Estrogen Dominance

Hormonal Balance, Fibromyalgia and Estrogen Dominance

Proper Hormone Balance

Women today are truly living in exciting times as science and nature enlighten us to the lifecycle of premenopause.  When your female hormones are in balance, everything from digestion to immunity works properly.  You feel great, look great, have the energy of a teenager, and your sex drive is normal.  This is your body performing at its best. 

You can expect natural changes to your hormone levels during the premenopause years when your levels fluctuate up and down then gradually yet steadily wind down.  The severity of hormonal problems may increase with age, but it is not aging per se that is the root of declining health.  Exposure to environmental toxins and the cumulative effects of stress cause disruption of the natural rhythms and balancing mechanisms of women’s hormones.

However, with the adequate live food nutrition, nutrient rich superfoods, hexagonal water, targeted supplementation, appropriate exercise, and avoidance of environmental estrogens you can live these years in more balance than women have experienced in the last century.

The Progression of Natural Hormonal Changes

From the time menses begins until menopause, levels of estrogen and progesterone ebb and flow in a manner which promotes reproduction.  As women progress through their menstrual lives, natural hormonal imbalances can develop, even long before menopause.

Premenopause can begin when a woman is in her mid-late thirties and is the period of time when symptoms of hormonal changes begin and can last for 10-15 years prior to menopause. According to Dr. John Lee M.D., "perimenopause technically means ‘right around menopause,’ meaning the year or two before, during, and after menstrual cycles end.

The symptoms of premenopause and perimenopause vary. Some women experience mood changes, depression, insomnia, irregular and/or heavy periods, hot flashes, and weight gain (particularly during the perimenopause phase).  Some women notice memory impairment, in particular "fuzzy thinking," sore and lumpy breasts, migraine headaches, low libido, and dry skin.  

Extreme Hormonal Imbalance

Extreme hormonal imbalance is created when the ratio of estrogen to progesterone sways too much one way or another.  The most common extreme imbalance is excess estrogen in relation to progesterone.  This is called “Estrogen Dominance.”

Extreme hormonal imbalance, in addition to stressors and lifestyle, are what give rise to more serious symptoms: impaired thyroid function, adrenal exhaustion, uterine fibroid tumors, irregular and/or heavy bleeding, endometriosis, polycystic ovaries, fibrocystic breasts, systemic inflammation, a suppressed immune function, accelerated aging, and increased risk of disease. In some cases, symptoms of fibromyalgia can be present.

Even if a woman has low estrogen levels, she can have symptoms of estrogen dominance, because she may have little or no progesterone.  However, estrogen dominance can be caused by more than the body’s production of hormones.  For example, hormone replacement therapy (HRT), birth control pills, environmental estrogens, plant estrogens, stress, obesity, poor liver function, peri-menopause, and glandular dysfunction.

Men too can suffer from estrogen dominance. Estrogens from plant estrogens and environmental sources, also known as xenoestrogens, produce hormonal stimuli that can contribute to inappropriate growth of mammary tissue cells, resulting in a problem society is calling “man boobs.”  Some theorize that estrogen dominance in men is contributing to hair loss, atherosclerosis, prostrate problems, lowered libido, weight gain, and impotency. 

Therefore, both women and men who are suffering from estrogen dominance can benefit from taking an estrogen metabolizer such as Myomin from Dr Chi or DIM that can help bring hormones back into balance.

You can read more about estrogen dominance from Dr. Lee’s books, What Your Doctor May NOT Tell You About Premenopause and What Your Doctor May NOT Tell You About Menopause.  These books are available from the british library or for a nominal fee from www.amazon.co.uk

Estrogen dominance can cause a host of symptoms such as:

Treatment offered to many women often fails to look for or treat the root causes of women’s hormonal imbalances.  For example, women with uterine fibroids who have heavy and/or irregular periods are often prescribed a birth control pill to “control” their periods.  These birth control pills usually contain estrogen, which adds to any estrogen dominance problems, and feeds the growth of the fibroid tumor.

