WEBVTT 00:00:00.240 --> 00:00:03.040 Prepare to have your health questions answered 00:00:03.040 --> 00:00:07.059 here on Safe, Effective Natural Solutions with 00:00:07.059 --> 00:00:10.439 Dr. Todd Binkley, owner of Binkley Healing Center 00:00:10.439 --> 00:00:15.279 in downtown Ventura. Now, here's Dr. Todd. Good 00:00:15.279 --> 00:00:17.019 afternoon. I'm Dr. Todd Bankley, board certified 00:00:17.019 --> 00:00:19.320 doctor of non -force chiropractic and practitioner 00:00:19.320 --> 00:00:22.219 of functional medicine today. I really am. Last 00:00:22.219 --> 00:00:23.800 week I said I was going to do it. We ran out 00:00:23.800 --> 00:00:25.960 of time today. We are going to talk about the 00:00:25.960 --> 00:00:28.780 gut microbiome and the connection between the 00:00:28.780 --> 00:00:31.839 gut microbiome and hormones. So did you know 00:00:31.839 --> 00:00:35.820 that estrogen interacts with the gut microbiome? 00:00:35.820 --> 00:00:38.460 One of the most significant interactions occurs 00:00:38.460 --> 00:00:41.659 through estrogen metabolism. There are a group 00:00:41.659 --> 00:00:45.820 of gut bacteria, among them E. coli, Enterobacteria 00:00:45.820 --> 00:00:51.460 C, Bacterioidetes, Firmicutes, Proteobacteria, 00:00:51.460 --> 00:00:53.950 and Actino. bacteria. So you can be forgiven 00:00:53.950 --> 00:00:55.289 if you've never heard of those before. They're 00:00:55.289 --> 00:00:58.909 all included in a comprehensive stool test to 00:00:58.909 --> 00:01:02.130 test the levels of various beneficial and pathogenic 00:01:02.130 --> 00:01:05.930 bacteria in the gut. And these particular species 00:01:05.930 --> 00:01:10.230 of bacteria modulate estrogen levels by producing 00:01:10.230 --> 00:01:13.629 beta -glucuronidase, which is an enzyme that 00:01:13.629 --> 00:01:17.390 influences estrogen reabsorption. So if you have 00:01:17.390 --> 00:01:20.150 inadequate amounts of those particular subset 00:01:20.150 --> 00:01:22.390 of gut bacteria, then that's going to interfere 00:01:22.390 --> 00:01:24.349 with, may make it more difficult to maintain 00:01:24.349 --> 00:01:27.450 normal estrogen levels. So an imbalance of these 00:01:27.450 --> 00:01:29.870 microorganisms can lead to excessive or insufficient 00:01:29.870 --> 00:01:33.709 circulation, too much or too little. And this 00:01:33.709 --> 00:01:36.670 contributes to symptoms such as PMS, fibroids, 00:01:36.769 --> 00:01:41.620 endometriosis, and menopausal symptoms. Improper 00:01:41.620 --> 00:01:44.400 estrogen metabolism can also lead to an accumulation 00:01:44.400 --> 00:01:47.379 of harmful estrogen metabolites. So this means, 00:01:47.500 --> 00:01:49.459 you know, you produce estrogen and then your 00:01:49.459 --> 00:01:51.959 body, once you're finished with it, it circulates 00:01:51.959 --> 00:01:53.299 throughout your system for a certain period of 00:01:53.299 --> 00:01:56.180 time and then is broken down into metabolites. 00:01:56.400 --> 00:02:00.700 And increase or accumulation of excessive estrogen 00:02:00.700 --> 00:02:03.420 metabolites increases the risk of estrogen dominant 00:02:03.420 --> 00:02:06.700 conditions, including breast cancer and ovarian 00:02:06.700 --> 00:02:09.919 cancer. So optimizing gut health is crucial for 00:02:09.919 --> 00:02:13.319 maintaining. balanced estrogen levels. And it 00:02:13.319 --> 00:02:15.379 also goes the other way. Estrogen influences 00:02:15.379 --> 00:02:17.400 the composition of the gut microbiome diversity 00:02:17.400 --> 00:02:20.180 and it significantly impacts the gastrointestinal 00:02:20.180 --> 00:02:22.560 system. As a whole, fluctuations in estrogen 00:02:22.560 --> 00:02:25.319 levels affect overall gut health, particularly 00:02:25.319 --> 00:02:28.860 during menstruation and menopause. So too much 00:02:28.860 --> 00:02:31.300 estrogen can reduce gut motility, the muscular 00:02:31.300 --> 00:02:33.639 control moving the stomach through. It's like 00:02:33.639 --> 00:02:36.740 a conveyor belt moving food through your stomach. 00:02:36.759 --> 00:02:39.759 It can reduce that speed at which food travels 00:02:39.759 --> 00:02:41.960 through your intestines, leading to constipation, 00:02:41.979 --> 00:02:46.080 while low estrogen can cause increased motility 00:02:46.080 --> 00:02:49.250 or diarrhea. Estrogen also supports the intestinal 00:02:49.250 --> 00:02:53.169 lining by promoting mucus production and maintaining 00:02:53.169 --> 00:02:55.789 tight junctions between epithelial cells. If 00:02:55.789 --> 00:02:58.550 you've ever heard of leaky gut, leaky gut occurs 00:02:58.550 --> 00:03:01.650 when these tight junctions in the cells of your 00:03:01.650 --> 00:03:06.150 small intestine become no longer tight and foreign 00:03:06.150 --> 00:03:09.169 bacteria, foreign protein fragments, other debris 00:03:09.169 --> 00:03:12.810 and toxins can get from your intestines into 00:03:12.810 --> 00:03:15.310 