Hormone tests are available to help manage menopausal challenges. By using the results of these tests, an appropriate hormone supplementation can be chosen. When getting your sex hormone levels tested, you can expect to have a baseline blood test for estradiol, estriol, estrone, progesterone, testosterone, DHEA-S (dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate), SHBG (sex hormone binding globulin), and pregnenolone.
It is also possible to test for the precursor hormones of the hypothalamus and pituitary gland. These hormones stimulate the adrenals and ovaries to produce sex steroid hormones. Blood tests for FSH (follicle-stimulating hormone), LH (luteinizing hormone), and ACTH (adrenocorticotropic hormone) are vital. At some point, saliva testing might be necessary to monitor transdermal estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone, as this most closely represents tissue levels of free hormones.
Your cortisol and melatonin levels can also be measured via saliva testing. Estrogen has three primary components: estrone, estradiol, and estriol. Bioidentical hormone prescription creams contain estradiol and estriol (“biest”).
Estrone can be metabolized further into breast cancer-promoting forms or into breast cancer-protecting forms. You can actively promote metabolism to the cancer-protecting estrone (2-hydroxyestrone) by consuming broccoli, soy isoflavones, flaxseed lignans, and/or omega-3 oils. Other methods of promoting healthy estrone metabolism are consuming sufficient amounts of B vitamins, vitamin D, SAMe (methionine), magnesium, N-acetyl cysteine (NAC), glutamine, glycine, and herbs such as rosemary, turmeric, or chrysin. Also important is exercising regularly, maintaining a healthy weight, and not smoking.
Several studies have indicated that estriol protects against breast cancer when given with estradiol or progestin. Choosing the right lifestyle and non-prescription treatments can also help you manage menopausal symptoms. Fill your diet with nutrient-rich, low-calorie, high-fiber foods such as vegetables, low-glycemic fruits, sprouted grains, seeds, nuts, and legumes. At the same time, reduce your consumption of foods high in starches, sugars, unnatural fats, and animal protein, as they generally contribute to obesity and hormone imbalances. Eliminate caffeine, which promotes cortisol production and can lead to belly fat.
Vitamins and nutrients that help reduce menopausal symptoms include soy isoflavones, calcium, magnesium, vitamin A, vitamin E, omega-3 oils, and vitamin D3. Herbs that balance hormones include black cohosh, soy isoflavones, chaste tree, kudzu, red clover, wild yam, asparagus racemosus, peony, dong quai, blue cohosh, lady’s mantle, unicorn root, vervain, sage, schisandra, Russian rhubarb, ashwagandha, and chayawnprash. It is best to consult an herbalist or naturopathic doctor for specific treatments with these, depending on your hormonal imbalances.
The usual dosage of estrogen cream for menopausal symptoms is 0.25 mg to 1.0 mg per day of “biest” (estradiol and estriol in a 1:4 ratio or 1:1 ratio). Progesterone protects from symptoms (and long-term risks, such as cancer) of “unopposed estrogen.” If you are premenopausal and suffering from PMS symptoms, you should use daily sustained-release or topical cream progesterone on days 14 through 25 of your cycle.
After menopause, you might want to consider using both progesterone and estrogen, even if you have no symptoms, due to the beneficial effects of these hormones on your heart, liver, brain, bones, and skin. You may also need the strengthening and libido-enhancing benefits of a daily low dose of testosterone or DHEA (a precursor hormone to testosterone), depending on your hormone tests.
Menopause and hormone imbalances can be treated with various natural approaches and should never be treated with synthetic hormones. Natural estrogen and progesterone provide the most effective treatment results with a proven safety profile.
