The Use Of The Female Hormone Profile To Enhance Female Health

If the preovulatory surge of LH is not sufficient, anovulation (lack of ovulation) can occur. The preovulatory surge of LH is linked to the positive feedback of the pre-ovulatory estrogen peak. Lack of ovulation leads to the failure of corpus luteum development and reduced production of progesterone.

One study found a lack of appropriate progesterone levels in healthy women with anovulatory cycles.¹⁰ Several researchers confirmed that a study of estrogen/progesterone cycles would help diagnose anovulatory cycles and corpus luteum dysfunction.^11-14 Anovulation during puberty is not an uncommon problem, even among otherwise normal young women. A case study involving 65 healthy adolescent girls (14-19 years of age) suggested that about one-third of them had anovulatory cycles.¹⁴ Another study showed a 22% anovulation rate among healthy women aged between 20 and 31.¹⁰

Infertility is defined as a year of unprotected intercourse without achieving pregnancy. Infertility occurs in about 10% of the population. The probability of anovulation or luteal phase defect causing infertility is 20-40% and 3-10%, respectively. Functional infertility occurs as a result of several conditions. Excessive estrogen and progesterone levels inhibit FSH and LH, impairing ovulation and the formation of the corpus luteum. Corpus lutea may degenerate and become refractory to LH. Finally, if the corpus luteum falters in its production of progesterone ("luteal defect"), the endometrium deteriorates and is incapable of supporting the implanted embryo.

PMS is described as a group of symptoms that include abdominal bloating, headaches, mood swings, irritability, and other complaints occurring during the luteal phase of the menstrual cycle. With the onset of menses, the symptoms usually disappear. Progesterone deficiency, increased estrogen, or estrogen/ progesterone imbalances can all trigger PMS.

The female hormones influence the rate of absorption and deposition of calcium. Estrogen can be depleted following menopause resulting in osteoporosis. Take our FREE HEALTH TEST to determine if you need the Female Hormone Profile.

Because estrogen participates in the functioning of osteoclasts and osteoblasts in bone tissue, the hormone influences the rate of absorption and deposition of calcium. Estrogen deprivation following menopause results in increased activity of osteoclasts which may exceed the capacity of osteoblasts to build new bone. Under these conditions osteopenia and ultimately osteoporosis occur.¹⁵

Functional secondary amenorrhea or oligomenorrhea is defined as the failure of a woman with periodic menses to experience menstruation for six consecutive months. The association between high intensity athletic training and menstrual disturbances may be attributable in part to altered nutritional intake and body mass and in part to exercise- and competition-induced stress.¹⁶ One study observed that salivary progesterone levels change with age, that lower progesterone peaks were recorded in women aged 18-19 and 40-44 years, and that women experienced a gradual increase in peak progesterone levels from age 20-39.¹⁷

Patients with prolonged, unexplained infertility experienced a high frequency of luteal phase defects, including pre-ovulatory progesterone peaks, interruption of progesterone secretion during the luteal phase, and high progesterone levels at the beginning of menstruation.¹³ Researchers recorded a correlation of 0.71 (10 of 14) between low progesterone levels and luteinized unruptured follicle cycles.¹⁸ Another study of 50 infertile women with regular menstrual cycles of normal length revealed low progesterone levels in subgroups with three menstrual patterns: cycles with luteinized unruptured follicles, cycles with an early luteinizing surge, and normal controls.¹⁹

A significant number of infertile women show ovarian dysfunction with endometriosis. Higher progesterone levels in late follicular and luteal phases have been associated with endometriosis.²⁰ A recent study of women with infertility and endometriosis found that 50% had normal progesterone cycles, while 45% showed higher progesterone levels. Among the latter, 18% of the subjects exhibited elevated levels in the follicular phase, 20% in the luteal phase, and 7.5% in both phases.²¹

Stress has been shown to decrease the production of sex steroids, which could lead to reduced libido and menstrual irregularities. Maladaption of the adrenocortex in producing high cortisol levels is, at least in part, responsible for the reduction of sex steroid levels.

There is strong evidence that the foods consumed by women have an effect on hormone levels. Investigation into dietary habits and, in particular, vegetarian diets has established that certain foods can modify gonadal estrogen metabolism.²² Researchers have also speculated that early menarche recorded in girls of developed countries could be due to consumption of steroid hormones in meats.^23,24

Elevated estrogen levels are generally considered an increased risk factor for breast cancer, especially in women after menopause. A study of 276 British and Thai women with different levels of progesterone indicated that higher levels of progesterone may also be a risk factor for breast cancer.11 This hypothesis was further strengthened by another study of 362 young women.24 Take our FREE HEALTH TEST to determine if you need the Female Hormone Profile.

Elevated estrogen levels are generally considered an increased risk factor for breast cancer, especially in women after menopause. A study of 276 British and Thai women with different levels of progesterone indicated that higher levels of progesterone may also be a risk factor for breast cancer.¹¹ This hypothesis was further strengthened by another study of 362 young women.²⁴

In the United States, the cessation of menstruation normally occurs between 40 and 60 years of age. The initial symptoms of the perimenopause include irregular menstrual cycles, anovulation, and hot flashes. A decline in the levels of progesterone and estrogen also occurs at this time. Estradiol values decline to subfunctional levels after menopause. In some women, maintaining adequate estrogen levels after menopause may alleviate the typical symptoms of menopause, but hormone replacement therapy may increase a woman's risk of developing endometrial cancer.¹⁵ A decrease in progesterone levels also results in a reduced anti-estradiol effect. The inability of a woman's body to maintain the secretory activity of the endometrium may lead to endometrial hyperplasia, irregular bleeding, and related conditions. The information provided by FHP concerning hormone levels can provide a baseline to help determine the need for hormone replacement therapy.

Menstrual irregularities (oligomenorrhea, amenorrhea, anovulation) in athletic women have been attributed to strenuous physical exercise. These patients showed increased estrogen and decreased progesterone levels in the luteal phase.²⁵ This pattern could be due to an impaired metabolic clearance rate (MCR) of estradiol during physical exercise and decreased sex steroid production under stress.^26,27

Although there is evidence of reduced fertility caused by cigarette smoking,^28,29 the relationship between cigarette smoking and the anti-estrogenic effect related to infertility remains unclear. Several studies show a positive correlation. However, a recent publication suggests no significant correlation between hormone levels and smoking.³⁰