More young women today are experiencing infertility because they are not ovulating (usually due to too much environmental estrogen), yet they are being given fertility drugs without comprehensive hormonal evaluations. Though these women often succeed in ovulating or conceiving, this is a short-term treatment.  Their symptoms of hormonal imbalance often reappear, sometimes manifesting into Extreme Hormonal Imbalance.

Those whose symptoms are extremely painful and debilitating may often elect the surgical advice offered by their medical provider.  While surgery is sometimes the best option for a woman, consider that an estimated trillion-plus dollars were spent during the twentieth century to remove women’s reproductive organs. Hysterectomy is now one of the most frequently performed surgeries in the U.S.

Getting Back to Balance

A balanced premenopausal woman is empowered to move through the stages of hormonal ups and downs with the help of adequate nutritional support, natural hormone replacement, exercise, herbs, and vitamins and mineral supplements.

Without a proper understanding of the function of natural female hormones and how hormonal imbalances adversely affect women’s health, women are often prescribed synthetic hormones, anti-depressants and a host of other drugs to relieve the symptoms. 

By learning how you can change and/or maintain your health, you can alleviate many of the pre- and peri-menopause symptoms.

What works to support healthy hormonal balance?  We make the following suggestions:

• Hormonal support with a natural progesterone cream (NATPRO)
• DIM and/or Myomin to metabolize excess estrogen (Myomin initially as it’s more powerfull)
• Dietary and environmental changes to rid your-self of phytoestrogens and xenoestrogens (environmental estrogens)
• Lifestyle changes to manage the stresses in your life

Natural Progesterone
Natural progesterone cream supplements low progesterone levels and balances the ratio between estrogen and progesterone, thereby assisting in promoting proper hormone balance. It can be safely used by menstruating women, pre- and peri-menopausal women, and menopausal women. Men with estrogen dominance can also benefit from progesterone. Additionally, women who may not be highly estrogen dominant find that if a progesterone cream is used on a regular basis, their menses and PMS are less difficult.

DIM – Diindolylmethane
Diindolylmethane (DIM) is a powerful metabolizer of estrogen, assisting in removing excess estrogen and benefiting conditions associated with estrogen dominance. These conditions include uterine fibroid tumors, fibrocystic breasts, glandular dysfunction, and more. Supplementation with DIM can help promote proper estrogen levels through the pre- and peri-menopausal years. Women who are menopausal and using hormone replacement therapy (HRT) can also take DIM to help reduce unwanted side effects. DIM can also benefit men by improving estrogen-dominance related health issues such as hair loss, atherosclerosis, prostrate problems, weight gain, lowered libido, and impotency. DIM also promotes positive testosterone action, which improves mood, fights depression, boosts libido, improves cardiovascular health, improves memory, and supports muscular development.

Myomin
Myomin is a formula of four Chinese herbs that helps promote proper hormonal balance. Like DIM, Myomin also metabolizes excess estrogens. Myomin inhibits aromatase, which can reduce levels of bad estrogens (estradiol and estrone), and promotes production of the good estrogen (estriol). For men and women, this action prevents the conversion of testosterone into bad estrogens, and leads to the unhindered production of more estriol from progesterone, DHEA and other hormones. Additionally, some of the herbs have been shown to help promote shrinkage of tumors and cysts. Of the two, DIM is the stronger metabolizer of estrogen.

NOTE: It is very important to understand that what may be true for one woman is not necessarily true for another. The journey of hormonal changes is an individual one. What this also implies is that the treatment for one individual can be quite different from that of another. Please consult your health care provider for guidance.

More On Estrogen Dominance

When your hormones are in balance, everything from digestion to immunity works properly.  You feel great, look great, have the energy of a teenager, and your sex drive is normal.  This is your body performing at its best.

Hormonal imbalance is created when the ratio of estrogen to progesterone sways too much one way or another.  The most common extreme imbalance is excess estrogen in relation to progesterone.  This is called “Estrogen Dominance.”

For an overview about hormones and their changes over a woman’s lifetime, please read the Hormonal Balance page. The information below about estrogen dominance provides more in-depth information about hormones and estrogen dominance, for both women and men.

