Estrogens
- estrone, estriol, beta-estradiol
- Adult levels stimulate ephiphyseal closure
- via influences on chondrocyte proliferation and function and on bone formation
- Facilitate deposition of fat and stimulate muscle growth
- Most effective in castrated male ruminants
- improve gain and feed conversion 10-20%
- Decreases protein degradation
- SHBG Protein Binding
- More binding
- less free estrogen
- More binding
Sex, Age | Serum Concentration (pg/mL) | Total Production (pg) | ||
---|---|---|---|---|
E1 | E2 | E1 | E2 | |
Children | 12.0 | 12.5 | 26,520,000 | 16,875,000 |
Males, adult | 38.0 | 37.2 | 97,660,000 | 70,308,000 |
Females, 41 yrs | - | 400.1 | - | 540,000,000 |
Also see Dietary and Environmental Estrogens.
Progesterone
- Female hormone
- Prepares uterus for fertilized egg
Female Hormonal Regulation
- Hypothalamus regulates Pituitary
- Pituitary regulate Ovaries via:
- Follicle-Stimulating Hormone (FSH)
- increases estrogen
- peak of estrogen stimulates LH
- increases estrogen
- Luteinizing Hormone (LH)
- increases progesterone
- Follicle-Stimulating Hormone (FSH)
- Ovaries affect numerous organs in body, including Uterus via:
- Estrogen
- estrogen dominance on first half of cycle before ovulation
- Progesterone
- progesterone dominance on last half of cycle after ovulation
- clearance of progesterone at end of month
- stimulates FSH (cycle repeats)
- Estrogen
Female Cycle
- FSH
- Estrogen
- Estrogen peak
- LH
- Progesterone
- Clearance
- Cycle Repeats
Each phase is dependent upon the previous phase
Female Hormonal Defects
- Elevated Stress
- Increases cortisol
- suppresses Pituitary function
- decreases Luteinizing Hormone (LH)
- low production of progesterone
- decreases Follicle-Stimulating Hormone (FSH)
- low production of estrogen
- decreases Luteinizing Hormone (LH)
- 'Pregnenolone Steal' during chronic stress
- body favors Cortisol production
- over sex hormone production
- for survival
- body favors Cortisol production
- increased blood sugar (see below)
- suppresses Pituitary function
- Increases cortisol
- Blood Sugar Imbalance
- Increased Insulin increases Testosterone
- Increased Testosterone increases Insulin
- Problematic for female cycle
- Gastrointestinal issues
- Liver dysfunction
- backup of hormones
- Gall bladder / bile dysfunction
- problems if bile can't bind with hormones to be excreted
- Gastrointestinal (GI) dysfunction
- Constipation/Transit time
- reabsorption of hormones from large intestine
- Dysbiosis
- deficiency of healthy GI bacteria
- unhealthy metabolites may be reabsorbed into system
- Constipation/Transit time
- Liver dysfunction
Benefits of Balanced Hormones
- Hormones affect neurotransmitters
- affect mood and motivation
- Estrogen and Progesterone are neuroprotective
- help brain function and cognitive function
- reduced brain inflammation
- Balanced hormones maintain strong bones
- Estrogen
- may prevent Alzheimer's
- cardioprotective in women
- Progesterone
- helps regulate immune response
- thyroid hormones work optimally with normal progesterone cycles
Diagnostics
Get tested if you have hormonal symptoms
- Hormones
- Blood Sugar
- Adrenals
- GI Function