Liver Overload & Estrogen Dominance

Liver overload & Estrogen Dominance

Anything that impairs liver function or ties up the detoxifying function will result in excess estrogen levels

Harvard physician John R. Lee M.D.

Overloading the Liver

The liver is a filter of sorts. It detoxifies our body, protecting us from the harmful effects of chemicals, elements in food, environmental toxins, and even natural products of our metabolism, including excess estrogen.

Anything that impairs liver function or ties up the detoxifying function will result in excess estrogen levels, whether it has a physical basis, as in liver disease, or an external cause, as with exposure to environmental toxins, drugs, or dietary substances.

Estrogen is produced not only internally but also produced in reaction to chemicals and other substances in our food. When it is not broken down adequately, higher levels of estrogen build up. In like manner, the estrogen dominance syndrome can be evoked in women by too much alcohol, drugs, or environmental toxins, all of which limit the liver's capacity to cleanse the blood of estrogen.

Environment

We live in an estrogenic or feminizing environment.

Certain chemicals in the environment and our foods, one of which is DDT, cause estrogenic effects. Although banned in 1972, DDT, like its breakdown product DDE, is an estrogen-like substance and is still present in the environment. Chlorine and hormone residues in meats and dairy products can also have estrogenic effects. In men, the estrogenic environment may result in declining quality of sperm or fertility rates. In women, it may lead to an epidemic of female diseases, all traceable to excess estrogen/deficient progesterone.

Anything that impairs liver function or ties up the detoxifying function will result in excess estrogen levels Harvard physician John R. Lee M.D.

 Estrogen Dominance

Estrogen is not a single hormone. It is a class of hormones and hormone like compounds that have estrogenic properties.

There are human estrogens, animal estrogens, synthetic estrogens, phytoestrogens, and xenoestrogens.

The three human estrogens are estradiol, estrone, and estriol, and belong to the steroid hormone family.

"Estrogen dominance" is a term coined by Harvard physician John R. Lee M.D. It describes a condition where a woman can have deficient, normal, or excessive estrogen but the body has little or no progesterone to balance its effects.

Signs and symptoms of estrogen dominance include:

Speeds up the aging process Weight gain around middle Allergies Autoimmune disorders Breast cancer Breast tenderness Cold hands and feet as a symptom of thyroid dysfunction Decreased sex drive Muscle and joint pain Depression Dry eyes Early onset of menstruation Uterine cancer Fat gain in abdomen, hips, and thighs Fatigue Fibrocystic breasts Foggy thinking Hair loss Headaches Hypoglycemia Increased blood clotting Infertility Irregular menstrual periods Insomnia Memory loss Mood swings PMS Ovarian cysts Pre-menopausal bone loss Sluggish metabolism Thyroid dysfunction Uterine cancer Uterine fibroids Water retention and bloating Besides the natural hormonal fluctuations of menopause, certain lifestyle choices and conditions can also contribute to estrogen dominance syndrome, especially a low-fiber diet, overloading the liver with internal toxins, and absorbing toxins from the environment. Estrogen "deficiency" that is quite often used as an explanation of menopausal symptoms or health problems is not supported by sound research. When a woman's menstrual cycle is functioning normally, estrogen is the dominant hormone for the first two weeks and is balanced by progesterone, which is the dominant hormone for the latter two weeks. After menopause, estrogen is still present and continues to be manufactured in fat cells. Most menopausal women have too little estrogen to support pregnancy, but sufficient amounts for other normal body functions. Few women are truly deficient in estrogen; most become progesterone deficient. If estrogen becomes the dominant hormone and progesterone is deficient, excess estrogen becomes toxic to the body. Progesterone has a balancing effect on estrogen. Supplemental estrogen, even in the slightest amounts, in a woman who doesn't need it, or who has no progesterone to balance it, can lead to many serious side effects. When a woman complains of even the slightest menopausal type symptoms, conventional medical doctors will recommend a prescription of estrogen. It is irresponsible and dangerous for doctors to be routinely prescribing estrogen for any type of pre-menopausal or menopausal symptom, and this practice can have tragic consequences. In industrialized countries such as the United States, diets rich in animal fats, sugar, refined starches, and processed foods can lead to estrogen levels in women twice that of women of third-world countries. We are constantly exposed to xenobiotics (petrochemicals), xenohormone-laden meats and dairy products, forms of pollution, and prescriptions for synthetic hormones (such as the 'The Pill' and Premarin). It isn't too surprising that estrogen dominance has become an epidemic in industrialized countries. Over exposure to these potentially dangerous substances has significant consequences, one of which is passing on reproductive abnormalities to offspring.