Estrogens and Progesterone Overview

Two types of sex (steroid) hormones are estrogens and progesterone. There are three estrogens: B-estradiol, estrone and estriol.  B-estradiol is by far the most potent. It is 12 times more potent than estrone and 80 times more potent than estriol.  Any over exposure to B-estradiol can increase a person’s risk of disease.  Estriol is considered the “good estrogen.”  There is only one type of progesterone, and it considered a very safe hormone.  Progesterone is called progestin when it is in a synthetic form.

Estrogen and progesterone work in synchronization with each other as checks and balances to achieve hormonal harmony in both sexes.  Estrogen and progesterone need the presence of each other in order to perform their individual functions.

Estrogen

Maintaining estrogen balance can be difficult for many.  For many decades of a woman’s life circulating estrogens are fluctuating and cause both good and bad influences.  The primary role of estrogen is to maintain the growth and function of the uterus so that the sex organs can become adult sized, and prepares the uterine lining to accept an egg.  Additionally, estrogen affects skeletal growth, skin, fat and protein deposition, and electrolyte balance.  Men also produce a certain amount of estrogen.

Progesterone

Progesterone is the building block for many other major hormones. Other sex hormones are formed from progesterone, including the corticosteroids, which are essential for stress response, electrolyte balance, blood pressure, and lastly, survival.  Cortisol, DHEA, testosterone and estrogen are all made from progesterone in a process that begins with cholesterol.  Progesterone is the primary hormone of fertility and pregnancy. It is essential to the survival of the fertilized egg, then the embryo, then the fetus.  In pregnancy, it prevents the shedding of the uterine lining.  A drop in progesterone can result in a miscarriage. Some health care professionals are beginning to make a connection between low progesterone levels and symptoms of fibromyalgia.  

Causes of Estrogen Dominance

Estrogen dominance is generally not caused by one factor, but often many factors, including:

• Hormonal imbalance
• Hormone therapy
• Environmental estrogens
• Stressful lifestyle
• Glandular dysfunction

Hormonal Imbalance

From the time menses begins until menopause, levels of estrogen and progesterone ebb and flow in a manner which promotes reproduction.  At about age 35 to 40, women reach the time of premenopause, which is when their levels of progesterone and estrogen begin to reduce. 

Normal Hormone Progression

During this time through age 50,  there is a 35% drop in estrogen, but a 75% reduction in progesterone occurring simultaneously.  This is normal, and does create many premenopausal symptoms that we accept as part of the aging process. 

Many premenopausal women in their mid to late thirties, as well as many women in the menopausal stage are overloaded with estrogen.  At the same time they are suffering from progesterone deficiency because of the severe drop in physiological production during this period. There is then insufficient progesterone to counteract the amount of estrogen in our body.  It is most noticeable among peri-menopausal women who do not ovulate, which is quite common.  You may have a fairly normal cycle, but no egg is released and very little progesterone is produced. 

It is not the absolute deficiency of estrogen or progesterone, but rather the relative dominance of estrogen and possible deficiency of progesterone that is the main cause of health problems when they are not in balance.  The end result: excessive estrogen relative to progesterone, add up to a condition Dr. John Lee has termed “estrogen dominance.”  Dr. Lee’s books, What Your Doctor May NOT Tell You About Premenopause and What Your Doctor May NOT Tell You About Menopause explain this and more in-depth.  These books are available at www.amazon.co.uk

Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT)

A woman reaches menopause naturally around the age of 50, or as a result of having her ovaries surgically  removed.  Until recently, doctors routinely prescribed hormone replacement therapy (HRT) for menopausal symptoms.  These prescription drugs are comprised of synthetic estrogen or an estrogen-progestin combination.  HRT is also used to protect against the loss of bone after menopause.

But, there are risks. Concerns about synthetic hormone therapy arose from the Women’s Health Initiative (WHI) clinical trial, whose purpose was to address the most common causes of death, disability and impaired quality of life in postmenopausal women. The hormone replacement therapy (HRT) component of the WHI trial looked at the long-term use of oral HRT in older women in the USA for the prevention of disease.  The WHI study was stopped in 2002 because the incidence of invasive breast cancer exceeded the safety level set by the WHI.  Many doctors are no longer prescribing synthetic HRT.

