SIBO and Hormonal Influences with Dr Carrie Jones

In today’s episode, Dr Nirala Jacobi is in conversation with Dr
Carrie Jones. Dr Jones is a Naturopathic Doctor and hormone
specialist from Portland.  She has completed a two-year
residency in advanced women’s health, gynaecology and hormones,
and has also completed her Masters of Public Health at the Grand
Canyon University.  Dr Jones has been the medical director
of two large integrative medical clinics in Portland and is
currently the medical director of Precision Analytical, a
laboratory that offers the DUTCH Profile.  She writes for
multiple health websites and is featured in a range of health
podcasts.


 


Topics discussed include


Hormones and their relationship to functional digestive
disorders.

Digestive flares before a woman’s period and why this can
occur.

How gut inflammation can affect hormones - for example by
raising cortisol, raising estrogen, raising 5 alpha reductase,
lowering dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEA-S), affecting the
absorption of nutrients that comprise hormones.

How lipopolysaccharides (LPS) and endotoxemia can impair and
congest phase 1 and 2 liver detoxification pathways.

Nutritional cofactors required to support smooth
Catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) functioning, especially in
light of COMT single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs).

Symptoms of estrogen dominance in men and women.

Hormone patterns related to a dysfunctional gut microbiome.

The estrobolome and how it can dictate how much
beta-glucuronidase is produced, as well as how much
dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) is released from the body.

All about estrogen metabolism, the different metabolites that
are produced, which ones are beneficial, and the liver pathways
used for processing.

Which estrogen metabolising pathways have associated cancer
risk?

The role of beta-glucuronidase in disrupting estrogen
excretion.

High toxic load patients and how hormone disruptors affect
CYP enzymes and estrogen receptors.

How can a patient show symptoms of estrogen dominance and yet
their hormonal profiles be ok?

Hint: If proliferative estrogen metabolising pathways
favoured.



When to intervene for hormonal balance when client presents
with gastrointestinal issues?

In light of high levels of beta-glucuronidase.



How to test for beta-glucuronidase - fecal.

What can we do about estrogen dominance?

Support for Phase 1

Diindolylmethane (DIM) for clients favouring
unhealthy 4-OH E1 or 16a-OH E1 pathways.

Dietary adjustment to include Indole-3-carbinol (I3C)
containing vegetables.

Broccoli sprout powder for sulforaphane (to activate
quinone reductase)

Helps reverse the effects of going down unhealthy
4-OH E1 pathway.



Glutathione support with N-acetylcysteine (NAC), and
liposomal glutathione.



Support for Phase 2 (COMT support)

Magnesium

Methylated B Vitamins

Methionine

Choline

S-Adenosyl-L-Methionine (SAMe)



Gut treatment

Calcium D-glucarate to help lower beta-glucuronidase
levels.

Fibrous foods to bind free floating estrogen.



Note: Broccoli and fibrous products not recommended in
phase 1 of SIBO treatment.

When to use binders in detoxification treatment.

Progesterone

Why can people with bloating potentially be
progesterone deficient?

Progesterone cream in second half of the cycle versus
vitex supplementation - what age groups are appropriate
to each?



DUTCH testing - what is the difference between all the
testing available?

Saliva tests - free hormones.

Blood tests - hormones are bound to sex hormone binding
globulins or other carrier proteins.

DUTCH test - free hormones and metabolites.

Cortisol and cortisone - how to assess beyond an adrenal
stress index, the difference between both forms, and why the
body may have a pattern of inactivating cortisol into
cortisone.

How to balance cortisol to cortisone ratio?

The role of licorice (Glycyrrhiza glabra)



Flatlining cortisol and its role as a marker for chronic
infection, its association with an increased risk for cancer,
and increased risk for autoimmune issues.

The cortisol awakening response and how it works with the
thymus gland to destroy autoimmune antibodies.

The link between chronic infections and low cortisol, and
how to address.

All about DHEA and DHEA-S

Counters stress

Energy, bone health, neurotransmitter balance, sex
drive, muscle development.

7-keto DHEA - what is this?



Supporting DHEA via adrenal support.

When and when not to test hormone levels.

Endometriosis and digestive disturbance due to adhesions,
inflammation, and excess estrogen.

New developments in the hormonal testing field.

IBS symptoms around the period and why this may be.

The importance of structural alignment for uterine
and intestinal health.

Therapy to address structural alignment - visceral
manipulation, pelvic massages, and bodywork.



Flaxseeds

Helpful for estrogen dominance

Raises SHBG (note that flaxseeds preferentially bind
testosterone - so care in women who are struggling with
testosterone levels)



Soy

The role of fermented soy for hormonal balance in
menopause.

Is soy estrogenic, or does it downregulate the
proliferative estrogen pathway?



Dr Carrie Jones’ 2018 hormone education plans for
practitioners and patients.





 


Resources


Dr Carrie Jones

Precision Analytical for Dutch Testing

A5M conference 2017

Dr Chris Shade Podcast - detoxification

Dr Walter Crinnion - environmental medicine