FLATSTOMACH SCIENCESYSTEM ESTROGENBALANCINGPROTOCOL

Transcription

1 RUDY S FLATSTOMACH SCIENCESYSTEM ESTROGENBALANCINGPROTOCOL

2 ESTROGEN HORMONE OPTIMIZATION When it comes to female health, there is one hormone that stands out in importance above all else. That hormone is known as estrogen (English oestrogen). Estrogen is a primarily female-centric hormone, although, of course, men also have estrogen, but in far lower levels relative to females. Estrogen is one of the hormones that defines females since it plays such an integral role during development, the reproductive process, and its decline also shepherds in the time period in a woman s life, known as menopause. Unfortunately, as age increases, estrogen production declines. While that typically results in menopause, it also correlates with a reduction of metabolic rate, insulin resistance and an increased risk of obesity. In this concise book, I'll discuss what estrogen is and how the age-related decline of this particular hormone can significantly impact a woman s life. Further, I'll explain some actionable steps you can take to improve your estrogen status successfully and your life overall.

3 RM MEMBERS ESTROGEN HORMONE OPTIMIZATION ESTROGEN Estrogen is one of the essential hormones with regards to the function of the female body and overall feminine health. In addition to influencing the growth of the female body from puberty onwards, estrogen also plays a role in multiple processes from the menstrual cycle to metabolism. However, there's one glaring issue that plagues women, and that's the fact that estrogen production declines with age, leading to many, and often unwelcome, results. Nonetheless it is an unfortunate truth that must be dealt with, so let s look at possible actions to help. Managing the age-related reduction of estrogen production is imperative, primarily because of its influence on aspects of metabolism, weight gain and even the level of insulin sensitivity that your body displays. Estrogen Production And Function Estrogen is primarily a female hormone, which is produced by the ovaries and, what may possibly come as a surprise, by other tissues as well, such as the adrenal glands, breasts, and even fat tissue. Further, while this is widely considered to be a female hormone, it's important to understand that males also produce estrogen. However, the relative amount of estrogen that males produce is markedly lower than that of females. This is similar to how men have disproportionally greater testosterone production than women, even though women do still produce some. MEMBERS.RUDYMAWER.COM

4 This journey of estrogen creation also begins in the hypothalamus, much like thyroid hormone. There, a hormone known as Gonadotropin-releasing hormone is released, and then travels to a portion of the pituitary gland. From there, the pituitary gland releases follicle-stimulating hormone, which travels to the ovaries, stimulating the production of follicles and cells. Here, estrogen is produced and released into the body's circulatory system, where it can then act on different tissues of the body. When estrogen travels in the blood and reaches cells, it enters the cell and is transported to the cell nucleus where it can bind to genes, expressing them in different ways, which in turn, causes the cell to function in various ways. This includes development and maintenance of the female reproductive system and also includes other functions such as how the body produces and utilizes insulin and, in later years, even bone health.

5 AGE-RELATED ESTROGEN DECLINE ISSUES There s no denying that estrogen and hormone production decline significantly with age. For instance, it s the reason that females go through menopause later in life. Insulin Resistance Unfortunately, estrogen seems to play a significant role in the production and effectiveness of insulin. Insulin is a peptide hormone that is released by the pancreas in response to blood glucose (sugar) elevations. When blood glucose rises, insulin rises accordingly to remove that sugar from the blood, and is transported to different tissues of the body such as the liver, muscle and fat tissue. Unfortunately, studies also indicate that alongside a decline of estrogen comes insulin resistance, an issue where the body cannot properly utilize insulin to remove sugar from the blood. The result is often obesity and other metabolic dysfunction diseases such as Type 2 Diabetes (1, 2). To improve insulin resistance, there are some different steps you can take. The first of these is to reduce your calorie intake or reduce the number of meals you consume throughout the day. Constant food consumption means persistent elevations of insulin. As a result, insulin resistance occurs. By decreasing the number of times you eat throughout the day, you'll give the body an opportunity to let insulin rise and fall naturally. Doing so will encourage cells that accept and produce insulin to be more sensitive, potentially reducing the possibility of becoming insulin resistant.

6 Second, consider taking supplements that contain ingredients like cinnamon such as my Blood Sugar Support. These types of ingredients work to ensure that the body is appropriately utilizing nutrients, especially blood sugar, potentially helping you to avoid insulin resistance. In this case, I suggest using these ingredients alongside each meal, especially when carbohydrate intake is elevated (3). Reduced Energy Expenditure A secondary issue to age-related estrogen decline is a reduction of energy expenditure, which results in excessive fat and weight gain. This seems to primarily be due to a potential decrease in activity level alongside an increase in food intake (4, 5). When hormones are released into circulation, they attach to receptors on various tissues, which then produce some form of result. Alongside the age-related decline of estrogen production, estrogen receptors also begin to decline. This is chiefly because the hormone that attaches to the receptor decreases and the body responds by reducing the receptors altogether. Unfortunately, this includes receptors in the hypothalamus, a region of the brain which is related to variables like hunger and food intake, in addition to overall energy expenditure. This is one of the main reasons why age-related estrogen decline is associated with reduced metabolic health and weight gain. The combination of reduced ability to utilize nutrients, reduced energy expenditure and the brain signaling you to eat more is a recipe for poor health.

