Part 2: Our Cycle
Woman, you have 3 main hormones that play distinct roles in regulating your menstrual cycle: estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone. Estrogen performs hundreds of functions in the body, including: Development and maintenance of sex characteristics (breast development, pubic hair, vaginal health), the buildup of your uterine lining, cholesterol and glucose metabolism (helps to increase insulin sensitivity), maintenance of body temperature, bone preservation, skin elasticity and youthfulness, building and maintenance of lean muscle tissue, prevention of estrogen related cancers, preserves memory and cognition, prevention of vaginal dryness, atrophy, UTIs (urinary tract infections), and cystitis, and reduction of cardiovascular disease risk. Estrogen chaos occurs when estrogen goes down the wrong metabolic pathways, is too high or too low, or is unable to be detoxified properly in your body. There are many factors that can influence estrogen’s production, metabolism, excretion, and balance. These include: diet quality, lifestyle choices, sleep, medications, gut health, and environmental toxins. Estrogen can also be impacted by genetics, other hormones (such as in hypothyroidism), and by dietary supplements. Estrogen is mainly produced by the follicles in your ovaries after the stimulation of a hormone called FSH (follicle-stimulating hormone). Your estrogen is also produced by your adrenal glands, within fat tissue, and from the aromatization of testosterone (meaning your testosterone also converts into estrogen). Within your fertile years, estrogen largely comes from your ovarian follicles. However, when you reach menopause where your ovarian reserve is diminished or your HPA (hypothalamic pituitary adrenal) axis is malfunctioning, estrogen largely comes from the aromatization of your testosterone. This is because your follicles are no longer releasing estrogen. Without estrogen, you lose insulin sensitivity, develop vaginal dryness, have increased risk of cardiovascular disease and stroke, have increased susceptibility to fractures and osteoporosis, and lose sensitivity to serotonin, leading to increased risk of anxiety and depression. You actually have three types of estrogen in your body: estradiol, estriol, and estrone. Estrone (E1) is a weak estrogen found in small quantities in your reproductive years. It becomes the main estrogen once you hit menopause and is made mostly through the aromatization of androstenedione (one of your testosterone-related hormones). E1 can convert to E2. This is essential for ladies in menopause. What is E2? Estradiol (E2) is the main estrogen produced in your ovaries from your ovarian follicles. It is the main estrogen that is most commonly mentioned and tested in lab work as well. E2 is the strongest estrogen (aka the super queen bee) and is responsible for the growth of your uterine lining and breast tissue, and contributes to the health of your brain, skin, bone, liver, and your cardiovascular system. E2 estrogen is also one of the main contributors to endometriosis, fibroids, and estrogen-related cancers when in excess. Estriol (E3) is another weak estrogen which predominates during pregnancy. It is primarily made by the placenta and helps to maintain a healthy uterine lining for the baby. It also functions to assist bone mineral density and to maintain bone health. Unlike E1, E3 cannot be inter-converted. E3 stays as E3, while E1 can become E2. Just like estrogen, progesterone also has multiple functions in your body, which include: calming the nervous system and helping the body combat stress, thickening your uterine lining, helping the body use fat for energy, protecting against estrogen-related cancers, increasing your metabolism and basal body temperature, acting as a natural diuretic, and promoting a healthy sex drive. Progesterone interacts with serotonin and GABA, influencing your mood and sleep. This is how low levels of progesterone can increase the risk of anxiety and depression. Low progesterone levels (or high estrogen in relation to normal progesterone, known as relative estrogen dominance), can wreak havoc on your health, hormones, mood, and fertility. Common symptoms of low progesterone include: infertility, mid-cycle spotting, heavy bleeding, crippling PMS, and trouble sleeping. Progesterone can be converted to cortisol in your adrenals. Why is this important? Because in times of chronic stress or in HPA axis dysfunction, your progesterone can over-convert into cortisol, in what is known as the “pregnenolone steal”. An anovulatory cycle is a menstrual cycle where ovulation doesn’t occur, meaning progesterone isn’t made. This can be seen in women who take hormonal birth control, hormonal imbalances, hypothalamic amenorrhea (due to under-eating or over-exercising), nutrient deficiencies, or in hypothyroidism. If you don’t ovulate, you don’t produce progesterone. Low progesterone levels lead to symptoms and conditions such as (get ready this is long): chronic fatigue, abnormal or loss of menstrual cycle, mid cycle spotting, irritability, anxiety, depression, mood swings, trouble losing weight, hypothyroidism, sugar cravings, increased risk for osteoporosis and fractures, hot flashes, hair loss, fibroids, heavy PMS, insomnia, and cardiovascular disease. Testosterone plays crucial parts in your body including: aids in mood and cognition, helps to maintain and build muscle mass and strength, maintains sex drive, promotes preservation of bone mineral density, and helps increase motivation. Testosterone in your body is created by your ovaries and adrenal glands, however half of your testosterone comes from the circulation of two other hormones: DHEA (dehydroepiandrosterone) and androstenedione. This is very important to remember, as DHEA and androstenedione also feed into your estrogen through a process called aromatization. An irregular or abnormal menstrual cycle is a warning sign of a disrupted hormonal symphony. Let’s go through the phases. Week 1: Sloth Phase; Decreased energy (but increased strength), slower and sleepier, more reserved and inward focused, Do More: resting and self reflection. Week 2: Dog Phase; Increased energy and concentration, more social and outgoing, greater mood stability, more adventurous and creative, Do More: socializing and activity. Week 3: Peacock Phase; More energetic and outgoing during ovulation (1st half of week), mellow down and become more reserved and more cautious after ovulation (2nd half of week), Do More: socializing and meditation. Week 4: Cat Phase; Decreasing energy and concentration, sleepiness and fatigue, increasing cravings and mood swings, may have increasing anxiety, more reserved and prefer smaller groups or isolation, Do More: self care, rest, sleeping. Your Follicular Phase: Estrogen increases insulin sensitivity, carbohydrates are used more efficiently for energy, may have increased strength and endurance, less reactive to stress. Your Luteal Phase: Progesterone increases insulin resistance, fats used more efficiently for energy, great time for restorative and low impact exercise, may benefit from increased calorie intake, increased basal body temperature due to rise in progesterone. If you are on any form of hormonal birth control, you won’t notice these changes, as your menstrual cycle will not have this natural ebb and flow. Unlike what your doctor told you, the pill won’t regulate your cycle. The pill will take it over, including how your mood and behavior naturally change. The synthetic hormones found within hormonal birth control also work by shutting down the communication between your brain and your ovaries. Your natural hormone production becomes suppressed and the synthetic exogenous hormones take over. This is the reason why birth control is used by many conventional doctors. It takes your cycle and regulates it. However, instead of fixing or balancing your hormones- it shuts them down, takes over, and regulates them itself. You no longer regulate your cycle- your birth control does. In a “cycle” on hormonal birth control, synthetic estrogen and/or progestin (depending on the type) flood your body and tell the brain that it doesn’t need to make its own hormones. In turn, the brain does not secrete LH and FSH, so your ovaries do not receive the signal to ovulate. No ovulation means no pregnancy, but also, no progesterone!
