The majority of my practice focuses on hormonal health – ranging from issues at puberty, with fertility, thyroid disorders, PCOS, endometriosis, irregular periods, perimenopause and menopause. I wanted to explain some of the common pitfalls in treating hormonal issues which can save a lot of time in assessment and treatment.
(1) Test hormones at the correct time, or interpret levels according to the cycle day
It’s not uncommon for women to bring in hormone testing, but they were not instructed to do testing on a certain cycle day. Random levels are rarely useful. If you are menstruating, your hormones fluctuate significantly through the month, so it is important to do testing at the right point in your cycle to make the readings relevant.
Typically for a woman who is still cycling, hormones are tested on day 2 or 3 to check for fertility, perimenopause, menopause, PCOS, or premature ovarian insufficiency. Tests that are typically done at this time include FSH, LH, estradiol especially.
The second date for testing is mid-luteal phase, which is day 21 if you have a 28 day cycle, or earlier / later if you have a shorter or longer cycle. Testing at this point in the cycle would include progesterone and estradiol. This will catch the peak progesterone level, and relatively how much estrogen is produced at this time.
Also, the reference ranges for hormones are extremely large, and it is actually rare for a level to be out of range. I base my assessment on optimal ranges for fertility at each cycle time.
(2) Assess thyroid function based on more than TSH value
Yes, the TSH is valuable in assessing thyroid health, and can indicate the presence of hypo- or hyper-thyroidism, but this is not the only lab result to look at for a thorough assessment.
A full thyroid panel includes TSH, free T4, free T3, Thyroperoxidase antibodes and Thyroglobulin antibodies, and sometimes reverse T3 as well. When all values are looked at, you can learn how well the thyroid is working, how the body is converting T4 to T3, and whether there is an autoimmune condition present. Usually the additional assessment is necessary to optimally treat any type of thyroid dysfunction. (If you are on thyroid medication, but still have thyroid symptoms, read more here).
(3) Check for metabolic stress in the hormone assessment
Metabolic stress is caused by either under-eating calories, restricting carbohydrates or fats, extended fasting, or over-exercising. All of these patterns cause significant hormone imbalance, ranging from missed or irregular periods, infertility, or hair loss, fatigue and weight fluctuations. A key marker that suggests metabolic stress is a low free T3 level in the bloodwork, with normal TSH and T4. The body is literally trying to slow down your metabolism in response to restriction. As trendy as low-carb, ketogenic diets and intermittent fasting are right now, for many women they can create hormone imbalance. (Learn more about intermittent fasting and hormones here; and overtraining syndrome here).
(4) Don’t rely only on fasting glucose and HbA1C to assess blood sugar regulation
Yes both fasting glucose and HbA1C are the most accurate tests to diagnose diabetes, there are additional tests that can show issues with blood sugar balance and and regulation before diabetes develops.
A simple test for fating insulin can often indicate insulin resistance, of the gold standard test of an insulin-glucose challenge. Other markers that indicate issues with blood sugar imbalance include a low level of sex-hormone binding globulin, and high triglycerides. (Read more about insulin resistance here).
(5) Remember the gut – important for estrogen dominance, PMS, painful periods and endometriosis
One surprising fact that you may not know is that your hormones and your menstrual cycle are influenced by your gut, specifically the balance of bacteria called the microbiome. One thing that I learned years ago, is that the quickest way to get relief from annoying PMS symptoms such as bloating, irritability, acne, mood swings, food cravings and more, is to go straight to the gut flora first. When the microbiome is out of balance, it contributes to estrogen dominance which can exasperate PMS, painful periods, heavy menstrual flow and endometriosis. (Read more about the gut and estrogen dominance here).
(6) Take a close look at alcohol intake
High alcohol intake (more than 4 drinks per week) can affect hormone balance, and aggravate PMS, perimenopause mood issues, menopausal hot flashes, and especially sleep quality. Remember that your hormones are first processed and detoxified through the liver, and when the liver is stressed there will be more hormonal symptoms. Women in their perimenopause and menopause years tend to be most sensitive to alcohol.
(7) Consider screening personal genetics before prescribing hormone replacement therapy
The first criteria in checking for safety with hormone replacement (including bioidentical hormones) it to check or a personal or family history of breast cancer or other hormonal cancers. After this however, there are certainly more safety checks. We can look at the liver detox pathways that will metabolize hormones to see if there are any issues with clearance. Slow detox pathways can potentiate the effect of the hormones and increase risk of hormone-sensitive cancers as well as other side effects.
To simplify, looking at each of these pathways gives an idea of whether a woman will be able to detoxify extra hormones well, or whether the hormones may be creating additional risk based on slow pathways. (Learn more about using personal genetics for your health and hormones here).
(8) Addressing stress levels for any type of hormone issue
I always consider stress as the amplifier – wherever there is an imbalance in hormones, persistent high stress will make it worse. It can affect fertility, perimenopause, endometriosis, PCOS, menopause, irregular periods, luteal phase issues, thyroid disorders, and more. Stress levels can be assessed by testing hormones – blood levels of cortisol and DHEA, or detailed saliva or urine panels to measure the cortisol rhythm. (Read more about how living in stress-hormone overload impacts your health and hormones here).
(9) Always consider hormone replacement for women entering early menopause
There are many good reasons to strongly recommend hormone replacement therapy for women who have started menopause early (before the age of 52). Hormone replacement can reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease (1), reduce the osteoporosis (2), support brain health & cognition (3), and reduce the aging affects of low estrogen. Before beginning hormones, it is important to screen for risk factors for breast cancer or other hormonal cancers, as well as blood clotting disorders or migraine with aura.
(10) Remember that all systems in the body communicate
From a naturopathic and functional medicine perspective, all systems in the body interact and communicate. One of the biggest mistakes people make in treating hormonal issues is to start with the hormones. You will get longer-lasting, and permanent changes if you begin with overall health: – nutrition, sleep, exercise, stress, liver detox pathways, gut function, emotions, and correct imbalances here first. This follows the principles of treating the underlying cause of first. The underlying cause of a hormone imbalance is typically not a lack of hormones or over-production. It is more likely caused by issues with detoxification, gut health, blood sugar imbalance, poor nutrition, or too much stress.
What’s Next?
I hope this short article has shown you some of the ways you can better understand your hormones, and get straight to optimal treatment of hormonal issues. If you would like to learn more about your individual case, you can book in for an appointment anytime.
Book an appointment with Dr. Darou online. Contact us: 416.214.9251, admin@drdarou.com www.darouwellness.com
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