It is irresponsible and dangerous for doctors to be routinely prescribing estrogen for any type of pre-menopausal or menopausal symptom, and this practice can have tragic consequences.

Harvard physician John R. Lee M.D.

Why Estrogen Balance is Critical to Aging Men – Life Extension

Why Estrogen Balance is Critical to Aging Men – Life Extension

By William Faloon

William Faloon

When we started offering comprehensive blood test panels back in 1996, men did not understand why we were checking their estrogen levels. Back in those days, estrogen was considered a hormone of importance only to women.

We tested estrogen based on published data indicating that when estrogen levels are unbalanced, the risk of degenerative disease in aging men skyrockets.1-7 Of concern to us 14 years ago were reports showing that excess estrogen contributes to the development of atherosclerosis.8,9 Human clinical studies conducted more than a decade later confirmed our suspicions. Men with even slightly elevated estrogen levels doubled their risk of stroke and had far higher incidences of coronary artery disease.10-12 Our early observations also revealed that men presenting with benign prostate enlargement or prostate cancer had higher blood estrogen levels (and often low free testosterone blood levels).13-16 Subsequent clinical studies help confirm our early observations.17-21


Insufficient estrogen, on the other hand, predisposes men to osteoporosis and bone fracture.22,23
The fact that 99% of men today have no idea what their blood estrogen levels are helps explain the epidemic of age-related disease that is bankrupting this nation’s medical system.

New Study Published in the Journal of the American Medical Association

Conventional doctors tend to ignore hard science until it appears in their own medical journals.
A study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) measured blood estradiol (a dominant estrogen) in 501 men with chronic heart failure. Compared to men in the balanced estrogen quintile, men in the lowest estradiol quintile were 317% more likely to die during a 3-year follow-up, while men in the highest estradiol quintile were 133% more likely to die.24
The men in the balanced quintile—with the fewest deaths—had serum estradiol levels between 21.80 and 30.11 pg/mL. This is virtually the ideal range that Life Extension® has long recommended male members strive for.

The men in the highest quintile who suffered 133% increased death rates had serum estradiol levels of 37.40 pg/mL or above. The lowest estradiol group that suffered a 317% increased death rate had serum estradiol levels under 12.90 pg/mL.

The dramatic increase in mortality in men with unbalanced estrogen (i.e., estradiol levels either too high or too low) is nothing short of astounding. It uncovers a gaping hole in conventional cardiology practice that is easily correctable.

This study revealing the lethal dangers of estrogen imbalance was published in conventional medicine’s Bastille of knowledge—the Journal of the American Medical Association. Physicians no longer have a basis to question male Life Extension® members who take aggressive approaches to maintain their serum estradiol levels in optimal ranges.

Low Estradiol and Testosterone Predict Mortality in Aging Men

Sales of testosterone replacement drugs have surged more than 20-fold in response to studies linking low testosterone to a host of common maladies.

In a recent study of 3,014 men aged 69-80 years, serum levels of testosterone and estradiol were measured during a mean follow-up of 4.5 years. Men with low testosterone had 65% greater all-cause mortality, while men with low estradiol suffered 54% more deaths.25

Those men low in estradiol and testosterone were almost twice as likely to die (a 96% increase in mortality) compared to men in the optimal ranges.25

This large study of aged men corroborates prior published reports linking imbalances of testosterone and/or estradiol with greater incidences of degenerative disease and death.26-36

How Do Men Naturally Make Estrogen?

