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Part 4: How to Take Estrogen / Progesterone, The Soy Issue Exploring the Hormone Heresy: An Interview with
Women's Health Advocate Sherrill Sellman by Mary J. Shomon Mary Shomon: Some practitioners believe that women with hypothyroidism can benefit from natural progesterone treatment, that it helps improve thyroid function. Can you explain this further? Sherrill Sellman: Due to the increasing sophistication of saliva testing, what is becoming apparent is that estrogen excess, not deficiency is the real cause of the vast majority of women's hormonal complaints. Also, a sluggish thyroid will worsen estrogen dominant symptoms and vice versa. The use of natural progesterone has been shown to be most helpful to women with mild symptoms of clinical hypothyroidism. Women who are estrogen dominant have poor thyroid efficiency. Without getting too technical, it is known that estrogen increases thyroxine-binding globulin - the transport system for both T3 and T4. Globulin-bound thyroid is inactive. The more thyroid hormones are globulin-bound, the less of the active form is available. Adequate amounts of natural progesterone reduce estrogen dominance and consequently, increase the biologically active form of thyroid hormones. For many women, using natural progesterone along with committing to a healthy diet, using nutritional support, reducing stress and adding exercise is most effective. It is also most helpful to include a cleansing program to detoxify the tissues thus diminishing resistance to whatever circulating thyroid hormone is present. Mary Shomon: What do you think the best way is to get progesterone? What about the over-the-counter progesterone treatments, such as the creams? Are they as effective as compounded natural progesterone by prescription? Sherrill Sellman: A good quality natural progesterone cream is as effective as a compounded one. I, personally, like to use a natural progesterone cream that has organic ingredients. It is recommended to use a cream that has about 480 mg per ounce. When it is applied twice daily, morning and night, it is the appropriate physiological dose. Mary Shomon: Should a woman be tested for progesterone levels before starting any form of supplementation? Basically, what I'm asking is, is there any danger to a woman who self-prescribes and takes progesterone, i.e., using the over- the-counter cream, without confirming that she has a verifiable progesterone deficiency? Sherrill Sellman: The symptoms of estrogen excess are quite identifiable. A saliva test is not always necessary. Progesterone cream is quite safe. While it is recommended to use 1/8 -1/4 tsp. twice daily, each women must really adjust the dose to her body's needs and sensitivity. Some women only need a very small amount while other may initially start off with a little higher dose. However, a saliva test is most helpful to get an overview of the entire steroid hormone profile. Many steroid hormones can be measured besides progesterone such as estradiol, estrone and estriol, DHEA, cortisol, melatonin and testosterone. Saliva tests are now most effective for measuring thyroid hormone levels. It would certainly be helpful to measure these hormones yearly as well as establishing a baseline. In the case of severe hormonal imbalance, it may also be prudent to measure hormones several times a year to asses your treatments effectiveness. It is most important that all the steroid hormones are in balance. Mary Shomon: You typically don't recommend estrogen supplementation for most women, unless they have a demonstrated deficiency in estrogen. Can you talk a bit about why you think women should avoid conjugated estrogens, like Premarin, and instead ask for estriol? Sherrill Sellman: We often hear the term "natural estrogens" when it comes to supplementation and think that they are a better choice than the synthetic ones, such as Premarin. What is really necessary to understand is that if a woman is truly estrogen dominant, any form of estrogen, whether from conjugated horse urine or plant sources, is inappropriate and will only increase the toxic and potentially harmful effects of estrogen dominance. I always emphasis the importance of getting a saliva test to check if estrogen/progesterone ratio is truly out of balance before ever considering the use of any estrogen. Unfortunately, blood serum testing, the gold standard of the medical profession, is notoriously inaccurate, leading to false readings of estrogen deficiency. The WHO now recognizes saliva tests as the most valid form of hormone testing. There are several issues that surround the use of Premarin. First of all, Premarin is made from PREgnant MARres UrINe. There are approximately 45,000 mares in Canada and the US who spend 7 months out of their 11 month pregnancy in confined stalls with catheters attached for collecting their urine. They generally are dehydrated (for a more concentrated urine) and under great stress and duress. Premarin mare foals are sold when just a couple of months old to slaughterhouses. There is quite a big business