Elite Health HRT

What are some factors that can lead to hormone disruption?

This is very important to understand. Let’s start with a few basics before properly answering this question. 

The human endocrine system (which refers to the glands & organs responsible for hormone production & regulation) can be disrupted by a variety of factors. It’s also worth noting how incredibly important hormones are to our health. After all, they play a part in growth & development, reproductive function, stress response, metabolism, and more.

Now, it’s important to note that almost all of your cells have hormone receptors, which are tiny protein molecules that bind to specific hormones flowing through your bloodstream. Once the hormone binds to the receptor, the cell then performs its specific bodily function. For example, you might consider a testosterone molecule that binds to cells in your muscle tissue to repair itself after exercise.

Also, it’s worth mentioning that both men & women rely upon testosterone AND estrogen for optimal health. Of course, men produce far more testosterone and women produce more estrogen. Still, testosterone and estrogen receptors are found in cell tissue all through the male and female body. So, why does this matter?

In today’s society, our food, water, and everyday products are saturated with endocrine disrupting chemicals (or EDC’s). This is a wide ranging term for chemicals found in meat, vegetables, fruit, water, medicines, cigarettes & e-cigarettes, plastics, styrofoam, skincare products, pesticides, and even fragrances. 

Here’s the issue. EDC’s ‘mimic’ your body’s natural hormones they’re so similar in molecular structure. For example, plastic water bottles often contain a compound called Bisphenol A (BPA), which mimics estrogen once it enters your bloodstream. 

This has two major implications. 

1) EDC’s bind to your cell’s hormone receptors, which impairs its ability to perform healthy cellular function. 

2) When this happens, your body essentially thinks, “I’m producing enough testosterone or estrogen, so I’ll stop making as much of my own.” 

This commonly results in irregular hormone levels, which can then cause a variety of unwanted symptoms. 

In addition to environmental factors, our genetics and lifestyles also play a part in the equation. High BMI’s and low activity levels are also directly linked to hormone irregularities and deficiencies.