Women synthesize most of their estrogen in their ovaries and other reproductive tissues.
Since men lack this female anatomy, they need to produce estrogen through a process involving an enzyme called aromatase that transforms testosterone into estradiol.
Aging men sometimes have too much aromatase activity, which causes their testosterone to convert to excess estradiol. This results in depletion of vital testosterone while spiking estradiol to unsafe ranges.
Some men lack aromatase and suffer an estrogen deficit. Other men produce so little endogenous testosterone that there is not enough to convert into estrogen, which causes low levels of both free testosterone and estradiol.

Fortunately, no matter what the underlying cause, aging men can easily achieve optimal free testosterone and estradiol serum levels.

Free testosterone is the unbound form that is biologically available to cell receptor sites throughout the body. Measuring free testosterone blood levels is the most accurate way of assessing testosterone status in aging men.

How Aging Men Can Control Their Estrogen Levels

An epidemic problem we at Life Extension observe in aging male members is insufficient free testosterone, i.e., less than 15-20 pg/mL of serum. When accompanied by excess estradiol (over 30 pg/mL of serum), this can signal excess aromatase enzyme activity.

Excess aromatase robs men of their testosterone while exposing them to higher than desirable estradiol.37 Aromatase can be suppressed with absorbable forms of chrysin (a plant flavonoid) and/or lignans such as those extracted from the Norway spruce tree (HMRlignan™).38-42

If these nutrients fail to reduce estradiol adequately, then we suggest that men ask their doctor to prescribe an aromatase-inhibiting drug like Arimidex® in the very low dose of 0.5 mg twice a week.
When aromatase is properly suppressed, estradiol levels are reduced to safe ranges, while free testosterone often increases, since less testosterone is being aromatized into estradiol.

Most testosterone in a man’s body emanates from the testes. Aging results in a decline in testicular output, thus necessitating the topical application of a testosterone cream to restore this vital hormone to youthful levels. Ideal free serum testosterone levels for most aging men are between 20-25 pg/mL. As you may surmise, a man who produces too little testosterone risks a lethal deficiency of both free testosterone and estradiol. That’s because men need testosterone to synthesize estradiol in their bodies. In the presence of insufficient testosterone production, some aging men are vulnerable to low free testosterone and low estradiol that according to the latest study almost doubles their risk of dying over a 4.5 year period!25 Critical Importance of Blood Testing Today’s conventional physicians prescribe blood tests to check glucose, cholesterol, and triglycerides, but rarely check their male patients’ free testosterone and estradiol levels. When looking at the horrific-ally high mortality rates associated with imbalances of these critical hormones, it becomes strikingly apparent that a significant number of heart attacks, strokes, bone fractures, and other degenerative diseases are easily preventable. One reason these hormone blood tests are not normally prescribed is their high retail cost, and the fact that many insurance companies refuse to pay for them. As a member of the Life Extension Foundation®, you don’t have to be victimized by conventional medical ignorance, high prices, or insurance company indifference. Take Charge of Your Health with Low-Cost Blood Testing An all-inclusive blood test panel that includes free testosterone and estradiol can retail for $1,000 at commercial labs. Life Extension members can obtain these same tests for only $269.   If your blood test result reveals an imbalance of free testosterone and/or estradiol, you are in a position to initiate immediate corrective action. Not only can restoring youthful hormone balance save your life, but men (and women) often experience an enhancement in their quality of life after their hormones are adjusted to optimal ranges. A complete description of the Male and Female Blood Test Panels can be found on this site. As you’ll readily see, these panels contain many important tests (such as homocysteine, C-reactive protein, and DHEA) that mainstream doctors seldom check for. When you order these tests, a requisition form is sent listing blood drawing stations in your local area. Appointments are usually not necessary, meaning you can have your blood drawn at your convenience. To order a comprehensive Male and/or Female Blood Test Panel, just call 1-800-208-3444. It is the single most important step you can take to ensure your continued good health.

