@theseekeroft -- you've hit on the major argument my parents have been having for as long as I can remember.
And what you touch on is why I've taken the expensive step of going outside our healthcare network (Kaiser) and paying out of pocket for a doctor for myself. VERY extensive workup, including measuring things like lean body mass in relation to fat, hormones (I am *so* chill that I don't even produce cortisol!), diet, exercise and total lifestyle. She had me do what I initially thought was just a food diary, and then it also asked me questions about things like quality of sleep, relaxation, time for myself, time spent in enjoyment, did I have people who supported me in my life, or are they unsupportive, that sort of thing. Some folks call it a shotgun approach because she's had me change several things about my lifestyle, I call it more "whole-istic."
One thing for sure, my GERD symptoms have all but vanished. I do hope that replacing the hormones does *not* lead to experiencing depression like I used to, though. That'll be well and truly fucked if I start getting the fucking black clouds again.
And that leads me to another thing I've thought a lot about over the years as I've learned more and more the role hormones play in our bodies and minds. How much of this stuff is indeed hormone-related? Could xenohormones play a role in screwing up our minds? How many of us own cats?