Hi Susan,
Azelaic acid has a good track record in acne. It's in barley grass, but also in rye and in other whole grain cereals. Zinc is an anti-androgen, but it becomes an androgen above 80 mg. That's really a lot, I doubt if anyone takes that much. Above 35 mg, zinc decreases prolactin. Recommended Dietary Intake is 12 mg, and 13 for pregnant or lactating women. This text says maca is high in zinc, but it doesn't say how much is in it:
http://www.ahealthya.com/maca_composition.htm
Vitamin B6 is also an anti-androgen. Borage oil is another one with a good track record for hair loss, but if it makes your skin oily, it's out. Flax contains another anti-androgen, so that may be worth trying too. Or maybe pygeum bark.
I think estrogen dominance is mainly caused by estradiol, because the other estrogens appear weaker in tests. Estriol just metabolizes faster, so it appears to be weaker, unless you keep making it, like in pregnancy.
I remember I slept poorly on SP, so it may give you energy, yes. ADD makes you respond differently to stimulants, though. On coffee, I become erratic, but it helps you focus.
I don't think tea or water makes a difference for hops, but extracts in alcohol are less sedative:
http://www.breastnexus.com/showthread.php?tid=8419&pid=41761#pid41761
GR causes only swelling and better insulin sensitivity, no progesterone increase like FG. Some women report acne on FG, but I still don't know how that happens, although it's logical if they cycle it with PM and don't take an anti-androgen in the second half of their cycles. If you block DHT efficiently, like with SP, both estrogens and progesterone will increase with LH, but that won't work for Karen because her LH is zero.
Maca improves fertility in women. Maca also metabolizes to DIM. DIM metabolizes estrogens:
http://www.breastnexus.com/showthread.php?tid=10855&pid=42585#pid42585
So maca may be better in case of estrogen dominance only. But it's really strange that it levelled out your acne. Most women break out on it.
Azelaic acid has a good track record in acne. It's in barley grass, but also in rye and in other whole grain cereals. Zinc is an anti-androgen, but it becomes an androgen above 80 mg. That's really a lot, I doubt if anyone takes that much. Above 35 mg, zinc decreases prolactin. Recommended Dietary Intake is 12 mg, and 13 for pregnant or lactating women. This text says maca is high in zinc, but it doesn't say how much is in it:
http://www.ahealthya.com/maca_composition.htm
Vitamin B6 is also an anti-androgen. Borage oil is another one with a good track record for hair loss, but if it makes your skin oily, it's out. Flax contains another anti-androgen, so that may be worth trying too. Or maybe pygeum bark.
I think estrogen dominance is mainly caused by estradiol, because the other estrogens appear weaker in tests. Estriol just metabolizes faster, so it appears to be weaker, unless you keep making it, like in pregnancy.
I remember I slept poorly on SP, so it may give you energy, yes. ADD makes you respond differently to stimulants, though. On coffee, I become erratic, but it helps you focus.
I don't think tea or water makes a difference for hops, but extracts in alcohol are less sedative:
http://www.breastnexus.com/showthread.php?tid=8419&pid=41761#pid41761
GR causes only swelling and better insulin sensitivity, no progesterone increase like FG. Some women report acne on FG, but I still don't know how that happens, although it's logical if they cycle it with PM and don't take an anti-androgen in the second half of their cycles. If you block DHT efficiently, like with SP, both estrogens and progesterone will increase with LH, but that won't work for Karen because her LH is zero.
Maca improves fertility in women. Maca also metabolizes to DIM. DIM metabolizes estrogens:
http://www.breastnexus.com/showthread.php?tid=10855&pid=42585#pid42585
So maca may be better in case of estrogen dominance only. But it's really strange that it levelled out your acne. Most women break out on it.