7 OPTIMIZING ESTROGEN If you've experienced or are experiencing menopause, it's likely that you're suffering effects of estrogen decline. Of course, one potential route is to consider hormone replacement therapy (HRT), as it will likely be the most potent step you can take. However, taking hormone replacements can be a very serious decision and should not be taken lightly. It is worth considering that many women choose to opt for more natural approaches first, i.e. first trying to improve estrogen-related side effects without immediately turning to pharmaceuticals. Exercise Regularly The first step you can take on the natural route is to begin exercising, if you aren't already doing so. In addition to expending extra energy, exercise also helps your body use nutrients more appropriately. For instance, exercise significantly improves insulin sensitivity due to its effect on muscle. Muscle cells contain a transporter known as GLUT-4. When the muscle contracts, this receptor migrates to the outer portion of the cell, allowing glucose or sugar to enter the cell (6). The exciting thing is that this works independently of insulin, which means it results in tissue becoming re-sensitized to insulin while disposing of glucose from the blood. Together, this may help alleviate many of the metabolic dysfunctions that often correlate with reduced estrogen production.

8 Additionally, it's best practice to use a form of metabolic resistance training and high-intensity interval training. The use of such high intensity will help encourage your metabolic rate to remain elevated for quite some time after the exercise session, potentially reducing the risk of obesity by increasing energy expenditure regularly. Monitor Your Food Intake Alongside estrogen decline comes a reduction of energy expenditure and a possible increase of food intake. For these reasons, monitoring and adjusting your food intake is of the utmost importance. First, you ll need to monitor your total calorie intake. Before adjusting the foods you re eating, you need to make sure that you re consuming the right amount of calories relative to your energy requirements: the best way to do this is by spending a few days tracking calories and monitoring weight. If you track calories and your weight doesn t change, average your calorie intake to determine your requirements. From them, consider improving the quality of your food by focusing on lean proteins, fibrous vegetables, and complex carbohydrates. By keeping nutrients high and calories regular, you'll allow the body to manage nutrients better, reducing the possibility of gaining weight.

9 Try DHEA DHEA, otherwise known as Dehydroepiandrosterone, is a hormonal precursor to androgenic hormones like testosterone and estrogen. When taken as a supplement, DHEA promotes the synthesis of these new hormones. Since estrogen production declines with age, it's no surprise that DHEA levels in the body also fall. In fact, some studies report that between the age of 30 and the onset of menopause, DHEA levels can be reduced by nearly 60% (7). If you've encountered age-related estrogen decline, it's entirely possible that supplementing with a DHEA supplement may improve estrogen status and of course, reduce estrogen-related symptoms. I suggest taking around 300mg daily, spread out across meals throughout the day, for the maximum benefit.

10 Bottom Line On Estrogen Estrogen plays a significant role in overall health and metabolic health, particularly for females. Unfortunately, as we age, there is a decline in estrogen production, which is accompanied by a host of other issues. The decline of estrogen also brings with it the incidence of insulin resistance. This is made even worse by the reduction of energy expenditure, activity levels and a potential increase of food intake, creating the perfect storm for obesity and metabolic dysfunction. Fortunately, through the use of metabolic resistance training, HIIT, and closer monitoring of food intake, and perhaps some DHEA supplementation, you should be able to manage this reduction, taking back some control before having to consider the use of pharmaceutical, hormone replacement therapy.

11 Actionable Steps To summarize, here are some of the best steps you can take to optimize estrogen production for a better, healthier you. 1) Exercising regularly can help to offset many of the adverse side effects of age-related estrogen decline, such as improving insulin resistance. It will also help strengthen your muscles and bones. I suggest working out multiple times per week, using a wide range of exercise variations and intensities. 2) With a subpar metabolism at the hand of estrogen decline, the types and amounts of food you eat become extremely important. I suggest beginning to monitor your food intake while significantly improving the quality of the foods you're consuming. 3) DHEA acts as a precursor to estrogen production. This means that supplementing with DHEA may improve the amount of estrogen your body produces. I suggest taking around 300mg of DHEA daily with meals, evenly spread out throughout the day. Even though age-related estrogen decline is a real and unavoidable occurrence, it doesn't need to ruin your life and result in adverse health. By using these tips and techniques and having a full understanding of how estrogen production works, you ll be able to begin adjusting your nutrition and lifestyle to promote a healthier hormonal profile and, of course, overall quality of life.

12 References 1. Gupte, A. A., Pownall, H. J., & Hamilton, D. J. (2015). Estrogen: an emerging regulator of insulin action and mitochondrial function. Journal of diabetes research, Vehkavaara, S., Westerbacka, J., Hakala-Ala-Pietilä, T., Virkamäki, A., Hovatta, O., & Yki-Järvinen, H. (2000). Effect of estrogen replacement therapy on insulin sensitivity of glucose metabolism and preresistance and resistance vessel function in healthy postmenopausal women. The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism, 85(12), Shihabudeen, H. M. S., Priscilla, D. H., & Thirumurugan, K. (2011). Cinnamon extract inhibits α-glucosidase activity and dampens postprandial glucose excursion in diabetic rats. Nutrition & metabolism, 8(1), Adisakwattana, S., Lerdsuwankij, O., Poputtachai, U., Minipun, A., & Suparpprom, C. (2011). Inhibitory activity of cinnamon bark species and their combination effect with acarbose against intestinal α-glucosidase and pancreatic α-amylase. Plant Foods for Human Nutrition, 66(2), Mauvais-Jarvis, F., Clegg, D. J., & Hevener, A. L. (2013). The role of estrogens in control of energy balance and glucose homeostasis. Endocrine reviews, 34(3), Mitsumoto, Y., Burdett, E., Grant, A., & Klip, A. (1991). Differential expression of the GLUT1 and GLUT4 glucose transporters during differentiation of L6 muscle cells. Biochemical and biophysical research communications, 175(2), Labrie, F., Labrie, C., & Simard, J. (2001). DHEA and its transformation into androgens and estrogens in peripheral target tissues: intracrinology. Frontiers in neuroendocrinology, 22(3),