Women do need testosterone and make around 0.3 mg of testosterone daily, which is about ten times more than estrogen. The ovaries make approximately 60% of the total testosterone. The rest comes from DHEA contribution, which is made by the adrenal glands.
Testosterone is responsible for building structural tissue like bone, skin, and muscle, so women do require and produce testosterone. Testosterone maintains lean body mass, strength, and stamina; it helps increase muscle bulk and tone. Because testosterone increases sup port of the levator ani, a muscle that supports the abdomen and uro genital region and sphincter muscles, testosterone-defi cient women sometimes leak urine. Testosterone is important to skeletal health too, aiding in the formation of strong bones and thereby reducing fractures. It does so by increasing bone mineral density.
Like other steroid hormones, testosterone plays an important role in cardiovascular health. In both men and women, the heart contains the largest concentration of testosterone receptors of the whole body, demonstrating the importance of adequate levels of testosterone for the heart. Testosterone also improves blood flow to the heart.
Other vital roles testosterone plays are creating energy and regu lating the immune system. Testosterone affects hair growth. Many women with testosterone deficiency have thinning scalp hair or loss of pubic hair. They often state that they don’t have to shave their legs very often anymore and have less hair on their arms.
This hormone protects the brain too, supporting the structural integrity of the brain and assisting in the synthesis of the neurotrans mitters dopamine, epinephrine, norepinephrine, and acetylcholine. Adequate levels of these neurotransmitters encourage a sense of well-being and improve mood, help combat depression, increases energy, self-esteem, and memory. Interestingly, the brain requires estrogen for testosterone to attach to brain receptors.
Testosterone – A Summary of Research
• May decrease nearly 50% by mid-forties
• Reduces women’s fear response
• Used to treat depression
• Improves sexual response
• Builds bone
• Low levels associated with heart disease including hardening of the arteries
• May be protective against breast cancer
• May be helpful and preventive in treating diabetes
• Oral contraceptives lower testosterone
• Women may lose 70% of testosterone with removal of ovaries
• No virilizing or adverse events seen with low dosing
]]>Symptoms of Testosterone Deficiency
General Physical Symptoms or Related Conditions:
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It’s been said that estrogen can be both an angel of light and an angel of death, and it’s true. Though we tend to think of estrogen as a dangerous, cancer-causing hormone and though it’s true that too much estrogen can cause cancer, too little estrogen can also cause serious problems and some very serious symptoms! No wonder; there are estrogen receptors everywhere in your body. What you really need is just the right amount. As is so often the case, balance is the key. You need just the right amounts, and you need your estrogen and progesterone to balance each other. Most estrogens (there are three primary estrogens) are proliferatory, which causes cells to multiply, notably the breast tissue and other hormone-sensitive tissue. This growth inducing property becomes a problem when unchecked by progesterone. Estrogen is supposed to be utilized, cleared away in a few hours, and then deactivated promptly. This is referred to as estrogen metabolism, which is performed in part by the liver. The liver requires enzymes, a good supply of nutrients and sulfated amino acids such as cysteine, glutathionine, and methionine. Toxins, rancid fats, stress, and viruses hinder estrogen metabolism.
Of course, estrogen plays a big role in every woman’s life by regulating her menstrual cycle. Even before the cycles begin, it is estrogen that causes us to develop breasts and our feminine hips and thighs in puberty. It prepares the blood lining and stimulates breast tissue each month in preparation for possible pregnancy. Estrogen causes the egg to mature and creates the follicle where the egg matures. It ensures that the vaginal tissue, vulva, and cervix are developed and moisturized. Since estrogen plays a role in temperature regulation, as menopause approaches, estrogen deficiency and/ or rapid fluctuations in estrogen levels can trigger symptoms like hot flashes and night sweats, so adequate estrogen prevents many miseries associated with menopause.