References

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Serum estrogen levels in men with acute myocardial infarction. Am J Med. 1982 Dec;73(6):872-81. 8.Jeppesen LL, Jørgensen HS, Nakayama H, Raaschou HO, Olsen TS, Winther K. Decreased serum testosterone in men with acute ischemic stroke. Arterioscler Thromb Vasc Biol. 1996 Jun;16(6):749-54. 9.Phillips GB, Pinkernell BH, Jing TY. The association of hypotestosteronemia with coronary artery disease in men. Arterioscler Thromb. 1994 May;14(5):701-6. 10.Abbott RD, Launer LJ, Rodriguez BL, et al. Serum estradiol and risk of stroke in elderly men. Neurology. 2007 Feb 20;68(8):563-8. 11.Dunajska K, Milewicz A, Szymczak J, et al. Evaluation of sex hormone levels and some metabolic factors in men with coronary atherosclerosis. Aging Male. 2004 Sep;7(3):197-204. 12.Wranicz JK, Cygankiewicz I, Rosiak M, Kula P, Kareba W. The relationship between sex hormones and lipid profile in men with coronary artery disease. Int J Cardiol. 2005 May 11;101(1):105-10. 13.Krieg M, Nass R, Tunn S. Effect of aging on endogenous level of 5 alpha-dihydrotestosterone, testosterone, estradiol, and estrone in epithelium and stroma of normal and hyperplastic human prostate. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 1993 Aug;77(2):375-81. 14.Gann PH, Hennekens CH, Longcope C, Verhoek-Oftedahl W, Grodstein F, Stampfer MJ. A prospective study of plasma hormone levels, nonhormonal factors, and development of benign prostatic hyperplasia. Prostate. 1995 Jan;26(1):40-9. 15.Shibata Y, Ito K, Suzuki K, et al. Changes in the endocrine environment of the human prostate transition zone with aging: simultaneous quantitative analysis of prostatic sex steroids and comparison with human prostatic histological composition. Prostate. 2000 Jan;42(1):45-55. 16.Prins GS, Huang L, Birch L, Pu Y. The role of estrogens in normal and abnormal development of the prostate gland. Ann N Y Acad Sci. 2006 Nov;1089:1-13. 17.Prins GS, Korach KS. The role of estrogens and estrogen receptors in normal prostate growth and disease. Steroids. 2008 Mar;73(3):233-44. 18.Matsuda T, Abe H, Suda K. Relation between benign prostatic hyperplasia and obesity and estrogen. Rinsho Byori. 2004 Apr;52(4):291-4. 19.Ho CK, Nanda J, Chapman KE, Habib FK. Oestrogen and benign prostatic hyperplasia: effects on stromal cell proliferation and local formation from androgen. J Endocrinol. 2008 Jun;197(3):483-91. 20.Singh PB, Matanhelia SS, Martin FL. A potential paradox in prostate adenocarcinoma progression: oestrogen as the initiating driver. Eur J Cancer. 2008 May;44(7):928-36. 21.Giton F, de la Taille A, Allory Y, et al. Estrone sulfate (E1S), a prognosis marker for tumor aggressiveness in prostate cancer (PCa). J Steroid Biochem Mol Biol. 2008 Mar;109(1-2):158-67. 22.Mellström D, Vandenput L, Mallmin H, et al. Older men with low serum estradiol and high serum SHBG have an increased risk of fractures. J Bone Miner Res. 2008 Oct;23(10):1552-60. 23.Pernow Y, Hauge EM, Linder K, Dahl E, Sääf M. Bone histomorphometry in male idiopathic osteoporosis. Calcif Tissue Int. 2009 Jun;84(6):430-8. 24.Jankowska EA, Rozentryt P, Ponikowska B. Circulating estradiol and mortality in men with systolic chronic heart failure. JAMA. 2009 May 13;301(18):1892-901. 25.Tivesten A, Vandenput L, Labrie F, et al. Low serum testosterone and estradiol predict mortality in elderly men. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2009 Jul;94(7):2482-8. 26.Tang YJ, Lee WJ, Chen YT, et al. Serum testosterone level and related metabolic factors in men over 70 years old. J Endocrinol Invest. 2007 Jun;30(6):451-8. 27.Laaksonen DE, Niskanen L, Punnonen K, et al. Sex hormones, inflammation and the metabolic syndrome: a population-based study. Eur J Endocrinol. 2003 Dec;149(6):601-8. 28.Cutolo M, Seriolo B, Villaggio B, Pizzorni C, Craviotto C, Sulli A. Androgens and estrogens modulate the immune and inflammatory responses in rheumatoid arthritis. Ann NY Acad Sci. 2002 Jun;966:131-42. 29.Moffat SD, Zonderman AB, Metter EJ, Blackman MR, Harman SM, Resnick SM. Longitudinal assessment of serum free testosterone concentration predicts memory performance and cognitive status in elderly men. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2002 Nov;87(11):5001-7. 30.Hogervorst E, Combrinck M, Smith AD. Testosterone and gonadotropin levels in men with dementia. Neuro Endocrinol Lett. 2003 Jun;24(3-4):203-8. 31.Gouras GK, Xu H, Gross RS, et al. Testosterone reduces neuronal secretion of Alzheimer’s beta-amyloid peptides. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA. 2000 Feb 1;97(3):1202-5. 32.Traish AM, Saad F, Guay A. The dark side of testosterone deficiency: II. Type 2 diabetes and insulin resistance. J Androl. 2009 Jan-Feb;30(1):23-32. 33.Khaw KT, Dowsett M, Folkerd E, et al. Endogenous testosterone and mortality due to all causes, cardiovascular disease, and cancer in men: European prospective investigation into cancer in Norfolk (EPIC-Norfolk) Prospective Population Study. Circulation. 2007 Dec 4;116(23):2694-701. 34.Debing E, Peeters E, Duquet W, Poppe K, Velkeniers B, Van Den Branden P. Men with atherosclerotic stenosis of the carotid artery have lower testosterone levels compared with controls. Int Angiol. 2008 Apr;27(2):135-41. 35.Muller M, van den Beld AW, Bots ML, Grobbee DE, Lamberts SW, van der Schouw YT. Endogenous sex hormones and progression of carotid atherosclerosis in elderly men. Circulation. 2004 May 4;109(17):2074-9. 36.Hak AE, Witteman JC, de Jong FH, Geerlings MI, Hofman A, Pols HA. Low levels of endogenous androgens increase the risk of atherosclerosis in elderly men: the Rotterdam study. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2002 Aug;87(8):3632-9. 37.Leder BZ, Rohrer JL, Rubin SD, Gallo J, Longcope C. Effects of aromatase inhibition in elderly men with low or borderline-low serum testosterone levels. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2004 Mar;89(3):1174-80. 38.Ta N, Walle T. Aromatase inhibition by bioavailable methylated flavones. J Steroid Biochem Mol Biol. 2007 Oct;107(1-2):127-9. 39.Campbell DR, Kurzer MS. Flavonoid inhibition of aromatase enzyme activity in human preadipocytes. J Steroid Biochem Mol Biol. 1993 Sep;46(3):381-8. 40.Kellis JT Jr, Vickery LE. Inhibition of human estrogen synthetase (aromatase) by flavones. Science. 1984 Sep 7;225(4666):1032-4. 41.Saarinen NM, Warri A, Makela SI, et al. Hydroxymatairesinol, a novel enterolactone precursor with antitumor properties from coniferous tree (Picea abies). Nutr Cancer. 2000; 36(2):207-16. 42.Wang C, Makela T, Hase T, Adlercreutz H, Kurzer MS. Lignans and flavonoids inhibit aromatase enzyme in human preadipocytes. J Steroid Biochem Mol Biol. 1994 Aug;50(3-4):205-12.

