Part 3: Androgen Dominance: What Do You Do First?

ANDROGEN DOMINANCE: PART 3
In Parts 1 and 2 of Androgen Dominance, you discovered that many of us suffer with thinning scalp hair, weight gain that is centered in our abdomens and embarrassing mustaches! You also found out why this happens – that it is an imbalance between your level of Androgen hormones (Testosterone and DHEA) with your Estrogen and Progesterone.
Often the Testosterone and DHEA levels are actually totally normal levels. It’s just that the levels are high compared to the levels of Estrogen and Progesterone because as the ovaries stop producing Estrogen, Progesterone and Testosterone, the Adrenal glands kick in and make Testosterone and DHEA, but do NOT make Estrogen and Progesterone.
Hence: “Androgen Dominance”!
This might be a little clearer if you think about “Estrogen Dominance” and what that really means. Estrogen dominance actually means that the RATIO of your Progesterone to Estrogen is unbalanced, and that you either need to lower your Estrogen, OR Increase your Progesterone.
It’s the same with Androgen Dominance. It’s an imbalance between the Androgens and your female hormones Estrogen and Progesterone.
With Androgen Dominance, you need to ALWAYS keep in mind that the ratio of Progesterone to Estrogen is the most important aspect of your female hormones – so when we refer to balancing your female hormones with your Androgens, we are referring to balancing these hormones while ALSO maintaining a NON-Estrogen Dominant state.
Ok… So with Androgen Dominance, you must either INCREASE your Estrogen and Progesterone OR Decrease your Androgens – Depending on your particular situation.
So, the FIRST thing you will want to do to get out of Androgen Dominance is to TEST your hormones.
Testing is a better first step!
This way you can truly BALANCE your ALL of your sex hormone needs instead of just your Estrogen and Progesterone, which gives you a far better chance of halting BOTH Estrogen Dominance AND Androgen Dominance.
With testing you will find out if your Testosterone and / or DHEA don’t need to be lowered at all – and that just your Estrogen and Progesterone actually need to be brought up to normal levels – OR you will find out that indeed you need to lower your Testosterone and / or DHEA levels PLUS increase your Estrogen and Progesterone levels. OR maybe you will find that only your Androgens need reducing and you shouldn’t do anything at all with your female hormones.
Testing is the best first step when you are having signs or symptoms of Androgen Dominance.
Now, which test is best?
That’s easy and a no brainer. You need to know your Estradiol (E2) level, Progesterone level, Testosterone level, DHEA level and your morning Cortisol level. AND you SHOULD know your Estrone (E1) level. You really should have all of these levels to Fix Androgen Dominance. AND, you need to know what the tissue levels are more than the blood levels, so don’t waste your money on blood work. It’s expensive and doesn’t give you what you need!
To fix Androgen Dominance you’ll be using topical bioidenticals, (please, no oral hormones!), as topicals do NOT travel in the blood stream well. With the current knowledge available, it is believed that topicals travel in the lymphatic fluid, so you want to get as close to tissue levels and lymphatic fluid levels as possible. And THIS is done with Saliva or Blood SPOT testing.
Find our more about ZRT Saliva Kit with added Estrone (E1)
Click here for PART 4 on ANDROGEN DOMINANCE "How to Fix It!"
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