Roles and Properties of Estrogen:
Reproductive system
Cardiovascular protection
Effects on the brain
Effects on glucose/insulin
Effects skin health
Effects on urogenital system
Effects on skeletal system
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Estrogen deficiency symptoms may be simply due to declining estrogen and of course very low levels. These symptoms may occur during mid to late forties or early fifties and are more likely to occur under conditions of long-term chronic stress. Women whose ovaries have been removed are also likely to be estrogen deficient unless they are on some type of estrogen replacement therapy.
We’re all pretty familiar with common symptoms of estrogen deficiency like hot flashes, night sweats, and insomnia. Because estrogen has a vasodilatory effect (causes blood vessels to dilate), fluctuations in estrogen levels can trigger headaches. The rapid dilation and constriction caused by these fluctuations can also cause hot flashes, night sweats, and heart palpitations. Estrogen deficiency often causes dry skin, dry eyes, and hair loss. Because estrogen helps with carbohydrate metabolism, when estrogen levels drop, women often crave carbohydrates and gain weight. Estrogen deficiency can cause vaginal walls to thin and dry, which can, in turn, cause painful intercourse. It can also increase susceptibility to urinary tract infections and lead to incontinence. And because estrogen regulates the menstrual cycle, it is a drop in estrogen that causes women to stop having periods. As estrogen levels begin to decline or fluctuate, a woman may skip periods, or her periods may become lighter and farther apart.
Estrogen deficiency can also cause many mental and emotional symptoms such as anxiety, depression, loss of motivation, and weepiness. Estrogen-deficient women frequently struggle with foggy thinking, poor verbal recall, and general forgetfulness. Estrogen deficiency increases inflammatory substances in our bodies which affect our brain, bones and cardiovascular health. In short, there’s just really nothing good about estrogen deficiency.
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Using Progesterone Cream
The most common starting dose of transdermal progesterone cream is 10-20 mg once or twice daily, but I have found that some women require doses as high as 40 mg or more. The need for higher amounts should be determined by lab values as well as clinical efficacy. A few women, especially those with estrogen levels on the lower end of the normal range, find that the typical starting dose of 20 mg once or twice daily is too much. Again, that perfect balance with estrogen is what we’re after.
If you are still having periods, progesterone cream is best used according to your menstrual cycle. To determine the menstrual cycle timing, always count the first day of blood flow as Day 1. There are several ways to use progesterone.
One way to use progesterone is to start on Day 12 to14 and continue through Day 26 or 28, which pretty well coincides with the luteal phase (the second two weeks of the cycle). (Some experts say to stop on Day 26. However, some women find that doing so does not control PMS on Day 27 and 28. Others find that if they do not stop the progesterone on Day 26, their periods will be late.) This approach of using the progesterone during the second two weeks of the cycle is used most often in younger, pre-menopausal women and in women desiring to conceive. Some perimenopausal women respond better to therapy when starting the progesterone on Day 7 and continuing until Day 26 to 28. With these varying suggestions, you and your health care provider can determine what is best for you.
Women whose cycles are irregular, and who consequently don’t know what day of their cycle it is, can just start any time and adjust it to their cycles once they do start a period. If you find that your period comes before Day 28, just stop the progesterone and count the fi rst day of your period as Day 1, starting over again. You can then start taking progesterone again on Day 7. You start the progesterone cream on Day 7, even if you are still bleeding. Post-menopausal women no longer having periods can either follow a three-weekson/one-week-off schedule or just take progesterone every day. For any of these situations, you will need to follow the BHRT physician’s recommendation.
One of the latest recommendations for postmenopausal women is to take a one- day-per week break from all hormones. For example, use hormones every day except for Sundays. Patients seem to like this schedule best.
