Hormones, Hormone "Boosters", and other Healthy Supplements

Estrogen, Progesterone and Testosterone are the 3 primary hormones used for menopause hormone replacement. Other hormones involved are:

DHEA is a special hormone produced mainly in the adrenal glands. There is a slow decline beginning in young adults. Low DHEA can affect immunity, increase inflammation and allergy issues, and impair blood vessel,
brain and bone health. DHEA helps strength, sexual function and mood. Although most people don’t need DHEA supplements, they are probably safe and we sometimes recommend trying it. It can be taken orally in an
over the counter 25mg pill or added to compound formulas. Taking supplemental DHEA does not seem to interfere with adrenal gland production. Too much DHEA can cause high “testosterone” effects such as oily skin, acne and hair issues.

Pregnenolone is a precursor hormone and is converted into other hormones. Some patients notice clinical improvement with its use, but many others do not and adding it can confuse the dosing of estrogen and
testosterone.

Supplements and Hormone "Boosters"

DIM and I3C are phytonutrient compounds in food and supplements that improve estrogen metabolism. Good estrogen (estradiol) is favored in the metabolism and bad estrogen (estrone) is reduced. DIM basically can
reduce breast, uterine and prostate cancers by creating more 2-hydroxy estrone (good estrogen) and less 4-hydroxy estrone (bad estrogen) from the main estrogen, estradiol. DIM also increases free testosterone in men
and women and can make hormone pellet therapy last longer. The gut plays an important role in excreting unfavorable metabolites so gut health and normal absorption/excretion are needed for hormone balance. We
suggest DIM supplements for better hormone metabolism and probiotics/prebiotics for better GI and hormone health.

Evexipel Complete, HRT E and HRT T are hormone boosting nutraceuticals that contain DIM and other helpful supplements. They are manufactured and sold by our hormone pharmaceutical affiliate, Evexias. Evexipel Complete is the all-around hormone booster to help hormone supplements work better and can be used without hormones as well. It contains DIM, Shiligit and important vitamins. HRT-T with Shiligit has been shown in studies and clinical practice to boost internal testosterone production by up to 50%. It helps hormone metabolism and boosts testosterone and is helpful for all patients except those with PCOS who are prone to masculinizing androgen effects. HRT-E is best for PCOS or premenopausal patients or estrogen receptor positive cancer patients who have been advised against taking estrogen.

Hypothyroid (low thyroid) Disorders

Low thyroid problems occur in one of three ways. In the first, the thyroid gland does not make enough thyroid prohormone T4 and active thyroid hormone T3. In type 2 hypothyroid, the thyroid gland makes enough T4 and
T3 but the cell receptors are damaged or too little T4 is converted to T3 (active hormone). Iodine deficiency or cell damage form toxins and chemicals is the common cause of this type. Up to 40% of Americans are at least somewhat affected by this type of thyroid dysfunction. Type 3 is Autoimmune Thyroiditis, where abnormal antibodies attack the thyroid and cause inflammation and poor conversion of T4 to T3.

Iodine, Selenium and gluten-free diet are natural treatments for Hashimoto’s thyroiditis. Taking T4 like Levothyroxine and Synthroid helps some people with hypothyroid and lowers TSH level, but often there is still
a problem with T4 to T3 conversion or receptor function. Measuring free T3 is a much more accurate test for thyroid balance and function. For thyroid function support, iodine supplements, healthy diet and treatment with bioidentical combined T4/T3 (ie Armour, dessicated or compounded T4/T3) work best for most patients with clinical hypothyroidism. Thyroid balance reduces Alzheimer’s disease, cardiovascular disease and boosts
cellular ATP energy storage.

Bone Health

Vitamin D3 (and vitamin K) are important in cancer risk reduction, bone health and heart health. Levels below 60 have been implicated in a number of cancers, including breast, colorectal, prostate, ovarian, lung, kidney
and bladder. Studies have shown an increase in all-cause mortality with vitamin D deficiency. K2 is the partner vitamin of D3 and should be taken as well for bone health and cardiovascular health. The recommended daily
dose for D3 is now 5000u and for K2 is 120-500mcg.

Our hormone pharmacy and pellet partner is Evexias Health Solutions. They provide a high quality line of nutraceuticals that were formulated to make the use of supplements easier, safer and simpler. You can research and find the supplements we believe are beneficial from other companies, but there is no FDA or government agency regulatory oversight to guarantee the quality of the product. The Evexias nutraceutical line is available online through our office portal and patients can purchase recommended products directly.

The products that we most commonly recommend from Evexias Health Solutions are:

Multi-mineral D3 Ultra for bone, thyroid and insulin support

ADK 10 for bone and cardiovascular health

Evexias Complete T or E (with DIM) for hormone support and balance

HRT- T for hormone balance and testosterone boost

Active Probiotic ND 50 for stomach and intestinal “gut” health

Iodine Complete with iodine and selenium for thyroid health

These supplements and hormone boosters can be found in similar products from other manufacturers but we suggest using high quality products from trusted sources since over-the-counter products are not regulated well by the FDA, so content and purity can vary widely.

Author

Swor Women's Care Dr MIchael Swor is the founder and managing OBGYN physician at Swor Women's Care. Posts and blog updates are provided with the help of his partners, Dr Jenny Lichon and Dr KASH, as well as other healthcare providers and staff in the practice.