Hormones
Why your hormones might be holding you back
We often think of our reproductive hormones as incredibly important, and for good reason! When they're out of whack, it can throw everything off: our sleep, energy levels, body temperature, skin health, weight, mood, and even our connections with others. But here's the surprising truth: your body, in its wisdom, doesn't always prioritise these hormones. In fact, it sees them as the "lowest sacrifice" when other systems need attention. This fundamental difference in priorities can become one of the biggest silent struggles in our lives.
Did you know that all your hormones—from cortisol and testosterone to oestrogen, progesterone, and even Vitamin D—are all made from cholesterol? Imagine these vital energy molecules as precious resources needed throughout your entire body. Now, picture your body having to decide whether to allocate these resources to "non-essential" hormone production or to more immediate, survival-focused needs.
This is where stress, often dismissed as a minor inconvenience, plays a huge role. When you're stressed, your body diverts cholesterol to produce more cortisol, preparing you for perceived danger. This comes at the expense of other hormones, a concept sometimes called "pregnenolone steal syndrome." It's a real biological trade-off, and your reproductive hormones are often the ones that lose out.
One of the most frequent outcomes of this hormonal tug-of-war is oestrogen dominance, where a woman's body has disproportionately high levels of oestrogen compared to progesterone. In everyday life, this can manifest as heavy menstrual bleeding, painful period cramps, or even premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD). If left unchecked, oestrogen dominance can contribute to conditions like endometriosis or adenomyosis, both essentially characterized by an excess of oestrogen influence not properly balanced by progesterone.
But stress isn't the only culprit. What if your body is exposed to oestrogen it didn't ask for? This often comes in the form of xenoestrogens—environmental pollutants that mimic oestrogen—found in everything from plastics to certain foods (think plant phytoestrogens).
Then there's the elimination factor. Your liver and intestines are crucial for clearing excess oestrogen from your body. If this process isn't smooth, oestrogen can accumulate, leading to further imbalance. While the science behind this involves complex terms like hydroxylation, glucuronidation, sulfation, methylation and the "estrobolome," the takeaway is simple: supporting your liver and gut health is key to effective oestrogen elimination.
As if that weren't enough, Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS) presents another common hormonal imbalance, though oestrogen isn't the primary driver here. Instead, it's a complex interplay between cortisol and insulin, leading to the overstimulation of a protein in the brain called kisspeptin. While the name "kisspeptin" sounds lovely, its overactivity can lead to your body producing more androgens (male hormones) than it can handle. For women, this often translates to scanty periods (as men typically don't menstruate) and/or increased hair growth on the chin or other areas. A simple hormonal test, often done by healthcare providers (measuring LH and FSH), can give insight into this kisspeptin activity.
Men might be tempted to breathe a sigh of relief, thinking their hormonal landscape is less complicated. While it's true that the male hormonal system is generally less cyclical, deficiency is their biggest hormonal battle. Alarmingly, the average male testosterone level is declining by 1% per year, independent of age. Even young men aged 15-40 are affected, with data revealing a 25% drop in testosterone levels between 1999 and 2016. While there's a lot of discussion around prostate cancer and its potential links, it's a crucial reminder that we can't reduce complex biological systems to just one or two factors.
If you don’t feel optimal, you may want to talk to your healthcare provider about how your hormones are travelling.