Episode 9 - Hormones, Health, and the Importance of Monitoring

In this episode, I discuss the importance of bioidentical hormones and why regular, individualized hormone testing is essential. I share my personal experiences and explain why hormones shouldn’t be prescribed lightly – especially without prior testing. I also cover when a healthy lifestyle can be completely sufficient without hormones and why supplements like magnesium can sometimes be the better choice. Tune in to learn what a mindful approach to hormone therapy looks like and why finding the right balance is so important!

Sources:

Amino acids:
https://xbyx.de/products/klare-aminos-aminosaeuren-komplex?currency=EUR&variant=45477493342472&utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=Google%20Shopping&stkn=cd03812b0068&adb_ad_id=666097302445&adb_ad_source=google&adb_click_id=EAIaIQobChMIrYPBpLDNiQMVK4KDBx0iGQiREAQYASABEgLpOvD_BwE&adb_campaign_id=20384666281&adb_adgroup_id=151819361455&adb_target_id=pla-293946777986&adb_placement=&adb_target=&gc_id=20384666281&h_ad_id=666097302445&utm_source=google&utm_medium=&utm_campaign=20384666281&utm_content=151819361455&utm_term=&gad_source=1&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIrYPBpLDNiQMVK4KDBx0iGQiREAQYASABEgLpOvD_BwE

https://www.loges.de/praeparate/aminologes

DUTCH Test:
https://ifu-wolfhagen.de/shop/hormone/dutch-hormontest-in-wenigen-tagen-verfuegbar/

Hair analysis:
https://www.medicross.com/shop/mikronaehrstofftest/

Transcript

Episode 9_ENG 

[00:00:00] Hello and welcome back to my podcast. I'm so glad you're here. Bye bye. You may have noticed things have been a bit quiet recently, and there's a good reason for that. I took a short break to focus on further training as a hormone therapist and to deepen my research, but I've gained some really exciting new insights that I felt were so crucial I wanted to share them with you right away, even if it meant interrupting my break.

This will be a shorter episode, but I believe this information is so essential that I couldn't wait to get it to you. So, let's dive right in. Why is regular monitoring and hormone therapy so important? [00:01:00] Well, if you're an avid listener, then you know, I'm an advocate of hormone therapy But I also say it's not for everyone and not everyone needs it So many of us are familiar with the effects hormones can have on our bodies From mood swings to sleep disturbances to changes in skin and bone density.

Hormones are incredibly powerful and influence nearly every cell in our body. This is why hormone therapy is not a decision to take lightly and regular monitoring is crucial. Why? Well, because hormones just don't work in one way. They impact many bodily systems and can interact with each other in complex ways.

So when we introduce hormones, whether bioidentical or synthetic, we can quickly create an imbalance if we're not checking levels regularly and making adjustments as needed. If you remember, some hormones can actually block each other. Think of progesterone steal. If you're under stress, your cortisol will [00:02:00] increase and will steal progesterone because progesterone is the precursor, and it's always more important to survive than to be reproductive, just as one example.

Another example about why checking your hormones is, let's say you're taking estradiol as part of your hormone therapy. Well, estradiol is broken down into the body, into different metabolites or byproducts, which can have varying effects. And some of these can be really harmful if they're out of balance.

And this brings me, um, Yeah, to an often overlooked point, these so called estradiol metabolites. Because when taking estradiol, it is important to know not just how much estradiol is in your body, but also how it's being broken down. Um, because the metabolites can either be neutral or positive, which means they can support your body.

Um, they can support your cardiovascular system, your bone density. [00:03:00] Um, but there's also metabolite, um, that can actually increase health risks, including the risk of breast cancer. Because these metabolites, um, in your cell, they promote growth. They can promote the growth of, um, bone cells, but they can also promote the growth of cancer cells.

And, uh, to know this is, um, I find important, um, especially if you have a history of cancer in your family, or you unfortunately yourself had cancer. I believe it's really important to find out, uh, before you start hormones, um, which metabolite actually, um, well, your cell then produces because these, um, the supplementing of estradiol can produce these metabolites, but also your own, um, um, estradiol, which you produce in your body.

So I think it's really crucial to find out what your body does with, um, estradiol once it's, enters your cell. Now you might be asking [00:04:00] yourself, okay, how do I find out what, which metabolite my cell is producing? Well, like I said, um, tightly woven tests are, I find, mandatory and, um, I prefer both, so blood and saliva, and this is something your OBGYN will discuss with you, um, but once you're taking hormones, I think it's also important, um, to do a saliva test, maybe also a blood test, um, every six weeks in the beginning, then every three months, just to see, you know, to get you grooved in, because you might not show symptoms, but you might be overdosing, and this can then, of course, cause problems.

