Melatonin is best known as sleep hormone because of its action controlling the circadian cycle. But melatonin also has antioxidant properties, and may have an important anti-aging role.

A recent study looked at artificially aged mice to determine the effects of melatonin on aging.  Such mice are used as a model to study the fundamental mechanisms of aging because they develop markers also found in neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer.

According to the study, as reported by Green Med Info:

“… [T]reatment with melatonin … was able to reduce oxidative stress and the neurodegenerative calpain/Cdk5 pathway … and … markers of cerebral aging and neurodegeneration … indicating the neuroprotective and anti-aging effect of melatonin.”

The thyroid drug Synthroid (levothyroxine sodium), as the name implies, is anything but natural. It is not bio-equivalent to the natural hormone thyroxine, but is instead a synthetic, hormone-like substance with very different properties.

In conventional medical treatment for hypothyroidism, once blood variables fall into a range deemed “normal” thanks to the introduction of synthetic chemicals, the “treatment” is deemed a success. Unfortunately, the quality of life of the patient may actually worsen as the synthetic chemicals compete with the remaining natural hormones still being produced by their thyroid.

According to Green Med Info:

“We know that ‘lack of Synthroid’ is NOT the cause of any thyroid problem. Exposure to chemicals, e.g. perchlorate, common food intolerances (e.g. wheat/dairy), adrenal fatigue and nutrient deficiencies are the cause of ‘hypothyroidism’ in the vast majority of cases. So let’s get back to the work of figuring out how to address the problem naturally.”

Triclosan is an antimicrobial chemical found in personal care and sanitizing products. It can be found in soaps, toothpaste, and hair products. But there have been recent concerns about its possible effects on human health — and triclosan has been detected in human breast milk, blood, and urine samples.

A study evaluated the effects of triclosan in female rats. Triclosan was found to advance the age at which the rats hit puberty.  Serum thyroid hormone concentrations were also suppressed by triclosan.

According to the study, as reported by Green Med Info:

“In conclusion, triclosan affected estrogen-mediated responses in the pubertal and weanling female rat and also suppressed thyroid hormone in both studies.”

Many compounds present in the environment are capable of binding to cellular estrogen receptors and then mimicking the actions of physiological estrogens.  The origin of these chemicals is widespread, and their diversity in chemical structure is extensive.  However, most such compounds have been organic, generally phenolic or carbon ring structures.

But there have been reports that certain metal ions can also bind to estrogen receptors.  These inorganic environmental estrogens have been termed metalloestrogens.

According to a study, as reported by Green Med Info:

“… [M]etalloestrogens … include aluminium, antimony, arsenite, barium, cadmium, chromium (Cr(II)), cobalt, copper, lead, mercury, nickel, selenite, tin and vanadate. [There is] potential for these metal ions to add to the burden of aberrant estrogen signalling within the human breast”.

Many compounds present in the environment are capable of binding to cellular estrogen receptors and then mimicking the actions of physiological estrogens.  The origin of these chemicals is widespread, and their diversity in chemical structure is extensive.  However, most such compounds have been organic, generally phenolic or carbon ring structures.

But there have been reports that certain metal ions can also bind to estrogen receptors.  These inorganic environmental estrogens have been termed metalloestrogens.

According to a study, as reported by Green Med Info:

“… [M]etalloestrogens … include aluminium, antimony, arsenite, barium, cadmium, chromium (Cr(II)), cobalt, copper, lead, mercury, nickel, selenite, tin and vanadate. [There is] potential for these metal ions to add to the burden of aberrant estrogen signalling within the human breast”.

Age associated decline in anabolic hormones, such as testosterone and IGF-1, is a strong predictor of metabolic syndrome, diabetes and mortality in older men. Research has suggested that magnesium intake affects levels of both hormones.

A study sought to investigate the relationship between magnesium and anabolic hormones in men has not been investigated. Researchers evaluated close to 400 men, and found that magnesium was positively associated with total testosterone and total IGF-1 levels.

According to the study, as reported by Green Med Info:

“In a cohort of older men, magnesium levels are strongly and independently associated with the anabolic hormones testosterone and IGF-1.”

According to new evidence, women who have higher levels of the appetite-controlling hormone leptin have fewer symptoms of depression.

Animal studies have suggested that that leptin may reduce anxiety and improve depression. The new research is another step towards confirming that leptin may indeed have antidepressant qualities.

