How do hormones during the menstrual cycle affect weight gain?

As soon as you notice constant mood swings, tearfulness, increased fatigue that do not stop for several weeks - sound the alarm. This condition may be the cause of your excess weight. Especially if this condition coincides with the menstrual cycle.

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Stress and hormonal changes

Stress causes hormonal fluctuations in us and, as a result, hormonal imbalance, even if it seems to us that the experiences have passed without a trace. In addition, having experienced stress, we can be depressed from time to time for a long time and think that it is all just psychological changes. In fact, the culprits are most often biochemical processes that affect the change in our mood and well-being.

What are these biochemical processes? The fact is that the state of anxiety and worry during life's troubles causes the same hormonal imbalance as the so-called premenstrual syndrome. A woman may feel irritable, she has increased tearfulness, fatigue, a feeling of anxiety and worry both during stress and during the monthly cycle.

The culprits are the same. This is a significant decrease in the hormone estradiol and a low blood sugar level. Even after you have eaten a chocolate bar or candy, the blood sugar level does not increase, and no additional energy appears. Metabolism is disrupted (it slows down) and a woman can begin to gain weight rapidly.

Let us emphasize: the reason why you gain weight rapidly can be stress due to life's problems, and mood swings during the monthly cycle, caused by the same hormonal imbalances.

Learn more about the process of hormonal imbalance and weight gain

When you worry, the level of cortisol, a hormone produced during stress, increases. Then the body switches on a self-defense mechanism. It is expressed very strangely - the body, protecting itself from stress, accumulates fats in reserve. First of all, these fats are deposited in the waist area.

This happens because the increased level of the stress hormone cortisol causes the body to reject insulin, which causes excess fat to accumulate. In addition, the male hormone testosterone is activated, which also affects weight gain.

If stress lasts for a long time, it destroys the hormonal balance associated with increased adrenaline activity. Then the following symptoms are observed:

• My head hurts
• The pressure rises sharply
• There may be unmotivated attacks of aggression, anger or, conversely, tearfulness and irritability.
• Renal colic may occur
• Severe muscle tension
• Increased fatigue

If you have these symptoms or most of them, see an endocrinologist for a hormonal background examination. This can solve problems with both hormone levels in the blood and weight fluctuations.

How do hormonal fluctuations affect immunity?

When a woman is in a state of prolonged stress, her immunity says "goodbye". The immune system weakens significantly or, on the contrary, begins to be aggressive. In the first case - weakening of immune functions - you may experience increased fatigue, weakness, irritability, you can constantly catch the flu or a cold somewhere. What bad luck, you will sigh and will not even think that all this is connected with hormonal changes that undermine the immune system at the root.

The second is hyperactivity of the immune system - manifested by asthmatic reactions: rash, shortness of breath, irritability, increased heart rate. If you cut or scratch yourself, the wounds heal slowly and reluctantly.

Infections such as foot fungus or trichomoniasis can bother you. Red lupus or such an unpleasant disease as thyroiditis can also be a consequence of hormonal imbalance and immune disorders. And stress and the associated changes in the body are to blame. Negative, unfortunately.

How stress affects ovarian function

Their work is suppressed under the influence of constant disorders. This means that the ovaries no longer produce sex hormones so actively. That is, there will be a shortage of sex hormones in the body. The thyroid gland suffers from this first of all, becoming weak and also producing hormones reluctantly and in small quantities.

Stress, estradiol and the sad consequences

The hormone estradiol, which is produced by the ovaries, affects your general well-being. This is a hormone that, when its level is low in the body, can inhibit the production of other hormones (serotonin - the hormone of happiness, norepinephrine, ethylcholine, dopamine). Such a not very good union of a low level of hormones can cause general weakness in the form of insomnia or other sleep disorders, poor appetite, memory lapses, mood swings.

Please note: if your body has low levels of estradiol, you will have a much harder time coping with stress and other workloads (including work-related ones) than with normal estradiol levels. Therefore, it is worth checking your body's hormonal balance and taking estradiol in the form of oral medications if it is insufficient.

When is estradiol insufficient?

Estradiol levels may become increasingly low as you age. Be aware that this can slow down your brain, and then others see you as tired and lethargic. If you have these symptoms, you should definitely see an endocrinologist for a consultation and examination.

In what conditions does estradiol level decrease and slow down the functioning of the entire body? Who is most at risk and at what periods of life?

• Premenstrual syndrome (pain in the head, back, abdomen, dizziness, irritability)
• Postpartum depression
• Polycystic ovary syndrome
• Perimenopause
• Sudden fluctuations in weight
• Constant and severe fatigue
• Frequent stress
• The period before and during menopause

At this time, a hormonal imbalance may occur in the body: little estradiol is produced, and the level of stress hormones - cortisol and androgens - constantly fluctuates. Added to this picture is the effect of estrogens on the fact that the woman begins to actively gain weight.

What else influences sudden weight gain?

When the levels of the hormones estrogen and estradiol change and their ratio changes accordingly. These are hormones that are secreted by the ovaries

• The levels of DHEA, estradiol and testosterone decrease sharply, and their ratio (balance) changes as well.
• There is much more progesterone in the body than estrogen.
• Androgens in the body are much higher than normal, the level of cortisol (stress hormone) is off the charts, suppressing the level of estradiol
• Low levels of estradiol, which promotes excessive insulin production (most often seen in middle and old age)
• The thyroid gland produces less and less hormones, which slows down metabolic processes in the body and leads to weight gain.

Be aware that such hormonal imbalance combined with stress greatly slows down all metabolic processes in the body. This contributes to fat deposition, primarily on the sides and in the waist area. Muscle mass is quickly lost - do not be fooled! - This is affected by the loss of estradiol and testosterone hormones, increased appetite and, as a result, chronic fatigue and helplessness in the face of stress.

What needs to be done?

In order for your hormonal balance and weight to be in order, despite your age and psychological stress, it is necessary to coordinate the level of testosterone, estradiol, thyroid hormones, DHEA, as well as insulin and cortisol. If you do not do this, with age your figure will begin to change, fat accumulations will form on the sides and waist, as well as on the hips.

Consult an endocrinologist in a timely manner and do not deprive yourself of good health just because you are too lazy to take care of your health.