Man vs. Estrogen: It's Not Just A Woman Thing! | Seasons of Farragut

Man vs. Estrogen: It's Not Just A Woman Thing! | Seasons of Farragut

Posted by Dr. Nathan Goodyear on June 5, 2012 · 1 Comment

Nathan Goodyear, M.D.

Testosterone is the defining hormone of a man. Estrogen is the defining hormone of a woman.
So when we talk about estrogen, it’s that word men whisper in secret when the women in their lives seem a little hormonal, right? When people find out that my wife and I have 3 daughters, the resulting comment is usually, “Wow, that’s a lot of estrogen in your household!” (Thankfully, I have a son, too, who helps balance the estrogen to testosterone ratio at our house!)

I’m sorry to burst your bubble, guys, but estrogen is not exclusive to women. We make estrogen, too. In fact, some of us make a LOT of estrogen. Too much, in fact. And it creates some serious problems.

But before we talk about estrogen, we need to talk about testosterone. Testosterone levels in American men are at an all-time low! There are four major reasons for that: stress, weight, endogenous estrogens, and xenoestrogens. In this post, I’ll address three of those – stress, weight, and endogenous estrogen.
So let’s get started learning four important facts about testosterone, estrogen, and men!

What problems do high estrogen levels create in men?


1. High estrogen = low testosterone. One of the primary causes of low testosterone is a high estrogen level. Estrogens can be endogenous (produced by your body) or exogenous (from the environment, also known as xenoestrogens). Estradiol and Estrone (two of the three kinds of estrogen produced by your body) feed back to the hypothalamus and pituitary and shut off testosterone production.

2. High estrogen = inflammation. Not only do high estrogen levels decrease testosterone in men, they also increase inflammation. And this is VERY significant. Inflammation, just like stress, is a biochemical process.



Inflammation is the natural result of the immune system. Remember the last time you got a paper cut?  It was incredibly painful, probably red, warm and swollen, all cardinal symptoms of inflammation. Inflammation, in the right setting, is actually the body protecting itself.  However, when the immune system becomes imbalanced or chronically activated, the immune system causes damage through inflammation. For example, chronically activated immune cells in the brain (glial cells) play a pivotal role in the development of Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, and Multiple Sclerosis.

Inflammation is a SERIOUS issue. Chronic inflammation has been linked to many of the chronic diseases of aging: Type II Diabetes, obesity, hypertension, and cancer. In fact, a new term has been coined to describe inflammation arising from the gut which results in many of the above listed disease states - metabolic endotoxemia.

We’ve established that high estrogen levels are bad for men, shutting down testosterone production and causing chronic inflammation leading to disease.

What causes high estrogen levels in men?

1. High aromatase activity = high estrogen. First, high endogenous estrogen levels in men come from high aromatase activity.  Aromatase is the enzyme that converts androstenedione and testosterone into estrone and estradiol respectively. Aromatase is present in many different tissues. But in men aromatase is highly concentrated in that mid-life bulge.

Unfortunately, aromatase activity in men increases as we age due to stress, weight gain, and inflammation. None of us are going to get away from aging (it’s right there with death and taxes). And who do you know that has NO stress? (Remember, it is estimated that 90% of doctor visits are stress-related.) Typically, as we age we gain weight and have more inflammation.

That “age-related” tire around the mid-section is more than just unsightly. It is a hormone and inflammation-producing organ. Remember metabolic endotoxemia, the disease-producing state I mentioned earlier? Metabolic endotoxemia is inflammation arising from the GI system which causes obesity and then turns right around and produces inflammation. It’s a vicious cycle!  And guess what is concentrated in fat? If you guessed aromatase activity, then you are absolutely correct. Aromatase activity in men accounts for 80% of estrogen production.



