What You Need to Know About Histamine
Find out what histamine does in the body and what an intolerance is.
What You Need to Know About Histamine Read More »
Find out what histamine does in the body and what an intolerance is.
What You Need to Know About Histamine Read More »
Disclaimer: This is an educational and informative post, nothing in it is meant to take the place of medical treatment, neither does it claim to treat, cure or diagnose any condition. What is Estrogen? Estrogens are a group of hormones made in the body. There are three main types: Estrone, Estradiol, and Estriol. Estradiol is the main type produced before menopause, mostly by the ovaries. Estriol is the main type produced during pregnancy, mostly by the placenta. Estrone, produced by the adrenal glands and fatty tissue, is the main type produced after menopause. Female sex hormone Although Estrogen is also found in males, it plays a bigger role in the female body as it is needed for fertility, pregnancy, breast development and menstruation. However it is also needed for bone and skin health and cognitive health. Xenoestrogens Xenoestrogens are synthetic compounds that mimic the effects of estrogen in the body. They are also known as Endocrine disrupters. They block the uptake of natural hormones and disturb normal hormone signalling, metabolism and detoxification of estrogen. They result in much damage. We are constantly subjected to xenoestrogens such as plastics, chemicals including household cleaning agents, pollutants, Perfumes, pesticides, cosmetics, birth control pills, food dyes, synthetic fabrics, personal care products and much more. What your body cannot detox, it stores in your fat cells. These build up over time and this is how estrogen dominant conditions begin such as PMS, Endometriosis, Uterine fibroid tumors, breast cancer, uterine cancer, ovarian cancer and prostrate cancer in men. The Estroblome he Estrobolome is made up of estrogen and the microbiome in the gut. It is a collection of bacteria in the gut which is capable of metabolising and modulating the body’s circulating estrogen. These bacteria affect estrogen levels, which in turn can impact weight, libido and mood. A healthy gut microbiome produces optimal levels of an enzyme called betaglucuronidase – too much and estrogen levels become imbalanced. Facts Approximately 80% of breast cancer occurs in women with little, to no family history. Research has shown that an increased lifetime exposure to estrogen, and unbalanced estrogen metabolism, is a strong risk factor in the development of breast, ovarian and prostate cancer, as well as estrogen dominant disorders, such as endometriosis and premenstrual syndrome. Genetics The DNA Oestrogen (Estrogen) Test provides an analysis of the genes involved in the process of oestrogen metabolism, and provides appropriate diet, supplements, and lifestyle recommendations. It is for women (and men) who have estrogen dominant conditions; a family history of breast, ovarian, colon or prostate cancer; who suffer from endometriosis, premenstrual syndrome, and uterine fibroid tumors. The Test is also for women considering oral contraceptives, hormone replacement therapy or bio-identical hormone supplementation and Women who are considering invitro fertilisation or who have been diagnosed with estrogen receptor-positive breast cancer. Take away You can do much to limit your exposure to xenoestrogens. Here are some suggestions: Eat organic where possible Switch to natural cleaning products switch to natural skincare products buy organic, eco-friendly and biodegradable products use essential oils over chemical scents limit the use of perfumes and colognes Avoid plastic containers and bottles Use natural hormone balancing products over synthetic Contact me for your Etrogen DNA test.
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Disclaimer: This is an educational and informative post, nothing in it is meant to take the place of medical treatment, neither does it claim to treat, cure or diagnose any condition. Ever wondered why some people can drink coffee right before bed and sleep like a brick, while others are bouncing off the walls all night? This has to do with either being a Fast metaboliser or a slow metaboliser of caffeine. The CYP1A2 Caffeine is mainly metabolized by the CYP1A2 enzyme in the liver.The status of your CYP1A2 determines how fast your body clears the caffeine you drink from your system. It takes about 5 hours to lower caffeine levels by half, the half-life of caffeine. In other words, if you drink 4 cups of coffee (160g of caffeine) Half of that(80g) will still be in your system 5 hours later. You may begin experiencing the effects of caffeine right after consuming it, and the effects will continue to last for as long as the caffeine remains in your body. A fast Metaboliser A fast metaboliser is someone who carries the AA allele. They have the ability to metabolize caffeine at a much faster rate and thus clear caffeine from their systems. In these people coffee is unlikely to cause high blood pressure and raise cortisol levels. Drinking coffee first thing in the morning is likely to make you feel more alert but without the jitters and spike in blood pressure. A Slow Metaboliser However, a slow metaboliser, (one who carries the C allele) has a much slower enzymatic activity and takes longer to metabolize caffeine. The result is that caffeine metabolisers take between 8-10 hours to drop caffeine levels by half. Slow metabolisers have an increased risk of impaired fasting glucose, hypertension and disrupted sleep. What is a moderate and safe amount of caffeine per day? This is determined by your genotype. For AA alleles 5 cups a day (200mg) would be moderate but for a C allele this would be 2 cups (80mg). Benefits of Caffeine in moderation: Rich in Polyphenols, antioxidants found in plants (cancer protecting) Studies show caffeine can protect against Parkinson’s Disease. Can improve alertness,memory and overall mood. Can increase sports performance and endurance. Risks of Caffeine : can spike blood pressure can impair fasting glucose can raise cortisol levels can disrupt sleep and cause insomnia can contribute to anxiety can mess with your endocrine system (hormones) References: Postprandial glycaemic and lipaemic responses to chronic coffee consumptionmay be modulated by CYP1A2 polymorphisms, British Journal of Nutrition (2018)doi:10.1017/S0007114518000260 How to Tell if You Are a Fast or Slow Caffeine Metabolizer by Dr. Aaron Gardner, BSc, MRes, PhD,March 1, 2023 My own training as a genetic practitioner. Interested in finding out what allele of this gene you carry? Contact me
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Learn how Oxidative Stress plays a huge role in the pathogenesis of Celiac Disease.
Oxidative Stress linked to Celiac Disease Read More »