Eurekalert reports:

“Leptin, the product of fat cells, signals satiety, or fullness … [T]here is an increased prevalence of anxiety and depression in certain conditions in which leptin levels are typically low. These include the eating disorder anorexia nervosa, in which there is abnormally low weight and body fat, and functional hypothalamic amenorrhea, in which women have stopped menstruating despite having normal weight.”

Insufficient sleep can drastically reduces a healthy young man’s testosterone levels, according to a new study.  Researchers found that testosterone levels dropped in men who slept less than five hours a night for one week.

Low testosterone comes with a host of negative consequences for young men; the hormone is is critical for building strength and muscle mass, and bone density.  Low testosterone levels are associated with reduced wellbeing and vigor.

Eurekalert reports:

“At least 15 percent of the adult working population in the U.S. gets less than 5 hours of sleep a night, and suffers many adverse health effects because of it. This study found that skipping sleep reduces a young man’s testosterone levels by the same amount as aging 10 to 15 years.”

Human growth hormone (HGH) is naturally produced by your body in sufficient quantities until you reach the age of 21. After this, production starts to drop.

HGH is the master hormone controlling growth.  It helps build muscles, bones, organs and the basic links between the cells. Lower levels of HGH also make it more difficult to lose weight — HGH increases your metabolism, which helps to burn more fat.

According to Fitness Health Zone:

“Thus a person loses weight but not their body muscle. It also helps to increase the levels of HDL the good cholesterol, thus reducing cardiovascular risks too.”

It is now generally accepted that hormone therapy increases the risks of breast cancer and other serious illnesses.  But there has been a lingering belief that for younger women in the early stages of menopause, the risks may be negligible.

However, new information from a huge study suggests that the women who were thought to be at the lowest risk from hormones may actually be at the highest risk.  Women with the greatest risk of breast cancer from hormones are those who start taking them the earliest.

According to the New York Times:

“… [T]he new findings [make] it harder than ever to define any safe timing or duration for hormone use.”

Women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) have been shown to have increased blood levels of the industrial chemical bisphenol A (BPA).  PCOS is a hormonal disorder with symptoms that include irregular periods, acne, excessive body hair and difficulty becoming pregnant.  It may affect up to 10 percent of women.

A study of more than 70 women with PCOS found that they had, on average, higher blood levels of BPA than women without the syndrome.

According to Reuters:

“… [R]esearchers focused on BPA because the chemical is a so-called endocrine disruptor with weak estrogen-like activity.  It’s also ubiquitous. BPA has been used for decades to make hard plastic containers, including cups and baby bottles, and in the lining of metal food and beverage cans.”

Resveratrol, a compound found in grapes, displays antioxidant properties and other beneficial effects.

However, a new study has discovered a novel way in which resveratrol benefits your health — it stimulates the expression of adiponectin, a hormone derived from cells that manufacture and store fat.  Adiponectin has anti-obesity, anti-insulin resistance and anti-aging properties.

According to the Times of India:

“The researchers confirmed the finding in cells and animal models.”

Persistent organic pollutants (POPs), such as PCBs, affect the way your body synthesizes the stress hormone cortisol.

POPs are widespread, and animals and humans are exposed to them daily, often through food. There have been concerns raised about the potential of these pollutants to affect hormone balance. Cortisol plays an important role in fetal development, and also affects your body functions during periods of stress.

According to Science Daily:

“… [E]xposure during early life stages interferes with hormone levels and may therefore cause harm to health later in life … [E]xposure to PCBs during fetal life and the suckling period caused altered cortisol levels in the blood of both fetuses and adult animals … [A]ltered cortisol balance during early life may lead to a predisposition to develop several diseases in adulthood, such as diabetes and cardiovascular diseases.”

By Dr. Mercola

Before I begin this article I want to state very clearly that hormones are not my primary specialty. I have used them clinically but I found the science quite controversial, so this is a summary as I best understand it.

If you are a clinician with considerable experience in this area I invite you to present your views to update the information on DHEA.

DHEA is a hormone produced by your adrenal glands and in your brain, which was first discovered by scientists in the 1930’s. 

Your body’s natural production of DHEA varies widely with age, with very low levels produced before puberty, peak production in your late 20’s or early 30’s, followed by a steady decline in production with advancing age.

