Hormone imbalances are becoming more and more common, not only in females but males as well.  More couples are turning to infertility drugs as a means to get pregnant.  The clinical definition of infertility is the “failure to become pregnant after 1 year of unprotected intercourse”.  It affects 10-15% of couples.  Male infertility is around 25%, while female is 58%.  It’s really important to support both partners when doing nutritional interventions.  However, sources of female infertility include: amenorrhea (can be caused from multiple things, the most common is HP axis dysfunction from birth control use), tubal defect, endometriosis, and others.  Fertility treatments fall into 3 categories:  Medicinal, surgical and assisted reproductive technology(ART) such as invetro fertilization and Intrauterine insemination (IUI).  ART in particular can get up to 30,000 for treatment with only a 1 in 4 chance of it working.   IUI has an average success rate of 5%, while fertility drugs have a 7-16% success rate.  Seems like a HUGE expensive for such low success rate.  And this leaves females feeling like they are a “failure” because they can’t procreate.

ENDOCRINE BASICS

• Glands are regulated by the hypothalamus – pituitary axis (This system is dys-regulated by birth control use)

• Negative feedback system – proper communication is essential for hormone balance!
• Immune and endocrine systems are very closely intertwined
• common endocrine disease are linked to
  • dys-regulations of the immune system
  • decreased tolerance of the immune system
• Functions of hormones
  • growth and differentiation
  • maintenance of homeostasis
  • reproduction

Our hormones are secreted in rhythms.  This rhythm is engrained in our bodies, but this rhythm can be affected by multiple different things.

• Seasonal changes
• light-dark cycle
• sleep, meals and stress *****  #1 factor

Lets go back for a minute.  Lets talk about what happens before puberty.
There is an age prior to when a woman starts her period, around 6-8 years old.  At this age the hypothalamus becomes more active, and sex characteristics start to form.

Now, puberty-
The average age is 9-15.  Pituitary hormones have influences on the ovaries, and ovulation starts to occur.  Reproductive maturity takes about FOUR YEARS.  Normal cycles begin to become normal as the HP axis coordinates.  If there is already dys-regulation in this system, then the adolescent is going to have an increase in symptoms.  Excessive bleeding, cramping, acne, headaches, ect.  Now, typically the western way of dealing with any female imbalance is to what?  Give birth control.  Here’s the issues with that.  First, as I’ve already explained it takes a long time to mature the female cycle.  Secondly, you are giving synthetic hormones.  When you give any gland hormones, the actual gland stops functioning.  It’s like it’s taking a vacation.  The hypothalamus and pituitary as well as the ovaries don’t have to work anymore because there are hormones coming in.  This makes the issues worse.
In particular, women after taking birth control for years, and then trying to get pregnant.  This being because this system has been inactive, but also because synthetic hormones deplete the woman’s body from key nutrients such as B vitamins and anemia.  If you are having infertility problems your body is trying to tell you something!  It is not healthy enough to harvest a human.  Pumping with more hormones never fixes the issues and this is why so many infertility treatments fail. If that signal isn’t there to stimulate more hormone production then just giving more and more synthetic hormones is NOT going to turn it back on.

Birth Control Side Effects:
-increased risk for blood clots and stroke
-increased risk for certain cancers
-affects metabolism of nutrients
-tends to weaken immune response, increased allergies and yeast infections
-increases depression or alters moods
-decreases bone density over time
-makes fertile women temporarily infertile

Let’s go back to some anatomy for a minute.

First off, hormones need fat to synthesize.  If your cholesterol and good fats are low, chances are you will have some hormone imbalances.
Also, hormones are stored in the fat cells, so losing weight can increase your chances of getting hormone balance.
Healthy fats resynthesizes receptors, thats why it’s important to keep up with your Omega 3,6,9s.

Lastly, your hormones circulate in your blood by hitching a ride with proteins.  99% of our hormones are bound to proteins, and <1% are in the free state for us to use.  These free state hormones will elicit a biological response, and feedback is then given back up to the HP axis for proper regulation.  This is one reason testing blood levels of hormones isn’t accurate.  It can only test the “bound” levels.  But we don’t want to see the “bound” we want to see the unbound, because those are the ones that elicit responses.  This is why saliva testing is the most accurate form for determining hormone imbalances.
-Liver disease and certain medications can influence protein binding levels.

THERE ARE MANY CONDITIONS ASSOCIATED WITH DYS-REGULATED HORMONES!
And, I’m not going to go through them all in this newsletter.  However, I will give some basic tips on how to control some of these imbalances.

