Female hormone issues are one of the Big 5 issues commonly seen in our practice. In a 2016 study performed by the Mayo Clinic and Dr. Kalish patients with the Big 5 symptoms of fatigue, anxiety/depression, weight gain, digestive issues and female hormone issues were treated using the Kalish Method with positive results.
When undergoing stress your body's demand for cortisol goes up. Pregnenolone is a precursor for the steroid hormones cortisol, DHEA, progesterone and the sex hormones. Because of the high demand to make cortisol, there is less pregnenolone to make the other hormones. In a process known as "pregnenolone steal", the available supply of pregnenolone is used for cortisol leaving less for conversion to DHEA and the other hormones.
Unregulated blood sugar combined with overconsumption of carbohydrates and sweets, poor digestive function and food sensitivities all contribute to problems with female hormones. Undetected and untreated infections in the digestive tract weaken immune function and are a leading cause of adrenal hormone and female hormone problems.
Women who have taken birth control or hormone replacement therapy have placed an extra burden on the liver detoxification pathways as the body tries to eliminate the hormones acquired from an external source. Many women who react poorly to birth control or HRT or even natural hormone programs can have liver detoxification issues.