This age-related pattern of production has lead many to believe that DHEA production may actually be linked to the aging process itself. DHEA supplementation (if you’re deficient) may help turn back the clock, as it were, as it can help:

• Lower fat storage through improved thyroid response
• Stimulate bone deposition
• Increase muscle tone
• Improve mood (including fighting depression)
• Fight cancer

Sub-optimal levels of DHEA have also been associated with many age-related degenerative conditions, including:

• Chronic inflammation
• Immune dysfunction
• Rheumatoid arthritis
• Increased risk for certain cancers
• Low libido
• Cognitive decline
• Osteoporosis
• Some complications of type II diabetes.[i]

Can supplementing DHEA really help you with these conditions?

What We Know About DHEA

DHEA, or more precisely DHEA sulfate (your body naturally converts DHEA-S to the DHEA that it uses) is the most abundant precursor hormone in the human body, meaning that it is the largest raw material your body uses to produce other vital hormones, including testosterone in men and estrogen in women.

One thing we know for certain about human adrenals – besides making DHEA — they also manufacture cortisol, which is in direct competition with DHEA for production.  In other words, when cortisol production is high, especially for prolonged periods of time, your adrenals can actually wear out, and DHEA production will necessarily suffer.

So a natural question follows: what is cortisol and what causes an increase in its production?

The Stress Connection

Cortisol is the hormone your body produces in response to stress, real or imagined, which is why it’s commonly referred to as “the stress hormone”. 

Adrenal exhaustion from coping with chronic stress means your adrenal glands are overworked from manufacturing cortisol, and they simply can’t produce enough DHEA to support a healthy hormonal balance.

The result? 

You feel exhausted, often depressed, and your muscle tone decreases while body fat increases (cortisol tells your body to store fat).  

Symptoms of chronically elevated cortisol levels include:

• Increased abdominal fat
• Suppressed immune response
• Accelerated aging
• Inflammation
• Stomach ulcers
• Mild memory loss (words, names and numbers)
• Suppressed thyroid function

You hear all the time about how bad stress is for your body. Well now you’re looking at the actual hormone responsible for much of the damage.  Clearly it pays healthy dividends to reduce stress in your life, not only to reduce cortisol production, but also to ensure that your body has adequate adrenal strength to keep your DHEA levels optimal.

When DHEA Supplementation Makes Sense

First, let me start by saying that bioidentical DHEA should ideally ONLY be supplemented under the guidance of a holistic doctor who can test your body’s DHEA levels to ensure you need supplementation. I prefer to test levels using a 24-hour urine test.

Hormonal testing is a controversial area as you can also do blood and saliva test. I tend to follow Dr. Jonathon Wright’s recommendation, as he’s really the person who introduced bioidentical hormone therapy into the United Sates. You can review his book Stay Young and Sexy for further details.

Properly testing your levels is very important, because people who have normal hormone levels in their bodies who supplement DHEA are likely to experience side effects, such as:

• Acne
• Tumor formation
• Hair loss
• Heart rhythm problems
• Insomnia

If you’ve been living long stretches of your life on a poor diet, not getting adequate sleep, and overwhelmed by the daily grind – chances are you’re a good candidate for DHEA supplementation.  

However, please understand that only a test will tell you for certain what your body’s DHEA levels are, but if you’re feeling tired and overwhelmed, have low libido, and find your mood suffering or even experience depression regularly, there is a strong chance that your body is not producing enough DHEA.

Maintaining optimal DHEA levels may also be useful for:

• Athletes looking to improve performance
• Improving recovery time from stress and physical training
• Weight loss
• Muscle gain
• Increasing sex drive
• Increasing sense of well being
• Improving sleep
• Improving mood

Too Much DHEA is NOT a Good Thing

The conventional thinking is that if a little is good, then a lot must be better.  Not so with DHEA.

Like most good things in life, too much DHEA can lead to problems. 

Supplementing hormones over a long period of time can trick your body into suspending its own DHEA production, and possibly even shut down your adrenal glands, which can lead to disastrous health consequences. 

Many doctors strongly advise taking “hormone holidays”, meaning practice a supplementation schedule that features a few weeks on DHEA followed by a few weeks off.

Also, DHEA supplements come in doses ranging from 5 mg to 200 mg.  The scientific jury is still out on the subject, but it appears normal daily DHEA production for an average person in their 20’s is between 10-25 mg. 

