Hitting Head As I Try To Figure Out Estrogen And Prog

Tourist

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In finding a dr. that would prescribe T3 I thought I was lucky. She told me though that most women my age--51 have low estrogen and because I'm thin that it's even more likely that I don't have the fat to store excess estrogen.

Are there articles that you could post for me to read about estrogen and menopause so I can truly understand my hormones better as everything I read on this site talks about how to lower estrogen. Appreciate all input!
Laura
 

HDD

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Here are some quotes from a few of Ray Peat's articles-
Tissue-bound estrogen in aging

The amount of estrogen in tissue is decreased when progesterone is abundant. In the absence of progesterone, tissues retain estrogen even when there is little estrogen circulating in the blood.

Many things suggest an increased estrogenic activity at menopause. For example, melatonin decreases sharply at puberty when estrogen increases, and then it decreases again at menopause. Prolactin (stimulated by estrogen) increases around puberty, and instead of decreasing at menopause, it often increases, and its increase is associated with osteoporosis and other age-related symptoms.

Estrogen is produced in many tissues by the enzyme aromatase, even in the breast and endometrium, although these are considered "target tissues" rather than endocrine glands. Aromatase increases with aging.

"Although we commonly think of the ovaries as the main source of estrogen, the enzyme which makes it can be found in all parts of the body. Surprisingly, in rhesus monkeys, aromatase in the arms accounts for a very large part of estrogen production. Fat and the skin are major sources of estrogen, especially in older people. The activity of aromatase increases with aging, and under the influence of prolactin, cortisol, prostaglandin, and the pituitary hormones, FSH (follicle stimulating hormone) and growth hormone. It is inhibited by progesterone, thyroid, aspirin, and high altitude. Aromatase can produce estrogen in fat cells, fibroblasts, smooth muscle cells, breast and uterine tissue, pancreas, liver, brain, bone, skin, etc. Its action in breast cancer, endometriosis, uterine cancer, lupus, gynecomastia, and many other diseases is especially important. Aromatase in mammary tissue appears to increase estrogen receptors and cause breast neoplasia, independently of ovarian estrogen (Tekmal, et al., 1999)."


Natural Estrogens
"Our bodies produce estrogen in a great variety of tissues, not just in the ovaries. Fat cells are a major source of it. The tendency to gain weight after puberty is one of the reasons that women's estrogen levels rise with aging throughout the reproductive years, though this isn't the basic reason for estrogen's lifelong growing influence, even in men.
Our diets provide very significant, if not always dangerous, amounts of estrogen. “Weak estrogens” generally have the full range of harmful estrogenic effects, and often have additional toxic effects. American women who eat soy products undergo changes that appear to predispose them to cancer, making their tissues even more unlike those of the relatively breast-cancer resistant Japanese than they were before eating the soy foods.
People under stress, or who have a thyroid deficiency, or who don't eat enough protein, typically have elevated estrogen levels. The accumulation of the “essential fatty acids,” the polyunsaturated oils, in the tissues promotes the action of estrogen in a variety of ways, and this effect of diet tends to be cumulative, and to be self-accelerating. "
 

tara

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Rafe

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http://raypeat.com/articles/articles/hypothyroidism.shtml

I understand that the issue you asked about was excess estrogen in a thin, female body. The article above is mainly about the diagnostics of hypothyroidism (how misguided they are). But if you were to read the final paragraph first it would introduce you easily to the medical stereotypes that accompany the idea that thinness = good metabolism, especially wrt thyroid.

I doubt that an excess estrogen problem (& symptoms) could be well controlled without also addressing the thyroid first, or at least at the same time, which sounds like what your doc is redirecting your attention away from. Is that possible?

I want to encourage you to take your time understanding these things, & the sources. It can be very rewarding, but it takes time. You have come to the right place, imo. The posters above know what they are talking about.
 
OP
Tourist

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Appreciate all the feedback and information--yeah I'm reading as much as I can

Preventing and treating cancer with progesterone.

I understand that the issue you asked about was excess estrogen in a thin, female body. The article above is mainly about the diagnostics of hypothyroidism (how misguided they are). But if you were to read the final paragraph first it would introduce you easily to the medical stereotypes that accompany the idea that thinness = good metabolism, especially wrt thyroid.

I doubt that an excess estrogen problem (& symptoms) could be well controlled without also addressing the thyroid first, or at least at the same time, which sounds like what your doc is redirecting your attention away from. Is that possible?

I want to encourage you to take your time understanding these things, & the sources. It can be very rewarding, but it takes time. You have come to the right place, imo. The posters above know what they are talking about.
 

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