Balance
$31.10
Balance addresses the need for healthy hormone levels with a robust natural formula that helps maintain a healthy menstrual cycle, as well as healthy progesterone-to-estrogen balance and optimal prolactin levels.
Balance addresses the need for healthy hormone levels with a robust natural formula that helps maintain a healthy menstrual cycle, as well as healthy progesterone-to-estrogen balance and optimal prolactin levels. The main ingredient in Balance is chaste tree berry extract, or Vitex, which has a long history of use in gently supporting hormone balance and has an excellent safety profile.
Effects of Estrogen dominance
Estrogen dominance occurs when we have too much estrogen in the body and is relative to the other sex hormones, such as having too little progesterone to balance it out. Estrogen dominance can affect a woman’s body in many ways, including abnormal menstruation (heavy/painful periods), PMS, headaches, decreased sex drive, bloating, mood swings, fatigue, anxiety & depression, breast tenderness, endometriosis, fibroids, and hormonal weight gain.
There are many factors that can contribute to estrogen dominance, including
Insulin and cortisol imbalance: These two hormones are involved with stress responses and blood sugar levels in the body. If they become imbalanced they can affect other hormones in the body, in particular the ovarian, thyroid, progesterone, testosterone and sleep hormones, disrupting how they work.
The Contraceptive Pill and Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT): The pill regulates your hormones by stopping ovulation. However, if you do not ovulate you do not produce progesterone, which can lead to higher levels of estrogen. HRT provides high levels of synthetic estrogen, which the body finds harder to get rid of than natural hormones.
Poor liver function: the liver detoxifies estrogen, it is then eliminated through the bowel. If our livers aren’t functioning properly and we are not eliminating the estrogen it can lead to a build-up.
Weight gain: our fat cells can make estrogen, so the more fat we store, the more our estrogen levels can increase.
Poor diet: the body requires B vitamins, Magnesium, Zinc, Omega’s and protein to effectively metabolise estrogen. If your diet is lacking in these vitamins and minerals, then estrogen levels will increase.
Genetics: Family genetics also play a part in estrogen production. Some women may find they produce excess estrogen and do not suffer with any negative symptoms, while others will struggle significantly. This is due to how we potentially metabolise down the 3 different pathways for estrogen metabolism.
Chemical estrogens: such as BPA, pesticides, beauty products, that are either ingested or absorbed through the skin can mimic our bodies own estrogen, causing levels to increase.
Balance addresses the need for healthy hormone levels with a robust natural formula that helps maintain a healthy menstrual cycle, as well as healthy progesterone-to-estrogen balance and optimal prolactin levels. The main ingredient in Balance is chaste berry extract, or Vitex, which has a long history of use in gently supporting hormone balance and has an excellent safety profile. Each capsule includes 200 mg licorice root extract, 200 mg Paeonia lactiflora root extract and a 20 mg clinical dose of chaste berry extract to promote overall female hormone balance.
Clinical Applications
- Helps Maintain a Healthy Menstrual Cycle
- Promotes Healthy Progesterone to Estrogen Ratio Balance
- Supports Normal Prolactin Levels
- Promotes Healthy Testosterone Levels
Up to 3 out of every 4 women experience hormonal changes during their childbearing years. The female cycle is based upon biological rhythms involving the hypothalamus, pituitary, ovaries, uterus and biofeedback loops from the adrenal and thyroid glands. The monthly cycle consists of three phases: the follicular phase, the ovulatory phase and the luteal phase. Since a healthy menstrual cycle depends on hormonal balance and normal levels of prolactin, disruptions in the rhythm of these organs will result in challenges to the normal cycle. Balance provides 20 mg of chaste tree berry extract, which abundant research and years of use have shown to support normal levels of prolactin, which promotes cycle regularity.2 In addition, the combination of Peonia and licorice support and promote overall female hormonal balance.
Estrogen and progesterone are produced throughout the reproductive years and function best in their proper ratio. When both hormones are present at physiological levels, they balance each other and do not cause symptoms. An imbalance of excess estrogen and inadequate progesterone can occur when women enter menopause.
Chaste Berry Extract (Vitex)†
Often used alone for menstrual support, chaste tree berry has a long history of providing support for healthy menstrual cycles. A multicenter, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallelgroup study randomized 162 female patients (18-45 years) to either placebo or different doses of a chaste tree berry product.