Hormones are not just about numbers, but balance and metabolism as well (read my recent post on the topic).

2. Overdosage of testosterone = high estrogen. As mentioned earlier, testosterone levels in men are at an all-time low. And the mass solution for this problem with most physicians is to increase testosterone without evaluating or treating the underlying causes for low testosterone. Unfortunately, this complicates the entire low testosterone problem. Overdosage of testosterone increases estrogen production.

What?  You mean you can dose too high on testosterone? Yes, and most of the patients I see who are being treated with testosterone have been, in fact, overdosed.

In fact, at Seasons Wellness Clinic and Seasons of Farragut, we have seen many men must donate blood due to excess production of hemoglobin and hematocrit, a by-product of testosterone overdosage. A 20-22 year old male normally produces 5-10 mg daily of testosterone. It is during this age range that men are at their physical peak of testosterone production. For me, this was during my college football years.

Does it make sense for 40-and-up men currently taking testosterone, that they did not need to donate blood monthly during their peak years of natural testosterone production, but are currently required to donate blood regularly with their current regimen of testosterone?  Of course not. So, if you didn’t have to donate blood with your peak testosterone production in your 20′s, you shouldn’t have to donate with testosterone therapy in your 40′s and beyond either. Something is wrong here, right?

The starting dosage for one of the most highly-prescribed androgen gels is 1 gram daily. Men, we didn’t need 1 gram of testosterone in our early 20′s, and we don’t need it in our 30′s and beyond.
80% of a man’s testosterone occurs from aromatase activity, and aromatase activity increases as we age. So high doses of testosterone don’t make sense. Doctors are just throwing fuel on the fire with these massive doses. More is not better if it’s too much, even when it is something your body needs.
Then, there is the delivery of testosterone therapy. The body’s natural testosterone secretion follows a normal diurnal rhythm.  Testosterone is known to be greatest in early morning and lowest in the evening.  But with many prescribing testosterone therapy today, it is very common to get weekly testosterone shots or testosterone pellets. This method of delivery does NOT follow the body’s natural rhythm. The shots and pellets delivery method of testosterone produce supra physiologic (abnormal) peaks. If the purpose of hormone therapy is to return the body to normal levels, then that objective can never be reached with this type of testosterone therapy.

The effects of Testosterone to estrogen conversion in men and women are different. That’s certainly no surprise. In men, high aromatase activity and conversion of testosterone to estrogen has been linked to elevated CRP, fibrinogen, and IL-6.

Are these important?  CRP is one of the best indicators of future cardiovascular disease/events (heart attacks and strokes), and is associated with metabolic syndrome. And yes, it is more predictive than even a high cholesterol level. Fibrinogen is another marker of inflammation that has been associated with cardiovascular disease and systemic inflammation. IL-6 is an inflammatory cytokine (immune signal) that has been implicated in increased aromatase activity (conversion of testosterone to estrogen) and at the same time is the result of increased testosterone to estrogen activity.

So, what’s the big deal? The studies are not 100% conclusive, but it is clear that inflammation increases the testosterone to estrogen conversion through increased aromatase activity. And the increased estrogen conversion is associated with increased inflammation in men. It’s a vicious cycle that will lead to disease states such as insulin resistance, hypertension, prostatitis, cardiovascular disease, autoimmune disease, and cancer, to name a few.

You may be thinking, “Is the testosterone I need leading me to disease?”

The answer is, “Yes, it sure can.” If your testosterone therapy includes prescription of supra physiologic levels of testosterone, lack of follow-up on hormone levels, and no effort to balance hormones and metabolism, then yes, it sure can.

Is there a safe and effective way to balance hormones, lower estrogen and increase testosterone for men?

Effectively administering hormone therapy requires the following:

• A physician with extensive training in hormones and body biochemistry.
• The best and most accurate testing possible to determine current hormone levels and to track hormone levels after therapy is administered.
• Hormones that most closely replicate the natural ones produced in your body — bioidentical hormones.
• A therapy plan with the objective of returning your body to normal, not super-charging the body with unnatural levels of testosterone or any other hormone.