your bloodstream where they do not belong and 00:03:15.310 --> 00:03:18.409 create inflammation. So if you're having issues 00:03:18.409 --> 00:03:20.629 with digestion and you've tried a number of things 00:03:20.629 --> 00:03:23.189 but never had your hormones checked, then you 00:03:23.189 --> 00:03:24.909 may need to get your hormones checked, which 00:03:24.909 --> 00:03:27.289 of course I'm happy to do for you. And as always, 00:03:27.569 --> 00:03:29.050 I need to say, I've talked about this several 00:03:29.050 --> 00:03:31.229 times before, for things like this, it usually 00:03:31.229 --> 00:03:34.919 is better to get a saliva hormone test. not a 00:03:34.919 --> 00:03:37.439 blood test. So blood tests are the gold standard 00:03:37.439 --> 00:03:40.180 for most things in the body, but sometimes we 00:03:40.180 --> 00:03:42.599 need to do a stool test. Sometimes for heavy 00:03:42.599 --> 00:03:44.219 metals, I might do a hair test. There's lots 00:03:44.219 --> 00:03:46.520 of different body fluids. There's some tests 00:03:46.520 --> 00:03:50.419 that are best done on urine, etc. And for hormone 00:03:50.419 --> 00:03:53.180 issues that don't involve pregnancy, so for menopause 00:03:53.180 --> 00:03:57.379 and, you know, female hormones, it's better to 00:03:57.379 --> 00:04:00.159 test saliva because normally the solution you're 00:04:00.159 --> 00:04:02.120 going to... do if you're going to need if you 00:04:02.120 --> 00:04:05.120 end up low in estrogen or progesterone you're 00:04:05.120 --> 00:04:07.099 most likely going to do some kind of topical 00:04:07.870 --> 00:04:10.069 bioidentical hormone replacement. Usually I find 00:04:10.069 --> 00:04:11.870 that you can use much lower doses. People that 00:04:11.870 --> 00:04:14.789 are only getting tested with blood tests from 00:04:14.789 --> 00:04:17.689 standard endocrinologists are often getting way 00:04:17.689 --> 00:04:19.610 over, or if they're being tested at all, this 00:04:19.610 --> 00:04:20.970 is the other thing, I have women come in all 00:04:20.970 --> 00:04:23.389 the time, they're taking standard medical hormone 00:04:23.389 --> 00:04:26.149 replacement therapy, way too much of it, and 00:04:26.149 --> 00:04:27.629 they're not even getting tested. They're just 00:04:27.629 --> 00:04:29.709 saying, here, take this amount and see how you 00:04:29.709 --> 00:04:32.310 feel. Well, that's crazy. You need to get it 00:04:32.310 --> 00:04:34.410 dosed right. It needs to be very tightly controlled 00:04:34.410 --> 00:04:38.329 and not, too much is never, better. And many, 00:04:38.370 --> 00:04:39.949 many times I've seen women that were taking, 00:04:40.029 --> 00:04:41.529 they're already on hormone replacement therapy 00:04:41.529 --> 00:04:43.009 and they're not getting the results. And guess 00:04:43.009 --> 00:04:45.149 what? The symptoms of too much estrogen are the 00:04:45.149 --> 00:04:48.149 same, often the same as too little estrogen because 00:04:48.149 --> 00:04:50.629 your body just becomes insensitive to it and 00:04:50.629 --> 00:04:52.870 it leads to a point of diminishing returns. So 00:04:52.870 --> 00:04:55.009 the equipment used for saliva testing is 10 times 00:04:55.009 --> 00:04:57.769 more sensitive to identify the normal levels 00:04:57.769 --> 00:05:00.389 of estrogen, progesterone, DHEA, testosterone, 00:05:00.790 --> 00:05:04.329 et cetera. In the saliva, there's much less in 00:05:04.329 --> 00:05:05.970 the saliva. There are lower concentrations, so 00:05:05.970 --> 00:05:08.490 it requires very sensitive equipment to measure 00:05:08.490 --> 00:05:11.069 that. But you're also getting an average of these 00:05:11.069 --> 00:05:13.990 hormones throughout the day. So your blood levels 00:05:13.990 --> 00:05:15.949 of estrogen, progesterone, testosterone, these 00:05:15.949 --> 00:05:17.670 things are going up and down every 10 minutes, 00:05:17.689 --> 00:05:19.490 up and down, up and down like a roller coaster. 00:05:19.589 --> 00:05:22.009 We saw it on a graph. It's just spiking up, spiking 00:05:22.009 --> 00:05:25.509 down, spiking up, spiking down. And that is important 00:05:25.509 --> 00:05:29.550 for some things. But for managing a chronic hormone 00:05:29.550 --> 00:05:32.410 imbalance, a deficiency or an excess, it's better 00:05:32.410 --> 00:05:33.769 to get an average throughout the day. So when 00:05:33.769 --> 00:05:36.089 you do a saliva hormone test, you're spitting 00:05:36.089 --> 00:05:37.910 in four tubes so we can measure your cortisol 00:05:37.910 --> 00:05:39.529 levels at four different times throughout the 00:05:39.529 --> 00:05:42.129 day. And then they make a fifth tube by combining. 