Hormones: What They Do, How They Work and How To Harness Their Power

We have over 50 different hormones in our bodies, each of them carrying messages from one part of the body to another, governing everything from our moods to our metabolism. At Lena, we believe that understanding our hormones helps us to navigate the world with more awareness and compassion for ourselves and others, so across two articles we are diving into four key female hormones - what they do, how they work and the ways we can support them.

Why It's Important To Know Our Hormones Inside Out

In many ways, our hormones are communicating with us - they can act as the bridge between the body and mind. The effects of our hormones can be felt physically and mentally, giving us a picture of what is going on inside our bodies. When we are given the knowledge to understand what that symptom is trying to tell us, we can then find a tailored solution for the problem. Without this knowledge, we are left in the dark about our own bodies - which is exactly what we're trying to change here at Lena.

For females, this is exceptionally powerful. Female hormones change throughout the month, they go up and down on an infradian rhythm (lasting more than 24 hours), whereas male hormones are on a diurnal rhythm, i.e. up and down within 24 hours. The change in levels of testosterone in males is not comparable to the drop in oestrogen for females; oestrogen levels can vary up to 10x between their highest and lowest points throughout the cycle. This significant hormonal drop is one of the largest in human biology - and it happens every month for females.

Understanding Oestrogen: The Builder

Oestrogen is a potent hormone that stimulates and maintains many fundamental systems in the body. Think of oestrogen as the builder, the construction worker, the one who lays the foundation upon which other hormones act and then control too. It is proliferative, meaning it stimulates growth.

There are three main types of oestrogen in the body (there are around 15 in total), each with a slightly different function and potency. They include:

Oestradiol (E2): The strongest and most potent form. It is the dominant form throughout our reproductive lives until we reach menopause. It supports the release of an egg, heart and blood vessel health, bone health, skin and brain function.
Oestrone (E1): The post-menopausal form of oestrogen, produced in adipose (fat) tissue, the adrenal glands, skin and the brain.
Oestriol (E3): This is the dominant form of oestrogen during pregnancy, which is slightly weaker and formed from oestradiol.

Oestrogen is fundamental to myriad processes and systems in the body. Let's dive in to just some of its key roles:

Building the endometrium. Oestrogen is responsible for the growth of your uterine lining, which sheds each month to result in your period bleed if a pregnancy has not occurred. Every month, oestrogen stimulates the growth of blood vessels to build a brand new lining - a process which takes an enormous amount of energy and cellular organisation. It really is an incredible hormone that we (literally) couldn't live without.
Development of female sex organs such as the ovaries.
A healthy libido. Female sexual desire fluctuates throughout the month, often correlated to rising and falling oestrogen levels. Higher oestrogen levels around the middle of the cycle correlate to ovulation and the fertile window (when you can get pregnant), the role of oestrogen here is to improve sexual desire to increase the chance of reproduction (body is saying have sex, make a baby please!).
Puberty. Oestrogen is involved in the development and growth of breasts, hips, thighs, pubic hair and the menstrual cycle.
Breast health. Oestrogen stimulates the proliferation and growth of breast tissue, this is why high levels can result in breast tenderness. Oestrogen can also be implicated in breast cancer, where there is uncontrolled growth of breast tissue.
Vaginal health. It is crucial in maintaining vaginal lubrication and the balance of our vaginal microbiome (the population of bacteria which inhabit the vagina).

How Oestrogen Levels Change Throughout The Cycle

Importantly, oestrogen levels change throughout our cycle. On Day 1 of your cycle (the first day of your period), oestrogen levels are at their lowest. They rise slowly throughout the follicular phase, then reach a peak around Day 14, when ovulation occurs. Ovulation is typically a time of productivity, high energy and confidence, largely due to oestrogen.

After Day 14, oestrogen drops precipitously and this is felt as lower energy and feeling less sociable. About half way through the luteal phase, oestrogen rises again but it is only a small spike - your body's way of trying to secure one last chance at pregnancy. You may feel a boost of energy or mood mid-luteal because of this. Following the mini peak, it stays low until the end of the luteal phase and into the next cycle, where it will rise again.

High vs. Low Oestrogen: What To Look For

When oestrogen is too high, we can experience any number of symptoms, including but not limited to:

Headaches/migraines, swollen or tender breasts, mood disturbances (such as anger, irritability, anxiety), difficulty getting or maintaining pregnancy, emotional PMS and mid-cycle pain.

