Steroid 'replacement'

Steroid Hormone Replacement

Regimens for estrogen(s) replacement in menopause (besides first measuring) beg adding progesterone (and even testosterone).  Compounding pharmacists can make effective bioidentical transdermal creams of testosterone, the three estrogens and progesterone as well as pregnenelone.  

Cortisone is available over the counter in 1/2 or 1% topical forms not designed to penetrate, although they have some systemic effect. The lab test of choice for one's cortisol levels, is saliva testing, not blood. 

Natural desiccated thyroid (NDT) is taken successfully for hypothyroidism, whether made from pig or sheep glands. And it works beautifully because it provides the same hormones one's thyroid would be making: T4, T3, T2, T1 and calcitonin.

Even if those taking thyroid find themselves with good cortisol and iron,  it's important to raise desiccated thyroid high enough (not be held hostage to the TSH), but to be dosed according to the removal of symptoms and the Free T3 and Free T4.

High-quality protein from meat and fish, as well as organic fats (egg yolk, lard, and butter),  improves progesterone and DHEA secretion.  Progesterone can also be increased by vitamin A.  Fat-soluble vitamins generally benefit sex hormones.

Estrogens and progesterone are regularly taken by women to reduce signs and symptoms of menopause and aging (often a masquerade for heavy metals and/or parasites).  Men commonly augment testosterone when they measure low, to increase energy (along with other reasons).  

The stressed (or aged) body (heavy metals and/or parasite infestation is a common result as well as reason) makes few sex steroids and mostly GCs from cholesterol.  

We are programed so that as we senesce we lose energy and muscle mass, and have less endurance and libido.  Regularly adding testosterone will shut down the body's own production and results in smaller testicles, even though it may increase muscle mass. 

The steroids are fat soluble and about 10% travels through the skin, allowing topical treatment.  Before big Pharma could sell topical testosterone, they had their lawyers harass topical testosterone providers.  Now that the purveyors are making billions of dollars, lawyers are suing them saying that such use can cause sudden death.  

Leydig cells, which are in men's testes, start making testosterone at puberty.  These cells are programmed to function by stem cells during fetal development, when exposed to the correct amounts of testosterone at the right time.  Because of epigenetics, a mother's diet, lifestyle and exposure to drugs and chemicals can have a big impact on future testosterone levels. 

Testosterone is a sex steroid found in all humans, the highest levels are in post-pubescent males. It plays important roles in male sexual development and puberty, development of bone density and muscle mass, as well as libido and sexual function. 

Testosterone augments organ systems. Low testosterone increases risk to cardiovascular disease, diabetes, obesity and early death. Testosterone declines about 1% per year in men over age 39, which is not necessarily cause for concern.  Levels are not considered low until they dip below 300 nanograms/deciliter.

Testosterone levels parallel men who rank their diets as 'healthy' (high fruit, vegetables, poultry and fish); or 'unhealthy' (high red meat, fast and fried food).

Perpetual hormonal imbalance due to estrogenic pollutants during development makes the adult more prone to obesity, diabetes, heart disease, cancer and even mental illness.  Later exposure to environmental estrogens is linked with similar problems, including larger breasts in men (not seen as a problem in women).

Reducing excessive stress decreases GCs and makes more sex hormones.  Often heavy metals and/or parasites are an unseen chronic stress, as the conventional system looks in the other direction by measuring steroid levels.  

One can use topical testosterone in a pulsatile fashion so there is little adaptation, which enhances its systemic effects.  Topical testosterone also acts as as a pheromone.

New conventions provide 'options' for HRT.  Estrogens now range from very low doses (0.3 mg conjugated equine estrogen [CEE], 0.25 mg 17beta-estradiol), transdermal patches which deliver 20 micrograms of 17beta-estradiol per day, or intranasally 100-400 micrograms of CEE, to the common 0.625 mg CEE (0.5 mg 17beta-estradiol).

For a woman with vasomotor symptoms or urogenital complaints, there is little controversy regarding use. For the man that wants more energy or muscles, and those wanting more mental acuity, extra steroids are very appealing.  However, long-term use of steroids poses risks. 

The effects of maternal care on hippocampal GR expression, and therefore HPA responses to stress, are linked with an epigenetic dulling (methylation) of a GR promoter.