The most common is coming from estrogen dominance.  This is because estrogen is all around us!  non organic food, air, beauty products, plastic bottles, ect.  Having so much estrogen can also down-regulate the receptors and can cause symptoms of deficiency, because when their aren’t receptors, the hormone isn’t used.   THIS IS COMMON IN MEN AS WELL!

Symptoms of estrogen deficiency:                                            Excess estrogen
-hot flashes; night sweats                                                       -water retention, bloating
-insomnia                                                                                -weight gain
-mood swings, depression and decrease ambition                 -HEADACHES/MIGRAINES
-dry skin, eyes and sinuses                                                    -cystic breasts;lumpy breasts
-vaginal dryness                                                                     -depression, irritability, anxiety and anger
-more frequent UTI’s, incontinence                                        -decreased libido
-HEADACHES/MIGRAINES                                                  -insomnia
-decrease libido                                                                     -LIVER AND GALBLADDER CONGESTION
– increased wrinkling                                                             -symptoms of hypothyroidism (estrogen                                                                                                               -suppresses thyroid stimulating hormone)
-blood sugar instability, increased sugar cravings

There are also many symptoms of excess progesterone, progesterone deficiency, excess DHEA, and DHEA deficiency, testosterone deficiency and excess (yes women can have excess).   This is for another topic and for a variety of different conditions including PCOS, endometriosis, ect.

STEP 1
CLEAR OUT THE SYSTEM.
Your liver is where you clear the hormones.  If it is already congested because of excess estrogen, (most everyone), it needs some help.  Any hormone imbalance needs a cleanse before supporting anything.  You need to start at a blank slate.  I like to use the 21 day purification program.   Many women have become “fertile” after just doing this step. Even after spending thousands on fertility drugs. It really is amazing, once you clean all the junk out. I recommend the males doing the cleanse with the females, because most likely they are toxic as well.  Fertility goes both ways! If you are on birth control, this cleanse won’t be of much help to you because you are still taking synthetic hormones, and dys-regulating the system.  Stop taking birth control.

STEP 2.
BALANCE THE RHYTHM.
Remember, the rhythm can be influenced by stress, sleep and diet.  Give some stress and adrenal support. Many cycling issues can resolve or improve with appropriate adrenal support.  It is essential for all fertility cases.  It is also essential for male production of testosterone.  As I mentioned in a previous newsletter this is key for menopausal symptoms as well.

STEP 3
SUPPORT THE HP AXIS.
Particularly for women who have been on birth control, you need to start to turn on that system again, because it has been shut off for years. Most hormone cases take a minimum of 3 months to start to normalize.  So be patient.  And women think ahead if you are planning to have a family.  Keep your body healthy.  Remember if you aren’t getting pregnant there is a reason.  Your body is not adequate at that time to support growth of a human.

STEP 4.
THYROID INFLUENCE.
Cycling irregularities are 3X more common with hypothyroid females.  Iodine is essential for proper thyroid function.  One study showed that 24% of the women with infertility tested had hypothyroidism, and of this percentage 50% had adrenal issues.

Some other tips for other conditions.
ENDOMETRIOSUS- under the microscope it looks like a fungal infection.  Reduce the inflammation, get rid of yeast overgrowth.  Give immune support and adhesion support.

PCOS- Decrease the high levels of testosterone with adrenal support and herbs.  Decrease insulin resistance.  Gymnema is an awesome herb for this.  Ovarian support is key as well as adrenal support.

FIBROIDS- reduce high estrogen, do the purification, as well as other steps mentioned.

PMS- mood and adrenal support is key.

MENORRHAGIA (excess bleeding)- chaste tree is awesome for this, and ovarian support.  Uterine and iron support as needed for anemia.

ACNE- especially pubescent boys, are deficient in zinc.

ON BIRTH CONTROL- if you are on birth control, you definitely need support.  You are most likely really deficient in B vitamins, and can even have a B vitamin anemia and stomach acid irregularities.  IF you don’t need to be on birth control my advise is don’t.  There’s so much support out there naturally for symptoms of menstruation.

There is so much else, but these are basic steps.  I hope I did not overwhelm you.  There is just so much misconception with the hormone realm.  Always always support the glands so that they can do the job of producing what they are supposed to produce.  If you just give synthetic substances, the issues will never normalize.

For me, in my office hormone regulation is really key for my chronic headache/migraine cases.  Not only does it disrupt the cranial bone movement, but it also is a source of pain.  This is often the original source of many women’s migraines.

That is all for now. 
Wishing you all a happy and healthy week.

Dr. Hamel