Obtaining Progesterone Cream
Progesterone cream is available by prescription in any dosage from compounding pharmacists. Progesterone cream is also available over- the-counter and there are many brands available, providing doses of 20-25 mg. I often run across web sites that say OTC progesterone creams are ineffective or that the creams actually contain no progesterone. In general, these web sites are simply wrong. There are many reputable brands containing United States Pharmacopeia (USP) progesterone, which is definitely effective. If the label doesn’t list USP progesterone, don’t buy it. Wild yam isn’t really progesterone. One factor that varies quite a bit from one progesterone cream to another is the consistency of the cream base. Some bases are very thick or waxy and don’t seem to penetrate very well, while others are very pure and very easily absorbed. Even though progesterone cream is available over the counter, it is best to work with a knowledgeable physician.
Applying Progesterone Cream: Morning doses are best applied after a bath or shower (after towel drying) rather than just before bathing. Evening doses can be applied when you’re preparing for bed. Since hormone creams don’t require refrigeration, you can keep them in the bathroom. Dispense the amount the prescription label directs into your hand. Rub the cream into the application site. Normally these sites include the inner forearms (from wrist to elbow), inner thighs, abdomen, and the backs of the knees. Continue rubbing for a few moments to ensure penetration. Rotate the sites to avoid saturating the tissue in one area. Continual use in any single area may eventually saturate the hormone receptors there, reducing overall absorption. Keep in mind that any topically applied substance can remain on the skin for up to eight hours and be transferred to others by physical contact, so select application sites that will be covered by clothing. Also be sure to wash your hands before touching anyone or anything else.
Creams prepared by compounding pharmacies will be dispensed into some type of device that will make measuring the dose easy. Often it will be a syringe with a cap (no needles) that has units of measure so that all you have to do is push the plunger to the line indicating the prescribed amount. It is very simple and the compounding pharmacist should include instructions and/or be available to you by phone should you have questions.
Over-the-counter creams may come in jars, pump bottles, or tubes, which can make measuring the prescribed amount a little tricky. I would suggest that you check with your physician because what the product label recommends is a general dosage, and it may not be the amount the physician intends for you to use.
Signs of Too Much Progesterone
Though your body never overproduces progesterone, it is possible to take too much supplementary progesterone. Fortunately, any symptoms of excess progesterone disappear when the dose is reduced to its proper level, and we know of no long-term adverse effects of supplemental bioidentical progesterone. As with any hormone, either excess or deficiency of progesterone triggers symptoms, sometimes even the same symptoms. Signs that you are taking too much progesterone include bloating, drowsiness during the day, increased hot flashes and wakefulness at night. If you take way too much progesterone you could also put on a little weight or have increased appetite. As I said, progesterone in the right quantity actually alleviates these symptoms, but as is so often the case, balance is the key.
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During a normal menstrual cycle, the ruptured follicle (corpus luteum) that releases the egg begins producing progesterone after ovulation. During this luteal phase, Days 14-28 of the cycle, the corpus luteum produces 4-28 mg of progesterone per day. The exact amount varies with each woman and with each day of her cycle. Interestingly enough, a woman’s central and peripheral nervous systems also produce very small quantities of progesterone. The adrenal glands also produce progesterone as a precursor of cortisol. And during the second and third trimesters of pregnancy, the placenta produces massive amounts of progesterone (about 300 mg). Also interesting to note is that women make one hundred times more progesterone than estrogen, or at least we are supposed to do so.
Actions and Effects of Progesterone:
Gestation
Effects on Estrogen and Reproductive Functions
Skin
Cardiovascular Protection
Central Nervous System
Mineral Balance
Skeletal
Miscellaneous
Breast Cancer Protection
The good news is that bioidentical progesterone is widely available, so no woman has to be progesterone deficient.
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What do hormones have to do with wrinkles and aging skin?
Just the sound of those words can make us cringe. I don’t mind getting older at all. I am wiser. But the looking older part, well I just don’t care for that at all. We all realize and face the fact that we will age and we will get wrinkles due to what is called chronological aging. We also know that we can certainly speed up the aging of our skin from what is termed environmental aging, due to sun damage, tanning, etc. So ladies, if wrinkles and skin aging must happen, I certainly don’t want it to happen rapidly or any sooner than necessary. How about you? In this newsletter, I want to share with you insight on which hormone imbalances trigger and can accelerate what some experts call hormonal aging of our skin.