Supplementing beyond the normal peak production range of DHEA might be advisable for short periods of time to restore the effects of a badly depleted adrenal system, but maintaining mega doses of DHEA for any sustained period of time will probably lead to unwanted side effects.

Remember your body’s hormone balance is a delicate mechanism that should only be supplemented after consulting a holistic doctor and testing your body’s natural DHEA level to determine the appropriate level of supplementation you might need.   I would advise against supplementing with this hormone without some professional guidance.

Another important co-factor when considering DHEA supplementation is that your body naturally produces DHEA in the morning and then either uses the hormone or excretes it by the end of the day.  So if supplementation is undertaken, it appears that an early morning dose of DHEA is the way to go.

Why You Should AVOID All Oral Hormone Preparations

There are many ways to “naturally” address bioidentical hormone replacement but one of the most common mistakes is to use oral hormones.

But if you swallow steroid hormones you seriously distort their natural metabolism.  Swallowed hormones encounter potent stomach acids, and the hormones that survive this assault then move to your liver where they will be further broken down. Your liver screens all molecules that enter your blood stream, passing some onward, modifying or detoxifying others, and rejecting a few. 

This routing of orally swallowed hormones is in sharp contrast to the way nature intended them to be distributed to your tissues. 

If you swallow hormones, only 10-15 percent will eventually reach the target tissues and you will need to take an oral dose that is 500 percent higher than you need. 

Many different metabolites are created in your liver when you swallow a DHEA supplement and any of these can produce unwanted side effects.

So if you or anyone you know currently use an oral DHEA supplement or any other oral hormone, I encourage you to strongly consider phasing them out and instead using a DHEA cream preparation that you administer trans mucosally.

Best Way to Use DHEA Cream

The key mistake that many well-intentioned and knowledgeable doctors — including myself – have made is to advise using DHEA cream on your skin. While this certainly provides better results than swallowing the hormones, the method of delivery can still be improved.

The primary problem with topical skin application of the cream is that it’s very difficult to determine the dose. Hormones also accumulate in fat tissue, so you may end up with far more than you need.

There is a relatively minor tweak you can make using the cream that avoids nearly all of the side effects of applying the cream on your skin. 

If you apply the cream to your mucous epithelial membranes that line your vagina, you are able to obtain a virtually ideal administration system. Not only is absorption through these membranes more complete than through your skin, but hormones absorbed through your vaginal membranes also eliminate the production of unwanted metabolites of DHEA.

Men also require hormones and I myself take DHEA.  Obviously men don’t have a vagina to administer the cream, but we do have a rectum that has a similar mucosal epithelial surface.  So for men, the ideal delivery system for DHEA is in cream form, through the rectum.

Final Thoughts on DHEA

Is DHEA the “fountain of youth” it was touted to be in the 1990’s? 

Perhaps it is, but with an asterisk.

Your body is designed to maintain a delicate hormonal balance that usually self-regulates naturally according to your age and the stresses you face in life.  The fact is, most people do just fine with DHEA production in the prime of their life. 

Progressively increasing number of people today complain of a lack of energy, unexplained weight gain, poor mood, depression and insomnia.  Some of the contributing factors can be a poor diet, lack of exercise, stress that goes unchecked and adrenal glands functioning sub-optimally.

Prolonged adrenal imbalance can actually be the cause of many of the symptoms associated with a lack of optimal health — weight gain, depression and a lack of energy that you just can’t seem to shake no matter what other healthy changes you make to your lifestyle.  And if you’re not getting enough quality sleep (another symptom of DHEA imbalance) all of the other healthy changes you make to your lifestyle will not produce dividends you can feel.

So if you are under constant stress, or constantly feel tired, weak, depressed or have a low sex drive, please find yourself a holistic doctor and have him/her perform a 24-hour urine test to determine your DHEA levels. 

Too many people suffer unnecessarily from high stress and low DHEA production, so make sure you are not one of these people.

A $58 million award against Pfizer’s Wyeth unit in a lawsuit about Prempro hormone replacement therapy (HRT) has been upheld by the Nevada Supreme Court.  The Court stated that it was clear the drugmakers knew and tried to suppress information on HRT’s links to breast cancer. 

The unanimous court ruling also noted that Wyeth tried to downplay the dangers of HRT as much as possible, giving sufficient reason for the large punitive damage penalties.