00:05:42.399 --> 00:05:45.060 a little bit from each of those four, and that 00:05:45.060 --> 00:05:47.500 way you get that average of your levels throughout 00:05:47.500 --> 00:05:51.220 the day. And you usually need, if any, if anything, 00:05:51.360 --> 00:05:55.379 you usually need much lower levels of bioidentical 00:05:55.379 --> 00:05:58.500 plant -based hormones. And if you're having symptoms 00:05:58.500 --> 00:06:01.240 in your gut, constipation, diarrhea, nausea, 00:06:01.240 --> 00:06:04.319 bloating, gas, and you've done everything else 00:06:04.319 --> 00:06:07.220 you can think of to directly address those conditions 00:06:07.220 --> 00:06:09.199 and you're not getting the results you want, 00:06:09.279 --> 00:06:11.579 then it may be a hormonal issue. And we need 00:06:11.579 --> 00:06:13.319 to check your hormones to figure out that last 00:06:13.319 --> 00:06:15.360 piece of it. So, of course, everything affects 00:06:15.360 --> 00:06:16.540 everything else. If you're having difficulty 00:06:16.540 --> 00:06:19.019 with your hormones and you've been taking bioidentical 00:06:19.019 --> 00:06:21.339 hormones and testing and getting some improvements, 00:06:21.360 --> 00:06:23.480 but not the improvements you've hoped for, then 00:06:23.480 --> 00:06:25.540 we may need to do a stool test to check the gut 00:06:25.540 --> 00:06:29.009 microbiome. problems with the gut microbiome 00:06:29.009 --> 00:06:31.269 and insufficient amounts of certain bacteria 00:06:31.269 --> 00:06:34.910 that are essential for producing and metabolizing 00:06:34.910 --> 00:06:39.050 and maintaining adequate, ideal, balanced estrogen 00:06:39.050 --> 00:06:41.800 and progesterone. So you have to have that function 00:06:41.800 --> 00:06:43.220 in the gut. You have to have those bacteria to 00:06:43.220 --> 00:06:45.420 do their job. If they're not present, then that 00:06:45.420 --> 00:06:48.620 shows up on a stool test. A stool test, sometimes 00:06:48.620 --> 00:06:51.519 people go to a medical doctor and get a one -day 00:06:51.519 --> 00:06:54.800 stool test, and that's fine for some things. 00:06:55.300 --> 00:06:57.959 I usually do a three -day stool test to make 00:06:57.959 --> 00:06:59.959 sure there's no bad bugs in there, which can 00:06:59.959 --> 00:07:03.100 get missed if you only collect on... one day. 00:07:03.199 --> 00:07:05.100 So send me your questions about that. If you 00:07:05.100 --> 00:07:06.980 have any questions, I'll try and talk about a 00:07:06.980 --> 00:07:09.839 patient that I've helped with some really amazing 00:07:09.839 --> 00:07:12.120 things that I've found in doing a stool test 00:07:12.120 --> 00:07:15.420 to identify bad bugs that you may have and not 00:07:15.420 --> 00:07:17.540 be aware of. Usually you can get rid of them 00:07:17.540 --> 00:07:19.519 with natural means. Sometimes you might have 00:07:19.519 --> 00:07:22.120 to take a short course of antibiotics or antivirals, 00:07:22.120 --> 00:07:25.980 but usually there are natural antimicrobial supplements 00:07:25.980 --> 00:07:29.529 that can use to resolve these things. So there 00:07:29.529 --> 00:07:31.569 are a number of interactions between estrogen 00:07:31.569 --> 00:07:35.949 and gut bacteria. Also, progesterone. So progesterone 00:07:35.949 --> 00:07:38.290 is a critical hormone for reproductive health. 00:07:39.110 --> 00:07:41.889 Progestation, progesterone, its levels are influenced 00:07:41.889 --> 00:07:45.870 by intestinal inflammation and microbiome diversity, 00:07:46.149 --> 00:07:49.250 as with everything else in the gut. It's critically 00:07:49.250 --> 00:07:51.430 important when we test this. This is always a 00:07:51.430 --> 00:07:53.370 big part of the results of the test to promote 00:07:53.370 --> 00:07:56.709 diversity and balance. You need lots of different 00:07:56.709 --> 00:08:00.410 kinds of bugs and need to have them in a particular 00:08:00.410 --> 00:08:03.990 range. So too much of the same bug is bad as 00:08:03.990 --> 00:08:08.189 is too little. And chronic gut inflammation also 00:08:08.189 --> 00:08:11.449 elevates something called lipopolysaccharides. 00:08:11.509 --> 00:08:15.189 And these elevated levels of these lipopolysaccharides 00:08:15.189 --> 00:08:19.449 can trigger immune responses that lower progesterone. 00:08:19.509 --> 00:08:22.069 So this can contribute to irregular menstrual 00:08:22.069 --> 00:08:25.970 cycles and implantation failure and infertility. 00:08:26.360 --> 00:08:29.500 Progesterone also promotes the growth of bifidobacterium 00:08:29.500 --> 00:08:32.100 species. This is a broad category of beneficial 00:08:32.100 --> 00:08:35.159 bacteria. They're often bifidobacteria in good 00:08:35.159 --> 00:08:37.039 probiotics, and there are a number of species 00:08:37.039 --> 00:08:38.820 that you want to have in adequate amounts in 00:08:38.820 --> 00:08:40.980 your gut. So progesterone promotes the growth 00:08:40.980 --> 00:08:43.019 of some of these, an effect that is increasingly 00:08:43.019 --> 00:08:46.240 noticeable during the later stages of pregnancy. 00:08:46.919 --> 00:08:50.740 And gut bacteria also act to convert progesterone 00:08:50.740 --> 00:08:55.740 to something called allopregnolone. Allopregnolone. 