At Seasons of Farragut, Nan Sprouse and I are fellowship-trained (or completing fellowship training) specifically in the areas of hormone therapy and wellness-based medicine.

Our patient experience begins with an initial consultation to evaluate symptoms and develop an evaluation plan.

The next step is testing. In the case of hormone imbalance, we evaluate hormones with state-of-the-art hormone testing via saliva, not just blood. As stated in a 2006 article, “plasma levels of estradiol do not necessarily reflect tissue-level activity.”  Saliva has been shown to reveal the active hormone inside the cell at the site of action.

After initial testing and a therapy program, hormone levels are re-evaluated to ensure the progression of treatment and necessary changes are made to the treatment program. Testing and follow-up are key to proper balance of hormones (read my recent post). At Seasons of Farragut, our approach to treatment and therapy is fully supported in the scientific research literature, and we’re happy to share that research with you if you’d like to educate yourself.

The way estrogens are metabolized plays an equally pivotol role in hormone risk and effect. At Seasons of Farragut, our system of testing, evaluating, and monitoring is the only way to ensure that testosterone therapy for men is raising the testosterone and DHT levels instead of all being converted to estrogen. Hormone therapy is safe, but for it to work effectively, it must be properly evaluated, dosed, followed, and re-evaluated.

If you have questions or comments, please post them below and I’ll respond as soon as possible. What is your experience with testosterone therapy? How has your physician tested and re-evaluated your therapy program?

For more information about the Seasons approach to wellness or to schedule an appointment, please contact our office at (865) 675-WELL (9355).

High Estrogen Causes Low Testosterone in men

High Estrogen Causes Low Testosterone in men

Posted by: By John Douillard | October 2, 2012

While men are lining up to get their testosterone injections, few doctors are testing their estrogen levels.

Men with even slightly elevated estrogen levels double their risk of stroke, have increased risk of coronary artery disease (1), benign prostatic hypertrophy, and prostate cancer (2).
 
As it turns out, it is incomplete to test only for testosterone levels in men and then fill the empty tank with testosterone injections. There is a complex balancing act that takes place between the two hormones, testosterone and estrogen.

In a study in the Journal of American Medicine (JAMA), 501 men with chronic heart failure were measured for levels of estradiol (a type of estrogen). Men with the lowest estradiol levels were 317% more likely to die, while the men with the highest estradiol were 133% more likely to die within 3 years (3).

So, both high and low male estrogen levels present a problem.

Of course, men cannot make estrogens, and therefore must convert testosterone into estrogen. Low testosterone may result in low estrogen levels, but not always. High amounts of the enzyme aromatase, which converts testosterone to estrogen, can deplete testosterone levels while raising estrogen levels dangerously high.

We all wish restoring hormonal balance was as easy as reading a blood test and prescribing more of the hormone that tested low – but it is not so!

The risk of testosterone supplementation is that, the more testosterone increases, the higher the risk of converting it into estrogen – which may present an even greater risk than low testosterone.

In Ayurveda, herbs to support natural hormonal function have been prescribed for thousands of years. Most of these herbs were used to bring balance back to a certain biological system, or set of hormones, rather than just to address one hormone or another.

Ashwagandha (also spelled ashwaganda), for example, has been shown to support healthy semen and stress-affected cortisol levels (4). Goksura (also spelled gokshura), another classic Ayurvedic herb for male hormonal support, has been shown to support a healthy libido and male hormone balance (5).
Sources:

1. Int J Cardiol. 2005 May 11;101(1):105-10
2. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 1993 Aug:77(2):375-81
3. JAMA. 2009 May 13;301(18):1892-901
4. Evid Based Complement Alternat Med. 2009 Sep 29. PMID: 19789214
5. J Dent. 2008 Nov;36(11):900-6. Epub 2008 Sep 25. PMID: 12127159