in Premarin foals. That is the moral issue. The other issue involves the ingredients of Premarin. There are 10 kinds of estrogens found in Premarin. Only two are identical to human female estrogen. The other 8 are horse estrogens, obviously, not natural to a woman's body. Premarin's carcinogenicity is stated in the package insert. Horse estrogens put the liver at risk of developing cancer. There is no reason to ever take Premarin. If a woman is truly estrogen deficient, then estriol may be appropriate. Estriol is considered the safest of all the estrogens. It is the dominant form of estrogen made during pregnancy. It is often recommended for vaginal dryness and urinary problems. Estriol, in fact, governs the harmonious workings and the suppleness of the lower third of the urethra, located in the vagina. However, even then, women have a variety of vitamins and herbs to choose from to eliminate that problem. Some of the most effective alternatives include natural progesterone topically and intervaginally, the herb maca, vitamin E capsules, vitamin E suppositories (made by Carlson Laboratories), royal jelly, folic acid (10 mg) with a B-Complex, female tonic herbs and Chinese herbal medicine. Mary Shomon: What are your thoughts regarding soy foods and soy isoflavone powders and supplements for menopausal symptoms? Do you have any thoughts regarding the effects of soy on people with thyroid disease? Are there food, supplements or natural options to deal with menopausal symptoms for women with thyroid disease who don't want to use soy products? Sherrill Sellman: I used to be quite a big soy fan until I began to do more research into this subject. Now I err on the side of caution and actually advise women to cut way down on their soy intake. The most preferred kind of soy would be the fermented versions such as tempeh and mise because that is the most digestible form of soy. The fermentation process destroys the harmful toxins found in soy. Unfermented forms have potent enzyme inhibitors that block the action of trypsin and other enzymes needed for protein digestion. Soy blocks the uptake of the essential minerals - calcium, magnesium, copper, iron and especially zinc - in the intestinal tract. It is now known that soy, in it's unfermented forms, does have an inhibiting effect on the thyroid. It is also a very allergic food and hard to digest. Contrary to the popular myth, Asians do not eat soy as a staple food but rather only as a condiment. I have lived for several years in Southeast Asian and know this to be a fact. From my 8 years of research into women's hormonal health issues, I have learned that all hormonal problems is do to a body that is out of balance.. The greatest hormone wreckers, as I like to call them, are sugar, caffeine, alcohol, dairy, refined carbohydrates, hydrogenated oils, fatty foods, margarine, aspartame ( diet drinks), pharmaceutical drugs, dehydration, lack of sleep, skipping meals. junk food, dieting, eating pesticide-sprayed foods and hormone laden meat. Long periods of emotional and physical stress are a sure recipe for hormonal imbalance. To regain hormonal balance and support thyroid function, we really need to a commit to a healthy diet filled with adequate protein, essential fatty acids and good quality carbohydrates (mostly from fruits and vegetables). It is also important to embrace a healthy life style filled with physical exercise, stress reduction, and a loving and supportive community of friends. I strongly recommend that women find a competent holistic practitioner who can be a compassionate and qualified ally on in her quest for regaining hormonal health and well-being. Healing the thyroid, as with any health problem, is an holistic journey. Mary Shomon: How can people find out more about your work? Sherrill Sellman: My book "Hormone Heresy: What Women MUST Know About Their Hormones" is available from bookstores, or from my web site http://www.ssellman.com or by calling toll-free number 877-215-1721. I can be contacted via e-mail at golight@earthlink.net My publisher is offering a wonderful holiday special for my Women's Wisdom Pack which includes my book, audio tape and Hormone Heresy Compendium which has 6 of my indepth articles revealing hidden truths about The Pill, tamoxifen, osteoporosis, the myths of menopause, hysterectomies and much more. Included is a special package of discount coupons with savings up to $100 for some of the best natural products for balancing hormones naturally. For further information contact http://www.ssellman.com/specialoffer.html or call 877-215-1721. I have also developed a personal one-on-one hormone coaching program through phone consultations called The HormoneWise Program. It is a unique program, designed to offer ongoing education, support, personal strategies, resources, referrals and counseling to women seeking hormonal balance and personal empowerment. For further information contact golight@earthlink.net or (918)437-1058. Warmest regards, Sherrill Sellman Part 1: The
Role of the Thyroid in the Hormonal System |
Reprinted with Permission of Sherrill Sellman