ESTROGEN AND PROGESTERONE
Continued from page 1
The proper function of the
vagina and female bladder are maintained under the influence
of estrogen. Estrogen keeps the vagina moist and prevents the
bladder from leaking urine.
In adolescence estrogen
is responsible for developing female sex characteristics. Estrogen
causes the breasts to grow and the female sexual organs to develop.
Estrogen decreases
the function of thyroid hormone, which decreases metabolism,
which can lead to weight gain.
Estrogen also effects
the brain. Estrogen’s effect on the brain
is very tenuous. If estrogen is too high or too low, the following
may result: depression, anxiety, insomnia, decreased sex drive,
and decreased concentration.
Progesterone
Progesterone
is a hormone produced by the ovaries. It also carries messages
to other organs. The messages are directed to the same organs
as estrogen, but the messages are different Progesterone instructs
the uterine lining to stop growing and to start developing and
maturing to prepare for a possible pregnancy. Progesterone is
produced for fourteen days after ovulation. If there is no pregnancy,
progesterone decreases, which signals the beginning of menses.
Progesterone
decreases breast cell growth. Progesterone is
involved in the maturation of breast cells and decreases the
rate of
multiplication. This is important in the prevention of breast
cancer.
While
estrogen decreases the rate of bone breakdown, progesterone
stimulates cells responsible for making new bone to replace
old bone.
Progesterone
increases the activity of thyroid hormone. Thyroid hormone increases
metabolism and utilizes the fat stored
under estrogen influence for energy.
Progesterone
stimulates normal sex drive, and it is a natural
diuretic. It decreases water retention and swelling prior to
menses.
Progesterone
decreases uterine muscle contractions, which cause menstrual
cramps by promoting uterine muscle relaxation. In
the brain, progesterone binds to GABA receptors. These
receptors decrease anxiety and depression. Anti-depressants
and
barbituates bind to these same receptors. Progesterone is a
natural antidepressant and prevents anxiety.
|
|
Perimenopause: A Time of Estrogen Excess
and
Progesterone Deficiency
The balance
of estrogen and progesterone is crucial to normal female body
function. The amount of each hormone individually is not as
important as its ratio to each other. A disturbance in the ratio
of estrogen to progesterone results in many of the symptoms
of perimenopause. An imbalance may involve either too much estrogen
or too little progesterone.
Estrogen levels
are increased by failure to ovulate, as well
as by external estrogen found in animal fat, pesticides, and
pollutants. Obesity leads to elevated estrogen levels because
body fat produces estrogen. A low fiber, high fat, high sugar,
and carbohydrate diet increase estrogen levels.
Progesterone
is decreased by the lack of ovulation, which occurs more frequently
during perimenopause and permanently after menopause.
Several
articles in recent conventional medical publications have shown
that progesterone deficiency and estrogen excess define perimenopause.
Urine measurements and salivary measurements show low progesterone
levels accompanied by high estrogen levels.
The Misdiagnosis and Mistreatment
of Perimenopause
Estrogen and progesterone affect many systems in the body. The
symptoms of progesterone/estrogen imbalance are often misdiagnosed
if a physician focuses on only a few symptoms in isolation.
The irregular bleeding of perimenopause is often treated
with birth control pills. Synthetic progesterone (progestins)
controls the bleeding, but other symptoms usually become worse,
because the synthetic progesterone binds to progesterone receptors
and blocks the progesterone produced by your body. Some doctors
prescribe estrogen which can make the symptoms worse. This can
lead to a D&C (sampling of the uterine lining) or hysterectomy.
The increased breast
tissue growth of perimenopause can lead to multiple biopsies
and constant fear of breast cancer in women. This fear is not
totally unfounded, because women are more likely to die from
breast cancer when it develops during perimenopause. Suggestions
of lifestyle changes, which include exercising, dietary changes,
and the use of bio-identical progesterone, should be considered
to decrease the risk of breast cancer.
Progesterone
is responsible for new bone formation, and estrogen helps prevent
bone loss. The bone loss seen in perimenopausal women is due
to a decline in new bone formation, because of decreased levels
of progesterone.
|
