Women's Hormones Flashcards

1
Q

What is the normal age range for a woman to go through menopause?

A

35-55

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2
Q

Cycling after the age of 55 increases a woman’s risk for what?

A

Breast cancer

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3
Q

What are the hormones that regulate growth and repair?

A
Insulin
Growth hormone
Testosterone
Estrogen
DHEA
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4
Q

What are sex related symptoms of menopause?

A
Lack of libido
Dyspareunia
Vaginal itching
Urinary tract infections
Frequent urination
Overflow incontinence
Sore breasts
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5
Q

What are the neurologic and psychiatric symptoms of menopause?

A
Panic attacks
Strange dreams
Snoring
Dizzy spells
Panic attacks
Skin crawling sensation
Memory loss
Migraine headaches
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6
Q

What are the major systemic symptoms of menopause?

A
Flatulence
Indigestion
Bloating
Hair growth on face
Alopecia 
Low back pain
Aching joints
Osteoporosis
Weight gain
Palpitations
Varicose veins
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7
Q

How many functions does estrogen have in the body?

A

400

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8
Q

What are the neurologic functions of estrogen?

A

Stimulates production of choline acetyltransferase
Improves sleep
Enhances Mg uptake and utilization
Helps maintain cognitive function
Enhances production of nerve growth factor
Aids in formation of neurotransmitters in brain like serotonin

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9
Q

What are the sexual symptoms of estrogen excess?

A
Cervical dysplasia
Heavy periods
Increased risk of uterine cancer
Uterine fibroids
Swollen breasts
Increased risk of breast cancer
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10
Q

What are the neurologic symptoms of estrogen excess?

A
Depression with anxiety or agitation
Panic attacks
Irritability/mood swings
Headaches
Poor sleep
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11
Q

What are the general symptoms of estrogen excess

A
Weight gain (abdomen, hips and thighs)
Water retention
Bloating
Fatigue
Hypothyroidism
Increased risk of autoimmune disease
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12
Q

What are the causes of excess estrogen in the body?

A
Taking to much exogenous estrogen
Environmental estrogens
Impaired elimination of estrogen
Elevation of 16-OH estrone
Diet low in grains and fiber
Lack of exercise
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13
Q

What is E1 called?

A

Estrone

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14
Q

What is E2 called?

A

Estradiol

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15
Q

What is E3 called?

A

Estriol

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16
Q

What is the main estrogen produced in the body in the post menopausal period?

A

Estrone

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17
Q

What risk is there for women with high levels of estrone?

A

It may increase a woman’s risk for cancer

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18
Q

Do we replace estrone?

A

No

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19
Q

What does estradiol do to lipids in the body?

A

Decreased cholesterol
Increased HDL
Decreased LDL
Decreased triglycerides

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20
Q

What hormone does estradiol increase?

A

Serotonin

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21
Q

What does estradiol do for the bone structure and what nutrients will it help absorb?

A

It helps maintain bone structure

Calcium, magnesium and zinc

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22
Q

How does estradiol help with cognitive function?

A

It helps to maintain memory

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23
Q

What sex hormone decreases fatigue?

A

Estradiol

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24
Q

What is the binding strength of estrone compared to estradiol?

A

It has 1/8th the binding power of estradiol

25
Q

What is the binding power of estriol compared to estradiol?

A

It has 1/80th the binding power

26
Q

When will you see the highest estriol levels?

A

During pregnancy

27
Q

Estriol may be protective for what disease?

A

Breast cancer

28
Q

Estradiol is better than estriol in what conditions?

A

Bone, heart and brain protection

29
Q

How does estriol decrease breast cancer risk?

A

It blocks estrone by blocking estrogen receptor sites in the breasts

30
Q

What effect does estriol have on lipids?

A

Increases HDL

Decreases LDL

31
Q

How does estriol decrease the risk of infection?

A

Reduces pathogenic bacteria
Helps restore the proper pH of the vagina which prevents UTIs
Helps the GI tract maintain a favorable environment for the the growth of lactobacilli

32
Q

What are the 2 estrogen receptor sites in the body?

A

ER alpha

ER beta

33
Q

What does binding to ER alpha do?

A

It promotes cell growth

34
Q

What does ER beta do?

