Menstrual Cycle: Know how your Hormones work for you!
If you’re reading this in the year 2021, you must be very well aware of the concept behind menstruation already. To sum it up in one sentence; Every month the female sex hormones prepare the body to support a pregnancy, and without fertilization, there is a menstruation cycle or a period.
The menstrual cycle, like every other thing in the human body, is a result of hormones. In this particular case, A menstrual cycle is the result of a hormonal dance between the pituitary gland in the brain and the ovaries.
During the menstrual cycle, a lot of hormones fluctuate in your body. Let's take a look at how hormones fluctuate during the menstrual cycle and its phases.
Estrogen (the principal female hormone) and progesterone (the secondary female hormone) levels are low on the first day of the menstrual cycle.
Low estrogen and progesterone levels cause the pituitary gland to secrete the hormone FSH. FSH kicks off the maturation of a follicle, which is essentially a container for the egg.
To prepare the uterus for pregnancy, the follicle generates more estrogen. Increased estrogen levels prompt a fast spike in Luteinizing Hormone (LH) from the pituitary gland at ovulation, which causes the egg to be released from the follicle.
To continue preparing the uterus for pregnancy, the ruptured follicle (corpus luteum) secretes progesterone and estrogen. If the egg is not fertilized, estrogen and progesterone levels fall, and menstruation begins on Day 28.
There are three phases to the menstrual cycle: follicular, ovulatory, and luteal. The follicular phase lasts during the first half of the cycle, whereas the luteal phase lasts for the second half. Ovulation happens halfway through the cycle, between days 12 and 16, and is known as the ovulatory phase.
To sum it all up, there are four phases in a menstrual cycle...
- The preparation phase is where your body prepares your uterus lining for menstruation.
- Ovulation phase, where the egg is released from the follicle.
- The luteal phase is when your hormone level drops and menstruation begins.
- The fourth phase is also known as the menstruation cycle.
By now you must have gotten a pretty brief idea of how hormones control the menstrual cycle in women. But, it’s not just the menstrual cycle.A lot of health and general wellness is directly related to your hormones. For instance, Bloating, fatigue, irritability, hair loss, palpitations, mood swings, problems with blood sugar, trouble concentrating, and irregular periods, all are related to hormonal imbalance affecting your day-to-day life.Let’s take a look at How hormones affect a woman's life.Hormone imbalance might make you feel weak. Some hormonal changes, such as monthly fluctuations in the sex hormones responsible for menstruation and ovulation, or alterations that occur during pregnancy, are typical. Menopause is another period in a woman's life when her hormones change. During this time, many women may experience weight gain, mood swings, night sweats, and decreased sex drive. Occasionally, these changes are caused by a medicine or a medical condition.To take care of hormonal imbalance to a certain extent, start with keeping your cholesterol in check. The adrenal glands, which are located on top of the kidneys, produce cortisol. Adrenal function and hormone levels are affected by stress. Low-intensity exercise can aid in the reduction of high cortisol levels.Your periods are heavily affected by hormonal imbalance too.The average woman's menstrual cycle lasts between 21 and 35 days. Period irregularities affect up to a quarter of women. This can include periods that are shorter or longer than usual, as well as lighter or heavier periods. Heavy Period cramps or a lack of ovulation might occur in women who have irregular periods. Even if a woman is not pregnant, Amenorrhea is a medical word that refers to a lack of periods for at least three months. Excessive menstrual bleeding is referred to as Menorrhagia. Dysmenorrhea is a condition that causes pain and cramps during menstruation. Menstrual bleeding that lasts more than 8 days is known as prolonged menstrual bleeding. Oligomenorrhea is a condition in which periods are irregular or occur every 35 days or more. If you suspect a hormonal imbalance is influencing your menstrual cycle, we recommend you see your doctor.It’s pretty, unreal how hormones can have a grip on your day-to-day life.Here are some key takeaways which you can use to make things easier for yourself.Some cases of mood disruption may be caused by hormonal imbalance. Before and during their periods, many women feel irritation, mood fluctuations, despair, and anxiety. Premenstrual syndrome is linked to these symptoms (PMS). PMDD is a more severe version of premenstrual syndrome (PMS). Women with PMS or PMDD appear to be more susceptible to hormonal fluctuations. Estrogen affects dopamine, serotonin, and norepinephrine, among other neurotransmitters. These symptoms can be alleviated by not smoking or consuming alcohol. Excessive Caffeine, sweets, and sodium should all be avoided.
Why the dietary restrictions you ask?Well, because Sodium causes bloating and water retention. You will gain weight if you consume too much sugar, fat, and calories. Falling estrogen levels also influence leptin, a hunger-suppressing hormone.To help prevent PMS and encourage good blood sugar levels, consume lean meats if you prefer eating non-vegetarian food, otherwise introduce a healthy amount of protein fats, complex carbs, whole grains, and fresh fruits and vegetables according to your day to day life and bodily requirements.Not just you go through constant changes and monthly menstrual cycles till perimenopause and menopause phase.There are some specific changes you should know about what your body goes through during these two phases of your life too.
Because fewer ovulations occur during perimenopause, hormone levels fluctuate, and less progesterone is produced in the second half of the menstrual cycle. Periods may be irregular, missing, or accompanied by excessive bleeding or clots. Symptoms are caused by a shift in the estrogen-to-progesterone ratio, therefore the imbalance causes the symptoms.Estrogen is no longer produced by the ovaries and is instead produced in lower amounts by the adrenal glands and adipose tissue during menopause. Estrogen is still generated in the body, albeit in smaller quantities than in younger cyclists. The loss of progesterone is the most major hormone alteration after menopause, therefore a period of estrogen dominance and low progesterone is common.Now that you’re aware of the effects and the process, let’s take a look at some primary hormones affecting and controlling your day to day life along with the menstrual cycle.
References :
https://womeninbalance.org/about-hormone-imbalance/
https://www.healthline.com/health/womens-health/stages-of-menstrual-cycle#luteal
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Content Credit: Aayush Kundnani
