Feeling harassed by your hormones?

Bloated? Grumpy? Diving for the chocolate? Hormones have a lot to answer for. Understanding your body’s chemical messengers can make your life a little less volatile and help you experience a lot more vitality.

Being a woman is tough. In addition to juggling the endless responsibilities of our busy lives, we are riding a rollercoaster of hormonal fluctuations every month. What’s more, we are stuck on this ride from puberty until post-menopause – averaging around 40 years.

Most of us expect our hormones to cause some havoc during several key events - typically puberty, pregnancy, and menopause. What we don’t give our bodies credit for is the complex interaction of hormones at play during every part of our cycle, month to month.

Three main hormones are the key players in regulating the menstrual cycle. Disturbance to this delicate balance causes the common (but not normal) symptoms of premenstrual syndrome (PMS), mood swings, bloating, cramping, sugar cravings, irritability - and the list goes on.

So let’s take a dive into the hormones that have the power to make (or break) how calm, content, and vitalised we feel each month.

Progesterone

Progesterone has a key role in lining the uterus each month and regulating menstruation, and importantly, it has fat-burning, anti-anxiety, and anti-depressant actions. When the body is stressed,  the production of progesterone decreases, which can cause progesterone deficiency or contribute to estrogen dominance (too much estrogen in relation to progesterone). This can lead to irregular periods, short cycles, spotting, low mood, and fluid retention.

Estrogen

Estrogen is predominantly produced by the ovaries and is processed and excreted by the liver. It’s a very important hormone for mood regulation, libido, and energy. If the liver is overloaded (think too much stress, alcohol, or caffeine), instead of being excreted, estrogen will be recycled back into the bloodstream, causing an estrogen excess. This can lead to the all-too-familiar symptoms of PMS, breast tenderness, weight gain, and heavy or painful periods. Low estrogen levels in perimenopause and postmenopause can contribute to dry skin, sleep disruptions, urinary tract infections, breast tenderness, fatigue, mood changes, vaginal dryness, hot flushes, night sweats, and headaches or migraines.

Testosterone

Recognised predominantly as a male sex hormone, a certain level of testosterone is also required for the optimal function of the female reproductive system. Insufficient testosterone can result in low libido, depressed mood, lack of energy, and loss of bone and muscle mass. Excess testosterone can lead to hair loss, increased body hair growth, acne (particularly along the jawline), and irritability.

So how do we support our hormones?

Short answer: reduce the burden on our liver to let it do its job!

This means cutting down stress levels to support the detoxification of estrogen by the liver. Aim to incorporate some quiet meditation, a yoga class, a walk on the beach or in the bush, or even just aim for a moment of stillness in your busy day.

Ensure that you are eating plenty of cruciferous vegetables, such as broccoli, kale, cabbage, cauliflower, and Brussels sprouts. These vegetables contain antioxidants that stimulate detoxifying enzymes and help your liver to detoxify substances such as excess estrogen.

Try cutting down on the extra cup of coffee to wake you up, and avoid the glass of wine to calm you down. Instead, opt for a brisk walk in fresh air or a dip in the ocean to feel revitalised, and a warm bath or a self-care practice of your choosing to wind down.  

Rather than sugar, reach for a source of magnesium such as good-quality dark chocolate (or this delicious hormone-supportive chocolate mousse) or some healthy fats (think avocado, coconut, nuts, and seeds) to regulate your mood and balance your hormones.

No matter what stage of life we are in, by supporting a balance of our beautiful hormones, we can enjoy more comfortable and easeful cycles, so that we can get on with doing the important things.

References

1. Donovitz, G. S. (2022). A personal prospective on testosterone therapy in women—what we know in 2022. Journal of Personalized Medicine, 12(8), 1194. 

2. Kolatorova, L., Vitku, J., Suchopar, J., Hill, M., & Parizek, A. (2022). Progesterone: A steroid with wide range of effects in physiology as well as human medicine. International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 23(14), 7989. 

3. Manchali, S., Chidambara Murthy, K. N., & Patil, B. S. (2012). Crucial facts about health benefits of popular cruciferous vegetables. Journal of Functional Foods, 4(1), 94–106. 

4. Prior, J. C. (2020). Women’s reproductive system as balanced estradiol and progesterone actions—a revolutionary, paradigm-shifting concept in women’s health. Drug Discovery Today: Disease Models, 32, 31–40. 

5. Santoro, N. (2016). Perimenopause: From Research to practice. Journal of Women's Health, 25(4), 332–339.