be estrogen dominant. Research has revealed that a good portion of women in their 30’s (some even younger)—long before menopause—will, on occasion, not ovulate during their menstrual cycle. Even though they still menstruate, they are not producing an egg. Without ovulation, no corpus luteum results and no progesterone is able to be made. This is called an anovulatory cycle. A progesterone deficiency will then ensue. The frequency of these anovulatory cycles increases as menopause approaches, changing the menstrual pattern to either a heavier or longer menstrual flow. Several serious problems can result from anovulatory cycles. This will cause her to have menopausal symptoms such as weight gain, water retention and mood swings. It used to be true that the majority of women began menopause in their mid forties or early fifties. In the last generation, however, it appears that the pattern is changing. It is now becoming more frequent for women to be experiencing anovulatory periods in their early thirties without the cessation of periods (menopause) until their late fifties. Therefore, these women have a month-long presence of unopposed estrogen in their bodies with all the attendant side effects. A progesterone deficiency can also seriously affect bones and is of great concern in the development of osteoporosis. Contemporary medicine is still largely unaware that progester—one stimulates osteoblast-mediated new bone formation. What that means is that progesterone actually stimulates the growth of new bone tissue and therefore osteoporosis can be reversed at any age. Lack of progesterone means that new osteoblasts are not created, potentially giving rise to osteoporosis.3 A third major problem results from the interrelationship between loss of progesterone and stress. When under stress, progesterone is converted into cortisol, the “fight or flight” hormone, at the expense of progesterone and estrogen. Stress combined with an unhealthy diet can induce anovulatory cycles. The consequent lack of progesterone interferes with the production of stress-combating hormones, thus exacerbating stressful conditions that give rise to further anovulatory cycles. Stress, nutritional deficiencies and chemical pollutants can all contribute to anovulatory cycles. And so the vicious cycle of progesterone deficiency continues. It is important to note that, while the problem is recognized as a progesterone deficiency, it is not always true that progesterone levels are lower than normal but they may be low in comparison to elevated estrogen levels. Nevertheless, the delicate balance between estrogen and progesterone is significantly impaired. While not commonly understood by medical science, the growing incidence of anovulatory cycles, even in young women and the ensuing hormone imbalance is creating huge health problems. Women of all ages are now at higher risk of the entire range of estrogen dominant conditions. According to Dr. Lee, many of these common health problems can be offset by increasing the level of natural progesterone in the body.
Perimenopause Menopause is not a sudden or unexpected event that occurs to a woman one day but rather a gradual process that may begin for her about ten years prior to the cessation of her periods, anywhere from the ages of thirty five through to her late forties. There are many factors that contribute to the hormonal changes occurring in her body. They include heredity, environment, lifestyle, the age at which she first menstruated, if she has given birth and if so, at what age and how many. Hormone levels are intimately connected to stress levels, nutrition and environmental toxins. Dr. Jerilynn C. Prior, researcher and professor of endocrinology at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, Canada believes that the distressing symptoms that women experience in the time leading up to menopause are in fact due to the presence of estrogen dominance in her body. Her pioneering work revealed that an alarming number of women from their mid-thirties onward are anovulatory. The significance of her findings is vital in order to understand the real cause of the many distressing symptoms plaguing women as well as the most effective ways to address the problem. Dr. Lee’s clinical observations, reinforce Dr. Prior’s findings. “Anovulatory cycles occur when for whatever reason, a women does not ovulate, therefore, does not produce a corpus luteum from which progesterone is made. Progesterone levels then drop dramatically allowing estrogen to dominate the hormonal environment. Although she is usually still menstruating, an anovulatory woman may have irregular cycles or changes in her menstrual flow. During the many months of anovulatory periods, estrogen production may become erratic with surges of inappropriately high levels, alternating with irregular low levels. These anovulatory cycles contribute to the many symptoms of estrogen dominance which include breast swelling and tenderness, mood swings, fatigue, little or no desire for sex, headaches, sleep disturbances, water retention and a tendency to put on weight. In addition, estrogen dominance interferes with the thyroid action which increases her fatigue, makes her feel cold all the time and contributes to her weight gain. The most common age for the initial stages of breast and uterine cancer is five years or more before menopause, well before estrogen levels fall but coinciding with a drop in progesterone.”4 The stressful lifestyle that has become the norm in society takes a terrible toll on women’s health. Stress is a major contributor to major hormonal imbalances. Chronic exhaustion is epidemic as women struggle to maintain a career, family and marriage. Quiet, nurturing time with herself is more a fantasy than a reality. In an effort to maintain her lifestyle, her adrenal glands are constantly pumping out hormones that were meant to be used sparingly or for “flight or fight” situations. All to often this leads them to become tired, sluggish and depleted. Dr. Lee comments on this condition. “Her body gets the message that survival is at stake. Blood sugar becomes unstable. Digestion goes awry so she isn’t absorbing nutrients properly. The ovaries respond by shutting down in favor of survival. When her ovaries shut down, progesterone production occurs only at the adrenals but they aren’t working and she’s not getting any progesterone from poor dietary habits, so she becomes progesterone deficient and estrogen dominant.”5 Bingeing on sugar, caffeine and refined carbohydrates further exacerbates the problem leading to an impaired metabolism. Toxic estrogens, known as xeno-estrogens or estrogen mimics, presently found in large quantities in the environment add to the estrogen excess. These sources include pesticides, herbicides, auto pollution, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and nonylphenols found in many detergents. Exposure to these chemicals may result in enlarged ovaries, possible ovarian tumors, breast cancer and premature “burnout” of ovarian follicles, contributing to an early menopause. Males are not immune. Xeno-estrogens can contribute to atrophy of the testes, reduced sperm counts, small penises as well as cancer of the prostate and testes. Anovulatory cycles also accelerate bone loss. Osteoporosis is the consequence of low progesterone levels since it is the bone building hormone. In combination with poor diet and lack of exercise, many women arrive at menopause with osteoporosis well under way, already having lost 25-30 percent of their bone mass.6 Unfortunately many women are inappropriately diagnosed as having early menopause and thus prescribed HRT for their supposed “menopausal” symptoms. Taking more estrogen in addition to an already excess estrogen condition can not only lead to a worsening of the symptoms but can also contribute to more serious health problems. While hormonal problems are indeed widespread and a cause for concern, they are all too often symptoms of imbalance and poor health. Through reducing stress, improving diet and other lifestyle factors, using natural progesterone and receiving guidance from qualified practitioners of complimentary medicine, the perimenopausal woman can quite naturally, safely and effectively alleviate and even eliminate her symptoms. Symptoms Caused or Made Worse by Estrogen Dominance • Allergies • Altered thyroid activity (mimicking hypothyroidism) • Auto immune disorders such as lupus and thyroiditis • Decreased sex drive • Depression • Dry Skin • Endometriosis • Excessive blood clotting • Fatigue • Fluid retention • Foggy thinking • Headaches • Heavy or irregular menses • Hirsutism (excessive hair growth on the body) • Impaired blood sugar control (hypoglycemia) • Increased body fat (especially around abdomen, hips and thighs) • Increased likelihood of fibrocystic breast disease and breast tenderness • Increased risk of endometrial cancer • Infertility • Loss of zinc and retention of copper • Memory loss • Miscarriage • Osteoporosis • PMS • Premenopausal bone loss • Reduced oxygen levels in all cells • Reduced vascular tone • Restraint of osteoclast function (ability to prevent the breakdown of bone tissue) • Thickened bile and gall bladder disease • Uterine fibroids • Uterine cramping Effects of Estrogen Dominance*
* Excerpt from Passage to Power by Leslie Kenton
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