Many of us have experienced unpleasant symptoms and have wondered if it is due to our hormones. Hormonal imbalances are quite common and can be related to many symptoms and health conditions. These include menstrual cycle concerns, weight loss resistance, low libido, acne, and more.
Naturopathic medicine offers many treatment options to address symptoms of hormonal imbalances. I use diet and lifestyle changes, botanical medicine, and nutraceutical supplementation in my practice.
Naturopathic doctors focus on treating the symptoms of hormonal imbalances while also addressing the cause of the imbalance. Stress, physical inactivity, poor diet, nutrient deficiencies and poor gut health can be contributors. Other contributors to hormonal symptoms include underlying medical conditions, genetic polymorphisms, and a person's age. A naturopathic doctor can help you identify the cause of your concerns and develop a comprehensive treatment plan.
In some cases, the best first step is to do hormone testing. In addition to regular serum (blood) hormone testing, we now offer DUTCH hormone testing, which is an a form of urine metabolite hormone testing. This test measures levels of sex hormones (estrogen, progesterone, DHEA, and testosterone), stress hormones (cortisol), melatonin, nutritional organic acids (Vitamin B12, Vitamin B6, and glutathione) and neurotransmitter metabolites (dopamine and norepinephrine).
There are multiple benefits of the DUTCH test as compared to regular blood testing. The DUTCH test measures not only levels of estrogen, testosterone, and progesterone, but also the metabolites of these hormones. This offers key insights into how your body is breaking down hormones. For example, there are certain estrogen metabolites associated with increased breast cancer, and certain testosterone metabolites associated with increased acne, hair loss, and unwanted hair growth.
Another benefit of the DUTCH test is its comprehensiveness. There are few functional lab tests that offer this much information in one report. This helps your naturopathic doctor put together the puzzle pieces of your symptoms and create an effective treatment plan. This test is useful for people experiencing symptoms of:
premenstrual syndrome
irregular, absent, painful, or heavy menstrual cycles
Polycystic ovarian syndrome
perimenopause or menopause
high stress
low testosterone
acne (due to its association with high cortisol and androgens)
If you are experiencing hormonal symptoms and would like to learn more about how naturopathic medicine can help, please book a free 15-minute introductory consultation with me.
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