Hormones affect every single cell in our bodies so of course they affect our skin too. Hormone imbalances can also lead to more than just aging skin, they can cause: thinning skin, dehydrated, dry, sensitive skin, decreased elasticity and firmness, flushing, uneven skin pigmentation, occasional itchiness, breakouts and photosensitivity.
It is All About Collagen, Elastin, and Hyaluronic Acid
To begin, we need to review the 3 basic components that keep our skin youthful:
1. Collagen- a protein found in the skin, bone, cartilage and tendons, which acts like rope to give our skin strength and prevent sagging. After age 30, we lose 1 percent of our collagen a year. Studies show that skin loses up to 30% of its collagen over the first five years following menopause.
2. Elastin - acts like rubber bands and gives our skin elasticity and “bounce back.”
3. Hyaluronic Acid - keeps our skin plump and hydrated. Aged skin, which is less plump than youthful skin, is characterized by decreased levels of hyaluronic acid.
Our hormones are directly responsible for the production and maintenance of these three components of our skin.
Estrogen and Aging
Let’s cover the effect of hormones on collagen, elastin, and HA starting with estrogen. Estrogen is necessary for the production of collagen, elastin, and HA. The skin on our face has a high concentration of estrogen receptors, which means these receptors are meant to receive normal amounts of estrogen. Declining estrogen or a deficiency of estrogen causes less collagen and elastin production which means more wrinkles, fine lines, less eslasticity and firmness. Additionally, declining hyaluronic acid due to lower estrogen levels mean less moisture in our skin. Aged skin can appear paler because the lack of estrogen reduces the number of blood vessels in the skin affecting vascularity. Low estrogen also causes increased skin pigmentation.
What I am about to share next is not good news! A study found that the skin of women with low estrogen levels looked significantly older than their age, and those with more optimal levels looked much younger than their age. Those with the lowest level of estrogen looked 8 years older than their age and those with the most optimal levels looked 8 years younger than their age.1
I do have some good news! Several studies have shown that estrogen replacement therapy has had beneficial effects on collagen content and skin thickness. Even HRT has been shown to prevent dry skin and wrinkling, but I certainly don’t recommend synthetic or animal derived hormones for any reason. Postmenopausal women using estrogen were 1/3 less likely to develop skin wrinkles, according to one study. Bioidentical (natural) estrogen replacement has been shown to improve collagen levels and moisture content of the skin and reduce wrinkles.
Here is more good news: application of bioidentical estrogen face creams has been shown in a couple of studies to cause a marked improvement in fine wrinkles. Estrogen face cream caused increase in collagen, elastin and HA.2 ,3, Researchers in one study used estradiol and estriol face creams on women. After treatment for 6 months, elasticity and firmness of the skin had markedly improved and the wrinkle depth and pore sizes had decreased by 61 to 100% in both groups. Furthermore, skin moisture had increased and the measurement of wrinkles revealed significant, or even highly significant, decreases of wrinkle depth in the estradiol and the estriol groups, respectively. On a side note, both HRT and bioidentical topical estrogen replacement substantially accelerates skin healing in elderly humans.
Progesterone and Wrinkles
Estrogen is not the only hormone that affects collagen and elastin. Progesterone also helps prevent collagen breakdown and stimulates collagen and elastin production. Progesterone applied on the face has been studied too. Researchers found that applying progesterone cream on the face in peri- and postmenopausal women for 16-weeks demonstrated a 29% reduction in wrinkle counts and almost 10% reduction in wrinkle depth around the eyes (that would be crow’s feet), almost 10% decrease in nasolabial wrinkle depth (the smile line) and 23% increase in skin firmness.5
Phytoestrogens and Wrinkles
Phytoestrogens are plant-derived molecules that are similar to endogenous (produced by the body) hormones. Soy is one common phytoestrogen. Studies have demonstrated that genistein found in soy, may prevent sun related aging in human skin. Other studies have reported that genistein and daidzein stimulate hyaluronic acid production. One study conducted on a cosmetic cream preparation including isoflavone showed improvement in the skin dryness and wrinkles after 12 weeks of treatment.6
How do you get these hormone creams for your face?