About Lawsuits reports:

“Prempro is a hormone replacement therapy … that contains a combination of the drugs Provera and Premarin … HRTs use hormones and progestins to artificially boost hormone levels in women undergoing menopause due to surgery or in postmenopausal women, to provide relief from symptoms such as hot flashes, irregular menstruation or weight gain.”

Drugmakers such as Solvay Pharmaceuticals would have you believe that getting a testosterone prescription is the key to overcoming sexual problems. But a new study shows that men’s levels of the hormone can vary quite a bit without causing any problems at all.

Researchers used data from an earlier study of more than 8,000 middle-aged and older men. One in five had testosterone levels below 300 nanograms per deciliter of blood, and about two in five had at least “a small problem” related to their sex life.

However, according to Reuters:

“Of the measures taken — age, urinary symptoms, body mass index (BMI) and diabetes — testosterone showed the weakest link to the men’s sexual function.”

Oral contraceptives are often blamed for estrogen pollution in waterways.  However, a new meta-study reports that oral contraceptives are not the source of most of the pollution — the real culprits are factory farms.  Residual estrogen can disrupt the reproductive health of fish, and researchers have also connected estrogens in drinking water to human fertility problems and cancers.

To better understand the sources of estrogens in drinking water, researchers reviewed 82 studies. They found that ethinylestradiol, the most commonly used synthetic estrogen in the birth control pill, accounts for less than 1 percent of the total estrogens excreted by Americans.

C&EN News reports:

“[R]unoff from large animal farms could contribute to waterway contamination, in part because — unlike household waste — livestock effluents are untreated. A study … estimated that even if only 1 percent of the estrogens produced by farm animals reached waterways, they would make up 15 percent of the estrogens in the water.”

Bioidentical hormone therapy has become widely adopted as a useful method of normalizing hormone levels. While it is far safer than synthetic or animal based hormones like Premarin, there are clearly some dangers associated with its use and the purpose of this article is to highlight some of the major ones.

This article is in no way meant to be a comprehensive review of the topic but merely to point out some of the major concerns and approaches as I see them from having practiced medicine for nearly three decades.

If you have any interest I would strongly recommend purchasing Dr. Wright’s new book Stay Young and Sexy. It is under $10 and simply the best book I have reviewed on the topic. If the book were $100 it would be worth the price. This book is a classic and should be in everyone’s natural medicine library.

Natural Progesterone

I will focus much of this article on natural progesterone cream as it is one of the most popular and useful ones for women.Typically, women find rapid improvement in two of the most common premenopausal challenges which are PMS and painful cramps.  It can be also extraordinarily useful to prevent miscarriages but dosing would be continuous after conception.

Dr. John Lee was my original mentor in this area but he passed away a number of years ago and had did fully appreciate the challenges that are associated with using the creams on your skin.

Dr. Jonathon Wright, along with Dr. Lee, are considered the pioneers in introducing bioidentical hormone therapy in the United States. Dr. Wright is still alive and I believe has successfully resolved the challenge associated with using the creams. Before I discuss that though let’s first do a brief review of why progesterone is important.

Natural progesterone is the identical hormone that is produced by a woman’s ovary. It is made from naturally occurring plant steroids found in the wild yam. It is NOT the synthetic version that is commonly purchased as tablets with a prescription such as Provera.

Synthetic progesterones, like Provera or medroxyprogesterone, can produce severe side effects including increased risk of cancer, abnormal menstrual flow, fluid retention, nausea, depression and can even increase risk of heart disease and stroke.

Side effects are extremely rare with natural progesterone. The only one of concern is that it can potentially alter the timing of your menstrual cycle.

Reasons Why Natural Progesterone Made by Your Body Is Good

Progesterone is a steroid hormone made by a woman’s ovaries when she ovulates and in smaller amounts by the adrenal gland. A menstruating woman will typically produce about 20 to 30 mg of progesterone a day during the luteal or last phase of her menstrual cycle.

While menopause doesn’t typically occur until age 50 or later, many women can start going out of balance in their 30s or even earlier. This decline in progesterone is not trivial for as women age into their fourth, fifth, and sixth decade, their progesterone levels continue to fall.  By the time they reach perimenopause as much as 75% or more of their youthful progesterone secretion may already be missing.

Natural progesterone is very useful to balance excess estrogen which can be a major risk for breast cancer. Natural progesterone is also different from estrogen in that your body can use it as a precursor or starting material to make other hormones such as adrenal hormones. It can even convert it into estrogen or testosterone if your body needs it.