00:08:55.799 --> 00:08:58.159 And this affects the brain and nervous system. 00:08:58.200 --> 00:09:01.799 Low levels of allopregnolone can contribute to 00:09:01.799 --> 00:09:04.419 postpartum depression and mood and psychiatric. 00:09:05.419 --> 00:09:09.460 So that's why naturally your progesterone stimulates 00:09:09.460 --> 00:09:11.080 the growth of these species that help prevent 00:09:11.080 --> 00:09:14.299 that. But if you have inadequate amounts of it, 00:09:14.320 --> 00:09:17.259 then you have an increased risk of those mood 00:09:17.259 --> 00:09:20.080 disorders during pregnancy. So a well -balanced 00:09:20.080 --> 00:09:23.259 gut microbiome supports optimal nutrient absorption, 00:09:23.559 --> 00:09:26.279 reducing inflammation, inflammatory responses, 00:09:26.379 --> 00:09:29.610 and promoting stability of your hormones. So 00:09:29.610 --> 00:09:31.490 just like with estrogen, it goes both ways. If 00:09:31.490 --> 00:09:32.809 you know somebody that's been having difficulty 00:09:32.809 --> 00:09:36.509 getting pregnant and carrying a pregnancy two 00:09:36.509 --> 00:09:40.549 term. or other pregnancy -related issues, postpartum 00:09:40.549 --> 00:09:42.370 depression. If you've had that, somebody's had, 00:09:42.429 --> 00:09:45.389 for example, has had a severe mood disorder after 00:09:45.389 --> 00:09:46.850 a previous pregnancy and they're getting pregnant 00:09:46.850 --> 00:09:50.149 again, it might be a good idea to test the gut 00:09:50.149 --> 00:09:52.409 to make sure that they have the support they 00:09:52.409 --> 00:09:55.190 need with these balanced bifidobacteria and other 00:09:55.190 --> 00:09:58.830 species to help lower the risk of those mood 00:09:58.830 --> 00:10:02.210 disorders that can. complicate pregnancy and 00:10:02.210 --> 00:10:04.450 if you're having an inflammatory gut condition 00:10:04.450 --> 00:10:06.649 that is not responding to other types of treatment 00:10:06.649 --> 00:10:09.490 part of the problem may be progesterone levels 00:10:09.490 --> 00:10:11.629 which we can test with a saliva hormone test 00:10:11.629 --> 00:10:14.269 i'm dr todd binkley you're listening to safe 00:10:14.269 --> 00:10:17.190 effective natural solutions to almost any health 00:10:17.190 --> 00:10:19.529 challenge we're talking about the tremendous 00:10:19.529 --> 00:10:22.370 and increasingly better understood interactions 00:10:22.370 --> 00:10:27.129 between the gut microbiome and hormones so testosterone 00:10:28.240 --> 00:10:30.399 It also interacts with the gut. Testosterone 00:10:30.399 --> 00:10:32.100 is, of course, essential for muscle growth, metabolic 00:10:32.100 --> 00:10:35.940 function, mood regulation, and libido in men 00:10:35.940 --> 00:10:38.679 and women. And emerging research is suggesting 00:10:38.679 --> 00:10:41.860 that the gut microbiota, the gut bacteria, significantly 00:10:41.860 --> 00:10:45.360 impact testosterone levels through multiple mechanisms, 00:10:45.399 --> 00:10:48.220 including the regulation of inflammation and 00:10:48.220 --> 00:10:51.210 nutrient absorption. And dysbiosis, imbalance 00:10:51.210 --> 00:10:54.950 between the good bacteria and bad bacteria, and 00:10:54.950 --> 00:10:57.289 chronic gut inflammation that results from that 00:10:57.289 --> 00:11:00.029 can lead to increased oxidative stress, which 00:11:00.029 --> 00:11:03.830 negatively impacts testosterone synthesis. So 00:11:03.830 --> 00:11:05.870 elevated levels of testosterone in males and 00:11:05.870 --> 00:11:08.470 females are shown to correlate with a more diverse 00:11:08.470 --> 00:11:11.779 micro... biota and quantity, higher quantities 00:11:11.779 --> 00:11:15.200 of certain specific beneficial species, and some 00:11:15.200 --> 00:11:18.399 bacterial strains such as Ackermansia municifila 00:11:18.399 --> 00:11:21.379 have been shown associated with healthier testosterone 00:11:21.379 --> 00:11:24.580 levels and metabolic function. Gut health also 00:11:24.580 --> 00:11:26.960 affects insulin sensitivity, which plays a key 00:11:26.960 --> 00:11:29.919 role in testosterone balance, particularly in 00:11:29.919 --> 00:11:34.379 conditions such as PCOS, polycystic ovary syndrome. 00:11:35.080 --> 00:11:38.299 And that one species, Ackermansia municifilla, 00:11:38.379 --> 00:11:40.460 say that three times fast, this is a species 00:11:40.460 --> 00:11:42.580 of beneficial bacteria that's long been known 00:11:42.580 --> 00:11:45.639 to reduce inflammation and promote healthier 00:11:45.639 --> 00:11:48.320 balance between other species of good bacteria. 