For women taking the combination of estrogen-progestin (Prempro) used in the study, researchers found an increased risk of:

• Heart disease
• Breast cancer
• Stroke
• Blood clots
• Dementia

In addition, not only did hormone therapy increase the women’s risk of breast cancer, it also made tumors harder to detect, leading to potentially dangerous delays in diagnosis.

For women taking estrogen alone (Premarin), preliminary results showed no increased risk of breast cancer or heart disease but did find a slightly increased risk of stroke.

Women and their doctors are discovering that conventional HRT does not give them the overall health and well-being they had hoped for, and they are seeking out healthier alternatives, such as natural bio-identical hormone replacement, lifestyle changes, and diet changes. What everyone will hopefully soon realize is that menopausal and sexual reproductive problems are actually symptoms of overall hormonal imbalances. Women need to get a complete picture of their hormonal status and find appropriate therapeutic steps to maintaining balance.

Birth Control Pills

Birth control pills contain estrogen, and contribute to the development or worsening of estrogen dominance. Depending on dosage, they can be very potent, and linger for a long period of time in the body.  Dr. Joseph Mercola’s webpage “Just Say No to Birth Control Pills” states the following about birth control pills:

A woman’s natural cycle is composed of rising and falling levels of estrogen and progesterone. Birth control pills work by keeping estrogen at a sufficiently high level that they fool the body into thinking it is pregnant, therefore another pregnancy cannot occur. 

Cramping, painful and irregular periods are often due to a deficiency of progesterone and an excess of estrogen. Estrogen-alone birth control pills — the most commonly prescribed pills on the market now — often compound the problem.  That’s why some women have intolerable estrogen-induced side effects when they are on birth control pills such as weight gain, mood swings, and breast tenderness .

What is not usually mentioned, or even known, is the metabolism of birth control pills by the liver requires extra amounts of the B-complex vitamins, vitamin C, magnesium, and zinc. That means if you’re taking birth control pills for years at a time, as are most American women, you’re creating nutrient deficiencies. Weight gain, fluid retention, mood changes, depression and even heart disease can all arise from nutrient imbalance.

Environmental Estrogens

We are constantly assaulted by estrogens in our environment from the food we eat and the chemicals we use.  Estrogen mimickers in the form of chemicals (xenoestrogens), and foods and plants (phytoestrogens), mimic the action of estrogen produced in cells and can alter hormonal activity.

Evidence is steadily growing that xenoestrogens and other hormone mimicking substances are implicated in a wide range of human and wildlife health problems. Estrogen dominance from these environmental hormone disrupters are causing an imbalance of female hormones, creating a host of estrogen dominance symptoms (see chart below).  Girls and boys are reaching puberty too early as a result of these disrupters.  Additionally, xenoestrogens produce hormonal stimuli that contributes to inappropriate growth of mammary tissue cells, resulting in a problem society is calling “man boobs.”  Some theorize that estrogen dominance in men is contributing to hair loss, atherosclerosis, prostrate problems, lowered libido, and impotency.

Xenoestrogens

Xeno literally means foreign, therefore xenoestrogens means foreign estrogens. Some of the 70,000 registered chemicals for use in the United States have hormonal effects in addition to toxic effects. The synergistic effects of exposure to many xenoestrogens are well documented, but largely unknown.

Xenoestrogens found in certain pesticides, plastics, fuels and drugs are usually synthetic and difficult for the body to break down, and can amplify the effects of estrogen.  These substances can increase the estrogen load in the body over time, and are difficult to detoxify through the liver.  Exposure to xenoestrogens is a concern for everyone.  Those with an estrogen dominance condition should be particularly concerned about avoiding xenoestrogens. 

Xenoestrogens can be found in many of our meats and dairy products in the form of chemicals and growth hormones that are given to the animals.  These can be quite powerful, and should be avoided where possible. Choosing meat and dairy items that do not contain Rbst can help decrease xenoestrogen exposure.