Talk to your BHRT physician or pharmacist if you are using BHRT creams. You may be able to use your prescription on your face or your physician can prescribe one for you. You may even be able to use some over-the-counter progesterone creams on your face. Be aware that if you are using hormones on your face this will interfere with saliva hormone testing. When your doctor orders this type of hormone testing you should not use hormones on your face for two weeks prior to taking the test or check with the lab or your doctor.
Androgens and Wrinkles
Testosterone levels can decline with age or abruptly with removal of the ovaries. Since testosterone is a hormone that is anabolic (tissue building), it affects the structural integrity of the skin. If testosterone is low, the deepest layers of our skin will start to thin and sag. Thinning skin can be very noticeable on the back of the hands too. We have all seen the hands of elderly people that appear papery thin and don’t heal very fast from cuts.
Other Hormones and the Skin
Other hormones that also affect our skin are thyroid and the adrenal hormone cortisol. When your thyroid function is low, skin becomes dry and scaly. Since Cortisol is catabolic, which means to break down, elevated cortisol may also trigger more rapid wrinkling.
Prevention
We think about applying sunscreen to protect our skin. We use our day creams and night creams that claim to make us look younger. Some of us have utilized injectables and other medical procedures as a means of addressing wrinkles. There isn’t anything wrong with any of these. A woman’s got to do what a woman’s got to do! However, maybe we would spend less money on facial repair if we also focused on preventing and slowing the wrinkling process by making sure we have optimal levels of hormones. We eat right, exercise, and take supplements to prevent things like heart disease. It is much easier to hold on to what you already have, than try to try to get that youthful appearance back. So, let’s do our skin a favor and make sure it has the hormones it needs too.
1 Lancet. 1999 Jul 17;354(9174):224. Wildt L, Sir-Petermann T.
Oestrogen and age estimations of perimenopausal women.
2 Int J Dermatol. 1996 Sep;35(9):669-74. Schmidt JB, Binder M, Demschik G, Bieglmayer C, Reiner A. Treatment of skin aging with topical estrogens.
3 Exp Dermatol. 2004;13 Suppl 4:36-40. Sator PG, Schmidt JB, Rabe T, Zouboulis CC. Skin aging and sex hormones in women -- clinical perspectives for intervention by hormone replacement therapy.
4 Biogerontology. 2011 Mar 3. Emmerson E, Hardman MJ. The role of estrogen deficiency in skin ageing and wound healing
5 Br J Dermatol. 2005 Nov;153(5):1092. Schmidt, JB. Effects and side-effects of 2% progesterone cream on the skin of peri- and postmenopausal women: results from a double-blind, vehicle-controlled, randomized study.
6 Climacteric; Aug 2007; 10, 4; Health Module pg. 289 S Verdier, Sévrain. Effect of estrogens on skin aging and the potential role of selective estrogen receptor modulators.
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Most every woman I know is concerned about loosing weight or at least maintaining her waistline. Some women have faced weight issues since childhood while others find themselves struggling with weight as they move into the their late 30’s and 40’s.
What do hormones have to do with metabolism? What do hormones have to do with fat storage and weight gain?
Everything! We all know that exercise and what we eat affects our weight and the rate at which we burn calories. But what is the problem when you are eating right and exercising but not getting the results you deserve? If this is you, then it's time to consider that the hinderance could be due to a problem at a deeper level within your biochemistry: your hormones. Having worked in medical practices specializing in bioidentical hormones for the past decade, I have sat across the desk and heard countless heart wrenching stories of women’s frustrations with their metabolism. Many have fought using diet and exercise with out significant success for so long that they have just given up. Too many women struggle needlessly because they just do not know that certain hormone imbalances are working against their efforts. The good news is that the underlying hormone imbalances that trigger weight gain can be corrected.
