When it comes to hormones, there is a lot of mis-information out there. I have had patients literally told by their MDs that hormones cannot be tested. I have heard countless frustrations from my patients in regards to imbalanced hormones, a lack of solutions to these issues and the dire consequences that can come to both their personal wellbeing and their relationships.
Today, I am here to debunk a number of the common myths and misunderstandings that I hear.
Myth #1: Hormones cannot be tested.
Patients have heard this statement before, often from their MDs and are left feeling like there is no hope to aid their hormones. Nothing can be farther from the truth. There is basic bloodwork that can be done to assess testosterone, estrogen, progesterone, cortisol, LH and FSH levels just as a starting point. As NDs, we can access testing that can go even deeper than this via urine and/or saliva testing. My favourite hormone test remains the Dutch Test, which is a urine assessment of the entire metabolic pathway of your hormone cascade. It tests progesterone, DHEA, testosterone and DHT, 3 versions of estrogen and the estrogen clearance pathway (ie how effective your body clears it out), plus a full cortisol curve to assess your state of stress. This test is a goldmine when trying to figure out your unique hormone balance.
Myth #2: The only options to support my hormones are birth control pills and hormone replacement therapy (HRT).
If we look just at drug options for hormone regulation, this is a partial truth. By far the most common solution to hormone based concerns like acne, PMS, irregular periods, heavy/crampy periods, low hormone levels, and amenorrhea is birth control pills. And by far the most common solution to anything related to perimenopause and menopause is hormone replacement therapy. Sometimes, these are the right solutions, but often they mask the imbalances and do not get to the root of the hormone dysfunction. Other medications modify hormone activities often by blocking specific enzymes and these can sometimes benefit severe cases. As NDs, we strive to correct hormone imbalances through the use of hormone modifying herbs and supplements. Yes, there is a way to balance the hormones and it works very effectively.
Myth #3: I have polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS).
PCOS is widely over diagnosed. Yes, some people do have it, but not everyone with dark hair growth and irregular cycles have PCOS. One of the reasons for the overdiagnosis, is the vague diagnostic criteria, but more than anything this comes from seeing a few symptoms related to hormone imbalances, then assuming it must be PCOS. I have had countless patients given this diagnosis, we run a Dutch test, and we find out that they have a hormone imbalance and not the typical hormone pattern of PCOS. Being given a PCOS diagnosis can be very frustrating because often no treatment options are given and their future of fertility can come into question. True PCOS has some fantastic treatment strategies from a naturopathic perspective, as do the many other pattens that can mimic this condition.
Myth #4: The solution to hormone based mood changes is antidepressant medications.
If you’re not at the age where HRT or oral contraceptive pills s are the solution and you experience cyclical hormonally related anxiety, depression or irritability, you are commonly offered an antidepressant medication. Again, sometimes this may be the correct solution for the patient, but most times it’s not. Hormone imbalances can cause drastic changes and fluctuations in mood and it is not until we correct this imbalance that the mood symptoms will truly settle down.
Myth #5: Menopause is something to be suffered through.
Many women think that menopause is this extended period of unpredictable changes that must be endured and the consequences can be dire. Ladies, there are many tools to help alleviate the many symptoms of hot flashes, night sweats, loss of bone density, vaginal dryness, insomnia, irritability, weight gain, loss of muscle mass, anxiety, depression, tearful spells and so on. Beyond HRT, there are so many naturopathic tools that can make this transition an easy process. Don’t suffer in silence!
Myth #6: Men, taking testosterone will solve my low testosterone problem.
Gents, having low testosterone can severely impact your life and finding a quick way out of this is tempting. But taking testosterone further decreases your own natural production! Through negative feedback the body produces even less testosterone and as soon as we take away the meds, our levels tank once again. It’s a quick fix that masks the deeper issue. Again, sometimes taking testosterone is the right solution, but not every time, and the pros and cons need to be properly discussed and weighed. There are many reasons that men of all ages show up with low testosterone, from high stress and lack of sleep to nutrient depletions and poor diets. Our goal as NDs is to identify what’s causing the low testosterone and help you correct this through lifestyle changes and supplementation.
Myth #7: Stress doesn’t cause hormone changes.
Stress is one of the number one causes of hormone dysregulation. So often, I have worked only on stress with a patient with PMS, fertility issues or menopausal symptoms and their hormonal symptoms resolve. Stress is blamed for so many things, but remains something that we struggle to identify and rectify. Through proper testing, we can identify the amount of stress you are carrying, correct the biochemical consequences of this and correct the cascade of hormone imbalances that result.
Myth #8: Migraines aren’t related to hormone imbalances.
Two of the main triggers for migraines (besides our glorious city’s abundant weather changes), are stress and high estrogen. The stress hormone cortisol can be tested and corrected and can have huge impacts on alleviating migraines. Estrogen levels being high, whether naturally or from birth control pills, can also trigger migraines, and correcting this imbalance or changing the type of birth control, can alleviate the migraines. Aren’t hormones wonderful?
Myth #9: Acne is always hormonal
Acne is commonly hormonal and working on regulating high estrogen or testosterone will commonly result in alleviation of acne. However, there are other reasons for acne from gut health to food intolerances to hygiene practices and skincare to diet choices and detoxification. Identifying the root cause(s) is the key to finding resolution.
Myth #10: Hormones are the elixir of life and will make you live longer
There are many factors at play that affect our longevity and while taking hormones can make us feel more youthful, they are not the elixir that leads to a long and healthy life. It turns out that we don’t live longer just because we are repleting hormones; in reality despite creating a temporary vitality, they can actually shorten our lifespan. There are evidence based methods of extending lifespan and quality of life years lived, such as affecting the mTOR pathway, sirtuin pathways and AMPK pathways which can be done via specific medical interventions, alterations to nutritional biochemistry, specific activity modifications and exogenous supplements that can be administered orally or intravenously. The world of anti-aging is complex and reaches much further than hormones!
