Many women, especially those who have a demanding career or who are trying to juggle both work and family commitments will have times of feeling low or overwhelmed. These periods can be frightening, especially if a woman is used to feeling positive, in control and living their best life.
Around 19.7% of UK adults have shown symptoms of anxiety or depression, and these mental health issues are shown to be more prevalent in women (22.5% compared with 16.8% of males).
Whilst it is completely normal that everyone has moments that they feel low or down, especially if they are dealing with difficult circumstances or events, it is important to make the distinction between this and depression. The latter is a condition which requires appropriate treatment and is a state of ongoing low mood irrespective of circumstances that can lead to feelings of pessimism, despair and an inability to cope. Those who suffer from depression find that it often affects many areas of their lives, interfering with their ability to work, sleep, eat well and enjoy activities which they would otherwise find fun or pleasurable.
There are four main hormones that have a significant effect on mood: estrogen, progesterone, testosterone and cortisol. These are produced by glands in the sexual organs. This is how each hormone can affect mood:
- Estrogen can improve your mood by supporting serotonin levels in the brain.
- Progesterone can alleviate mood swings, irritability, and depression, having an overall calming effect.
- Testosterone is an uplifting hormone and helps with a sense of wellbeing and confidence.
- Cortisol is a released as a stress response and becomes raised at the expense of sex hormones, which in turn creates an imbalance of the thyroid hormones. It can cause irritability, anxiety and other negative moods.
During various life stages that a women will go through, levels of estrogen, testosterone and progesterone fluctuate. As all hormones improve mood, an imbalance can bring about low mood and depression. Some women may also experience other psychological side effects of such as brain fatigue, forgetfulness and increased anxiety, which may contribute to the severity of depression.
When the glands produce too much or not enough of a particular hormone, this can severely impact mood and, in some cases, lead to depression. Women are more likely to experience depression due to hormonal changes associated with female-specific biological changes and life events such as premenstrual syndrome (PMS) and premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD), pregnancy, perimenopause and menopause
Hormones when well-balanced control every function in the body; from sleep, metabolism, fertility, energy, weight management, moods and intellect, just to name a few. However, hormones in disarray cause havoc in our life, from symptoms of premenstrual tension such as mood swings, anxiety, insomnia, weight gain and fatigue to the extremes of post-natal depression, severe anxiety and panic disorder to paranoia and psychosis.
Many patients going through a hormonal imbalance and have been diagnosed with depression will have been prescribed medication such as antidepressants by their GP or a mental health specialist. However, in some cases – usually where there is no prior history of depression – antidepressants may not be the most effective treatment. A lot of women who are misdiagnosed with depression and can feel a lot better on bioidentical hormones treatment, which gets to the root of the problem and can make a huge difference to mood and anxiety levels.
Naturally mood boosting foods
Serotonin makes us happy and reduces anxiety, grief and hunger. We can boost our serotonin levels by adding more foods containing l-tryptophan, which the body uses to make serotonin.
- Oats with their complex carbohydrates and soluble fibre can slow the absorption of sugar into our bloodstream and increase serotonin.
- Cacao can help stimulate the brain into releasing neurotransmitters, which can in turn release feel-good hormones, including phenylethylamine (PEA), a compound more commonly known as the ‘love drug’ thanks to the feeling of calm it invokes. PEA can also help to enhance mental focus and concentration, counter depression and anxiety and improve our moods in general. On top of its PEA levels, cacao is packed with l-tryptophan. temperature and this reduces the enzyme content which lowers the overall nutritional value.
- Brazil nuts are loaded with selenium. Research has shown a connection between low selenium levels and depression, making brazil nuts a perfect snack for anyone with a low mood.
- Bananas are packed with l-tryptophan and B6 (B vitamins support the breakdown of stress hormones and the build-up of serotonin). As stress will deplete the body’s potassium reserves, the potassium found in a banana can provide a boost that can actually lower stress.
- Milk and yogurt both contain vitamin D and yogurt is high in protein and calcium, which can also ease anxiety and mood swings.
How to treat menopausal depression with BHRT?
In order to treat someone suffering from depression using bioidentical hormone replacement a full patient history is the first step. This includes appropriate tests to discover whether a hormone imbalance could indeed be the cause of a patient’s depression. If depression caused by hormone fluctuations is diagnosed, a bespoke treatment plan of bioidentical hormones can then be prescribed along with appropriate support and participation from the patient.
