Hi there, this is Korte, newly setting out on a PM NBE journey (or really DIY hrt) after years of being "on the fence" re: PM and even longer (at least since I was 12-13) wishing I could grow breasts but not being aware of my options.
I've been reading a lot about the hormone pathways associated with breast development at different stages of puberty and I'm now theorizing that inflammation actually plays a role in breast development through the prostaglandin receptors - see the below paragraph from the Wikipedia article on breast development:
A possible mechanism of the negative regulatory effects of the VDR on breast development may be indicated by a study of vitamin D3 supplementation in women which found that vitamin D3 suppresses cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) expression in the breast, and by doing so, reduces and increases, respectively, the levels of prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) and transforming growth factor β2 (TGF-β2), a known inhibitory factor in breast development.[58] Moreover, suppression of PGE2 in breast tissue is relevant because, via activation of prostaglandin EP receptors, PGE2 potently induces amphiregulin expression in breast tissue, and activation of the EGFR by amphiregulin increases COX-2 expression in breast tissue, in turn resulting in more PGE2, and thus, a self-perpetuating, synergistic cycle of growth amplification due to COX-2 appears to potentially be present in normal breast tissue.[59][60] Accordingly, overexpression of COX-2 in mammary gland tissue produces mammary gland hyperplasia as well as precocious mammary gland development in female mice, mirroring the phenotype of VDR knockout mice, and demonstrating a strong stimulatory effect of COX-2, which is downregulated by VDR activation, on the growth of the mammary glands.[59][60] Also in accordance, COX-2 activity in the breasts has been found to be positively associated with breast volume in women.[61]
There hasn't been much direct research on this, obviously, as usually medical research in this area is focused on preventing pain and preventing cancer, but I'm wondering if encouraging prostaglandins through later stages of development may result in growth.
A few studies I've come across have also mentioned statistical correlation between breast size and endometriosis, and NSAIDs (which inhibit the production of prostaglandins) are known to slow the growth of breast cancer cells.
It's probably not a true link, but I'm curious to hear feedback this community might have on the idea of promoting growth through supplementing with prostaglandin building blocks (e.g. arachidonic acid and borage oil) and introducing light inflammation e.g. with slaps (as described in the last massage here). I'm hoping to experiment with this once I reach Tanner stage 3. I'm also planning to take a phosphate supplement because it sounds like serum phosphorus is inversely correlated with calcitriol levels and from what I can tell would be the safest way to reduce VDR activity.
Has anyone experienced greater growth while experiencing inflammation of any kind? Any BDSM folx who feel like pain play could be linked to growth? I know we're often cautioned not to overpump and that pain is in general something you ought to listen to, but does anyone who uses noogleberry or other breast pumps feel like pain from overpumping has stunted their growth?
I've seen inflammation reduction mentioned on a few threads here in the context of diet and hormonal balance but nothing in the context of how the inflammation itself affects growth. My thought is that there's probably more damage from cortisol and the body having to heal past whatever is causing the inflammation than by the body's anti-inflammatory response itself, and if inflammation is the best way to get the COX-2/prostaglandin/amphiregulin pipeline working then it may be a case of no pain no gain.