Hi Waxingmoon!

I hope you can answer my question. Now I have measured my hormones through a whole cycle while I was using vitex. My cycle was only 40 days this time and that was very good to be me.. My estradiol varys from 0.21 -0,8. ( according to the lab it should be over 0.1 and it depends on where you are in the cycle)
My testosterone varys from 2,5-2,4 in follicular phase and 3.0- 3.1 in lutheal phase.(according to the lab it should be under 3 and it is not said that it varys with the cycle).

And then you have my progesterone . It varys from 2-3 in follicular phase.(it should be lower than 3 in the follicular phase) and in lutheal phase it is 29-17.I think >25 is a confirmation that ovulation has taken place and > 15 confirms that one is in lutheal phase.


These results was from bloodtest.

I also took a salvia test in the follicular phase. My estradiol was o,6. The range was from 1.3-3.3 for a premenopausal women in lutheal phase. It is also written that for a postmenopausal women the range is from 0,5-1.7.Maybe I can compare with the postmenopausal range since I took it in the folliculat phase?

My testosterone was 29 and the range was from 16-55.

My progesterone was 11 and the range was from 75-270. But that range was also for the lutheal phase. It is also written that in follicular the range for progesterone is 12-100.

It said that my progesterone/estrogen ratio is 18. Optimal was 100-500 when estradiol was between 1.3 and 3.3. ( but my was as written o.6.even if it was follicular and not lutheal phase)

The lab says in a comment that when estrogen and progesterone are low, testoserone is often more androgenic, because both of them have anti-androgenic properties.

So here I am now with all these results..!

I have just started saw palmetto again but only 160 mg once a day along with vitex 800 mg a day and I will se how it goes. Do you think it is a good route for me now?

I also remember that you used progesterone and vitex, because vitex alone was not enough for you. But I wonder, since hormones are regulated with negative feed back and if one supplement with progesterone cream, wouldn't the body produce less progesterone then and one need progesterone cream each cycle?

If you can answer my questions I will be very greatful!
Sorry for a long post amd bad language.

As I have said before my cycle has always been irregular and I am not even an a.

Hi Linn,

Basically, what I get from your test results is that you had essentially normal values for:

Estrodiol
Testosterone
Progesterone

When looking at the blood test...

The saliva test showed ??? I'm not sure... Since you did this test in the follicular phase we really don't know what progesterone you would have produced in the luteal phase.

I would suggest another saliva test but done in the luteal phase so you can be more certain of the values.

In the mean time I think your plan is fine.

As far as the self regulation of hormones. Yes, when given an outside source of a hormone the body produces less of it when the values reach the 'preset' levels. However, this is a constantly monitored thing. You never 'turn off' your bodies abilities to produce hormones. You just have a self regulation for that cycle.

The body comes back to normal production of hormones after pregnancy, using birth control, and using progesterone cream. Therefore if you use an external source of a hormone and stop, the body will go back to 'normal', whatever that normal for you would be (and for some of us our normal is not good enough).

I hope this answers your questions.

Best wishes,
waxingmoon

Thank you for your answer Waxingmoon! That was of good help. This time I will start out with small amounts of herbs..
Can I answer you one more question.. I wonder if the body will use that long time as it use to regulate again after birth control if one use progesterone cream? Or does it go quicker? And do you have an idea about vitex increase or decrease your testosterone levels? I have search this board and see there are different opinions..

I am happy to hear from you!