Did you know that women and men have the same set of hormones?
It's nice to understand that you control your mood, well-being, weight, skin condition - and not your hormones. But it also happens the other way around, and then I want to know why this is so.
The Village Belarus had a lot of questions about hormones, and we went to see a specialist. Irina Tretyak is an endocrinologist at a private medical center in Minsk, who has been practicing since 1994. This conversation turned out to be a most interesting, almost popular science lecture - it even contains information about PMS and sexaholics, contraceptives and young “hypochondriacs”.
Irina Tretyak is an endocrinologist, a doctor of the first category and. Work experience - since 1994
Hormones, mood and well-being
- Let's start with the most exciting thing. How are hormones related to our mood? How do you know if you're just not in the mood or if hormones are to blame?
— When a woman’s mood is disturbed, it is most often premenstrual syndrome. There is a lot of the hormone progesterone, which causes fluid retention in the body and changes your mood. Some people do not experience PMS: some tissues are more sensitive, while others are completely insensitive.
— So, this is not a far-fetched problem?
- This is not a far-fetched problem. And this needs to be treated, medications prescribed. And if we are talking about the influence of other hormones, it could be thyrotoxicosis, which we will talk about later. But the picture there is very bright, it’s not just irritability. Sex hormones also affect mood: their decrease causes both bad mood and muscle weakness - in both men and women.
— What can cause a decrease in the production of sex hormones?
- From diseases of the genital organs that change their structure. There is also an indirect effect of other hormones. In addition, chronic fatigue and chronic stress can affect the production of sex hormones.
— What comes first: hormones cause disruptions in mood, or mood and external causes influence hormones?
“It’s kind of like the egg and chicken riddle.”
— Can hormones cause depression?
— Depression can be caused by a decrease in sex hormones, thyroid hormones - that is, everything that causes disturbances in well-being, discomfort and disruption of the usual lifestyle. Dissatisfaction with one's condition, a feeling of inferiority.
— There is such a rude expression that men often throw at women: “it’s hormones,” when you’re irritated, for example. Or even worse: “You don’t have enough sex.” Can such a statement be medically justified? And can a lack of sex provoke irritability? Hormones are also involved here, right?
— Here the pleasure hormone dopamine is more involved.
Age and intimate life
It’s worth starting at the age corresponding to the onset of puberty – 14 years. If you believe the average statistical data, the majority of girls aged 14 to 20 years are not physiologically ready for sex and are more inclined to show romance. For young men, the picture is the opposite: their physiology is ahead of their psychological development. A man aged 18-22 fully feels attraction, his genitourinary area is fully matured - he is in the mood for sex.
The period from 23 to 31 years is the heyday of male sexuality. The young man is already quite experienced in bed, youthful hypersexuality subsides - the man becomes more selective in choosing a woman. The sexuality of representatives of the weaker half of society at this time is only revealed - the desire to have sex appears. The level of sexual health in both sexes begins to level out during this period. However, often the social aspect (marriage, having children, etc.) leads to a decrease in libido in one or both partners. The age of 32-42 years is the peak of female sexual activity. The woman is experienced, ready to enjoy sex, and knows her body. At this time, men become even more selective in choosing a partner; on a psychological level, they are more inclined to show warmth and care in relationships. The period from 43 to 55 years is a time of hormonal changes in the female body. A woman begins to suffer from a number of diseases (adnexal cysts, mastopathy, hypertension, fibroids of the reproductive organ, etc.), she feels less attractive - sexual activity decreases. The man is relatively active in sexual life. According to experts, the average person retains sexual desire until he is 60-70 years old. In representatives of both sexes during this period it is approximately at the same level.
Lack of sex does not reduce the level of sex hormones and other hormones
— How big is the influence of sexual life on hormonal levels?
- I think not much, if the lack of a constant sex life does not cause much stress. With a negative emotional background, stress cortisol and prolactin can increase - which can lead, if this is a constant history, to disruption of the production of sex hormones, to problems with the menstrual cycle. Everything is tightly interconnected.
— Thyroid and adrenal hormones, as you explained, are responsible for all types of metabolism. So, it happens that a person limits himself, but cannot lose weight precisely because of hormonal problems - and not because he eats a lot?
— Weight gain can occur with a decrease in the functioning of the thyroid gland, with the appearance of insensitivity to your own insulin. In this case, hormonal tests are carried out and treatment is prescribed.
— Hormonal treatment has somehow become fixed in the mind as associated with side effects - in the form of weight gain. Are these justified fears?
— When we prescribe hormonal drugs, we take into account the absolute necessity of their use. When there is no normal life without prescription of a drug. Young people have practically no side effects - youth wins. And in general, in most cases in endocrinology, hormones are prescribed for replacement purposes - instead of what is missing, and here, as a rule, an overdose does not happen. That is, we see practically no side effects.
— How often does weight increase from hormone treatment?
- Steroid anabolic hormones can increase weight. These include birth control and the adrenal hormone prednisolone. Thyroid hormones do not increase weight.
— Contraceptives are probably the most well-known hormonal drugs. I recently came across the opinion that this is simply evil in the flesh. How do you feel about these drugs?