Now, when it comes to the metabolite, there's a really good test, um, you can purchase, It's unfortunately quite expensive, and I've only found one lab in Germany that offers this. And I will add the link to this lab in the show notes, and then it's up to you to decide what you want to do. And this test is called a, so it's a so called Dutch test.

So D [00:05:00] U T C H, which stands for dried urine test for comprehensive hormones. So this test not only shows the levels of main hormones, but also their various metabolites making it particularly valid, valuable for anyone. on hormone therapy, or like I just said, considering it. So you have some issues in your, um, family line or your, um, you have, um, certain illnesses, uh, then I think it would crucial to test this.

So with the Dutch test, you can see exactly how your body is processing estradiol and whether the ratio of metabolites is balanced. And with that, you can then take decision for further steps. So, um, hormone therapy is, or can be a long term commitment, and that's why regular monitoring is really key to making it safe and effective.

Um, ideally, hormone levels should be checked, Like I just said, every six weeks during the first few months and then [00:06:00] approximately every three months, once things are stable, also depending on your symptoms. And this way you can ensure your levels remain within a healthy range and that no unwanted side effects occur.

Um, It's really important that your health care provider takes these checkups seriously and regularly discusses the results with you because only by monitoring can we avoid potential issues like hormone buildup or interactions because hormones often have an opposing effect. For example, an excess in one hormone can block the effects of another, leading to more imbalance.

really, really important. And then again, it's also important. I personally say to also have your vital functions, um, checked on a regular basis. So I'm talking about blood pressure, blood sugar, um, cholesterol, having your cardiovascular system tested because [00:07:00] these then, um, if they are off, they can then lead to.

The silent symptoms I'm talking, I always talk about. So osteoporosis, um, the risk for diabetes and if here everything's okay. And if you are symptom free, then you probably might not even need hormones. And that's why I think it's so important to listen to your body, track your symptoms, have your levels checked, and also have your vital function functions checked, um, on a regular basis, because I sometimes feel now that a lot of women are being prescribed hormones without checking all functions and all levels.

Um, and um, it might not even be necessary. So like I always say, hormone therapy is something really, really good. It's not meant for everybody and not every woman or man might need it. So please be wary of that. What we do, though, [00:08:00] should always consider, especially as we age, is supplementing things like vitamins, minerals, trace elements, and also something called amino acids, because, um, amino acids are especially important, um, as we age.

As we get older, we often start to lose muscle mass. This is a condition known as sarcopenia. Our muscles rely on protein and essential amino acids to stay strong and healthy. One especially important amino acid is so called leucine, which directly supports muscle growth. So as we age, it's important to increase our intake of high quality proteins and amino acids to combat muscle loss.

If you notice muscle loss, even with a big balanced diet and amino acid test may help identify any deficiencies and targeted amino acid supplementation can be beneficial. I personally take a complex and I will add this into show notes as well. I take something you can dissolve in water. There are also other companies that offer this in a [00:09:00] capsule form.

I'll also add this in the show notes and I'll also add a possibility of having your hair analyze, um, analyze to see what's which amino acids you might be lacking, um, if you have a deficiency in certain vitamins and minerals so you don't have to take a complex. You might only need to stick to one or two amino acids.

I'll add the amino acids you can dissolve in water, the capsules you can take, and the test you can, um, have done to, um, have your levels checked. So in summary, if you're taking hormones or considering hormone therapy, regular monitoring, is very crucial. This is the only way to make sure your hormone therapy is both safe and effective and reduce possible side effects.

So the Dutch test is a fantastic tool to check how your body processes hormones and whether your estradiol metabolites are balanced. And at the same time, it's helpful to focus on things like amino acids [00:10:00] as we age to support muscle maintenance and overall health. Because if you're experienced muscle loss, despite a good diet testing for amino acid levels could reveal deficiencies.

that can be managed with supplementation. Other supplementations like magnesium, vitamin D, vitamin B complex might also be something you should consider. I want to shortly also address, uh, the younger audience. Oh, it doesn't only need to be at the younger audience, but the audience, um, taking, um, hormonal contraceptives, um, because it's also known that these synthetic hormones in contraceptives deplete your body of the important minerals, trace elements and vitamins, and these should be supplemented, um, to keep you healthy.

Please also talk to your OBGYN about this. You can also do the heroin analyst, um, analyze test I've added to the show notes to make sure what your body is being depleted of, [00:11:00] it's refilled with really good supplements. So, thank you for tuning in today. I hope these insights help you make informed choices about your hormone therapy and health as you age.

Remember, your body should be regularly monitored if you are taking hormones to ensure you get the most benefit while minimizing risks. And you might also want to consider having your hormones level checked. And like I always share your other vital functions to find out if you even need hormone therapy or if you're simply missing some minerals or vitamins.

So until next time, take care of your body and make the choices that best support your health journey.