Dr.Ali's Estrogen 2013 Course
An Age of Estrogenic Overdrive
Majid Ali, M.D.
There are two points that will be focused on in this article:
1. To show how xenoestrogens---chemicals that have estrogen-like effects---are
causing a growing number of ecodis-eases and ecodiseases, including the
near-epidemic increase in cancer of the breast and prostate.
2. To shed some light on the prevailing controversy concerning the clinical
value of synthetic estrogens for prevention of heart disease and osteoporosis in
women. Read more at Xenoestrogens
Nature's Prescription For Preserving The Human Species
Hormones are Nature's molecular messengers. To save
the human species from extinction, Nature created a rather simple design: It
prepares the uterus for pregnancy each month during the entire reproductive life
of the women. Estrogen peals during the first half of each menstrual cycle to
prepare the soil of the uterus for conception. If conception occurs, estrogen
peaks further, but in this situation, estrogen overload is balanced with a
progesterone peak to protect the beginning of life for the baby from unbalanced
estrogen drive. As the fertilized egg develops into an embryo and beyond, there
is an outpouring of estrogens from the placenta that also increase its output of
progesterone, again to keep the estrogens under surveillance.
Times have changed. There are simply enough of us on the planet now. Women
do not need to stay pregnant all the time. The way we live our lives has changed
rapidly, but evolution does not work that fast. The result: A fundamental
chemical conflict between the needs of 21st century women and their hormonal
clocks. Each month, an estrogen peak goes unbalanced by progesterone. What are
the chemical consequences of estrogen overdrive?
Endometriosis---the growth outside the uterus of misplaced cells that
normally line the uterine cavity. It is a painful, often disabling disorder that
can lead to infertility. Endometriosis rarely occurs, if ever, in tribal
cultures removed from the rush of modern life.
Estrogens and Molecular Mating
In biologic molecular pathways, molecules compete for "receptor-mates" as
aggressively as animals do in the animal kingdom. Such competition among
molecules is based upon their structural similarities. This, however, does not
always hold, and many synthetic chemicals not belonging to the family of human
hormones actively compete for their receptors. This natural phenomenon is well
illustrated by the example of competition for receptors among estrogens and
estrogen mimics. Following is an incomplete list of estrogen mimics.
Ingredients in plastics
Pesticides such as DDT and heptachlor
Plastic (polycarbonates) breakdown products
PAHs (polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons)
Petroleum byproducts
Polystyrene
Marihuana compounds such as tetradyfrocaanabinol
Plant estrogens such as coumestrol, equol and zearalenone
Combustion byproducts
Electromagnetic fields that boost the concentration f estrogens in blood.
Exercise, Enzymes and Breast Cancer Risk
The body metabolizes its main natural estrogen called estradiol in several
ways. Two enzyme systems compete for an opportunity to alter the structure of
estradiol molecules, but they do so at two different locations, the 2-carbon and
16-carbon regions. The end-products of such reactions are quite different in
their biologic roles. For instance, insertion of a hydroxyl radical at the
2-carbon site produces an innocent molecule while that at the 16-carbon location
produces a genotoxic and breast
cancer-promoting molecule.
Regular and vigorous exercise upregulates conversion at the 2-carbon site
and down-regulates that at the 16-carbon location, both changes offering
protection against breast cancer.
Breast Cancer, Estrogens and Xenoestrogens
Estrogens drive the rate of proliferation of mammary gland cells. This
explains the breast fullness and soreness experienced by many women during
menstrual cycles---and less frequently during ovulation---when estrogen levels
surge. This seems to be the principal mechanisms by which estrogen therapy
increases the risk of breast cancer.
Since 1940, the incidence of breast cancer has increased in the United
States and in Europe. Nearly 35 years ago during my residency, I remember that
we saw a very unusual case of breast cancer---unusual because the tumor occurred
in a 28 year-old woman. Now we see young women, ages 21, or 26, or 29, with
breast cancer, and this is no longer unusual.
Two million to six million women in the United States and Europe were
prescribed DES--a synthetic estrogen--to prevent miscarriages between 1948-1971.
Melatonin and Estrogenic Overdrive
Melatonin is the primary hormone of the Pineal gland located in the
center of the brain. It is mainly produced during nighttime darkness. Light and
electromagnetics fields suppress melatonin production.
Melatonin is a powerful antioxidant. Among its other important roles is
reduction of estrogen production in the body, and probably reduction in the
number of estrogen receptors.
