"Blood, Sugar, Sex, Magic" – Hormones Gone Wild

If, like me, you were a flannel-decked teen in the '90s, chances are you’ve blasted the Red Hot Chili Peppers' “Blood Sugar Sex Magik” on your discman on your walk to school, while pretending to be in a music video. These days, the song is more than a nostalgia trip—it’s the oddly perfect anthem for what I see in my clinic: the hormonal chaos linking female fertility patients and older male veterans.

What could they possibly have in common? Insulin resistance. It’s not sexy, but it is powerful—and it’s messing with everyone’s hormones.

It All Starts with Blood Sugar

Thanks to genetics, stress, and a diet heavy in processed carbs and sugary drinks (yes, even “healthy” ones like Vitamin Water), insulin resistance is now practically a rite of passage. When patients wear continuous glucose monitors, they’re shocked to find that pizza and bagels spike their blood sugar more than candy.

And that sugar rollercoaster? It’s not just about diabetes—it’s hijacking your hormones.

Ladies First and the HOrmone Spiral

In women, insulin resistance often fuels PCOS (Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome), which is more metabolic than gynecological—despite the name. Here’s what happens:

• Elevated androgens like testosterone lead to acne, facial hair, and hair loss.

• That testosterone then converts into estrogen, causing estrogen dominance, weight gain, and a higher risk of fibroids and cysts.

• Meanwhile, progesterone drops, periods get irregular or disappear altogether, and ovulation takes a hit—bad news for fertility.

Now the Fellas, The Estrogen Belly suprise!

In men, insulin resistance does the reverse. Belly fat becomes a factory for converting testosterone into estrogen. The result?

• Less muscle,

• More fatigue,

• Disappearing libido,

• Elevated risk of heart dieasee.

• And Body hair fading like your memory of the 90”s.

  Basically, your belly is working against your masculinity.
  
  Cortisol: The Hormone Saboteur

  Stress makes everything worse. Chronically high cortisol levels spike blood sugar just as much as dessert does. (Ever worn a CGM during tax season?) Many of my patients—especially those with PCOS—show sky-high cortisol on lab tests, making hormonal balance nearly impossible.

  Don’t Forget Your Gut

  Constipation is another common link, especially in PCOS. If you're not pooping regularly, you’re not clearing out excess estrogen—it's just getting reabsorbed. Add in microbiome imbalance, and you've got the perfect storm for hormone dysfunction.

So What’s a guy or gal to do?

1. Calm the Heck Down

Stress spikes cortisol. Cortisol spikes blood sugar. Find your zen: walk, meditate, laugh, delegate. And if that fails, hug your dog.

2. Cut the Sugar

No soda, sweet tea, juice, or sneaky “health” drinks.

• Eat more protein (grass-fed meat, nuts, legumes).

• Get at least 5 servings of real veggies daily (V8 doesn't count).

• Hydrate like it’s your job.
  
  

3. Try Acupuncture

It helps with hormone balance, gut health, stress reduction, and calming the nervous system. Bonus: it’s nap therapy with needles.

4. Use Plants, But Wisely

I’ve had great success with berberine, myo-inositol, DIM, vitex, and spore-based probiotics. But this is not a DIY project—what works for one patient may backfire for another. Hormone, blood sugar and microbiome testing and personalized guidance are key.

Final Thought

Whether you're a woman struggling with fertility or a man watching his energy and libido fade, blood sugar isn’t just about diabetes—it’s at the root of a lot of hormonal misery.

So yeah, maybe “Blood Sugar Sex Magik” was never meant to be a hormone anthem. But if it gets stuck in your head every time you reach for a donut... I won’t be mad about it.

You don’t have to look far to find a couple enduring the heartache of infertility. For those who have struggled to get pregnant it can be an incredibly lonely and exhausting endeavor, made all the more frustrating when reproductive tests come back normal. Over my 12 years of practice I’ve had the honor of working with many couples who have turned to Acupuncture to help them conceive. I’ve worked with those undergoing IU and IVF as well as other western fertility enhancements in addition to those trying to conceive naturally.

Did you know that many of the nation’s fertility clinics highly encourage their patients to undergo regular Acupuncture throughout the duration of their fertility treatments. Many fertility clinics even have Acupuncturists onsite in order to enhance the success rates of their IVF and IU treatments. Acupuncture has been shown through several medical trials to encourage the success rate of conception in these procedures by at least 30%, so it’s no wonder that Western Fertility doctors are such big fans of Chinese Medicine.

Three Ways Acupuncture Enhances Fertility

Enhances Blood Flow: Acupuncture has been shown to enhance blood flow to the uterus and ovaries which in turn helps the endometrium develop and thicken, making it more receptive to an embryo.

Balances Hormones and Menstrual cycle: Acupuncture balances the endocrine system, by stimulating the release of neurotransmitters and endorphins. Beta endorphin levels regulate a woman’s follicle stimulating hormone or FSH which are necessary for the growth of follicles and eggs in the ovaries. Acupuncture has also been shown to have a dramatic effect on insulin resistance in the case of PCOS where by improving insulin resistance it normalizes reproductive hormones and ovulation.

Reduces Stress: And, most importantly, Acupuncture helps to reduce the most common culprit in both male and female infertility; stress. While many of my patients come to me with western diagnosis of PCOS, poor sperm mobility or morphology, ovulation issues or luteal phase defect, many come to my office after undergoing tests that have found nothing wrong with their reproductive health. We seem to constantly overlook the profound impact stress can have on our fertility. When men and women are under constant stress, the hormone cortisol is released in the brain, altering its neuro-chemical balance and changing hormone levels. These changes can disrupt the very delicate pituitary balance that is key to the reproductive cycle.

Increases the possibility of IVF success: by improving diminished ovarian reserve markers.

Acupuncture also helps with these fertility culprits:

Thyroid issues: Hashimotos and hypothyroidism can play a major role when it comes to infertility and Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine can play a major role in thyroid health and healing.

Spasmed tubes: Can be relaxed with treatments to assist with ovulation.

Frequent miscarriages: by increasing progesterone, Acupuncture has been shown to promote and sustain implantation, resulting in better birth outcomes.

5 Simple ways to increase Fertility right now

1. Ditch the vitamin I. that’s right fellas, Ibuprofen has been shown in a 2018 Danish study to significantly disturb testosterone production when taken twice daily for more than two weeks at a time. So if you’ve fallen into the habit of popping an ibuprofen or two post bike ride, ski or climb, it’s time to kick that habit fast. Frequent NSAID use in women can also greatly diminish ovulation.

2. Ditch the smokes; smoking reduces sperm production, mobility, morphology and maturation.

3. increase your intake of antioxidants: green tea, wild blueberries, dark chocolate, pomegranates, you can also supplement with vitamin c, E and pycnogenol.

4. COQ10; has been shown to stimulate sperm mobility, and reduces the effects of aging on female eggs resulting in higher egg quality. discontinue taking once pregnant.

5. Take a prenatal vitamin and eat healthy diet of fresh fruits and veggies and adequate ammounts of protein while ditching the trans fats.