Hormones

Flashcard Set: Hormone Interpretation Guide Basics

Front: What is the purpose of the Hormone Interpretation Guide?
Back: To provide general guidance for interpreting hormone results on the SHP and salivary screenings, cataloging symptoms of high/low values and linking them to other test markers, while encouraging critical thinking about metabolic chaos and HIDDEN stressors.

Front: What is NOT the intention of the Hormone Interpretation Guide?
Back: It is not comprehensive and not meant to replace deeper investigation or critical thinking about a client’s metabolic chaos and HIDDEN stressors.

Front: What does HIDDEN stand for in the context of FDN hormone interpretation?
Back: Hormones, Immune, Digestion, Detoxification, Energy, Nervous System—stressors that influence hormone levels.

Flashcard Set: DHEA

Front: What is DHEA’s role in the body?
Back: DHEA is the parent of anabolic steroidal hormones, supporting growth and repair processes.

Front: What are common symptoms of high DHEA?
Back: Irritability, anger, anxiety, acne, hair loss, menstrual irregularities, aggressive behavior, insomnia.

Front: What are common symptoms of low DHEA?
Back: Fatigue, poor concentration/memory, depression, aches and pains, muscle loss, headaches, decreased sense of wellbeing.

Front: What should you consider when DHEA is low?
Back: The person’s cortisol sum, vital reserve, and how much time they spend in a sympathetic (fight-or-flight) response.

Flashcard Set: DHEA to Cortisol Ratio

Front: What does the DHEA to Cortisol Ratio indicate?
Back: Whether a client is more anabolic (DHEA dominant) or catabolic (cortisol dominant).

Front: What are symptoms of a DHEA-dominant ratio?
Back: Irritability, anger, inability to calm down, anxiety, aggressive behavior.

Front: What are symptoms of a cortisol-dominant ratio?
Back: Fatigue, foggy thinking, sleep disruptions, depression, joint pain, headaches.

Flashcard Set: Estradiol

Front: What is estradiol’s significance among estrogens?
Back: It is the most potent estrogen in the body among the three estrogens.

Front: What are common symptoms of high estradiol?
Back: Mood swings, tender breasts, water retention, nervousness, irritability, anxiousness, fibrocystic breasts, uterine fibroids, weight gain in hips, bleeding changes.

Front: What are common symptoms of low estradiol?
Back: Hot flashes, night sweats, vaginal dryness, foggy thinking, memory lapses, incontinence, tearfulness, depression, sleep disruption.

Front: What should you consider when estradiol is elevated?
Back: Look at detoxification markers (e.g., liver congestion, β-glucuronidase) to see if the body is clearing hormones effectively.

Front: What should you consider when estradiol is low?
Back: Check parent hormones (e.g., DHEA), digestion markers, and the role of chronic stress in the client’s life.

Flashcard Set: Progesterone

Front: What are the main functions of progesterone?
Back: Helps relaxation, reduces inflammation, balances estrogen’s anabolic effects, and serves as a precursor to cortisol (neither catabolic nor anabolic).

Front: What are common symptoms of high progesterone?
Back: Sleepiness, breast swelling/tenderness, decreased libido, mild depression, candida infections.

Front: What are common symptoms of low progesterone?
Back: Hot flashes, night sweats, vaginal dryness, memory lapses, bone loss, incontinence, tearfulness, depression, sleep disruption, heart palpitations.

Front: What should you consider when progesterone is high or low?
Back: Evaluate cortisol sum, vital reserve, and long-term stress; for extremely high levels, check gut health markers.

Flashcard Set: Progesterone:Estradiol Ratio

Front: What does the Progesterone:Estradiol Ratio assess?
Back: Estrogen dominance in relation to progesterone, applicable to both men and women.

Front: What does estrogen dominance look like in this ratio?
Back: Symptoms of estradiol excess (e.g., mood swings, water retention) and progesterone deficiency (e.g., hot flashes, sleep disruption).

Front: What does progesterone dominance look like in this ratio?
Back: Symptoms of progesterone excess (e.g., sleepiness, decreased libido) and estradiol deficiency (e.g., hot flashes, vaginal dryness).

Front: Why is estrogen dominance potentially dangerous?
Back: It may be linked to health issues, unlike progesterone dominance, which is suboptimal but less risky.

Front: What is progesterone’s role in estrogen defense for men and women?
Back: For women, it’s the first line of defense against estrogen; for men, it’s the second line after testosterone.

Flashcard Set: Testosterone

Front: Why is testosterone important in FDN?
Back: It’s the key androgen for recovery, muscle building, and mental acuity.

Front: What are common symptoms of high testosterone?
Back: Excess facial/body hair, loss of scalp hair, increased acne, oily skin, irritability.

Front: What are common symptoms of low testosterone?
Back: Low libido, vaginal dryness, voice change, fatigue, aches/pains, memory lapses, loss of muscle mass, workout recovery difficulty, incontinence, depression, sleep disruptions.

Front: What should you consider when testosterone is low?
Back: Check its parent hormone (DHEA), downstream hormones, cortisol sum, vital reserve, activity levels, and chronic stress.

Flashcard Set: Linking Other Markers to Hormone Readings

Front: How do upstream hormones affect high hormone values?
Back: High upstream hormones (e.g., DHEA for testosterone) could lead to elevated downstream hormones.

Front: How do downstream hormones affect low hormone values?
Back: Low downstream hormones might indicate a block or deficiency in the pathway from upstream hormones.

Front: What detoxification issues might explain high hormone values?
Back: Liver congestion or elevated β-glucuronidase, indicating poor clearance of old hormones.

Front: What digestion issues might explain low hormone values?
Back: Positive indican, high steatocrit, low UBAs, low elastase, mucosal barrier damage, or insufficient normal flora, suggesting poor nutrient absorption for hormone production.

Front: How does chronic stress impact low hormone values?
Back: Sustained cortisol mutes DHEA production, halts immune functions, and shifts energy from hormone synthesis.

Front: What cortisol-related factors should you check for low hormones?
Back: Cortisol sum, circadian pattern, and vital reserve.

Flashcard Set: Lifestyle Factors

Front: How does chronic stress affect hormone production?
Back: It prioritizes cortisol over sex hormones, suppresses immune and detox functions, and diverts energy from digestion.

Front: What lifestyle factors promote oxidative stress and metabolic chaos?
Back: Poor diet, over- or under-exercise, and lack of quality sleep.

Front: How can lifestyle disrupt hormone pathways?
Back: It may cause pooling in certain pathway segments, leading to high levels of some hormones and low levels of others, varying by individual.

Front: Why won’t the effects of stress and metabolic chaos look the same twice?
Back: Because every person’s response to stress and metabolic chaos is unique due to individual differences.