Sources of Xenoestrogens

For a more extensive list of xenoestrogens, see our Environmental Estrogens page.

Phytoestrogens

Phytoestrogens (phyto meaning plant) are naturally occurring estrogenic compounds that are found in a variety of foods, herbs, spices.  Their chemical structure resembles estrogen. These compounds are generally weak estrogens, in comparison to real estrogen and xenoestrogens, but in a body that is already experiencing too much estrogen, adding more will contribute to the problem.  

Some of the strongest phytoestrogen containing substances are soy, the lignans found in flax seed products, red clover, black cohosh, chasteberry, and dong quai. Soy includes soybeans, soy milk, tofu, tempeh, textured vegetable protein, roasted soybeans, soy granules, soy protein powders, miso, and edamames.

Over consumption of phytoestrogenic foods or herbs on a long term basis may actually increase the risk of estrogen dominance significantly. Furthermore, phytoestrogens have been shown to inhibit the conversion of T4 to the active T3 thyroid hormone, and can trigger hypothyroidism. It is suggested that those with a history of thyroid imbalance, or suffering from estrogen dominance, should consume a minimum amount of phytoestrogens.

Stressful Lifestyle and Glandular Dysfunction

Stress causes adrenal gland exhaustion and reduced progesterone output. This tilts the estrogen to progesterone ratios in favor of estrogen. Excessive estrogen in turn causes insomnia and anxiety, which further taxes the adrenal gland. This leads to a further reduction in progesterone output and even more estrogen dominance. After a few years in this type of vicious cycle, the adrenal glands become exhausted. This dysfunction leads to blood sugar imbalance, hormonal imbalances, and chronic fatigue.

In the female, a large part of hormonal balance is controlled by the three major glands: the adrenal gland, the thyroid gland, and the ovaries. Maintaining a proper balance among these three glands is of critical importance in any estrogen dominance recovery program. Excessive estrogen affects both thyroid and adrenal function, and in turn, dysfunctional thyroid and adrenal fatigue makes estrogen dominance worse. They all go hand in hand. When not functioning properly, these three glands, controlling the majority of the hormones in the body, can lead to a viscous downward cycle of hormonal imbalance. Worse yet is that conventional medicine often times are mislead into treating symptom after symptom without addressing the root cause. A wide variety of prescriptions from sleeping pills to anti-depressants are dispensed. Unfortunately, such symptom-based protocol will often make things worse instead of better.

Estrogen Dominance Symptoms

The following symptoms are common among those with excess estrogen.  What begins with mild symptoms in younger years often becomes moderate in the mid to late 30s, and severe by the time a woman reaches her mid 40s.  If you are experiencing as few as 6 of these symptoms, you probably have some level of estrogen dominance.

Health Consequences of Estrogen Dominance

Estrogen dominance can lead to many different related health conditions.  For example, in women, over-stimulation from estrogen of the breast tissue can cause tenderness, swelling, and fibrocystic breasts.   In the uterus, excess estrogen stimulation may lead to endometriosis, hyperplasia, heavy or irregular menses, menstrual cramping and uterine fibroid tumors.  If estrogen over-stimulation occurs in the liver, we see weight gain, constipation, cyclical headaches and migraines, depression, mood swings, fluid retention, and low libido among many other symptoms.  Review the following link for a more complete list of symptoms http://www.johnleemd.com/store/estrogen_dom.html.

Furthermore:

1. Not only has it been well established that estrogen dominance encourages the development of breast cancer…it also stimulates breast tissue that can trigger fibrocystic breast disease.
2. Estrogen dominance can cause weight gain, headaches, bad temper, chronic fatigue and loss of interest in sex…among other symptoms.
3. Excess estrogen can lead to a decrease in the rate of new bone formation…Although most doctors are not yet aware of it, this is the prime cause of osteoporosis.
4. Estrogen dominance increases the risk of fibroids.
5. In estrogen-dominant menstruating women where progesterone is not peaking and falling in a normal way each month, the ordered shedding of the womb lining doesn’t take place.
6. Menstruation becomes irregular.
7. Water logging of the cells and an increase in intercellular sodium, which predispose a woman to high blood pressure or hypertension, frequently occur with estrogen dominance.
8. The risk of stroke and heart disease is increased dramatically when a woman is estrogen-dominant.
   