Natural progesterone is made from a substance called diosgenin which is commonly extracted from wild yams or soybeans.  Even though it may be extracted from soy it is a highly purified hormone and there are absolutely no remnants of soy substances that would lead to any problem.

Estrogen Dominance

Many if not most women in our culture are estrogen dominant, so using the progesterone goes a long way towards balancing hormones which usually:

• Decreases a woman’s risk for breast cancer,
• Improves her PMS and breast tenderness and

The table below lists the properties of estrogen relative to progesterone. Some of the reasons that estrogen is frequently in excess in many women are:

• Overproduction of estrogen. Ovarian cysts or tumors can lead to excess estrogen production. Stress also increases production, but probably the most common cause is obesity. All body fat has an enzyme which converts adrenal steroids to estrogen, so the more fat you have, the more estrogen is present.
• Inability to breakdown estrogen. Excess estrogen is generally removed by the liver. Diseases of the liver like cirrhosis or decreased enzyme activity can lead to increased estrogen levels. Vitamin B6 and magnesium are necessary for the liver to neutralize estrogen. Increased sugar intake will also excrete magnesium and interfere with its ability to breakdown estrogen.
• Exposure to pesticides in foods. Most of us eat foods that have pesticides on them. These and many other unnatural chemicals share a common structure with estrogen and serve as “false” estrogens which further stimulates the body’s estrogen receptors.
• Estrogen supplementation. Clearly any additional estrogen given by prescription will increase the level unless it is properly balanced with natural progesterone.
• Decreased production of progesterone. Progesterone is necessary to counterbalance estrogen. If women do not ovulate during their cycle they will not produce any progesterone that cycle. This happens commonly and worsens the already disturbed progesterone/estrogen balance. Decreased progesterone levels are one of the most common reasons for miscarriages.

To minimize your risk of cancer it is very important to understand that you should never take any supplemental estrogen without taking natural progesterone. Note that I use the term “natural’ progesterone, or the real hormone. Taking synthetic versions like Provera will actually increase your risk of cancers and heart disease.

There are many ways to “naturally” address bioidentical hormone replacement but one of the most common mistakes is to use oral hormones.

If nature had intended to locate your ovaries in your stomach or somewhere else in your GI tract it might make sense for women to swallow progesterone. If your ovaries were in your GI tract, your body would certainly have been equipped with a way to process them safely and efficiently so that everything worked in perfect synchrony.

Of course your ovaries are not in your GI tract but in your pelvis outside your GI tract and connected to your uterus and vagina through your fallopian tubes. Your ovaries have direct access to your blood stream through a pelvic plexus of veins, which delivers their hormone secretions to your heart which in turn pumps them, unchanged to hormone sensitive cells throughout your entire body.

If you swallow steroid hormones you will seriously distort their natural metabolism  When you swallow them they will encounter potent stomach acids. The hormones that survive this assault then go to your liver where they will be further broken down. Your liver screens all molecules that enter your blood stream, passing some onward, modifying or detoxifying others, and rejecting a few. 

This routing of orally swallowed hormones is in sharp contrast to the way nature intended them to be distributed to your tissues.  If you swallow hormones only 10-15% will eventually reach the target tissues and you will need to take an oral dose that is 500% higher than you need. Over 30 different metabolites are created in your liver when you swallow the progesterone and any of these can then have unwanted side effects.

So if you or anyone you know currently use oral hormones like progesterone or DHEA or any hormone, I encourage you to strongly consider phasing them out. 

Like most good things in life if you use too much of the hormone cream, complications can develop and disrupt your hormone balance.

The Key to Safely and Effectively Using Progesterone Cream

If you want to copy nature and reproduce a hormonal environment that most closely resembles a normal premenopausal woman the first logical step would be to get the hormones directly into your blood stream, just the way your ovary does.

Hormones carefully measured and formulated in an appropriate cream or gel need only be rubbed once or twice a day into your mucous (epithelial) membranes. Since there are no destructive detours through your GI tract when administered this way, your tissues are exposed to the appropriate concentrations of the hormone without the side effects of 30 different liver metabolites.

I first started using these creams in the early 1990s be became gradually disenchanted with them after I noticed that they typically worked wonderfully initially but then invariably stopped working. This is now known as “dermal fatigue”. 

