Aromatase inhibitors and estrogen balancing for men and women

Aromatase inhibiting drugs are prescribed as follow-up treatment for hormone sensitive cancers of the breast, ovaries or uterus. These kinds of cancers are dependent on unbalanced estrogen in the body to fuel their growth. Aromatase inhibitors reduce levels of unbalanced estrogen in the body.

Excess unbalanced estrogen can be a problem for women and men of any age. While declining levels of estrogen are generally thought to be the hallmark of menopause, it is actually common for women to experience surges of abnormally high estrogen that is not balanced by progesterone and testosterone during any stage of adult life. For men the increase in body fat especially around the mid section increases the aromatase enzyme because it is located in fat cells. Aromatase is the enzyme that converts the male hormone testosterone into estrogen. Estrogen then increases the abundance of fat around the mid section which means more aromatase.

Women with estrogen dominance frequently exhibit unexplained weight gain, fibrocystic breast disease, PMS, migraines, irregular and heavy bleeding, endometriosis, fibroids, and ovarian cysts. Petroleum products, air pollution, plastics, and chemicals in food can make matters worse by acting as xenoestrogens, meaning they are estrogens foreign to the body. Xenoestrogens act like estrogens produced by the female body and can boost unbalanced estrogen levels.

Aromatase inhibiting drugs are toxic to the body

The main problem with aromatase inhibiting drugs is the fact that they are drugs. All drugs have some kind of unpleasant side effects and aromatase inhibitors are no exception. One of the most popular, Arimidex, has a list of side effects that includes hot flashes, nausea, weakness or fatigue, headaches, arthritis, general pain, joint pain, sore throat, bone pain, back pain, cough, difficulty breathing, osteoporosis, vomiting, broken bones, insomnia, swelling or water retention in the arms or legs, abdominal pain, constipation, diarrhoea, high cholesterol, infections, weight gain, breast pain, dizziness, urinary tract infections, and loss of appetite. Some of these side effects such as bone pain and arthritis may not go away even when use of the drug is discontinued.

Drugs are foreign substances that do not occur in nature. As such the body must detoxify them through the liver, placing a huge strain on the liver's detoxifying function. Livers that are stressed from prolonged drug use can become enlarged and even cancerous. And because drugs are foreign substances they are identified by the immune system as invaders of the body, and the immune system mounts a defence against them. Since another dose of the drug is ingested each day, the immune system is continuously overworked and not available to do the job for which it was intended, which is keeping the body healthy and well.

Because aromatase inhibitors are drugs, they do not work indefinitely. Eventually the immune system is able to render them ineffective. Women who have relied on aromatase inhibitors to keep them safe from a recurrence of breast cancer are then left unprotected and uneducated as to what to do to protect themselves.

There is still one more unfortunate effect of aromatase drugs. They take the focus off the real issue which is why a breast cancer developed in the first place. Since cancer is an obvious wakeup call that something is radically wrong in the body, this something needs to be addressed.

Aromatise inhibitors may keep breast cancer away for awhile, but how about the rest of the body? If the conditions that promoted the breast cancer have not been addressed, there is danger of cancer to other organs and tissues as well as chance for other degenerative disease to get started because this is a body that has already exhibited a willingness to promote disease.

Chrysin a natural aromatase inhibiter
Chrysin is a flavonoid from Passiflora incarnate, commonly called passion flower. In a study at the University of Minnesota, published in 1993, chrysin and several other flavonoids were compared to an aromatase inhibiting drug used to treat hormone sensitive cancers. Chyrsin was found to be the most effective of all the flavonoids tested, and was found to be equal in potency to the drug.

Chrysin offers a host of other benefits
Chrysin has additional benefits that aromatase inhibiting drugs do not have. It a potent antioxidant that possesses vitamin-like activity in the body. It is an effective anti-inflammatory through the inhibition of the Cox 2 pathway.

