[Lotus]

Aromatase is way more useful than I thought. It kills two birds with one stone: reducing androgens which directly inhibit breast size, and it makes estrogens. One example is the effectiveness of aromatase to cause major gynecomastia. Aromatase-inhibitors do the opposite. LH, androgen, or dhea may not even be necessary. Many times, LH increases on its own based on feedback or everyday foods. I hypothesize that topical aromatases may be highly effective. I wonder if topical tea tree and lavender are aromatases.

5-alpha-reductase-inhibitors are useful for preventing testosterone conversion into the more inhibiting DHT. Aromatase reduces the amount of testosterone available to turn into DHT.

Liver health is very important, first of all for overall health, and secondly it uses the enzyme 16a-OHase to break down estradiol into the more bioavailable estriol. Does Milk thistle support this function?

Aromatase mostly takes care of estrogens. There are also progestogens and prolactin.

Ok Lovely, you've got me thinking, here's something to ponder: (a theoretical powerhouse aromatase formula, lol)........

Add oats to your program because it down-regulates SHBG and up-regulates free testosterone, then add an aromatase booster (WP), a 5 ar-inhibitor (PSO, reishi, etc), DHEA (low dose) to up-regulate hormones (btw, maca upregulates dhea).

This study makes makes me go off into the deep end, and now I'm on the curve.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23416106
Interaction of Androst-5-ene-3β,17β-diol and 5α-androstane-3β,17β-diol with estrogen and androgen receptors: a combined binding and cell study.


Androst-5-ene-3β,17β-diol (ADIOL) and 5α-androstane-3β,17β-diol (3β-DIOL), metabolites of dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) and dihydrotestosterone (DHT), respectively, are known to possess estrogenic properties. To better understand their hormonal action and roles in the proliferation of breast cancer (BC) cells, we studied their binding to sex-hormone receptors in estrogen receptor (ER)-positive (ZR-75-1 and T-47D) and ER-negative (MDA-MB-231) human BC cells. The results demonstrated that estradiol (E2), ADIOL and 3β-DIOL stimulated the proliferation of ZR-75-1 and T-47D cells, but had no effect on ER-negative cells. In the presence of estradiol, ADIOL and 3β-DIOL inhibited the estrogen-stimulated BC cell growth. This inhibition was counteracted by anti-androgens, which were unable to affect the ADIOL and 3β-DIOL stimulatory effects in E2-free medium. On the other hand, in the presence of tamoxifen, ADIOL and 3β-DIOL showed an additional anti-proliferative activity on hormone-sensitive BC cells compared with tamoxifen treatment alone. These results are similar to previous reports obtained using MCF-7 cells, which confirmed that ADIOL and 3β-DIOL stimulated estrogen-dependent BC cell growth via ERs, but inhibited growth via androgen receptors (ARs). Several steroids bind to both ER and AR in a different preference and degree, i.e. E2>estrone (E1)>ADIOL>3β-DIOL>testosterone (T)>DHT for ER and DHT>T>3β-DIOL>ADIOL>E1>E2 for AR. The relative binding affinities of ADIOL, 3β-DIOL, and E2 corresponded well to their respective potential in stimulating cell proliferation of ZR-75-1 and T-47D cells in our results. The intrinsic relationship between cell proliferation effects and binding affinities for receptors of several steroids was revealed here by a combined binding and cell study. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled 'Synthesis and biological testing of steroid derivatives as inhibitors'.

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Or even further:

Low-Dose DHEA Increases Androgen, Estrogen Levels in Menopause

Dec. 12, 2003 — Low-dose dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) administration increases adrenal hormone plasma levels in early and late menopause, according to results of a prospective case study published in the December issue of Fertility and Sterility.

"Although DHEA supplementation is not yet considered a medical treatment, this steroid has been demonstrated to induce specific metabolic effects and to increase both androgen and estrogen plasma levels in postmenopausal women," write Alessandro D. Genazzani, MD, PhD, and colleagues from the University of Modena in Italy.

