Balancing Hormones

I talk about ‘balancing hormones’ all of the time. But what does that mean?

For a female of reproductive age we might think we’re talking about the balance between oestrogen and progesterone. But it’s not just that, we’re talking about the whole Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Ovarian (HPO) axis, and how the hormones work together – GnRH releases follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) and luteinising hormone (LH), to ripen eggs in the ovaries and eventually release them, this process supports production of oestrogen, progesterone and inhibin. The hormones themselves are made from pregnenolone, another hormone, which is made from cholesterol (and you thought cholesterol was bad for you??) Pregnenolone is also converted to make DHEA, testosterone, DHT, and cortisol. If we’re not making enough we can experience low libido, joint pain, muscle pain, fatigue, poor memory, poor response to stress and reduced attention span. Sound familiar?

If ovulation is not occurring (so if you’re on the pill, or in late-stages of perimenopause, or have other health issues, even suffering chronic stress), the process of making progesterone in the discarded corpus luteum doesn’t happen. You might be irritable, or have trouble sleeping.

Oestrogen dominance can be because of lower levels of progesterone, or it can be because you’re making excess oestrogen, or you’re not getting rid of oestrogens due to poor gut health, constipation, poor liver detox capacity, external oestrogen-like molecules that seep out of plastics and non-organic foods or might be in the water supply, chronic stress, or genetic factors.

Testosterone, produced in the ovaries while they’re active, helps with bone strength, cognition, mood, libido; if it’s high as seen in PCOS, you may experience acne, and hair growth on places like the chin/jaw.

These hormones are all carried in blood by sex-hormone-binding-globulin (SHBG) – and if this is low then this leaves more unbound hormones, and so they’re able to be more active.

Prolactin is another hormone to add to the list, when it’s higher it is associated with breast pain, low libido, menstrual irregularities. Prolactin can be increased by stress, sleep disruption, vitamin D deficiency. Interestingly, prolactin opposes dopamine – if one is high the other is low.

All of the above are affected by hormones produced in the Hypothalamus-Pituitary-Thyroid (HPT) axis: Thyroid Releasing Hormone (TRH), Thyroid Stimulating Hormone (TSH), T3 and T4, and Reverse T3 (RT3).

They’re affected by hormones in a gut-brain-liver axis, where insulin and glucagon are in action balancing your blood sugar levels.

And they’re all affected by your stress hormones produced in the HPA–axis (Hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal), namely adrenaline, noradrenaline, cortisol, corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH), adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH).

So when I talk about ‘balancing hormones’, it can be quite a complex picture!

THIS is why I need to spend time playing Detective when you come to see me. THIS is why we look at diet, digestion, stress, sleep and also everything from immune system to skin issues to dental care when you come to see me. You may have been dealing with hormonal issues for years, maybe since your teens, and tried a million and one things. THIS is where seeing a Nutritional Therapist can uncover factors you haven’t even considered, and can start the healing process.

female hormones - hormone balance