Why I Prescribe Iodine for Breast Pain, Ovarian Cysts, and Premenstrual Mood Symptoms

iodine for women's health

Iodine has beneficial anti-estrogenic effects that can relieve breast pain, ovulation pain, and premenstrual mood symptoms. It may also help prevent ovarian cysts by promoting healthy estrogen metabolism, down-regulating estrogen receptors, and stabilizing estrogen-sensitive tissue.

That makes iodine one of the best treatments for estrogen excess or so-called “estrogen dominance”—although I don’t use that term.

Read more

How Too Much Testosterone Can Cause Weight Gain in Women

Testosterone causes weight gain in women.

In women, too much testosterone can promote insulin resistance and visceral fat.

That’s why androgen excess is the primary driver of weight gain with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), some types of birth control, and perimenopause.

Read more

How Science Got It Wrong About Progesterone

Progesterone is important for women's health.

Progesterone has been both ignored and wrongly blamed for side effects it does not cause. How did that happen?

For one thing, progesterone was discovered shortly after estrogen. Thus missing the opportunity to be part of the tidy hormone dichotomy of “testosterone for men and estrogen for women.” Also, progesterone could not (at first) be made into an oral medication, so was replaced by progestins.

Read more

Decoding Hypoglycemia: Is It Insulin Resistance or Dysautonomia?

Is your low blood sugar a symptom of insulin resistance or mild dysfunction of the autonomic nervous system?

In episode 16 of my podcast, I return to the topic of hypoglycemia to discuss the difference between insulin resistance and dysautonomia, why unstable blood sugar does not automatically mean insulin resistance, and my concerns about continuous glucose monitoring.

Read more