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FEMALE
PROFILE Comprehensive*
Female Profile is a safe, easy-to-use, noninvasive, and
reliable screen that uses a simple saliva sample to measure
your levels of Estrogen ( all three estradiol, estrone, estriol)
, Progesterone, Testosterone, and DHEA which are vital to
a
woman's hormonal
balance.
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Reasons to take this test:
Menopausal and Perimenopausal Symptoms, Stress, Fatigue, Moodiness,
Insomnia, Memory Weakness, Decreased Sexual Desire, Decreased
Sexual Stimulation, Thinning and Loss of Pubic Hair, and Hormone
Replacement Therapy (HRT) Monitoring.
Overview
Hormones exert a powerful influence over a woman's health. Estrogens
protect a woman from cardiovascular disease and osteoporosis
and are vital for fertility. Progesterone levels affect mood,
and balance the tissue proliferative effect of Estrogen. Testosterone
increases energy, libido, and muscle.
A simple rapid assessment of your hormonal balance can be made
by measuring Estradiol, Progesterone, and Testosterone. Informed
decisions regarding the need to initiate Hormone Replacement Therapy
(HRT), or how to individualize therapy can then be made to maximize
the health benefits of HRT. Individual differences in hormone metabolism
make monitored therapy the best choice for long term health.
Careful monitoring and individualization of HRT can provide women
with the benefits of supplemented Estrogen while reducing the risk
of uterine and breast cancer. (An increased cancer risk has been
associated with conjugated Estrogen or synthetically modified hormone
use. This is not the case with bio-identical or natural hormone
use.)
Estrogen
The ovaries produce three different Estrogens, Progesterone and
Testosterone from cholesterol, which is produced in the liver.
Many women do not know that Testosterone is produced by both
men and women. In fact, the steroid hormone Androstenedione is
converted in both men and women to Testosterone first, then Testosterone
is converted into Estradiol(E2), the major Estrogen secreted
by the human ovary. Two other Estrogens are also produced in
women. The next most potent Estrogen is Estrone (E1), which comes
from Androstenedione. The third Estrogen, Estriol (E3), is synthesized
outside the ovary in the peripheral tissues of the body from
Estrone and Estradiol. Estriol has been shown to be protective
against Breast Cancer. Low levels of Estriol place you at an
increased risk for developing cancer. You should check all of
your Estrogen levels periodically to make sure that they are
in a health balance approximately equal to a ratio of 8:1:1,
Estriol to Estrone to Estradiol, respectively.
With advancing age, a woman's ovarian function declines, leading
to a decline in the production of Estrogen. This decline leads
to vasomotor instability that causes hot flashes. It also causes
decreased muscle mass, which is then replaced by fibrous tissue.
Thinning skin is due to a loss of connective tissue support and
elasticity. Vaginal mucous membranes also become thin and dry
and breast tissue begins to sag. Supplementing natural Estrogen
replacement can help stop many of these undesirable effects associated
with menopause.
Progesterone
Progesterone is also produced by the ovaries from cholesterol.
It has its own unique hormonal functions, but a certain amount
is also converted into Estrogen. Progesterone increases uterine
secretions and stimulates calcium deposits into bone tissue.
It also helps regulate salt, control blood sugar, modulate nerve
function and promote a healthy thymus gland. Supplementing natural
Progesterone can help maintain these healthful benefits.
Testosterone
When a woman's ovarian function declines in the years before and
during natural menopause, so does the amount of Testosterone
she produces. Between a woman's 20s and 40s the amount of Testosterone
circulating in her blood declines about 50%. If a woman starts
Estrogen Replacement Therapy at menopause, her blood levels of
Testosterone drop even further due to a biochemical reaction.
Symptoms such as fatigue, muscle wasting, low sex drive, decreased
sexual stimulation, and diminished sense of well-being can be due
to a Testosterone deficiency. These symptoms may be significantly
improved with natural Testosterone replacement.
DHEA
DHEA is the most abundant steroid in the body. DHEA is a steroid
precursor produced by the adrenal gland and converted to Progesterone,
Testosterone, or the Estrogens by the body's tissues. Adequate
DHEA levels give the body the building blocks necessary to produce
these hormones. Levels of DHEA are inversely associated with
coronary artery disease. Taking DHEA may increase IGF-1 levels
and increase the sense of well-being. DHEA levels decrease with
age. (For more information on DHEA and IGF-1, see the Anti-Aging
Profile.)
Hormone levels affect health and well-being.
Monitoring hormone therapy increases therapy benefits while reducing
side effects.
Due to individual differences in hormone absorption and metabolism,
the hormone dosage required to attain physiologic levels will vary
by patient and method of administration.
Summary
Current and long term use of Estrogen hormone therapies has
been found to significantly lower the incidence of death. Health
risks
are significantly reduced with carefully monitored customized
treatment. Low dose Estrogen therapy has been found to be effective
and beneficial
with long term use.
References
- Samsioe G. The endometrium: effects of estrogen and estrogen-progestogen
replacement therapy. Int J Fertil Menopausal Stud 1994;39 Suppl
2:84-92
- Davis S. Androgen replacement in women: a commentary. J Clin
Endocrinol Metab 1999 Jun;84(6):1886-91
- Watts NB.
Hulka BS. Epidemilogical analysis of breast and gynecological
cancers. Prog Clin Biol Res. 1997;396:17-29.
- Rosano GM,
Panina G. Cardiovascular pharmacology of hormone replacement
therapy. Drugs Aging 1999 Sep;15(3):219-34
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