The Italian team selected 20 healthy, postmenopausal patients, age 50 to 65 years, who were not using hormone replacements, for the 12-month prospective study. All patients received an ultrasound examination and a mammogram before the start of the study to exclude organic disease.

Dr. Genazzani and colleagues divided patients by age into two groups: early (aged 50-55 years, n = 10, group A) who were two to three years postmenopausal; and late (aged 60-65 years, n = 10, group B) who were five or more years postmenopausal. Five of the women were mild smokers.

All patients took 25 mg/day DHEA supplementation for 12 months. Every three months throughout the trial period, the investigators evaluated patients and drew blood samples to determine plasma levels of LH, FSH, E 2, DHEA, DHEAS, androstenedione (A), testosterone, dihydrotestosterone, progesterone, 17 alpha-hydroxyprogesterone (17-OHP), allopregnanolone, estrone (E1), sex-hormone binding globulin (SHBG), cortisol (F), beta-endorphin, growth hormone (GH), and insuline-like grown factor-1 (IGF-1).

Investigators also conducted a transvaginal ultrasound examination in each patient before and after 6 and 12 months of treatment to evaluate endometrial thickness. In addition, the researchers administered a Kupperman questionnaire to evaluate subjective vasomotor and psychological symptoms before and after 3, 6, and 12 months of therapy.

Younger postmenopausal subjects (group A) demonstrated higher levels of DHEA, DHEAS, testosterone, and beta-endorphin levels than older subjects ( P < .05). Significant changes in endocrine levels were observed with therapy. DHEA treatment eliminated endocrine differences observed between the two groups at baseline.

Testosterone and dihydrotestosterone plasma levels, and plasma E 1 and E 2 levels increased significantly and progressively in both groups. Investigators found no changes in SHBG concentrations in either group despite significant changes in A and E plasma concentrations. Allopregnanolone and beta-endorphin concentrations significantly increased in both groups.

Cortisol F plasma levels progressively decreased throughout the study. Both groups also experienced significantly reduced LH and FSH plasma levels. GH and IGF-1 levels significantly increased in both groups. Supplementation did not induce changes in endometrial thickness.

At baseline, group A had higher values for subjective vasomotor disturbances and psychological disturbances than group B, whereas the latter had a higher score for psychological variables. Scores significantly improved in both groups during therapy.

"The present study demonstrates the efficacy of low-dose DHEA administration of endocrine and psychoneuroendocrine parameters in early and late menopause and confirms that a low-dose DHEA supplementation increases adrenal androgens plasma levels (mainly DHEA and DHEAS), which are significantly impaired during menopause," Dr. Genazzani and colleagues write.

"These data support and confirm that DHEA must be considered a valid compound and drug for [hormone therapy] in postmenopausal women and not just a 'dietary supplement,' " they add.

Fertil Steril. 2003;80:1495-1501

Many times, LH increases on its own based on feedback or everyday foods. I hypothesize that topical aromatases may be highly effective. I wonder if topical tea tree and lavender are aromatases.

Hmm, good question and point, applying Borage oil could work too, tea tree was listed in a study if I remeber, they reported Gyno in young men (or boys?). lavender sounds promising.

Liver health is very important, first of all for overall health, and secondly it uses the enzyme 16a-OHase to break down estradiol into the more bioavailable estriol. Does Milk thistle support this function?

Aromatase mostly takes care of estrogens. There are also progestogens and prolactin.

Agreed, liver health and NBE ultimately go hand in....well, you know what I mean. I'm sure you've heard about E getting absorbed back into the system before elimination and possibly causing toxic and unwanted effects. Milk Thistle and Dandelion root help with healthy E metabolism.
Comparative Measurements of Serum Estriol, Estradiol, and Estrone in Non-pregnant, Premenopausal Women: A Preliminary Investigation

http://www.anaturalhealingcenter.com/documents/Thorne/articles/Estriol_Estradiol_Estrogen.pdf