(8, 20 and 30 mg) over 3 menstrual cycles. Symptom severity was assessed by patients using scales for irritability, mood alteration, anger, headaches, bloating and breast fullness. They found that the treatment was well tolerated and improvement in total symptom score in the 20 mg group was significantly higher than in the placebo and 8 mg treatment group.3 In another randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind study, 134 patients answered a self-assessment questionnaire about their mood and hormonal discomfort. After receiving 40 drops of Vitex extract or matching placebo, for 6 days before menses for 6 consecutive cycles, significant improvement was found among those who used Vitex extract compared with placebo.4 Similar results were found in a third randomized trial of 178 women given Vitex over 3 cycles.5
Licorice and Peony†
Widely used together in clinical trials to help maintain normal DHEA, prolactin and prostaglandin levels, licorice and peony help support healthy progesterone secretion and estrogen balance.6 Studies have shown this combination of botanicals supports normal DHEA-S levels,7 decrease prostaglandin production and normalize prolactin levels.8,9 Licorice root extract is also important in supporting adrenal health.10 Glycyrrhizin and its metabolites are known to slow down enzymes that convert cortisol to its inactive form cortisone. The similarity in structure of glycyrrhetic acid to that of cortisol accounts in part for the glucocorticoid activity of glycyrrhizic acid.11 Licorice has also been found to reduce serum testosterone by blocking 17-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase and 17-20 lyase, making it useful in protocols for balancing testosterone levels.12
Directions
1 capsule per day or as recommended by your health care professional.
Does Not Contain
Gluten, yeast, artificial colors and flavors.
Cautions
Do not take if you are pregnant or nursing. Consult your physician for more information.
Benefits
Chaste Berry Extract
Often used alone for menstrual support, chaste berry has a long history of providing effective support for healthy menstrual cycles. High levels of prolactin are known to disrupt cycle regularity, and chaste berry is excellent for supporting normal levels of prolactin. In Germany, chaste berry is a popular supplement for regular menstrual cycle maintenance.
Licorice and Peony
Widely used together in clinical trials to help maintain normal DHEA, prolactin and prostaglandin levels, licorice and peony help support healthy progesterone secretion and estrogen balance. Studies have shown this combination of botanicals supports normal DHEA-S levels, decrease prostaglandin production and normalize prolactin levels.
Suggested Use:
1 capsule per day or as recommended by your health care professional.
References
1. From:http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/ article/001505.htm
2. Roemheld-Hamm B. Chasteberry. Am Fam Physician. 2005 Sep 1;72(5):821-4.
3. Schellenberg R, Zimmermann C, Drewe J, et al. Dosedependent efficacy of the Vitex agnus castus extract Ze 440 in patients suffering from premenstrual syndrome. Phytomedicine. 2012 Sep 27. pii: S0944 7113(12)00280-2.
4. Zamani M, Neghab N, Torabian S. Therapeutic effect of Vitex agnus castus in patients with premenstrual syndrome. Acta Med Iran. 2012;50(2):101-06. [PMID: 22359078].
5. Schellenberg R. Treatment for the premenstrual syndrome with agnus castus fruit extract: prospective, randomised, placebo controlled study. BMJ. 2001 Jan 20;322(7279):134- 37. [PMID: 11159568].
6. Monograph. Peony. Altern Med Rev. 2001 Oct;6(5):495-99. [PMID: 11703170].
7. Kato, T, Okamoto, R,Effect of shakuyaku-kanzo-to on serum estrogen levels and adrenal gland cells in ovariectomized ratsî, Nippon Sanka Fujinka Gakkai Zasshi, 44(4): pp 433-9, 1992. [PubMed].
8. Fukushima, M, Ota, H, Endocrinological effects of Shakuyakukanzo-to (TJ-68) and Tokishakuyaku- san (TJ-23) in sulpiride-induced hyperprolactinemic ratsî, in Recent Advances in the Pharmacology of Kanpo (Japanese Herbal) Medicines, eds E Hosoya, Y Yamamura, 1988, Excerpta Medica, Amsterdam, pp 155-62.
9. Takahashi, K, Yoshino, K, Shirai, T, et al, Effect of a traditional herbal medicine (shakuyaku-kanzo-to) on testosterone secretion in patients with polycystic ovarian syndrome detected by ultrasoundî, Nippon Sanka Fujinka Gakkai Zasshi, 40(60): pp 789-92, 1988.
10. Shibata, T, Morimoto, T, Suzuki, A, et al, The effect of Shakuyaku-kanzo-to on prostaglandin production in
human uterine myometriumî, Nippon Sanka Fujinka Gakkai Zasshi, 48 (5): pp 321-7, 1996.
11. Armanini D, Karbowiak I, Funder JW. Affinity of liquorice derivatives for mineralocorticoid and glucocorticoid receptors. Clin Endocrinol (Oxf) 1983;19:609-612.
12. Armanini D, Mattarello MJ, Fiore C, Bonanni G, Scaroni C, Sartorato P, Palermo M. Licorice reduces serum testosterone in healthy women. Steroids. 2004 Oct-Nov;69(11-12):763-6.
Brand
Ortho Molecular Products