When oestrogen is too low, we can also experience a variety of different symptoms, including but not limited to:

Sporadic or short periods, amenorrhoea (absent period), anovulation (absence of ovulation), hot flashes, period blood that is light in colour, low sex drive, vaginal dryness, dry skin or eyes, brain fog and depression.

It is important to note that high or low oestrogen refers to the level of oestrogen when compared to progesterone, i.e. the ratio between the two. So oestrogen can be high, or dominant, not because of a problem with oestrogen but relative to low progesterone. That's why symptoms of high oestrogen are very similar to symptoms of low progesterone.

Foods To Support Oestrogen Levels

Supporting our oestrogen levels can be done through diet, exercise and stress management. In the second half of the cycle, oestrogen declines as it is no longer required to build the endometrium lining and promote sexual desire (the window for fertilisation has passed). We want to support the breakdown and excretion of oestrogen (largely done by the liver and gut), a process known as oestrogen metabolism. If oestrogen is not broken down, levels will remain high, which can disrupt the normal flow of the menstrual cycle and result in symptoms of oestrogen dominance.

Try any of the following foods if you think you have high oestrogen:

Probiotic foods such as sauerkraut, kimchi, miso, tempeh, kombucha, kefir and yoghurt.
Cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli, kale, cauliflower, cabbage, bok choy and brussels sprouts.
Vitamin-C rich foods to raise progesterone levels and therefore balance oestrogen: kiwis, bell peppers and oranges.
Healthy fats such as olive oil, avocados, walnuts, chia seeds and coconut.

Try any of the following foods if you think you have low oestrogen:

Soy products like tofu, tempeh, soy milk, edamame and miso. These contains isoflavones, which are a type of phytoestrogen. Phytoestrogens function in a similar way to oestrogen, though it's important to note that they do not work the same for everyone.
Flaxseeds support oestrogen processing in the body and are a great source of omega-3 fatty acids too.
Dark chocolate is rich in flavonoids, which can act in a similar way to oestrogen and mimic its effects on the body. Bonus points for being high in magnesium and delicious!
Vitamin D rich foods like mushrooms, egg yolks, cod-liver oil and fish. Vitamin D is very important for oestrogen metabolism, as well as supporting bone health, which can suffer massively when oestrogen does decline.

Understanding Progesterone: The Protector

Progesterone is a powerful and skilled hormone that is dominant in the second half of the menstrual cycle, the luteal phase. It is produced by the corpus luteum, which is the empty follicle which the egg has been released from. Throughout the luteal phase, progesterone is released in order to prepare and maintain the lining of the endometrium in case of a pregnancy. Think of progesterone as the interior decorator: it builds on the work of oestrogen and helps to keep it in check.

Progesterone has many functions, not just for reproductive health but across the entire body. Recent studies have found that progesterone is incredibly neuroprotective -meaning it supports our brain, nerves and spinal cord - so much so that it can be used to treat patients with traumatic brain injuries, how incredible! Let's have a look at some of its main roles:

Sleep regulation. Progesterone increases levels of melatonin, AKA the sleep hormone. Therefore, when levels of progesterone are low (such as in the later luteal phase or during perimenopause), melatonin also decreases leading to disrupted sleep or poorer quality sleep.
Protecting against uterine and breast cancer. Progesterone is a Protector - it keeps the proliferative, stimulating effects of oestrogen in check to stop excess tissue growth.
Mood regulation and easing anxiety (read below for more information)
Brain health. Progesterone is highly anti-inflammatory, it has been shown to reduce the degeneration of nerve cells and support healthy nerve function.
Breast health. As above, the anti-inflammatory effects of progesterone help to keep breast growth in check.

If you have any of the following symptoms, you may have low progesterone:

Breakthrough bleeding or spotting towards
Anxiety or low mood before your period
Heavy menstrual flow
Shorter menstrual cycles (the progesterone drop is early, therefore the luteal phase is shorter and your period arrives sooner)
Swollen or painful breasts (high oestrogen causes this and progesterone normally protects against it, but if levels are low then it cannot)
Poor sleep in the luteal phase

If you're experiencing any of the above, try eating the following throughout your cycle but particularly in the luteal phase:

Food rich in Vitamin B6 such as chickpeas, tuna, organ meats (such as beef liver), salmon and leafy greens.
Foods high in Zinc such as cashews, almonds, chickpeas, kidney beans and shellfish.
Foods rich in Vitamin C to support the development of the corpus luteum.
Omega-3 fatty acids (sardines, walnuts, flaxseeds, edamame) to support the production of progesterone.