   -Source: Leslie Kenton, Passage to Power, Random House, UK, 1995

Correcting Estrogen Dominance

What assists in correcting estrogen dominance?  Alternative health care makes the following suggestions:

• Hormonal support with a natural progesterone cream
• Nutritional supplements to ensure your body has the nutrients it needs to make and balance its hormones.  These nutrients tend to be low when estrogen is high:
• Magnesium
• Zinc
• Vitamin B Complex
• Vitamin E 400 IU for breast tenderness and fibroid inflammation
• DIM and/or Myomin to metabolize excess estrogen
• Dietary and environmental changes to rid yourself of phytoestrogens and xenoestrogens (environmental estrogens)
• Lifestyle changes to manage the stresses in your life

Natural Progesterone (Natpro)
Natural progesterone cream supplements low progesterone levels and balances the ratio between estrogen and progesterone, thereby assisting in promoting proper hormone balance.  It can be safely used by menstruating women, pre- and peri-menopausal women, and menopausal women.  Men with estrogen dominance can also benefit from progesterone.  Additionally, women who may not be highly estrogen dominant find that if a progesterone cream is used on a regular basis, their menses and PMS are less difficult.  

DIM – Diindolylmethane
Diindolylmethane (DIM) is a powerful metabolizer of estrogen, assisting in removing excess estrogen and benefiting conditions associated with estrogen dominance. Supplementation with DIM can help promote proper estrogen levels through the pre- and peri-menopausal years, and in men experiencing higher estrogen levels. These conditions include uterine fibroid tumors, fibrocystic breasts, glandular dysfunction, and more.  It can also benefit men by improving estrogen-dominance related health issues such as hair loss, atherosclerosis, prostrate problems, lowered libido, and impotency.  DIM also promotes testosterone action, which improves mood, fights depression, boosts libido, improves cardiovascular health, improves memory, and supports muscular development.

Myomin
Myomin is a formula of four Chinese herbs that promote proper hormonal balance.  Like DIM, Myomin also metabolizes excess estrogens. Myomin inhibits aromatase, which can reduce levels of bad estrogens (estradiol and estrone), and promotes production of the good estrogen (estriol).  For men and women, this action prevents the conversion of testosterone into bad estrogens, and leads to the unhindered production of more estriol from progesterone, DHEA and other hormones.  Additionally, some of the herbs help promote shrinkage of tumors and cysts.  Of the two, DIM is the stronger metabolizer of estrogen. 

It is very important to understand that what may be true for one woman is not necessarily true for another. The journey of hormonal changes is an individual one. What this also implies is that the treatment for one individual can be quite different from that of another.

Conclusion

You can reduce your exposure to xenoestrogens by choosing body care products without chemicals, using chemical-free cleaning products, limiting daily intake of phytoestrogens, as well as reducing exposure to exhaust fumes and indoor pollutants.

Choosing lean, organic meat and dairy products is best. Purchase organic fruits and vegetables as much as possible. If they are not available, thoroughly wash or peel all produce to remove at least some of the pesticides. The book Aggressive Health by Mike Nash also goes into great detail, highlighting the power of some simple, yet powerful changes to your nutritional habits.

Heat food in metal or porcelain container, not plastic, and definitely not in the microwave with plastic wrap. Use glass containers to drink from and where possible ALWAYS AVOID drinking from plastic, previously used water bottles, or Styrofoam cups. These can all increase xenoestrogen exposure.

Key points to reducing estrogen dominance:

• Avoid chemical sources of estrogen (xenoestrogen)
• Avoid food sources of estrogen (phytoestrogens)
• Cleanse the liver (consider a colon cleanse and/or colonic, more info at www.aggressivehealth.co.uk)
• Reduce stress (read chapter 11 and 12 of Aggressive Health and learn about Mind Technology)
• Balance hormones (read chapters 7, 8 and 9 of Aggressive Health)
• Metabolize excess estrogen (DIM, Myomin)
• Do not heat food in plastic (avoid microwaves at all costs. Forget convenience they are killers and completely destroy food making it worthless in your body)
• Drink out of glass containers ONLY, not plastic or Styrofoam
• Exercise (such as rebounding to help stimulate the lymphatic system)

Fibromyalgia

Many people suffer from these common health concerns: fatigue, muscle aches and pains, depression, weight gain, memory impairment, irritable bowel, and more.

