PCOS - Low sex hormone binding globulin

[Guest guest]

Sorry for the previous email - I pressed the wrong button and sent some

collected extracts back to you all by mistake.

I have a patient in her early 30s who always suspected she had pcos, but

always tested negative. However, this time she has low sex hormone binding

globulin levels. Although her testerone levels are 'normal'.

I don't quite understand how the shbg fits in, although I understand it's

part of the insulin resistence connection.

She is slightly overweight, but can't shift it. Her periods are around 30 or

35 days. She's had large painful spots, and small spots, she has increased

hair growth. Her libido is suppressed. She's always had sugar cravings since

a small girl. She also has a 16mm fibroid.

She's been on Vitex, Trifolium, Galium, Leonorus, Tarad Rad, Alchemilla,

Thuja, Berb aq. And has felt much better. The spots have improved and the

periods shortened slightly.

She's also taking multi vits, co enz Q10, spirulina, and thinking of taking

damiana, linseeds, chromium, evening primrose oil,

I'm about to do a new mix for her, and want to address the insulin side -

and thinking of cinnamon but what else - and low-glycaemic foods.

Grateful for any suggestions, and a plain english explanation of shbg and

how the connections work.

Cheers

Janet

[Guest guest]

Janet

you are correct in that hyperinsulinaemia lowers sex hormone binding

globulin by inhibiting the livers production of it. Any condition that

decreases the levels of SHBG can lead to an excess of circulating androgens

since testosterone is biologically inactive when bound to SHBG. Obesity

(which is often associated with PCOS but not always) also lowers the level

of SHBG.

Hence it is a combination of high androgens and low SHBG that cause

manifestations of androgen excess such as acne and hirsutism. In addition,

it has been found that women can have different susceptibility to androgens

at the pilosebaceous gland, hence some women with hirsutism can have normal

testosterone levels.

In addition, in PCOS although total oestrogen levels are elevated,

oestradiol levels are similar to those seen in menstruating women. However,

because SHBG is low, biologically available oestrogen levels are increased

in comparison to those with women in the midfollicular phase of the

menstrual cycle. In addition, women who are obese convert androstenedione to

oestrone in adipose tissue. Hence oestrogen levels are constant and not

cyclical resulting in unopposed oestrogens with subsequent risk of

endometrial hyperplasia.

hope this helps

fleur xx

>

>Reply-To: ukherbal-list

>To: <ukherbal-list >

>Subject: PCOS - Low sex hormone binding globulin

>Date: Wed, 02 Jun 2004 21:55:08 +0100

>

>Sorry for the previous email - I pressed the wrong button and sent some

>collected extracts back to you all by mistake.

>

>I have a patient in her early 30s who always suspected she had pcos, but

>always tested negative. However, this time she has low sex hormone binding

>globulin levels. Although her testerone levels are 'normal'.

>

>I don't quite understand how the shbg fits in, although I understand it's

>part of the insulin resistence connection.

>

>She is slightly overweight, but can't shift it. Her periods are around 30

>or

>35 days. She's had large painful spots, and small spots, she has increased

>hair growth. Her libido is suppressed. She's always had sugar cravings

>since

>a small girl. She also has a 16mm fibroid.

>

>She's been on Vitex, Trifolium, Galium, Leonorus, Tarad Rad, Alchemilla,

>Thuja, Berb aq. And has felt much better. The spots have improved and the

>periods shortened slightly.

>

>She's also taking multi vits, co enz Q10, spirulina, and thinking of taking

>damiana, linseeds, chromium, evening primrose oil,

>

>I'm about to do a new mix for her, and want to address the insulin side -

>and thinking of cinnamon but what else - and low-glycaemic foods.

>

>Grateful for any suggestions, and a plain english explanation of shbg and

>how the connections work.

>

>Cheers

>Janet

>

_________________________________________________________________

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[Guest guest]

Thanks Fleur - I'm beginning to get to grips with it now!

Re treatment - I'm going to add cinnamon to her mix, but any other thoughts

welcome.

She's taking quite a lot of supplements - see below. She's a strict

vegetarian and doesn't want to take geletin capsules.

There's also a plethero of different recommendations - for example on her

list of " want to get supplements " she's got Conjugated linoleic Acid,

Linseeds (taking these) Eve primrose oil (taking these), L Carnatine - which

overlap somewhat.

I'm wondering if hemp seed oil be useful in this case - (and it doesn't come

in capsules!)?

She's also worried that she may be consuming too much soya.

Thanks

Janet

on 3/6/04 5:42 pm, fleur curtis at fleurcurtis@... wrote:

> Janet

>

> you are correct in that hyperinsulinaemia lowers sex hormone binding

> globulin by inhibiting the livers production of it. Any condition that

> decreases the levels of SHBG can lead to an excess of circulating androgens

> since testosterone is biologically inactive when bound to SHBG. Obesity

> (which is often associated with PCOS but not always) also lowers the level

> of SHBG.

> Hence it is a combination of high androgens and low SHBG that cause

> manifestations of androgen excess such as acne and hirsutism. In addition,

> it has been found that women can have different susceptibility to androgens

> at the pilosebaceous gland, hence some women with hirsutism can have normal

> testosterone levels.

> In addition, in PCOS although total oestrogen levels are elevated,

> oestradiol levels are similar to those seen in menstruating women. However,

> because SHBG is low, biologically available oestrogen levels are increased

> in comparison to those with women in the midfollicular phase of the

> menstrual cycle. In addition, women who are obese convert androstenedione to

> oestrone in adipose tissue. Hence oestrogen levels are constant and not

> cyclical resulting in unopposed oestrogens with subsequent risk of

> endometrial hyperplasia.

>

> hope this helps

>

> fleur xx

>

>>

>> Reply-To: ukherbal-list

>> To: <ukherbal-list >

>> Subject: PCOS - Low sex hormone binding globulin

>> Date: Wed, 02 Jun 2004 21:55:08 +0100

>>

>> Sorry for the previous email - I pressed the wrong button and sent some

>> collected extracts back to you all by mistake.

>>

>> I have a patient in her early 30s who always suspected she had pcos, but

>> always tested negative. However, this time she has low sex hormone binding

>> globulin levels. Although her testerone levels are 'normal'.

>>

>> I don't quite understand how the shbg fits in, although I understand it's

>> part of the insulin resistence connection.

>>

>> She is slightly overweight, but can't shift it. Her periods are around 30

>> or

>> 35 days. She's had large painful spots, and small spots, she has increased

>> hair growth. Her libido is suppressed. She's always had sugar cravings

>> since

>> a small girl. She also has a 16mm fibroid.

>>

>> She's been on Vitex, Trifolium, Galium, Leonorus, Tarad Rad, Alchemilla,

>> Thuja, Berb aq. And has felt much better. The spots have improved and the

>> periods shortened slightly.

>>

>> She's also taking multi vits, co enz Q10, spirulina, and thinking of taking

>> damiana, linseeds, chromium, evening primrose oil,

>>

>> I'm about to do a new mix for her, and want to address the insulin side -

>> and thinking of cinnamon but what else - and low-glycaemic foods.

>>

>> Grateful for any suggestions, and a plain english explanation of shbg and

>> how the connections work.

>>

>> Cheers

>> Janet

>>

>

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