Hormones

What is DHEA’s role in the body?

growth and repair processes.

What are common symptoms of high DHEA?

Irritability, anger, anxiety, acne, hair loss, menstrual irregularities, aggressive behavior, insomnia.

What are common symptoms of low DHEA?

Fatigue, poor concentration/memory, depression, aches and pains, muscle loss, headaches

What should you consider when DHEA is low?

The person’s cortisol sum, vital reserve, and how much time they spend in a sympathetic (fight-or-flight) response.

What does the DHEA to Cortisol Ratio indicate?

Whether a client is more anabolic (DHEA dominant) or catabolic (cortisol dominant).

What are symptoms of a DHEA-dominant ratio?

Irritability, anger, inability to calm down, anxiety, aggressive behavior.

What are symptoms of a cortisol-dominant ratio?

Fatigue, foggy thinking, sleep disruptions, depression, joint pain, headaches.

What is estradiol’s significance among estrogens?

It is the most potent estrogen in the body among the three estrogens.

What are common symptoms of high estradiol?

Mood swings, tender breasts, water retention, nervousness, irritability, anxiousness, fibrocystic breasts, uterine fibroids, weight gain in hips, bleeding changes.

What are common symptoms of low estradiol?

Hot flashes, night sweats, vaginal dryness, foggy thinking, memory lapses, incontinence, tearfulness, depression, sleep disruption.

What should you consider when estradiol is elevated?

Look at detoxification markers (e.g., liver congestion, β-glucuronidase) to see if the body is clearing hormones effectively.

What should you consider when estradiol is low?

Check parent hormones (e.g., DHEA), digestion markers, and the role of chronic stress in the client’s life.

What are the main functions of progesterone?

Helps relaxation, reduces inflammation, balances estrogen’s anabolic effects, and serves as a precursor to cortisol (neither catabolic nor anabolic).

What are common symptoms of high progesterone?

Sleepiness, breast swelling/tenderness, decreased libido, mild depression, candida infections.

What are common symptoms of low progesterone?

Hot flashes, night sweats, vaginal dryness, memory lapses, bone loss, incontinence, tearfulness, depression, sleep disruption, heart palpitations.

What should you consider when progesterone is high or low?

Evaluate cortisol sum, vital reserve, and long-term stress; for extremely high levels, check gut health markers.

What does the Progesterone:Estradiol Ratio assess?

Estrogen dominance in relation to progesterone, applicable to both men and women.

What does estrogen dominance look like?

Symptoms of estradiol excess (e.g., mood swings, water retention) and progesterone deficiency (e.g., hot flashes, sleep disruption).

What does progesterone dominance look like?

Symptoms of progesterone excess (e.g., sleepiness, decreased libido) and estradiol deficiency (e.g., hot flashes, vaginal dryness).

Why is estrogen dominance potentially dangerous?

It may be linked to health issues, unlike progesterone dominance, which is suboptimal but less risky.

What is progesterone’s role in estrogen defense for men and women?

For women, it’s the first line of defense against estrogen; for men, it’s the second line after testosterone.

Why is testosterone important in FDN?

It’s the key androgen for recovery, muscle building, and mental acuity.

What are common symptoms of high testosterone?

Excess facial/body hair, loss of scalp hair, increased acne, oily skin, irritability.

What are common symptoms of low testosterone?

Low libido, vaginal dryness, voice change, fatigue, aches/pains, memory lapses, loss of muscle mass, workout recovery difficulty, incontinence, depression, sleep disruptions.

What should you consider when testosterone is low?

Check its parent hormone (DHEA), downstream hormones, cortisol sum, vital reserve, activity levels, and chronic stress.

How do upstream hormones affect high hormone values?

High upstream hormones (e.g., DHEA for testosterone) could lead to elevated downstream hormones.

How do downstream hormones affect low hormone values?

Low downstream hormones might indicate a block or deficiency in the pathway from upstream hormones.

What detoxification issues might explain high hormone values?

Liver congestion or elevated β-glucuronidase, indicating poor clearance of old hormones.

What digestion issues might explain low hormone values?

Positive indican, high steatocrit, low UBAs, low elastase, mucosal barrier damage, or insufficient normal flora, suggesting poor nutrient absorption for hormone production.

How does chronic stress impact low hormone values?

Sustained cortisol mutes DHEA production, halts immune functions, and shifts energy from hormone synthesis.

What cortisol-related factors should you check for low hormones?

Cortisol sum, circadian pattern, and vital reserve.

How does chronic stress affect hormone production?

It prioritizes cortisol over sex hormones, suppresses immune and detox functions, and diverts energy from digestion.

What lifestyle factors promote oxidative stress and metabolic chaos?

Poor diet, over- or under-exercise, and lack of quality sleep.

How can lifestyle disrupt hormone pathways?

It may cause pooling in certain pathway segments, leading to high levels of some hormones and low levels of others, varying by individual.

Why won’t the effects of stress and metabolic chaos look the same twice?

Because every person’s response to stress and metabolic chaos is unique due to individual differences.