00:11:48.580 --> 00:11:51.159 And so its function and its importance has long 00:11:51.159 --> 00:11:53.259 been known, and more recently it is now available 00:11:53.259 --> 00:11:56.879 as a supplement. You can get Ackermansia municifilla 00:11:56.879 --> 00:12:00.059 as a supplement and include that as one of your 00:12:00.059 --> 00:12:03.909 primary probiotics if necessary. So if you have 00:12:03.909 --> 00:12:05.570 a chronic inflammatory gut condition, we may 00:12:05.570 --> 00:12:08.529 need to test your testosterone levels. And if 00:12:08.529 --> 00:12:11.730 you have low libido, difficulty building up and 00:12:11.730 --> 00:12:14.590 maintaining muscle mass and regulating certain 00:12:14.590 --> 00:12:17.889 moods, then it may be because of a problem in 00:12:17.889 --> 00:12:21.669 your gut that's affecting, impairing testosterone 00:12:21.669 --> 00:12:25.639 production. Cortisol, adrenal function, or more 00:12:25.639 --> 00:12:29.460 specifically, the hypothalamic -pituitary -adrenal 00:12:29.460 --> 00:12:32.159 axis, for those who want the full technical version. 00:12:32.799 --> 00:12:34.279 Cortisol, adrenal dysfunction, if you hear people 00:12:34.279 --> 00:12:36.779 talking about adrenal fatigue, cortisol is the 00:12:36.779 --> 00:12:40.740 main hormone that we're testing. to assess the 00:12:40.740 --> 00:12:43.340 function of this aspect of adrenals to deal with 00:12:43.340 --> 00:12:45.820 stress, the stress response. But it's actually 00:12:45.820 --> 00:12:48.159 governed by the hypothalamus and the pituitary 00:12:48.159 --> 00:12:52.700 or the hypothalamic pituitary adrenal axis. Governing 00:12:52.700 --> 00:12:54.700 stress response is closely linked to the gut 00:12:54.700 --> 00:12:57.299 microbiome. So imbalances in the gut bacteria, 00:12:57.379 --> 00:13:00.039 dysbiosis in the gut, heightens the production 00:13:00.039 --> 00:13:02.500 of inflammatory cytokines. These are the things 00:13:02.500 --> 00:13:06.460 that cause the cytokine storm at the end of COVID 00:13:06.460 --> 00:13:09.019 when people are dying and the inflammation just... 00:13:09.039 --> 00:13:13.379 overwhelmed their systems. Dysbiosis can enhance 00:13:13.379 --> 00:13:16.980 this inflammatory cytokine, disrupting the HP 00:13:16.980 --> 00:13:19.240 axis dysfunction and leading to dysregulated 00:13:19.240 --> 00:13:22.799 cortisol levels and imbalance. And cortisol can 00:13:22.799 --> 00:13:26.059 also contribute to fatigue, weight gain, depression 00:13:26.059 --> 00:13:29.539 and anxiety. and metabolic dysfunction, difficulties 00:13:29.539 --> 00:13:33.320 maintaining weight and increasing risk of diabetes. 00:13:33.740 --> 00:13:37.139 Increases in cortisol levels affect the gut microbiome 00:13:37.139 --> 00:13:40.019 by altering gut transit time again, increasing 00:13:40.019 --> 00:13:42.399 intestinal permeability, so this is similar to 00:13:42.399 --> 00:13:44.480 the effects of estrogen we talked about a little 00:13:44.480 --> 00:13:47.500 while ago, and the availability of certain nutrients, 00:13:47.679 --> 00:13:49.919 nutrients which are important to have balanced. 00:13:50.590 --> 00:13:53.190 diversity of microbiome in your gut. So if you 00:13:53.190 --> 00:13:55.490 have adrenal fatigue, if you have a lot of stress, 00:13:55.649 --> 00:13:57.990 if you're wired and tired, if you suspect you 00:13:57.990 --> 00:13:59.789 have adrenal dysfunction, part of the problem 00:13:59.789 --> 00:14:02.889 may be in your gut. And if you're having a chronic 00:14:02.889 --> 00:14:05.129 gut condition and you're not getting the results 00:14:05.129 --> 00:14:07.610 you expect, part of that might be a problem of 00:14:07.610 --> 00:14:10.230 too much cortisol or too little, and that can 00:14:10.230 --> 00:14:14.470 be tested with a saliva hormone test. Well, here's 00:14:14.470 --> 00:14:17.429 a patient of mine, an example of the interactions 00:14:17.429 --> 00:14:20.730 between gut health and hormone levels. This is 00:14:20.730 --> 00:14:23.830 a 71 -year -old female who came in complaining 00:14:23.830 --> 00:14:27.049 of brain fog and tearfulness, fluid retention 00:14:27.049 --> 00:14:30.629 and bloating, decreased mental sharpness, fatigue 00:14:30.629 --> 00:14:33.870 in the morning and the afternoon, decreased stamina, 00:14:34.309 --> 00:14:39.210 cold body temperature, incontinence, weight gain 00:14:39.210 --> 00:14:42.700 in the hips and waist. decreased flexibility 00:14:42.700 --> 00:14:46.620 and a burned out feeling, thin skin and bone 00:14:46.620 --> 00:14:48.860 loss. So this is the things that she checked 00:14:48.860 --> 00:14:50.700 on her form when she came in and we did the initial 00:14:50.700 --> 00:14:53.500 hormone test. Several of these are obviously 00:14:53.500 --> 00:14:56.039 hormone related. So we did her hormone test. 00:14:56.480 --> 00:14:59.299 Her results showed that she had low cortisol 00:14:59.299 --> 00:15:02.740 in the morning, low cortisol at noon and the 00:15:02.740 --> 00:15:06.460 evening and at night it was fine. She also had 00:15:06.460 --> 00:15:11.019 low DHEA, what is that? And that sounds like 00:15:11.019 --> 00:15:14.820 DHA, not to be confused with the DHA, which is 00:15:14.820 --> 00:15:20.740 fish oil. DHEA, dehydroepiandrosterone, is the 00:15:20.740 --> 00:15:23.399 steroid that's produced primarily in the adrenal 00:15:23.399 --> 00:15:25.980 glands, and it's a precursor for both testosterone 00:15:25.980 --> 00:15:30.480 and estrogen. It declines naturally with age. 00:15:30.860 --> 00:15:33.320 Low levels are linked to osteoporosis, adrenal 00:15:33.320 --> 00:15:36.740 insufficiency, and even heart disease and depression. 