A

It decreases cells growth

Helps prevent breast cancer development

35
Q

How does estradiol affect the estrogen receptors?

A

It equally activates ER alpha and ER beta

36
Q

How does estrone effect the estrogen receptors?

A

It activates ER alpha:ER beta —> 5:1

The increases cell proliferation

37
Q

How does Estriol effect the estrogen receptors?

A

It activates ER beta:ER alpha —> 3:1

This may be the reason that it helps to prevent breast cancer

38
Q

What does 2-OH Estrone do to cell growth?

A

It prevents cell growth by blocking stronger estrogen products which may be carcinogenic

39
Q

2-OH Estrone is methylated by what enzyme and into what product?

A

COMT into 2-methods-estrone

40
Q

How can the ratio of 2-methoxy-estrone:2-hydroxy-estrone be measured?

A

It can be measured in the urine and is a good gauge of the body’s ability to methylate

41
Q

What are low ratios of 2OHE and 16 alpha OHE associated with?

A

Increase risk of developing Lupus

42
Q

What are the effects of estrogen, progesterone, testosterone and DHEA on bone?

A

Estrogen maintains bone
Progesterone builds bone
Testosterone does some bone building but also maintains strength
DHEA does all 3

43
Q

What are the factors that support methylation?

A
SAMe
Methionine
B2, B6, B12
5-MTHF or 5 formyl THF
TMG (betaine)
Reducing catecholamines by reducing stress
44
Q

16-OH Estrone has what effect on estrogen receptors and can lead to what?

A

It has a strong estrogenic effect and is associated with an increased risk of breast cancer

45
Q

High levels of 16-OHE1 are associated with what?

A
Obesity
Hypothyroidism
High pesticide levels (organochlorines)
High cytokines levels
Omega-6-FA excess
46
Q

How does 4-OH Estrone affect DNA?

A

It may directly damage it and cause mutations and therefore increase cancer risk

47
Q

Equine estrogens (Premarin) increase metabolization to what estrogen byproduct?

A

4-OH E1

48
Q

A deficiency of methionine and folic acid will lead to an increase in what estrogen byproduct?

A

4-OH E1

49
Q

Uterine fibroids may increase levels of what estrogen byproduct?

A

4-OH E1

50
Q

How do you increase conversion of Estrone to 2-OH Estrone?

A
Exercise
DIM
I3C
Cruciferous veggies
Berries
Soy 
Kudzu
High protein
Weight loss
Omega 3 FAs
B6, B12, folate, MTHF
TMG
Rosemary, turmeric
51
Q

How does obesity affect estrogen metabolism?

A

Increases estrogen production (it’s made in fat cells)
Decreases 2-OH E1 and increases 16-OH E1 production
Decreases SHBG

52
Q

What are xenoestrogens?

A

Synthetic hormones (there are approximately 50 of them) that imitate estrogen and are toxic to the body.

  • Pesticides
  • Synthetic hormones fed to animals
  • Plastics
  • Cosmetics
53
Q

What effect does alcohol have on estrogen?

A

It interferes with the body’s ability to detoxify estrogen and increases E2 levels, therefore increasing breast cancer risk

54
Q

What effects do antibiotics have on estrogen?

A

They change the G.I. Flora that are involved in the enterohepatic circulation of estrogens and may slightly increase breast cancer risk

55
Q

What effect does estrogen have on the brain in regards to flow, nutrients, etc.?

A

It increases blood flow, glucose and oxygen to the brain. It helps to regulate the BBB.

56
Q

What chemical effects does estrogen have on the brain?

A

It increases neurotransmitters.
It increases sensitivity to nerve growth factor.
It decreases production of amyloid plaque.
It increases availability of acetylcholine.
Enhances NMDA receptor connections.
It turns on progesterone receptors

57
Q

Estrogen given by mouth can do what?

A
Increase triglycerides
Increase CRP
Increase BP
Increase liver enzymes
Interrupt tryptophan metabolism
Increase carb cravings
Increase gallstone
Increase SHBG (and thus decrease Testosterone)
Lower GH
58
Q

How is estrogen replacement prescribed?

A

Done by a compounded pharmacy. It can be any mix of biest (E2 and E3). It’s the only method of getting E3 in North America.