Hormone Health Hub: Expert Insights on Testing, Balance & Better Living — HPA axis

By Dr. Beth Baldwin, ZRT Laboratory If one were to create a word cloud of our clinical consulting calls in 2020, the word “phosphatidylserine” would likely float to the center in a large, bold, brightly colored font. After a year spent coping with a global pandemic, record high unemployment, social distancing, and remote learning for students, accompanied by not only an extreme wildfire season but also a contentious presidential election in the U.S., people are stressed – and it shows. We are seeing plenty of patients with abnormal salivary cortisol profiles, absent, blunted or exaggerated cortisol awakening responses, and symptoms...

Perimenopause is far more than a collection of symptoms to manage — it is a critical window of opportunity to protect long-term cardiovascular, skeletal, and cognitive health. The hormonal fluctuations of this transition are directly linked to cardiovascular risk, making proactive action during perimenopause one of the most important investments a woman can make in her future health. This article outlines a practical three-step perimenopausal game plan covering hormone replacement, resistance training, and time-restricted eating — grounded in current research and designed to build the physiological reserves needed for a healthy postmenopause.

Stress is not just a feeling — it triggers a cascade of neurochemical signals that activate the HPA axis. This article explores how neurotransmitters like serotonin, dopamine, GABA, and norepinephrine interact with the stress response, and why mood disorders such as anxiety and depression are so closely linked to HPA axis dysfunction.

The latest research confirms what Dr. John Lee and Dr. David Zava argued decades ago: maintaining healthy progesterone levels in proper balance with oestrogen is one of the most powerful tools women have for preventing and recovering from breast cancer. This article outlines seven practical steps to restore hormone balance and reduce breast cancer risk.

The contraceptive pill is one of the most widely used medications in the world — but its effects on mood, brain chemistry and hormone balance are still poorly understood. This article explores how synthetic hormones disrupt oestrogen, progesterone, cortisol and neurotransmitters, and why some women are far more vulnerable to depression and anxiety as a result.