00:15:37.399 --> 00:15:39.820 And a lot of people have heard this and just 00:15:39.820 --> 00:15:43.240 rush out. You can buy DHEA in stores anywhere. 00:15:43.379 --> 00:15:45.139 And a lot of people think, oh, I feel these things, 00:15:45.200 --> 00:15:48.399 so I'm going to take some DHEA. Don't do that. 00:15:48.980 --> 00:15:52.340 Don't take DHEA unless you get tested. And your 00:15:52.340 --> 00:15:55.600 tests show that DHEA is lowest. With hormones, 00:15:55.679 --> 00:15:57.620 with so many things, but especially with hormones, 00:15:57.799 --> 00:16:01.559 balance is critical. Too much is bad. Too little 00:16:01.559 --> 00:16:04.220 is bad. And you have no idea if yours is too 00:16:04.220 --> 00:16:07.059 low unless you get tested. And if you take it, 00:16:07.120 --> 00:16:10.419 and sometimes the symptoms of too much and too 00:16:10.419 --> 00:16:15.440 little are the same. But hers was low. and her 00:16:15.440 --> 00:16:19.059 estrogen levels and all three of her estrogen 00:16:19.059 --> 00:16:21.159 levels. When I do a test, I test all. Most people 00:16:21.159 --> 00:16:23.720 have only heard of estradiol. That's the most 00:16:23.720 --> 00:16:26.639 famous of the estrogens. But estrone is important 00:16:26.639 --> 00:16:30.840 to test and especially estriol. So estriol E3 00:16:30.840 --> 00:16:34.519 has similar functions and effects as estradiol, 00:16:34.600 --> 00:16:38.620 but it is unlike estradiol. Estriol is cancer 00:16:38.620 --> 00:16:41.320 protective. It actually reduces your risk of 00:16:41.320 --> 00:16:44.940 breast and ovarian cancer. when I test them are 00:16:44.940 --> 00:16:47.720 low in estriol. Well, this patient, 71 years 00:16:47.720 --> 00:16:51.139 old, all three were fine. Her estrogen, all three 00:16:51.139 --> 00:16:55.360 estrogens, estrone E1, estradiol E2, and estriol 00:16:55.360 --> 00:16:59.259 were all within the normal range. But her testosterone 00:16:59.259 --> 00:17:03.299 was off the charts low. The range in women, the 00:17:03.299 --> 00:17:06.220 reference interval for a saliva test is 6 to 00:17:06.220 --> 00:17:10.920 49. And the lower detectable limit is below 6. 00:17:11.059 --> 00:17:13.400 So sure, hers was, you know. It was really low. 00:17:14.559 --> 00:17:17.440 And DHEA, as we said, was also low. So guess 00:17:17.440 --> 00:17:19.880 what's going to happen if we give her DHEA? Well, 00:17:19.960 --> 00:17:22.859 it's going to improve her DHEA levels, and it's 00:17:22.859 --> 00:17:25.000 also going to improve her testosterone levels. 00:17:25.059 --> 00:17:27.880 Because if you take DHEA and your estrogen is 00:17:27.880 --> 00:17:29.960 fine, then most of the time your body is going 00:17:29.960 --> 00:17:32.910 to use it to make testosterone. Now, anytime 00:17:32.910 --> 00:17:34.490 I do hormone testing on someone, I always tell 00:17:34.490 --> 00:17:36.430 them it's going to be at least six months most 00:17:36.430 --> 00:17:38.970 of the time before we're going to retest. Hormones 00:17:38.970 --> 00:17:42.630 change slowly, especially as you get older. And, 00:17:42.769 --> 00:17:45.490 you know, minimum of six months before we retest, 00:17:45.490 --> 00:17:47.690 expect to see some of the changes we're looking 00:17:47.690 --> 00:17:50.950 for, and oftentimes up to a year. And so it's 00:17:50.950 --> 00:17:52.990 also important to, you know, follow up anytime 00:17:52.990 --> 00:17:56.029 there's a change in symptoms to modify dosages. 00:17:56.089 --> 00:18:00.210 So this woman's 71 years old. We retested a year 00:18:00.210 --> 00:18:03.430 later. But before we did that, her estrogen levels 00:18:03.430 --> 00:18:06.430 were fine, but she was having some other issues 00:18:06.430 --> 00:18:09.750 with bone density. She has osteoporosis, and 00:18:09.750 --> 00:18:11.910 she'd had another type of test that showed that 00:18:11.910 --> 00:18:14.309 her response with other things she was taking 00:18:14.309 --> 00:18:16.930 for osteoporosis was a little less than we would 00:18:16.930 --> 00:18:20.150 like, and estrogen helps promote healthy bone 00:18:20.150 --> 00:18:21.970 density. So we decided to add just, you know, 00:18:21.990 --> 00:18:24.079 it's important to do the testing. But with hormones, 00:18:24.240 --> 00:18:26.079 you don't ever just treat the numbers. You go 00:18:26.079 --> 00:18:28.619 with the symptoms as well as the tests. You need 00:18:28.619 --> 00:18:32.839 