Acne, excess facial hair, irregular periods, even infertility and depression — these are problems that many women just learn to put up with, when, in fact, the cure could be very simple: rebalancing your hormones. Yet, according to experts, some hormone-related disorders are still going untreated. John Studd, professor of gynaecology at the Chelsea and Westminster Hospital in London, has treated several women who have felt depressed for years, even decades, and who have been treated with antidepressants — to no effect.
“Their depression is caused by a hormone imbalance that is easily treated with oestrogen supplements,” he says, “but psychiatrists never even consider it.”
Advances in endocrinology (the study of hormones) over the past decade mean that hormone testing — and treatment — is more effective than ever. But interpreting test results is not straightforward, as normal ranges for hormone levels vary widely, and what may be normal for one woman may not be for another. Ideally, you need to take several tests over a course of a few weeks and have a doctor decode the results for you.
Hormone testing may not be the answer to every woman’s health problems, but here are five of the most common situations where it is worth asking your GP to investigate.
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YOU ARE PRONE TO DEPRESSION
“Many more women than men suffer from depression, and this has always been explained by the extra stress women face coping with multitasking,” says Studd. “But depression tends to occur at times of hormonal disruption, such as after childbirth, before periods and before the menopause, when there is a sudden plunge in hormone levels. This is normal, but it’s thought that some women may suffer a greater drop, while others have a greater sensitivity to it. Oestrogen is a ‘feelgood’ hormone that boosts energy levels, brain function and sex drive, and even improves the condition of your skin and hair.
“I’ve conducted random trials over the past 20 years, looking at women with PMS and postnatal depression, and there is no question that treatment with high-dose oestrogen patches works well. In postnatal depression, the response is rapid, with 50% feeling significantly better after two weeks, and 90% after four months. The patients taking part in the studies had not responded to antidepressants, but, after treatment with oestrogen, they say they feel transformed.
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They get their confidence back and feel they can cope again.”
The test
Blood or saliva. Ask your GP to refer you to a reproductive endocrinologist. Studd also has a private clinic at the Lister Hospital in Chelsea (020 7730 5433, www.studd.co.uk).
The treatment
Oestrogen patches worn on the skin for 6 to 12 months. Side effects include a suppression of ovulation. Some studies have linked high-dose oestrogens with breast cancer, although Studd believes there is no significant risk with short-term use.
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YOU HAVE SUDDENLY BECOME HAIRIER
A raised level of testosterone in women can produce many distressing symptoms, including excess facial hair, acne, irregular periods and infertility. According to Stephen Franks, professor of reproductive endocrinology at Imperial College London, a woman who suddenly develops excess facial hair should always see her doctor and have her levels of testosterone checked. “In rare cases, it can signal a tumour of the ovary or adrenal glands,” he says. “But in most cases, raised testosterone levels are a sign of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), a condition that produces an excess of small cysts on the ovaries. Although nobody knows the causes of PCOS, it is linked in some cases to insulin resistance, which increases testosterone production in the ovaries.”
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The test
Blood or saliva. See your GP if you suffer from any of the symptoms described above. More information is available from Verity, a PCOS charity: www.verity-pcos.org.uk.
The treatment
Anti-androgen drugs can be used to block the effects of excess testosterone. Dianette, a contraceptive pill, can be used to regulate periods and block the effect of testosterone on the skin. Clomid, an ovary-stimulating drug, can help those trying to conceive.
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YOU ARE TIRED ALL THE TIME
Tiredness, lack of concentration, poor memory and muscle aches — symptoms that most of us put down to stress — could also signal an underactive thyroid. It is thought that one in five women suffers from some form of thyroid disease, which happens when the body fails to produce enough of the hormone thyroxin which is needed to keep all the bodily functions working at the correct rate.
According to Professor John Monson, the head of clinical endocrinology at St Bartholomew’s Hospital, tiredness by itself can often be explained by lifestyle factors. “However, if there are other symptoms, such as modest weight gain, dry skin, coarsening of the hair and heavy periods, a thyroid test is valuable,” he says.
The test
Ask your GP to arrange a blood or saliva test to check levels of thyroid hormones.
The treatment
Thyroid-hormone replacement in tablet form.
YOU ARE ALWAYS THIRSTY
An estimated 1m people in the UK have diabetes without realising it, according to the charity Diabetes UK. Diabetics either do not produce enough of the hormone insulin, which converts glucose (sugar) in the diet into energy, or the cells become desensitised to the insulin that is being produced. The main symptoms are excessive thirst, a significant increase in the frequency of urination, increased appetite, tiredness and weight loss. A failure to control diabetes can lead to serious complications, such as heart problems, sight failure, kidney disease, coma and, eventually, death.
The test
A blood test by your GP.
The treatment
Insulin injections and a healthy diet. Contact Diabetes UK (0845 120 2960, www.diabetesuk.org.uk).
YOU SUFFER FROM PMS
“Menstrual problems, including bloating, breast tenderness and mood swings, are often caused by an imbalance in progesterone levels,” says Dr Rajendra Sharma, the medical director of the Diagnostic Clinic in London. “A woman can have symptoms even if her hormone levels fall within the ‘normal’ range but her oestrogen is at the high end of the range and her progesterone at the low end — it’s the balance between them that’s important. Also, the body’s cells have to be working efficiently to metabolise the hormones, and if there is a deficiency in zinc, B vitamins and omega-3 fatty acids, this may not be the case. I often recommend nutritional screening at the same time as hormone testing for this reason.”
The test
Eleven female hormones tested over the course of a month using at-home saliva tests. Contact the Diagnostic Clinic (020 7009 4650, www.thediagnosticclinic.com).
The treatment
The Diagnostic Clinic can advise on rebalancing hormones naturally, using herbs such as agnus castus, as well as natural progesterone or oestrogen supplements.
WellCare private clinics, situated throughout the UK, offer hormone testing and analysis; 0870 010 5656, www.wellcare.co.uk