Chrysin has recently been found to block the suppression of natural killer (NK) cells that are seen during surgery. NK cells are part of the immune system. They go after cancer cells and destroy them. During surgery the production of NK cells is suppressed by the body because of the traumatic nature of the event. However, during cancer surgery is the time when NK cells are needed most, so they can go after and kill any cancer cells escaping into the bloodstream that may seed new cancer growths elsewhere in the body. Additionally, chrysin is a potent inhibitor of breast cancer resistance protein, keeping patients who have chosen traditional drug treatments from developing multi-drug resistance.

Since the landmark study published in the September, 1993 Journal of Steroid Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, many other studies have confirmed the conclusion that chrysin is nature's most effective aromatase inhibitor. A study reported in the May, 2006 Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry studied the effects of several polyphenols on aromatase activity. Again, chrysin was found to be the most capable at inhibiting estrogen production. This study showed red wine, green tea, and black tea also significantly impacting aromatase activity, though to a lesser degree than chrysin.


Chrysin should be taken with Bioperine for enhanced bioavailability
Bioperine is an alkaloid from black pepper( Bioperine) that has been shown repeatedly to substantially increase the bioavailability of nutrients from supplements and foods.

Diet and lifestyle have a lot to do with aromatase
One's chosen diet and lifestyle are large factors in determining the amount of the aromatase enzyme in the body. Although chrysin is found in flowers, many flavonoids with lesser aromatase inhibiting abilities are found in common fruits and vegetables. Apples, cabbage, onions and garlic are good sources of quercetin, a powerful flavonoid. The flavonoid apigenin is found in parsley, celery and chamomile.

The aromatase enzyme resides in fat cells. This is why overweight and obesity are linked with breast and other hormone sensitive cancers. With fewer fat cells in the body, less unbalanced estrogen is produced.


High Insulin increases the Aromatase Enzyme
High levels of insulin, a big factor in weight gain and fat mass accumulation, promote production of the aromatase enzyme. Keeping insulin levels under control by avoiding processed and sugar loaded foods will result in lower levels of aromatase and as a consequence, lower levels of unbalanced estrogen in the body. Maintaining adequate zinc levels also helps inhibit production of aromatase.


Chrysin and Testosterone levels in men
Just as an unbalanced estrogen level can cause havoc with the female body it can just as much damage for the male. Estrogen dominance has become a common occurrence in many middle age men this is partly brought on by bad eating habits, lack of exercise and carrying too much body fat.

The enzyme Aromatase loves bodyfat and the more fat a man is carrying the more aromatase he will have. This means the most important hormone for a male, Testosterone is being converted into estrogen by the aromatase enzyme.  Chrysin offers a natural alternative to help keep the aromatase enzyme in check and maintain a higher testosterone level.

Generally the leaner a man can be the better, because excess body fat only serves to lower the hormone that enables you to build muscle mass, perform both in and out of the bedroom and generally feel good about yourself. This hormone is testosterone.

This information is vital for any male who is looking to increase lean muscle mass and build a great physique. The old theory of bulking up which involves adding an additional 10-20kilos over your contest weight in the hope to diet down to reveal a physique with more muscle mass. This approach is totally wrong as the increase in body fat means an increase in aromatase which then lead to more estrogen and lower testosterone.

All of this produces a smaller, softer physique once the body fat has been removed by strict dieting! Hardly a good option both cosmetically or healthwise as estrogen dominance has been shown to increase risk of prostate cancer, hair loss and a myriad of other conditions.


Supplementing with Chrysin
Chrysin is a natural supplement so it is great for those athletes who need to pass drug tests to participate in their sports. Or even for those who don’t want to go the route of chemical supplements. In combination with a natural test booster such as Tribulus terrestris , Trigonella Foenum Graecum, DIM, Prunella Vulgaris. These ingredients work to increase testosterone while decreasing estrogen. The end result is more lean muscle, less water retention and a harder more defined look to your muscles.