both. And so she had a condition that could very 00:18:32.839 --> 00:18:35.539 likely be benefited by adding a little bit of 00:18:35.539 --> 00:18:36.960 estrogen. So we did that. And then fast forward 00:18:36.960 --> 00:18:40.880 a year later, her brain fog, tearfulness, fluid 00:18:40.880 --> 00:18:43.799 retention and bloating, decreased mental sharpness, 00:18:43.799 --> 00:18:46.460 and morning and afternoon fatigue are all significantly 00:18:46.460 --> 00:18:50.190 better. She has more stamina. Her body, her cold 00:18:50.190 --> 00:18:52.569 body temperature has improved. Incontinence is 00:18:52.569 --> 00:18:57.309 not an issue anymore. She still has the, she 00:18:57.309 --> 00:18:59.210 hasn't lost the weight that she wants to lose 00:18:59.210 --> 00:19:01.809 yet. Still have some issues with that. And as 00:19:01.809 --> 00:19:04.569 I mentioned, still has the issue with, thinning 00:19:04.569 --> 00:19:08.309 skin has also improved somewhat. Not perfect, 00:19:08.529 --> 00:19:11.849 but improved somewhat. And, but she still has 00:19:11.849 --> 00:19:14.430 osteoporosis. That's to be expected because it's 00:19:14.430 --> 00:19:17.930 really too early to see a change after a year. 00:19:17.970 --> 00:19:20.650 It can take two years to see a difference on 00:19:20.650 --> 00:19:23.130 the standard DEXA scan bone density test, for 00:19:23.130 --> 00:19:26.009 example, to see a change significant enough on 00:19:26.009 --> 00:19:28.170 whatever type of therapy. The medical therapies, 00:19:28.250 --> 00:19:29.869 they're usually just trying to give you drugs 00:19:29.869 --> 00:19:32.309 that don't, and show up two years later, hope 00:19:32.309 --> 00:19:34.769 your test doesn't get any worse or only a little 00:19:34.769 --> 00:19:37.930 bit worse, not even hoping for it to be improved 00:19:37.930 --> 00:19:40.750 oftentimes. So because she was having that issue, 00:19:40.849 --> 00:19:43.789 we did decide to add some estrogen before retesting. 00:19:44.089 --> 00:19:45.869 And so she had all these symptom improvements. 00:19:46.049 --> 00:19:48.690 That was exciting. But she's also coming back 00:19:48.690 --> 00:19:51.900 now. And, of course, we gave her some DHEA. and 00:19:51.900 --> 00:19:54.339 some adrenal support and her adrenal glands in 00:19:54.339 --> 00:19:56.279 the morning. Her adrenal gland function is now 00:19:56.279 --> 00:19:58.440 perfect, right? It's dead center in the optimal 00:19:58.440 --> 00:20:02.380 range. Still a little bit of low cortisol at 00:20:02.380 --> 00:20:04.779 noon, the middle of the day and in the evening 00:20:04.779 --> 00:20:07.900 and her symptoms. Even though her symptoms, that's 00:20:07.900 --> 00:20:09.900 an interesting thing too. So the symptoms don't 00:20:09.900 --> 00:20:11.420 always correlate with the numbers. That's why 00:20:11.420 --> 00:20:13.940 you have to use both. So we'll treat the numbers, 00:20:13.980 --> 00:20:16.940 but also with the symptoms. And if they disagree, 00:20:17.319 --> 00:20:20.950 we'll err on the side of... So her noon, her 00:20:20.950 --> 00:20:24.069 midday cortisol was still low, but her energy 00:20:24.069 --> 00:20:27.710 was dramatically improved at noon. So her DHEA, 00:20:27.730 --> 00:20:30.190 we put her on some DHEA that's now back up into 00:20:30.190 --> 00:20:34.769 the optimal range. And that, as expected, has 00:20:34.769 --> 00:20:38.210 boosted her testosterone up to the high normal 00:20:38.210 --> 00:20:42.369 reference range for women with the increase in 00:20:42.369 --> 00:20:46.289 stamina that we expected to get. from that. But 00:20:46.289 --> 00:20:50.349 we did give her a little low -dose estradiol 00:20:50.349 --> 00:20:53.609 and estriol and progesterone to help with her 00:20:53.609 --> 00:20:56.309 bone density. Well, as with everything related 00:20:56.309 --> 00:20:58.890 to hormones, you have to keep testing. It's never 00:20:58.890 --> 00:21:00.769 going to be a one and done type of situation. 00:21:00.910 --> 00:21:03.769 You have to do a therapy test. Situations even 00:21:03.769 --> 00:21:06.190 can change. And so when we retested her now, 00:21:06.430 --> 00:21:08.730 even though it was a very low dose, her estradiol 00:21:08.730 --> 00:21:12.150 was a little bit too high. And her progesterone 00:21:12.150 --> 00:21:15.750 was really, really too high. So now we have to 00:21:15.750 --> 00:21:17.569 reduce that back again. It was nothing dangerous, 00:21:17.769 --> 00:21:20.589 but now we know that she needs to not take any 00:21:20.589 --> 00:21:23.210 of that. And I had her do some other things to 00:21:23.210 --> 00:21:25.930 better address the osteoporosis. We increased 00:21:25.930 --> 00:21:28.250 her collagen dose, had her do a different type 00:21:28.250 --> 00:21:31.029 of very light tapping, weight -bearing exercise 00:21:31.029 --> 00:21:33.230 to stimulate bone growth. And we'll have to wait 00:21:33.230 --> 