shining a light on how hormones are metabolized

Main points video

How are hormones metabolized?

Based on information taught in Karen Hurd's e-course on hormonal overproduction

a first thing to consider: once a hormone is created by the endocrine system — and once it has done its job — we have to metabolize it in order to get rid it

Role of the liver in metabolization of hormones

the liver is responsible for clearing hormones out of the bloodstream
the only exit the liver has to excrete these hormones, is through the gastro-intestinal (GI) tract
hormonal waste will enter the GI tract to eventually be pooped out
are you pooping on a daily basis?
two main female sex hormones are estrogen & progesterone, and they are fat-soluble>> these hormones then turn into fat-soluble waste products
the liver is responsible for clearing out all fat-soluble waste products

Recap: liver pulls fat-soluble hormones out of the bloodstream>> sends them down the GI tract to be eliminated via stool

However… for these hormones to be able travel down the GI tract, they need to be put into a carrier: the digestive fluid bile

bile is responsible for getting rid of fat-soluble metabolic waste
the bile carrying the metabolic waste will first land into the small intestine
right before the small intestine turns into the large intestine, we have the ileum
part of the ileum is the ileocecal valve >> here, there is an absorption fatty substances

Recap: the bile is carrying the hormonal waste, which is made out of fat… and at the end of the ileum, we have an absorption of fat

it is possible for us to reabsorb our own hormonal waste!
up to 95% of our bile is recycled
this mechanism (for energy preservation) is called the enterohepatic recirculation

If our hormones have the opportunity to re-enter our bloodstream...

… this explains how we can eventually end up with an over-expression of hormones