Hormonal Imbalance: Disease Indicator, Part 1

Dr. Fe Jocelyn G. Merced, an Alternative and Integrative Medicine practitioner, who operates Lifestream Health Centre, in Pasig City, Philippines, recently discussed with us the health benefits of maintaining the endocrine glands.

The endocrine glands produce hormones that affect bodily processes, such as sleep and emotional well-being. As we age, the endocrine glands may begin to shrink in size, causing hormone production to decline. Melatonin, an antioxidant that affects sleep, declines with age; so does DHEA (dehydroepiandrosterone), a natural hormone produced by the adrenal gland that boosts T-helper lymphocytes to fight infections, increases circulation, and improves memory.

Dr. Merced has more to say about hormones and overall health:

"Hormones are powerful molecules essential for maintaining physical and mental health. We frequently think of estrogen as being a female hormone, and testosterone as being a male hormone. But men and women make both, plus several more that need to be in balance for optimum health. An imbalance of any one hormone can throw your physical and mental health out of balance, causing aggravating and even serious health problems.

"There are several ways to test for hormones (saliva, serum and urine), but the state-of-the-art method is through the saliva test. This is because only the active portions of hormones are measured and it is these portions that determine how individuals feel.

"Symptoms are an indicator that things are not right. If you have any of the following symptoms, such as hot flashes, night sweats, insomnia, memory loss, mood swings, low sex drive, depression, fatigue, irregular periods, breast tenderness, increased skin wrinkling, feeling bloated, weight gain, morning fatigue, fibromyalgia, allergies, decreased stamina, headaches, anxiety, sugar cravings, irritability, and dizzy spells--you might have hormonal imbalance. Then you might have to undergo a saliva test.

Persons requiring a saliva test:

• Men and women with decreasing hormone levels because of age.
• Women experiencing premenstrual syndrome (PMS) related to a hormonal imbalance.
• Peri and postmenopausal women concerned with their estradiol and progesterone levels for replacement considerations.
• Those wishing to monitor their hormone levels following replacement therapy (oral, sublingual or topical), and subsequently regulate their supplement levels.
• Anyone with symptoms involving fatigue, insomnia, stress, , immunity problems, blood sugar problems, and overweight should be tested for cortisol levels as well as 'sex' hormones.
• Men and women of any age who have symptoms of hormone imbalances should test for all hormones that may be associated with their symptoms.
• Men and women over the age of forty who may want to do a baseline test. Frequent imbalances will be detectable for a time period before symptoms gain attention."

(Part 2 will be posted next week)

(Dr. Merced's clinic is at Units 1507-1508, One San Miguel Avenue Bldg., No. 1 San Miguel Ave. cor. Shaw Blvd., Pasig City 1608, Philippines. E-mail: jocelynmerced@yahoo.com)