Posted by PaulB on July 27, 2001, at 12:23:40
In reply to Re: Is estrogen helpful?, posted by Lorraine on July 27, 2001, at 11:43:54
> > I was wondering if anyone had found estrogen to be useful as an augmentation strategy to enhance response to an antidepressant
>
> I was menopausal and found estrogen helped with my cognitive abilities. Estrogen dominance, however, can lead to panic attacks. So I am thinking of adding progesterone when I next see my doctor.PaulB
Progesterone seems like a good idea because it makes GABA receptors more responsive to this neurotransmitter and people report a calming effect when using it.
Continuing on with estrogen discussion it is my understanding that estrogen may help some depressives by inhibiting the MAO enzyme(A) that breaks down serotonin(as well as norepinephrine and dopamine) but also 'desensitises' serotonin receptors making serotonin receptors more responsive to the neurotransmitter. Therefore, it has been argued that the down-regulation process that can take weeks with antidepresssants may be quicker when estrogen is augmented. There is also a great body of evidence that suggests that estrogen may benefit people with depression. One study showed that people who were given fluoxetine with and without estrogen showed much greater response with the combination therapy.My interest in estrogen stems from my experience with the amino acid L-Tryptophan. Unlike L-Tyrosine which worked wonders for my depression with SAM-E was remarkably consistent in its effects and did not cause mood imbalances. L-Tryoptophan does not work as well and I thought estrogen may be a useful aid.
poster:PaulB
thread:71815
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20010725/msgs/72079.html