What happens, not only for progesterone cream, but for ANY hormone preparation you use by applying as a cream to your skin is that within a few weeks to a few months you will saturate the fat tissue with the hormones and they will actually stop working or can even make your symptoms worse.

The problem relates to the fact that progesterone is highly fat soluble and once applied to your skin will store itself in your fat tissue. When one initially uses the cream, there aren’t any problems as the fat stores are very low. But as time goes on, the cream accumulates and contributes to disruptions in your adrenal hormones such as DHEA, cortisol, and testosterone. I have learned that although progesterone cream is an enormously useful tool, it needs to be used very cautiously.

I found that many of the women who were on the cream have terribly elevated levels of this hormone. Progesterone is normally a cyclical hormone and the body really needs to see a change in the concentration to affect a proper physiological response. If the level is constantly above the concentration that it recognizes as “off” or low, this is not possible.

Fortunately, this is repairable. But it may involve going off the cream for as long as two years to wash the progesterone out of your system.

Best Way to Use Progesterone Cream

The key mistake that many well intentioned knowledgeable doctors, including myself made is to advise to use the cream on your skin. While this certainly provides better results than swallowing the hormones, it can still be improved.

There is a relatively minor tweak you can make with the creams which avoids nearly all of the side effects of applying the cream on your skin.

If you apply the cream to your mucous epithelial membranes that line your uterus and vagina you obtain a virtually ideal administration system. Not only is absorption through these membranes more complete than through your skin, but hormones absorbed through your vaginal membranes enter the very same pelvic plexus of veins that your ovaries normally empty into.

From here the hormones are carried to your heart and lungs and distributed to your tissues just as if your ovary had actually produced them.

Men also require hormones and I myself take DHEA. Obviously men don’t have a vagina to use but we do have a rectum that has a similar mucosal epithelial surface and can be used to administer the hormones in a near ideal fashion without any of the complications previously described.

Timing and Dose of Progesterone Cream

For most premenopausal women the usual dose is 15-24 mg/day for 14 days before expected menses, stopping the day or so before menses.  So you would use the cream for twelve days and then stop. Typically this would mean you would start on day 12 of your cycle and stop on day 26.

The abrupt lowering of your progesterone level is the primary stimulus for your period to start.  Hopefully when it starts any PMS and painful periods will be dramatically reduced.

When a women is in menopause she may only need 15 mg but taken for the first 25 days of the month, then take 5 or 6 days off and restart on the first of the month.

For most women a single daily application will work. However, because the half-life is relatively short, some women find that they get a more satisfactory response by splitting the daily dose in two, half in the morning and half in the evening. If you are only taking the hormones in the morning and begin to feel symptoms later in the day, splitting the dose in two should solve this problem.

Testing of Your Natural Hormones

This is somewhat of a controversial area but basically involves three different types.

• Blood
• Saliva
• Urine

I have never been a fan of blood testing as many of the hormones are secreted in a pulsatile fashion and it is difficult to get an accurate idea of the levels in this way.

Saliva testing is easier than urine but is not as accurate.

My current belief is that a 24 hour urine test is the preferred method and the one I use for myself and family. This is the one that Dr. Wright advocates in his own clinic. Dr. Wright has trained many hundreds of physicians in this system and if you are seeking further guidance in this area it would be wise to seek one of them to help you in this area.

New research proves that ‘gender bending’ chemicals which leach from human products into rivers and oceans can have a significant impact on the ability of fish to breed.  The study has important implications for understanding the impacts of these chemicals.

Endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) affect hormones.  They are found in products ranging from contraceptive drugs to liquid detergents.  They have been seeping into rivers through the sewage system for decades and alter the biology of fish, changing male fish to make them more female.

Eurekalert reports:

“Until now, there has been no solid evidence to show the long-term impact of this effect on fish in the wild — but the new research focusing on wild roach in two UK rivers (Bourne and Arun) has provided new evidence … It was found that intersex fish — those that had their sexuality compromised by EDCs and which contain both male (sperm) and female (eggs) sex cells — had their reproductive performance reduced by up to 76 percent.”

Scientists have discovered new evidence that the fat tissue is much more than a dormant storage depot for surplus calories.  In fact, your body far is an active organ that sends chemical signals to other parts of your body.

Researchers have recently uncovered 20 new hormones and other substances not previously known to be secreted into the blood by human fat cells, and proof that fat secretes dozens of hormones and other chemical messengers.

