Hormone Conversion 101: Understanding the Missing Link in Your Labs
If your lab results have ever flagged something like “low estrogen” or “high testosterone,” you might assume the solution is to correct that one hormone. However, hormones don’t work in isolation—they function as part of a dynamic, interconnected system. Addressing one without understanding its relationship to others often leads to limited or short-term results.
Hormonal Interconversion: The Core Concept
Your body constantly converts and adjusts hormone levels through enzymatic and feedback processes. Here are three key examples:
1. Testosterone to Estrogen: The Role of Aromatase
The enzyme aromatase converts testosterone into estrogen. This process is normal and essential, but certain factors—like excess adipose tissue, inflammation, insulin resistance, alcohol, and sugar—can increase aromatase activity and tip the balance.
Impacts of elevated aromatase activity:
In women: Estrogen dominance, leading to heavy periods, bloating, and mood swings
In men: Excess estrogen can contribute to fatigue, low libido, and increased fat mass
2. Progesterone to Cortisol: The Pregnenolone Steal
Under stress, the body diverts pregnenolone—a precursor hormone—toward cortisol production at the expense of progesterone. This shift prioritizes survival but disrupts reproductive hormone balance.
Low progesterone symptoms linked to chronic stress:
Irregular cycles
Anxiety and sleep disturbances
PMS and midsection weight gain
Unless cortisol levels are regulated, supplementing with progesterone will often be ineffective.
3. Thyroid Function and Cortisol: The T4 to rT3 Shift
The thyroid produces mostly T4, which must convert into T3 to regulate metabolism. Under stress, cortisol inhibits this conversion and instead increases production of reverse T3 (rT3)—a metabolically inactive form that slows energy output.
Signs of stress-impaired thyroid conversion:
Fatigue
Cold intolerance
Weight gain
Sluggish digestion
This is one reason thyroid symptoms often persist despite normal lab values or standard medication. Hormonal symptoms rarely stem from one hormone in isolation. They are typically the downstream effect of stress, inflammation, insulin resistance, or nutrient deficiencies affecting entire conversion pathways.
A Smarter Approach to Hormone Health
Rather than targeting individual hormones, focus on supporting the broader systems that regulate them:
Reduce aromatase activity with strength training, fiber-rich meals, and zinc intake
Protect progesterone by managing stress and optimizing fat-soluble nutrients
Support thyroid conversion by stabilizing blood sugar, prioritizing selenium/iodine, and reducing chronic stress
Next Steps
If you’re still struggling with unresolved hormone symptoms, take a root-cause approach. schedule a free discovery call to create a targeted, science-based plan that addresses the entire hormonal network.