00:21:35.930 a little while to retest that. But some of her 00:21:35.930 --> 00:21:38.990 symptoms that were better, but not quite as good 00:21:38.990 --> 00:21:43.109 as she'd like them to be, can be affected by 00:21:43.109 --> 00:21:45.970 dysbiosis, by disruptions in the normal bacteria 00:21:45.970 --> 00:21:49.390 and other beneficial species in the gut. Her 00:21:49.390 --> 00:21:52.529 evening fatigue, the weight gain wasn't quite 00:21:52.529 --> 00:21:54.809 where she wanted to be yet. The bone loss we 00:21:54.809 --> 00:21:58.609 talked about. Still some thinning skin and muscle 00:21:58.609 --> 00:22:03.769 size flexibility. So we did a stool test. Hormones 00:22:03.769 --> 00:22:07.089 affect the gut. The gut affects hormone production. 00:22:07.390 --> 00:22:10.049 Hormone conditions can be helped by addressing 00:22:10.049 --> 00:22:13.750 gut issues. Gut issues can be affected by addressing 00:22:13.750 --> 00:22:16.549 hormones. We get our stool test results back 00:22:16.549 --> 00:22:19.089 and it showed a little bit of a yeast infection 00:22:19.089 --> 00:22:23.289 that we needed to address and high beta -glucuronidase. 00:22:23.390 --> 00:22:25.730 So if you're just tuning in, we spoke about beta 00:22:25.730 --> 00:22:28.049 -glucuronidase earlier on this program and its 00:22:28.049 --> 00:22:32.640 effect on estrogen. So it modulates, there are 00:22:32.640 --> 00:22:35.039 several beneficial bacteria in the gut that modulate 00:22:35.039 --> 00:22:37.660 estrogen levels by producing beta -glucuronidase. 00:22:37.720 --> 00:22:39.819 And as with all of these things, too much is 00:22:39.819 --> 00:22:42.240 bad and too little is bad. So her beta -glucuronidase 00:22:42.240 --> 00:22:46.220 is high. And interestingly, beta -glucuronidase 00:22:46.220 --> 00:22:49.200 can be high, is often caused by a high -fat, 00:22:49.299 --> 00:22:52.480 high -protein, low -fiber diet. Well, that's 00:22:52.480 --> 00:22:56.500 the Adkins diet. It's good to eat a high -protein 00:22:56.500 --> 00:23:00.259 diet. healthy fats are good but you need fiber 00:23:00.259 --> 00:23:03.559 too and certain amounts in specific types and 00:23:03.559 --> 00:23:05.279 that's why we do the test to find out exactly 00:23:05.279 --> 00:23:08.559 what you need so her hers was uh high beta glucuronidase 00:23:08.559 --> 00:23:12.480 high and that causes that alters hormone levels 00:23:12.480 --> 00:23:15.900 in ways that can cause fatigue and bloating two 00:23:15.900 --> 00:23:18.119 symptoms that she's still having some issue with 00:23:18.119 --> 00:23:21.240 well she is eating a high protein uh good fat 00:23:21.240 --> 00:23:23.460 diet and but she was also getting pretty adequate 00:23:23.460 --> 00:23:26.960 fiber there are some specific types of insoluble 00:23:26.960 --> 00:23:29.980 fiber that feed the bacteria, prebiotics that 00:23:29.980 --> 00:23:31.900 feed the beneficial bacteria in her gut that 00:23:31.900 --> 00:23:33.619 she wasn't getting enough of. So we added that. 00:23:33.880 --> 00:23:36.220 And the takeaway is basically that she was getting 00:23:36.220 --> 00:23:38.279 good results from the hormone testing. We still 00:23:38.279 --> 00:23:39.900 have a little bit of work to do, but we found 00:23:39.900 --> 00:23:41.819 some things that were directly impacting her 00:23:41.819 --> 00:23:45.220 hormone levels in the bacteria in her gut. And 00:23:45.220 --> 00:23:47.299 so we're giving some things to support that, 00:23:47.359 --> 00:23:51.400 some beneficial prebiotic fibers to support the 00:23:51.400 --> 00:23:53.000 growth of the bacteria. A lot of people ask, 00:23:53.140 --> 00:23:54.940 oh, I just need to take a different probiotic, 00:23:54.940 --> 00:23:56.960 right? Well, probiotics are useful, but it's 00:23:56.960 --> 00:23:59.660 often and almost always more important to feed 00:23:59.660 --> 00:24:03.183 the beneficial bacteria with antioxidants, polyphenols. 00:24:03.180 --> 00:24:07.259 phenols and specific types of fiber that various 00:24:07.259 --> 00:24:09.759 beneficial bacteria need to grow and maintain 00:24:09.759 --> 00:24:12.180 a healthy balance. Once again, we are out of 00:24:12.180 --> 00:24:15.079 time. Where does the time go? Remember, the condition 00:24:15.079 --> 00:24:17.960 of your body is always more important than any 00:24:17.960 --> 00:24:20.200 disease you've been diagnosed with. Do something 00:24:20.200 --> 00:24:21.740 this weekend to become a little bit healthier 00:24:21.740 --> 00:24:24.000 than you were last weekend. Thank you for listening. 00:24:24.119 --> 00:24:25.740 I look forward to speaking with you again next 00:24:25.740 --> 00:24:29.319 Friday at 2 p .m. You've been listening to Safe, 00:24:29.339 --> 00:24:52.079 Effective Natural Solutions with Dr. Todd. For 00:24:52.079 --> 00:24:56.559 safe, effective natural solutions. Here on 98 00:24:56.559 --> 00:24:58.299 .3 FM, The Word.