Which hormone imbalances cause weight gain?
The answer to that is easy; any hormone that is out-of-balance can cause us to gain weight. Since it is obviously more complicated than that, I want to break it down by each hormone. As I proceed, it is important to remember that insulin is considered the fat storage hormone. Insulin is produced by the pancreas in response to a rise in blood glucose (also called blood sugar). Its function is to take nutrients from the blood stream and store them in body cells. Problems arise if we consume too much sugar or starches. If so, we must make more insulin to drive the glucose into the tissue. Also, our cells can become resistant to insulin therefore excess insulin may be circulating and guess what? We readily store fat.
How can we manage insulin?
The solutions to excess insulin and/or insulin resistance are; 1) eat low glycemic foods which means no sugar or starches, 2) try supplements that support insulin utilization (under the care of your physician) such as: chromium, cinnamon, coffee berry, acetyl-carnitine, alpha lipoic acid, fish oil, etc., and 3) balance other hormones that are associated with insulin resistance.
What other hormones cause weight gain?
Imbalances in any of the hormones including estrogen, progesterone, testosterone, DHEA, cortisol, and thyroid can lead to weight gain. Imbalances in these hormones can also trigger insulin resistance, which in turn, sets us up for fat storage. We must balance the other hormones to combat the insulin fat storing effect.
How does progesterone affect metabolism?
Progesterone is the first of the reproductive hormones that starts to change, typically declining to low levels by the mid-thirties. It plays a role in metabolism in several ways.
The solution –make sure you have a normal level of progesterone through saliva hormone testing and taking progesterone if indicated.
How Does Estrogen Affect Weight?
Estrogen also affects our metabolism. Some women think that estrogen causes weight gain and that just is not the case. However, I can see why women may get that confused. One of the side effects of HRT is weight gain. Actually an estrogen deficiency leads to weight gain. You see, estrogen increases the sensitivity of muscle and fat to insulin thereby helping lower insulin and reduce the fat storing affect of insulin. There is something estrogen does too; it helps stimulate lipoprotein lipase, which is an enzyme that breaks down fat. By the way, estrogen deficiency also triggers carbohydrate cravings. On the other hand, excess estrogen is associated with insulin problems.
The solutions – make sure your estrogen level is normal but also remember that estrogen fluctuates during the menstrual cycle. Some times you have to just modulate estrogen levels and not necessarily increase estrogen. You will need to take this up with your BHRT physician.
There is one more thing I need to say about low estrogen and weight gain. Research has now shown that women with low estrogen have higher levels of the stress hormone cortisol, which leads us to a very important part of this discussion.
What is the cortisol connection to weight gain?
Yes, cortisol can be elevated from low estrogen, but that certainly isn’t the only cause and you don’t have to have low estrogen to have high cortisol. Stress causes elevated cortisol which leads to weight gain, in particular abdominal weight gain.
In fact, deep abdominal fat contains up to 4 times the number of cortisol receptors than other areas of the body. That means the abdomen is more likely to respond to elevated cortisol. Unfortunately, the abdominal tissue responds by storing fat. What makes this even worse is that women with excess abdominal weight secrete more cortisol when stressed. Elevated cortisol also triggers food cravings. You have probably noticed that when you are stressed you want something munch on.
Chronically high cortisol is caused by stress. We know of course that stress is related to psychological and circumstantial situations, but other stressors affect our cortisol too including: blood sugar fluctuations, nutritional deficiencies, chronic bacteria or virus, chronic pain, chronic lack of sleep, food sensitivities, etc. You get it, any thing that stresses your body can lead to high cortisol.
What are the effects of cortisol on other hormones and weight gain?
Aside from directly triggering abdominal weight gain, chronically elevated cortisol causes some real problems that in turn indirectly affect our weight. High cortisol blocks every other hormone from getting into their receptors and carrying out their function.
High cortisol:
What is the solution to high cortisol?
