Hormone Health Hub: Expert Insights on Testing, Balance & Better Living — B vitamins

Trusted and reliable contraception is a monumental achievement of the last century. Very effective at preventing pregnancy, oral contraceptives — generally referred to as “the Pill” — are commonly prescribed to women of reproductive age. Apart from contraceptive purposes, the Pill can also be used to treat gynaecological disorders such as irregular or excessive bleeding, polycystic ovarian syndrome, severe menstrual cramping, acne, and endometriosis-associated pain, and their use has been associated with a reduced risk of endometrial cancer. The Small Print – Side Effects Since its approval for contraceptive purposes 55 years ago, major changes have been implemented in the...

I remember the uncertain winter of my entrance into perimenopause so well. It began in my late 40s, with hot flashes that came on like heat waves every half hour. In the dead of winter, I found myself flinging open windows to let in the freezing air; I soon found out that having hot flashes in winter was nothing like having them in summer, when the added heat and humidity made them feel more like mini-meltdowns. How to Cool Down Without Melting Down Perimenopause is a hormonally challenged transition during which the ovaries gradually begin to make less oestrogen and...

Food is medicine. It’s well understood that the food we eat provides the amino acids, micronutrients (e.g. vitamins and minerals) and macronutrients (proteins, fats and carbohydrates) we need to sustain our lives. However, it may come as a surprise to know that some foods contain more than just the amino acid precursors to neurotransmitters — they actually contain high levels of some neurotransmitters themselves, like serotonin and dopamine. For some people, a diet rich in those foods that are high in neurotransmitters lends just the balance they need to feel well in lieu of psychotropic medication. As an example, someone...

Since starting to talk publicly about periods, we know so much more about the biochemical basics and physical aspects of menstruation. We are now also beginning to better understand the underlying interplay of sex-hormones with neurotransmitters that create the harmony of a normal menstrual cycle, or the symptom havoc seen with PMS, or its more severe form PMDD. A Brief Overview of PMS & PMDD Characterized by its cyclical onset around the time of menstruation, premenstrual syndrome (PMS) affects many women of reproductive age. Sometimes symptoms associated with PMS can be so severe that premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD) arises. Working...

Original of this article was published on ZRT Laboratory Blog.  Published by Dr. Kate Placzek Busy lifestyles, everyday stress, not enough or poor quality sleep and many other factors can all contribute to putting sex at the bottom of the to-do list, well after laundry, scrubbing the floor, and taking the dog to the vet. Low libido is a multidimensional issue that can have a little bit of everything infused into its mosaic. It's not uncommon that the symptom of low libido is accompanied by fatigue, sleep disturbances, mood swings, and perhaps even mild depression. Helping patients with waning libido...