Progesterone and Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder (PMDD)

Progesterone is normally broken down into a compound known as allopregnanolone, which usually has a calming effect on the body as it stimulates GABA receptors. Stay with me here: GABA is a chemical in the brain known as a neurotransmitter, and it typically has a calming effect on the body.

Like a lock and key, when GABA binds to its receptor, it usually slows things down and helps you to feel calm and steady. Allopregnanolone also binds to these receptors during the luteal phase, which helps to calm things down.

In one theory of PMDD, it is believed that the body does not respond correctly to the allopregnanolone - it aggravates the GABA receptors instead, causing you to feel irritable, anxious or angry. This has really changed the way that researchers are approaching PMDD, it is not a condition of high or low hormones - there is a biological dysfunction at the cellular level.

More research is needed, but studies at The University of Uppsala in Sweden have made huge waves in understanding why this might be happening. If you'd like to learn more, check out this report by Samphire Neuro.

You can learn more about PMDD on the Lena blog here: Understanding PMDD.

How To Support Your Hormones Holistically

There are many ways to help the production and clearance of your hormones to maintain a healthy equilibrium. Today, we'll focus on three main areas:

Eating for your hormones: consuming less processed foods, more omega-3 fatty acids, whole foods, herbal teas, healthy fats, cruciferous vegetables and fermented foods will support your body. But it's not just what we eat - it's how. If you're always eating on the go, late at night and barely chewing before you've swallowed the food, your body also can't relax enough to properly digest food, which is detrimental.
Prioritise eating more mindfully: no phone or distractions, chew your food more than you have been, put the fork or spoon down between bites, sip water between bites, try having breakfast at the same time each day and take a 5-10 minute walk after eating. These are small changes that will help your body calm down, slow down and ease into a rest and digest state.
Getting a good night's sleep: The importance of sleep on your hormonal health cannot be underestimated. Ask yourself: Do I fall asleep easily? Do I wake multiple times in the night? Do I wake up feeling rested? In the later part of our menstrual cycle, and in peri-menopause, declining progesterone levels can disrupt our sleep and we may find it more difficult to fall asleep.
In a negative feedback loop, poor sleep disrupt hormones and unbalanced hormones will disrupt sleep. Research has shown that women are at a greater risk of insomnia than men, believed to be largely due to our drop in hormones through the month. It's so important to have a healthy sleep routine: winding down properly, reducing blue light early in the evening, reduce the temperature of your bedroom, making your bedroom a sanctuary for sleep. Prioritising sleep is prioritising your hormones - more on this in a later article.
Treat exercise and rest with equal importance: You might train at the gym five times a week and run marathons, but we need to make sure we prioritise rest, too. Over-exercising can put the body into a state of stress, which can result in you losing your period - many athletes can attest to this.Losing your period is not healthy and if you have unexpectedly lost your period for 3 months or more, you should be investigate it further.
We need to make sure we are resting when we need to, to ensure our body knows that it is safe. Always going at 100mph through life is, unfortunately, not optimum for your hormonal health.

If you've enjoyed this article, make sure you come back for part two, where we are diving into Luteinizing Hormone (LH) and Follicle Stimulating Hormone (FSH). Thank you for ready, if you have any feedback or questions please don't hesitate to get in touch.

Written and edited by Dr Rachel Denham, a trained medic and Women's Health Practitioner, who has worked across the charity and humanitarian sector and now specialises in women's health. Rachel is the creator of Bloody Nora, a women's health and wellbeing zine that fuses storytelling, art and science.

Sources:

https://emedicine.medscape.com/article/2089003-overview
https://www.samphireneuro.com/en-us/blog/why-your-brain-reacts-differently-to-progesterone-the-allo-theory-of-pmdd?srsltid=AfmBOopIN-Ch4PmxeUuD_nVxyKFoirW8OGtPk_2BUtyr5JHFv8vHPTBx
https://www.womenshealthnetwork.com/hormonal-imbalance/estrogen-dominance-diet/
https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/321919#natural-remedies
https://nutritionsource.hsph.harvard.edu/vitamin-b6/
https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/17290-omega-3-fatty-acids