According to Eurekalert:

“Many people once thought that fat cells were inert storage depots for surplus calories. But studies have established that fat cells can secrete certain hormones and other substances much like other organs in the body. Among those hormones is leptin, which controls appetite, and adiponectin, which makes the body more sensitive to insulin and controls blood sugar levels.”

A federal court has struck down Ohio’s law banning labels on dairy products that say they’re made with milk that’s free of hormones. As reported on NPR.org, that means companies that want to say their products are “rbGH free” and “rbST free” and “artificial hormone free” are now free to do so.

“But the bigger deal might be that the ruling challenges the FDA’s 17-year-old finding that there’s “no significant difference” between the milk of cows given growth hormone and those that aren’t,” NPR said. “Just that sort of distinction, or lack of it actually, is part of the ongoing debate about how to label genetically engineered salmon.”

The Court of Appeals also listed the reasons why there is a difference between milk from cows given growth hormones and those that don’t get hormones – and one was that there is more pus in the hormone-treated cows’ milk than in hormone-free.

Other states have already given permission for special labels on milk, but NPR.org speculated that if the FDA approves genetically modified salmon (GM), consumer groups may use the court’s ruling to label non-genetically engineered salmon.

The FDA has cited an Ohio dairy farm for violating USDA and FDA rules about humane treatment of calves bred as veal, and for the unlawful use of antibiotics on some of the animals. According to a report in Food Safety News, Raber View Holstein Farm, based outside Millersburg, Ohio, sold at least one veal calf treated with the illegal antibiotics for human consumption. Food Safety News said the farm:

“(W)ent way over the limit for using the antibiotics Sulfamethoxazole in conjunction with Trimethoprim in treating an ill animal, probably for a urinary tract infection,” Food Safety News said. “FDA has a zero tolerance policy for Sulfamethoxazole in the edible tissues of animals slaughtered and sold for human consumption.  The presence of the drug means the meat is adulterated under federal law.”

Unfortunately, this doesn’t appear to be an isolated incident lately. In another case in the state of Washington, the Seattle Business Journal reported that Costco was “apologizing” for the mistreatment of the veal calves raised on one of its suppliers’ farms.

Breast cancer rates dropped by half in tandem with the discontinuation of hormone replacement therapy, according to a study published online in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute. The study was reported in the Telegraph in the United Kingdom.

The Telegraph said:

“Dr Prithwish De, of the Canadian Cancer Society, and colleagues, found that use of HRT dropped from 12.7 per cent in 2002 to 4.9 per cent in 2004. During the same period breast cancer rates dropped by 9.6 per cent even though the same number of women were having mammography tests. Between 2004 and 2006 use of HRT remained stable at around five per cent of women aged 50 to 59 but breast cancer rates began to increase again.

Dr De wrote: ‘The results support the hypothesised link between the use of hormone replacement therapy and invasive breast cancer incidence and indicate that the sharp decline in breast cancer incidence in 2002 is likely explained by the concurrent decline in the use of hormone replacement therapy among Canadian women.’”

The study’s authors said these numbers support existing evidence of the link between HRT and breast cancer.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is warning that children exposed to a drug prescribed to menopausal women for hot flashes has the potential to cause premature breast development in girls, and breast enlargement in boys.

According to an FDA advisory, Evamist is a topical drug that contains estradiol, an estrogen hormone. It is sprayed on the skin between the elbow and wrist, on the inside of the forearm.

“Women using Evamist need to be aware of the potential risks to children who come in contact with the area of skin where this drug is applied,” said Julie Beitz, M.D., director of the FDA’s Office of Drug Evaluation III. “It is important that people know to keep both children and pets away from the product to minimize exposure.”

Patients using Evamist should not allow children to make contact with the area of the arm where Evamist is sprayed and should wash the child’s skin with soap and water as soon as possible if contact does occur, the FDA said.

Pregnant women with higher blood levels of PBDEs, a common class of flame retardants, had altered thyroid hormone levels — a fact that could have implications for fetal health.

PBDEs, or polybrominated diphenyl ethers, are organobromine compounds which are found in household items such as carpets, electronics and plastics. PBDEs can leach out into the environment and accumulate in human fat cells.

Eurekalert reports:

“Studies suggest that PBDEs can be found in the blood of up to 97 percent of U.S. residents, and at levels 20 times higher than those of people in Europe. Because of California‘s flammability laws, residents in this state have some of the highest exposures to PBDEs in the world.”