Essential oils in case of hormone-dependent pathologies

“I have (or have had) a hormone-dependent illness or I am currently undergoing hormonal treatment, what precautions should I take before using essential oils?”

Before embarking on recommendations that should not be neglected, a few reminders and physiological knowledge are worth taking...

As we saw previously, the hormonal or endocrine system is very important since it regulates and coordinates many essential functions of the body (growth, development, metabolism, behavior, etc.). Thus, a large number of organs are normally regulated by hormones. However, the endocrine system can be disrupted by abnormal stimulation of the organs by hormones coming from outside (these are the famous endocrine disruptors!). When this endocrine system is disrupted, the amount of hormone produced may be higher or lower than normal. Thus, when we move away from this normality, we fall into a pathological state, that is to say a state of health relating to the disease.

This is particularly the case for cancers affecting organs regulated by hormones. We then talk about cancers hormone-dependent or (English) hormone-dependent ;). We are talking here about the ovaries, the prostate, the uterus, the breasts, the thyroid, etc. In these pathological cases, the growth and then the development of tumors are largely stimulated by hormones. The hormones will attach to tumor cells that have specific receptors and thus stimulate their multiplication. These hormones therefore promote the development of a tumor.

This is why in some cases a treatment called hormone therapy is recommended. The strategy is then as follows: either block the production of the hormones responsible, or block the action of the hormones directly at the level of the tumor.

Other pathologies, other than cancers, are called hormone-dependent. We are then talking here about pathologies affecting for example the thyroid (hypo or hyperthyroidism), the uterus (endometriosis, adenomyosis), etc...

Essential oils are, remember, substances composed of numerous chemical molecules capable of acting on our body. Some of these molecules have a structure similar to hormone structures. Thus, a molecule such as sclareol, present in Clary Sage essential oil, will have a structure close to the hormone called estrogen. Thus, this molecule will be able to bind to the normally specific estrogen receptors and therefore behave like estrogen: we speak of a substance estrogen-like.

So, you understand by reading all this that, if pathologies develop because of hormones, it is strictly forbidden to use essential oils containing molecules mimicking the effects of hormones.

On the other hand, the ability of certain molecules to mimic the action of hormones can have real benefits for the body. For example, the essential oil of Clary Sage, by mimicking the effect of estrogen, will have beneficial effects during premenopause and some menopause. In fact, it will help fight against hot flashes or irregular periods by regulating the hormonal system. Another example, the essential oil of Green myrtle is known as a thyroid stimulant. It may therefore be recommended after medical advice in the event ofhypothyroidism.