There is so much confusion and misunderstanding around the difference between phytosterols and phytoestrogens. Let’s clarify a few things. Phytosterols are a necessary food molecule that human beings consume on a daily basis in raw plant foods every single day and we get about 100 to 200 milligrams (if we are lucky), daily. Our ancestors before the industrial age would consume about 400 milligrams daily. Phytoestrogens are specific and entirely different molecules with very different properties.

PHYTOSTEROLS

• Phytosterols are not human hormones but are plant hormones found in leafy green spinach, yams, cherries etc. They are absorbed by the body in a very different way and themselves do not contribute to the human hormone load. We need Phytosterols to function because the body has to create human hormones from food and phytosterols are the food that the body can use most easily. A slightly more difficult plant compound that can also contribute are stanols – chemically closely related but not the same as a sterol.

So lets get one thing straight, phytosterols are not human hormones.

• Around the world there are populations that get more plant sterols in their diet than others – the Asians have diets with much the highest level. Although that’s starting to change for the worse because of western influences in the diet.  Tribal people groups that have remained close to their natural diet tend to get a lot of phytosterols and the incidence of early Osteoperosis and menopause tends to be low or nonexistant. Having enough of a good thing helps the body stay in balance.

FACTS

1. If we are not getting enough phytosterols, then we don’t get proper functioning of all 87 hormones as needed.
2. The most concentrated source of the phytosterols we need come from the Mexican Yam
   
3. Only 6% of our hormones are responsible for sexual reproduction.
4. Birth control pills were derived from the Mexican Wild Yam and altered into a synthetic molecule that can cause cancer.
5. When the Mexican Wild Yam is used as a food and left in its natural state, the body see’s it as a food and not a hormone.

PHYTOESTROGENS

The word phytoestrogen is a very contentious and missleading term which can lead to massive missunderstanding. The ‘estrogen’ element of the word immediately transposes into talking about human estrogen and the attendant issues around that. For example people using the term ‘estrogen sensitive’ cancer is emotive to say the least. The real problem is the over use of the term phytoestrogen and the confusion with the term phytosterol. They are quite different.

I have personal exerience of the medical profession telling my wife to discontinue the use of any phytoestrgens. Firstly I object to being told what I or my wife should or must do and secondly the lack of education of medical professionals with regard to the effects of food.   Do doctors who are trained by the pharmaceutical representatives tell their patients that they must stay away from leafy greens vegetables or vegetable spreads and yoghurts enhanced with phytosterols (Flora ProActive, Benecol etc)? – Those foods are full of phytosterols. So, I guess not.

My point is this – eating a food that is derived from the most abundant phytosterols food out there, The Mexican Wild Yam, is essentially very helpful for general health. Our ancestors would receive about 3 to 400 milligrams of it in our daily diet, we need to supplement.

Wherever I see sleeping disorders, mood disorders, bone integrity, heart health and temperature regulation issues it all points to a hormonal dysfunction and indicates that the level of phytosterols in the diet may not be sufficient for good health.

Phytoestrogens may help alleviate specific symptoms but there is no evidence to suggest that a phytoestrogen can be converted to any other hormone by the body. The problem is complicated by the presence of chemicals that mimic the behaviour of estrogen and these are called Zenoestrogens – these are not helpful in any event and are found in almost every area of our lifves today.

How Do Phytosterols Actually Work:

Step one, we eat phytosterols.

Step two, the body converts it to only the amount of youth hormone needed known as DHEA which is short for dehydroepiandrosterone. (FYT: People with chronic memory problems or mobility problems later in life are missing a normal amount of DHEA in the blood stream).

Step three, other enzymes in the small intestine with the help of bacteria and fatty acids breaks down and transports other hormones as needed into two metabolic pathways.

One pathway for men and women are your estroidals and your testosterones, which both sexes have estrogens and testosterones, by the way.

The other pathway are your cortozones and cortizols, which are your natural anti inflammatory signals and so on.

Each conversion goes onto many other hormones down to all 87 hormones as needed and the body simply flushes out what it does not need. Hormones have to do with skin, hair, nails, memory, bone density, cell integrity, etc.

How Synthetic  Estrogens Work In The Body

Step one, synthetic estrogen enters the body.

Step two, enzymes cannot convert synthetic hormones and therefore synthetic estrogen enters the blood system.

Step three, synthetic estrogen causes water to collect around the ovaries and blocks ovulation (the egg not being able to pop out of the ovum).

Step four, this synthetic hormone builds in the subcutaneous tissues and increases risks listed on the label as side affects over time. These side affects are something you have to weigh in your mind and be very aware that you are choosing to give up quality of life in the long run just to get the desired affect in the short run.

So my advice is eat food that have high levels of phytosterols and avoid synthetic and zenoestrogens if you value your health