What many people don’t realize is that these symptoms can be directly or indirectly associated with fibromyalgia.  If you suffer from these symptoms, you may have fibromyalgia and not be aware of it. 

Even if you are not diagnosed with fibromyalgia, but suffer from the various associated symptoms, you may find relief from vitalzym or vitalzym X.

Signs and Symptoms

Fibromyalgia is a chronic illness that can be debilitating for many, and affects an estimated 10 million people in the U.S.  Fibromyalgia sufferers can experience a wide range of symptoms with varying intensities and may include from A-Z:

Who is at Risk?

While women are most susceptible to this condition, some people may be more at risk for developing it.  Common risk factors can include:

Gender
Both women and men can be afflicted by fibromyalgia. However, men only account for a small percentage, as 80% to 90% of people diagnosed with it are in fact women. Experts don’t know why that is, but some believe it could be tied to hormone imbalances. Additionally, some health care professionals believe that men are less likely to seek treatment and therefore are not diagnosed as frequently as women.

Age
Fibromyalgia is most common in people between 20 and 55 years old; however, it can occur in people of all age groups. Women typically develop it during their childbearing years.

Genetics        
Research has shown that women closely related to a fibromyalgia sufferer are more likely to develop this condition themselves. This could indicate a genetic defect that predisposes some people from the beginning.

Sleep Disorders
Many fibromyalgia sufferers have a long history of sleep problems, and people diagnosed with disorders such as sleep apnea may have an increased risk. Some experts claim that sleep disorders could be a root cause of fibromyalgia.

Stress
People coming from stressful environments or who are particularly vulnerable to stress (either physiological or psychological) are believed to develop fibromyalgia more frequently that those who experience less stress.  High stress levels are also known to trigger flare-ups in many people with fibromyalgia.  Additionally, studies have suggested that post-traumatic stress disorder or chronic stress in general may play a role in the development of fibromyalgia along with low cortisol (a stress hormone) levels.

Other chronic-pain conditions
People with lupus, osteoarthritis, and ankylosing spondylitis (a type of arthritis) are at increased risk for developing fibromyalgia, possibly because their chronic pain causes sensitization of the central nervous system, which is believed to be the cause of fibromyalgia related pain.

18 Points of Tenderness

Painful tender points are located at various places on your body and are a common characteristic of fibromyalgia syndrome leading to a diagnosis. Your health care provider will ask about your pain symptoms and then press on a series of anatomically-defined soft tissue body sites called "tender points."  Eleven of the 18 tender point sites must be painful when pressed in order to receive a medical diagnosis of fibromyalgia.

While any body part can be affected, the most common sites of pain include:

• Neck and Back
• Shoulders and Chest
• Hips and Knees
• Hands and Elbow Regions
• Buttocks and Pelvic Girdle

Tender points are generally superficial areas under the surface of the skin, such as the area over the elbows or shoulders.  However, the tender points of these areas are usually very small, about the size of a penny.  Tender points also involve localized areas of tenderness and pain around the joints, but do not involve the joint itself.

These 18 tender points will usually be highly sensitive to pressure in people with fibromyalgia as specified by the American College of Rheumatology criteria. The pain can feel like a deep bone ache, pins and needles, or a stabbing or burning pain. Muscles may feel like they have been pulled or overworked. There are times this pain is mild, others when it is so severe that it becomes unbearable. People who do not have fibromyalgia feel less tenderness when pressure is applied to these areas.

Excess Fibrin Deposits, Immunity and Enzymes

Recent clinical experience is now beginning to suggest that fatigue, pain, and other symptoms suffered by patients with fibromyalgia are in relation to the accumulation of proteins (fibrin) in the blood and lymph, also known as hypercoagulation. (2) Fibromyalgia literally means pain in the muscles and fibrous connective tissue.

