After more than 30 years of helping women take control of their health, I stumbled on these alarming facts that affect young girls.
This condition can be reversed, but the time to act is now!
Teenage estrogen dominance.
An ever increasing number of teenage and pre-teenage girls are exhibiting signs of Estrogen Dominance. Estrogen Dominance equals a progesterone deficiency.
What is NORMAL?
Dr. Jerilyn Prior, founder of the Centre for Menstrual Cycle & Ovulation Research, says that the first menstrual period, known as menarche, is normally between ages 10 and 14, with 12 being the North American average.
First periods may be irregular, are often light in flow, and usually do not have cramps.
Although it is difficult to remember those early periods, most young women develop cycles that are regularly 20-42 days apart during their first two years after menarche.
Although ovulation begins during adolescence, often progesterone levels are low and luteal phase lengths are short.
What is not?
However, young girls are developing much earlier than before and starting their menstrual cycles …for some by age 9!!!
Teen girls (and boys) are exposed to the same environment as their parents. With all the excess estrogen, Estrogen Dominance can begin even in this young age group.
Girls in their teens may skip periods for many months caused by dieting, stress over relationship conflicts, exercise training or possibly illness.
Many suffer depression.
Adolescence girls, may have troubling mood swings, puzzling weight gain, and heavy flow. All these are a sign of a hormone imbalance developing.
Where are the adrenals?
In teens, as in adults, the adrenal glands can pick up some of the slack for progesterone production.
However, in this highly-caffeinated society and with the stress many young women feel, the adrenals may not be available to support progesterone production.
They are focused on the production of cortisol to keep these ladies going.
The Solution!
The medical community often intervene with the Birth Control pill option.
There is a better way!
We have found that Estrogen Dominance at all ages is best reversed naturally with diet, exercise, supplementation, and balancing hormones with the aid of progesterone.
There is solid physiology and clinical support for the use of progesterone on a temporary basis for young women who are symptomatic.
Studies have shown that in the first year after menarche (start of menstruation), 80% of girls do not ovulate, meaning their body does not make progesterone.
Three years after menarche 50% do not ovulate, and by the sixth year 10% did not ovulate.
That represents a lot of girls with premenstrual bloating, weight gain, mood swings, irritability and anxiety.
Addressing progesterone levels is a good start but it is incomplete.
A proper nutrition program, exercise, and supplement program should also be implemented to maintain optimum hormone health and wellness for our teens.
Don’t guess…TEST!!!
Always the first step should be to test the young woman’s hormone levels with a simple 5 panel saliva test to see if Estrogen Dominance is revealed.
Ready to find out more?
Learn more about Saliva Testing and order a simple, in-home test! Visit SalivaTesting.com