Studies of shown that the protective, estrogen reducing effects of melatonin
are significantly reduced by excessive exposure to light (including late night
TV viewing), electromagnetic fields, chemical pollutants such as pesticides and
fungicides, and many commonly prescribe drugs, such as beta blockers for heart
disease, high blood pressure and headaches.
If Estrogen Overdrive Is Real, Why Does Estrogen Therapy Help Some Women?
About eight to ten million American women are prescribed hormonal
replacement therapy by their physicians. Of these, about half discontinue
hormones due to untoward effects of hormones or for fear of developing breast,
uterus and other cancers. This means about five million women in the U.S. are
taking estrogens and progesterone regularly. If hormonal replacement therapy is
all that risky, why do some women agree\ to take this?
This question has interested me for some time. On the surface it negates my
theory about the estrogen overdrive described above. The answer is that they are
not made aware of healthful, natural alternatives to synthetic hormones. I make
three points here.
First, a
vast majority of menopausal symptoms can be controlled with sound nutritional;
therapies exercise and self-regulation and without estrogen. Indeed, many of the
symptoms attributed to inadequate estrogen are in reality symptoms of sugar-insulin-adrenaline
roller coasters that respond well to natural nondrug measures.
Second, for some
of my patients who need further relief, I frequently prescribe natural
plant-derived progestrone creams. Indeed, it is uncommon for me to have to use
estrogen for symptoms that are difficult to control otherwise.
Third, How
do I explain the occurrence of hot flashes, fluid retention and related symptoms
that seem to respond well to estrogen therapy? An insight into a possible
explanation of this phenomenon came to me some time ago as I listened to a
patient describe her difficulty with sugar craving
and sugar roller coasters. It occurred to me that the need of some women for
extra estrogen for hot flashes is similar to the need for sugar in someone
craving sugar, or for cocaine in a cocaine addict. These are examples of
receptor dysregulation, of energetic-molecular disequilibrium, of molecular
responses overshooting their marks. No one recommends that we solve the problem
of sugar craving with sugar, or that we treat cocaine addiction by giving the
addict regular doses of cocaine. Why do we do so for estrogen?
Hormone Receptor Disruption
Gender devolution is caused by synthetic chemicals
that bind to hormone receptors and jam them, often
for the life of the receptor protein embedded in the
cell membrane. Among the most dangerous compounds in
this category are birth control pills and synthetic
hormone prescribed for menstrual symptoms (PMS),
menstrual irregularities, endometriosis, and
polycystic ovary syndrome. Many plastic materials
also have xenoestrogen activity, which cumulatively
disrupt hormone receptors.
List of Articles
k Sex Hormones and Health - Five-Dimensional Hormone-Thinking
k Natural Estrogen, Synthetic Estrogens, and Breast Cancer
k The Low Testosterone Epidemic
k Are You Running Low On Testosterone?
k The Reproductive System
k
Truth
About the Epidemic of Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS)
—Taking It On the Ovaries (TOCS)
k Who Is Doing More for Gender Neutrality—Sweden or the U.S.?
http://www.majidaliacademy.org/running_low_testosterone.htm
k Testosterone, the Heart, and Lapdog of The New York Times
k Sex Hormones and Health - Five-Dimensional Hormone-Thinking
k SEX HORMONE HEALTH - Five-Dimensional Hormone-Thinking
k The Age of Gender Devolution—Boy-like Girls. Girl-like Boys, Men-like Women, and Women-like Men.
k
Who Is Doing
More for Gender Neutrality—Sweden or the U.S.?
*
http://www.majidaliacademy.org/gender_devolution.htm
* http://www.majidaliacademy.org/testosterone.htm
* Running Low on Testosterone
http://www.majidaliacademy.org/running_low_testosterone.htm
* Testosterone, the Heart, and Lapdog of The New York Times
* The Age of Gender Devolution—Boy-like Girls. Girl-like Boys, Men-like Women, and Women-like Men.
*
Who Is Doing
More for Gender Neutrality—Sweden or the U.S.?
*
http://www.majidaliacademy.org/gender_devolution.htm
* http://www.majidaliacademy.org/testosterone.htm
http://wiki-medical.org/hormones_dysox.htm
http://wiki-medical.org/oxygen_liver.htm
* The Age of Gender Devolution—Boylike Girls. Girl-like Boys, Men-like Women, and Women-like Men.
k The Reproductive System
k
Truth
About the Epidemic of Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS)
—Taking It On the Ovaries (TOCS)
k Who Is Doing More for Gender Neutrality—Sweden or the U.S.?* http://www.majidaliacademy.org/gender_devolution.htm
* http://www.majidaliacademy.org/testosterone.htm
*
http://www.majidaliacademy.org/running_low_testosterone.htm