If the rate of protein (fibrin) accumulation exceeds the rate of breakdown, the microcirculatory system gets clogged and flow decreases. This stagnation of protein debris promotes fibrosis in the muscles and other soft tissues. Combine this with slowed blood flow and the results are widespread pain and chronic fatigue.

In the case of fibromyalgia, fibrin (a stiff protein) forms a meshwork, or screen that slows blood flow to the cells. This interferes with cell function and cell-to-cell communications leading to the accumulation of additional forms of protein debris. Therefore, the symptoms of fibromyalgia can respond well to treatments that are aimed at clearing protein debris. (2)

Vitalzym contains enzymes such as protease and serrapeptase, which are well-known for their proteolytic (excess protein clearing) properties. Proteolytic enzymes break down excess fibrin in your circulatory system and in other connective tissue, such as your muscles – helping to remove the meshwork that slows blood flow to the cells. These enzymes also bring nutrients and oxygen-rich blood that remove the metabolic waste produced by inflammation and excess fibrin. This alone can bring tremendous relief to fibromyalgia sufferers.

Researchers are beginning to believe that there is a strong autoimmune component connected to fibromyalgia syndrome. Interestingly enough, systemic enzyme therapy has an excellent track record regarding the treatment of various autoimmune diseases. In addition to reducing inflammation, regulating immunity, and reducing excess fibin, serrapeptase has a profound ability to reduce pain due to its ability to block the release of pain-inducing amines from inflamed tissues.

Incorporating Vitalzym, or professional strength VitalzymX, into your regimen can help you address fibromyalgia at a deeper level, rather than just address the symptoms; thereby reducing pain and related ailments without the negative side effects associated with pharmaceutical drugs.

Vitalzym and VitalzymX can help fibromyalgia sufferers by:

• Acting as an anti-inflammatory agent
• Regulating the immune system
• Increasing circulation
• Reducing fibrosis
• Removing toxins and impurities in the blood
• Reducing viral load

Systemic Enzymes for Fibromyalgia

Current therapies for fibromyalgia generally include prescription medications to address symptoms. However, these medications do very little to address underlying causes, nor do they help reduce the fibrosis buildup within the muscles and the ischemic pain that can result from having this condition. (1)

Vitalzym and VitalzymX can be a safe alternative to many prescriptions and over the counter pain relievers that may cause undesirable side effects, which is the last thing one who is suffering needs. Vitalzym and VitalzymX can also help relieve a variety of related fibromyalgia symptoms by addressing many of the underlying causes.

Please Note: It is important to continue with your prescription medication for pain management when you begin using Vitalzym or VitalzymX. After you have taken Vitalzym or VitalzymX for a period of time, with your doctor’s guidance, it is possible you can gradually reduce your intake of pain killers, muscle relaxers, and other prescription drugs. Please be sure to consult with a health care professional whenever you would like to incorporate any natural dietary supplement into your regimen while taking prescription medications

Further Reading

Fibromyalgia — Amino Acids, MSM and Enzymes

Herbs and Supplements for Fibromyalgia

Fibromyalgia a ‘Real Disease,’ Study Shows

WebMD – Symptoms of Fibromyalgia

Mayo Clinic: Fibromyalgia

American Fibromyalgia Syndrome Association / 520-733-1570

National Fibromyalgia Association / 714-921-0150

CFIDS Association of America / 704-365-2343

American Association of Naturopathic Physicians / 866-538-2267

American Academy of Pain Management / 209-533-9744

American Chronic Pain Association / 916-632-0922

Decreased muscle blood flow in fibromyalgia patients

Hypercoagulation, Protein Accumulation, and Fibromyalgia

Fibromyalgia Medical Treatment: Progesterone Therapy and Fibromyalgia Syndrome

Dr. Joseph Mercola – Just Say No to Birth Control Pills

Dr. Lam on Estrogen Dominance

Dr. Elizabeth Smith at www.fibroid101.com

Women’s Health Initiative