First of all, you should have your cortisol tested through saliva testing to make sure that it actually is elevated. Your BHRT physician can help you with this. If indicated there are supplements that help lower cortisol such as: Phosphorylated Serine, theanine, rhodiola, etc. Stress reduction lifestyle changes may help as well.
What about the androgens: DHEA and testosterone?
The androgens: Testosterone and DHEA also affect our weight too. Both of them help our body utilize insulin properly so we don’t store fat. Therefore, deficiencies can cause weight gain and make it hard for you to loose. On the other hand, testosterone and DHEA can become elevated due to insulin resistance. Once again, hormone testing and balancing can address these imbalances.
What about low thyroid and weight gain?
Even a slight suboptimal thyroid deficiency can affect your metabolism since thyroid function affects the rate at which we burn calories. Doctors have different opinions about thyroid testing. If you have any of the common symptoms low thyroid function such as weight gain, low body temperature, fatigue, hair loss, low mood, dry skin, etc., you can learn more about low thyroid and thyroid testing by listening to the, “Hormone Makeover Chat,” podcast from August 23,, 2011. It is free to listen to on my website www.donnawhitehormonemakeover.com (click on the “Resources” tab, then “Chat” from the drop down menu) or you can down load it free from itunes.
Do not let your hormones hold you back!
If you have been struggling with maintaining your weight, or if you are struggling to shed a few or a lot of pounds please consider that hormone imbalance may be holding you back, especially if you are doing everything else right. If this is your struggle, get yourself a hormone makeover. You deserve the rewards of balanced hormones.
More resources for you.
I invite you to visit my website to review the symptoms of each different hormone imbalance. Click on the Symptoms tab. You can review past podcasts and down load the first two chapters of my book, “The Hormone Makeover – 7 Steps to Transform Your Life with Bioidentical Hormones”, for free. While you are there, if have not signed up for my newsletter please do so to keep up with all events and articles.
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Topics of discussion will include the hormone connection to:
· Weight gain and metabolism
· Fatigue
· Insomnia and sleep disturbances
· Low sex drive
· Bone loss
· Hair loss
· PMS
· Heavy or irregular periods
· Hot flashes and night sweats
· Anxiety and depression
· Many more frustrating symptoms
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Women will learn:
· The causes of hormone problems and when they typically occur during the course of a woman's life
· The difference between synthetic hormones, over-the-counter herbal products and bioidentical hormones
· The role each hormone plays in the body
· How to find and work with a physician
· How physicians use bioidentical hormones to correct hormone imbalance
· The research supporting bioidentical hormones
· Hormone testing
· Thyroid hormone problems
· Stress (adrenal) hormone imbalances
· Nutrients that affect hormone balance and bone building
· And much more including the solutions for hormone imbalances!
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Schedule of Topics:
We want your feed back. Tell us the topics you are interested in learning about and submit your questions. We will plan our weekly schedule based on listener input. Please share all topic suggestions and questions on the Facebook fan page.
June 21 - The Symptoms Associated with Hormone Imbalance and When They Typically Occur
June 28 - Options to Addressing Hormone Imbalances (over-the-counter products, medications, natural/bioidentical hormones)
July 5- Should You Test Your Hormones?
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About the Host:
Donna White
BHRT Clinical Educator, Author and Speaker
Donna has helped thousands of women with Bio-identical Hormone Replacement Therapy over the past 18 years by working along side physicians including Dr. Dino Kanelos, in Charlotte, NC, Dr. Larry Webster and Dr. Julius Torelli in High Point NC and currently with Deborah Matthew, MD, at Signature Wellness Center for Optimal Health in Charlotte, NC. Donna has traveled across the U.S., training medical practitioners in how to prescribe and implement BHRT in their medical practice. She has spoken at numerous medical conferences on BHRT for physicians and compounding pharmacists. Donna is nationally known women's conference speaker and author of the book, "The Hormone Makeover-7 Steps to Transform Your Life with Bio-Identical Hormones".
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