<健康之音>本週播放時間與內容
台灣時間／本週六早上10:00 (8/6)
美西時間／本週五晚上7:00 (8/5) (夏令節約時間)
廣播主題：
子宮肌瘤與荷爾蒙的關係
三分之一的美國女性在35歲以前會得到子宮肌瘤。女性開刀的主因。台灣上班族女性健康檢查(婦科超音波)，三分之一顯示子宮肌瘤大於2公分。小於2公分的子宮肌瘤，婦產科醫生會說正常。但真的正常嗎? 西醫的療法是2-8公分，觀察。8公分以上切除。如果小於8公分，但會引起嚴重不正常出血，則會開荷爾蒙藥物Progestin，以抵銷Estrogen(雌激素)的作用。西醫認為子宮肌瘤的原因未明，真的未明嗎?
子宮肌瘤的成因: 雌激素。子宮內膜增生靠雌激素刺激。
什麼是Estrogen? 動情激素、雌激素。
Estrogen的作用:
- promote formation of female secondary sex characteristics
- accelerate metabolism
- reduce muscle mass
- increase fat stores
- stimulate endometrial growth
- increase uterine growth
- increase vaginal lubrication
- thicken the vaginal wall
- maintenance of vessel and skin
- reduce bone resorption, increase bone formation
什麼是Progesterone? 助孕激素、黃體素。Anti-estrogen。見最後英文部分。
月經的規律
自然醫學醫師如何使用荷爾蒙? 美國自然醫學醫師認為天然Progesterone比較安全。有三種型式。
最常見的體外Estrogen來源: 動物性脂肪。
環境荷爾蒙: 怎麼吃也毒不了我，第40-45頁。
植物性荷爾蒙: 吃錯了當然會生病，第71-73頁。
不正常子宮出血(Abnormal Uterine Bleeding): 經血過多、兩次月經之間不正常出血、經血太少。長期經騎過多會導致缺鐵型貧血。不正常出血的成因: 荷爾蒙不平衡、子宮肌瘤、懷孕、口服避孕藥(Estrogen)、感染、癌症、遺傳性疾病Von Willebrand Disease.
<健康之音>如何收聽與Call In，在這裡有詳細說明:
What is Pregesterone? By Wisegeek
Progesterone is a hormone produced in the body which helps to regulate the menstrual cycle of women. Men also produce a small amount of this hormone, but it is less important to sexual maturity in men than is testosterone. Chemical forms of progesterone are widely used by women as part of birth control. The hormone’s unique aspects tend to explain its effectiveness as a birth control method.
In women, progesterone is produced just before ovulation in order to enhance the possibility of becoming pregnant. The rise in levels prior to ovulation increases the body temperature slightly; creates more vaginal mucus, which makes sperm more likely to survive to reach and fertilize an egg; and makes the uterus muscles less likely to contract. If a woman does become pregnant, main production of progesterone switches over to the developing placenta around the eighth week of pregnancy.
If a woman does not become pregnant, hormone levels begin to decline after ovulation, enough so that the uterine lining is shed. Along with estrogen, progesterone maintains the balance of the women’s menstrual cycle, producing monthly periods or menstruation.
With birth control pills that contain progesterone, or chemical forms of it called progestin, the body is essentially fooled into thinking it is pregnant, because it detects a higher hormone level. This means ovulation does not usually occur. Generally, a woman stops taking progestin and estrogen for seven days each month in order to induce a period and shed the lining of the uterus. Newer forms of the pill often have women skip fewer days in order to have fewer periods in a year.
Progesterone also serves several other important functions in the body. It aids in immunity, reduces swelling and inflammation, stimulates and regulates the production of the thyroid gland, and keeps blood-clotting levels at normal values. Progesterone also can be said to be an “anti-aging” hormone. It keeps bones strong, produces collagen, and helps keep nerves functioning at appropriate levels. Some researchers are now testing the effects of progesterone shots on people with multiple sclerosis to see if it can help keep nerves and skeletal muscles from deteriorating.
As a woman ages, levels of progesterone and estrogen begin to decline. This gradually leads to menopause. It is easy to see how the decline in these levels not only affects the menstrual cycle but also contributes to aging, because less collagen means less skin elasticity, which contributes to skin wrinkling. Low progesterone levels also decrease the body’s ability to create new bone cells, which puts a woman at an increased risk of developing osteoporosis.
In the past, hormone replacement therapy consisted of replacing lost or diminished estrogen due to menopause. Studies have shown that this has increased risk of breast cancer, and is thus undertaken by fewer women. Medical researchers are now re-examining the possible use of replacing progesterone in both men and women, as a possible means for reducing likelihood of contracting some forms of cancer. In addition, progesterone might have a positive effect on women who seek an alternative to estrogen therapy when experiencing menopause, though some of the side effects of progestin are similar to those experienced by women undergoing menopause.