- They can be prescribed as testosterone-lowering drugs in women, as replacement treatment - if the functioning of the ovaries is impaired, and for the intended purpose. There are certain contraindications for use: a predisposition to tumors in the mammary gland, ovaries or uterus. Therefore, in each individual case it is necessary to carefully consider the issue of their purpose.
— Many people like the positive side effects of birth control: improved skin condition, for example. And after stopping birth control, girls complain of acne. How it works?
— When taking contraceptives, the amount of estrogens—female sex hormones—increases, and the amount of androgens—male sex hormones—decreases. This affects the condition of the skin.
Men! Keep the rhythm!
Erection is the main element in a man's sexual life. A clinical study published in the American Journal of Medicine in 2008 found that men who had intercourse once a week experienced half as much erectile dysfunction as men who had sex less than once a week. Also, observation of 900 men over a 5-year period showed that regular sexual activity maintains potency to the same extent as physical exercise.
Beverly Hills-based psychotherapist Fran Walfish and expert on WE TV's Sex Box emphasizes the importance of stimulation in maintaining functionality. She says age increases risks in a man's sex life, such as premature ejaculation and erectile dysfunction. An erection helps keep the nervous system of the penis in good shape and this helps to avoid dysfunction, a condition in which the erection is weak and insufficient for sexual intercourse, or even completely absent.
What should men who suffer from erectile dysfunction do? Fran Walfish recommends that men and women diversify their sex practices - oral sex, the use of sex toys, etc. And when they encounter problems in their sex life, they will be very well equipped to satisfy each other in other ways.
This does not mean that the problem of erectile dysfunction is only a psychological factor. For example, a man with heart disease may become nervous and restless, making the situation even worse. So it is very important for a couple to find a sex life that is safe and satisfying for both partners.
Top 5 Most Influential Hormones
— Are there hormones that are found only in the body of men or only in women?
- There are no such. All are common, only their relationships are different.
— Let's name 5 hormones that are well-known: what is their role and what happens in the body if something is wrong with them.
- You cannot say that some hormones are more influential, others less. All hormones are interconnected and the loss of the role of one hormone leads to a chain of failures in the body. The functioning of the thyroid gland is regulated by thyroid-stimulating hormone. It is produced in the brain, in the pituitary gland. And it forces the thyroid gland to work - in particular, to produce the hormone thyroxine.
If the thyroid gland produces little of it, then the metabolism slows down, fluid is retained in the tissues, the heart rate slows down, and lethargy appears. Lethargy is a nonspecific symptom that can also occur with chronic fatigue, for example. But it could also be hypothyroidism. And its cause may be that the thyroid tissue is affected by autoimmune processes and becomes inoperative and cannot produce the required amount of thyroxine.
It may also be the other way around: other antibodies constantly stimulate the production of thyroxine, resulting in its excess in the blood. Then the metabolism increases, the person loses weight, sweats, the heartbeat quickens, trembling occurs, blood pressure may increase, irritability appears - this is thyrotoxicosis. An experienced endocrinologist sees it even without tests. The skin is hot and damp. For example, with vegetative-vascular dysfunction, with chronic fatigue or with neuroses, the skin is cold and wet.
— You said that we all have the same set of hormones, but the ratio is different. Which is considered one of the most important for women?
— The hormone prolactin is also produced by the pituitary gland and is needed for the mammary glands to secrete milk. Prolactin can also be secreted pathologically: in the presence of a formation in the pituitary gland or when the thyroid gland is depressed. And then the menstrual cycle is disrupted, amenorrhea or ovarian dysfunction may occur.
When prolactin increases greatly, completely full milk is released in nulliparous women, menstruation is absent and thyroid function is reduced.
There is such a genetic “Superman” syndrome
But this syndrome does not make a man feel bad. In general, there is no cure for it. But further examination is required, including from a urologist: increased testosterone in men may be a genetic feature, or it may also be a disease. I myself have not encountered such cases, but urologists and andrologists told me that they often come to them with this problem. Elevated testosterone in women can be the result of dysfunction of the ovaries or adrenal glands.
— What causes a lack of testosterone?
— Lack of testosterone in men can be congenital, or may arise due to dysfunction of the reproductive system due to inflammatory diseases, neoplasms, obesity, overwork, or as a result of exposure to other pathologically elevated hormones, for example, prolactin.
Cortisol is a stress hormone. It is secreted in the adrenal glands and its production is also regulated by the pituitary gland. Cortisol performs many functions: for example, it affects stress resistance - that is, it protects the body. During stress, it is released more. A lot of cortisol can become pathological with tumors of the adrenal glands or pituitary gland.
— How do external events and stress affect cortisol levels? They yelled at you - did you get promoted?
- Certainly. Adrenaline is immediately released - this is also an adrenal hormone, and it starts the process of releasing a number of hormones along the chain. And we see external manifestations: heartbeat, increased blood pressure, palms sweat, face turns red, and so on.
— If this happens often, what is the risk?
“If this chain is endlessly triggered and it happens in difficult, stressful life circumstances, adrenal insufficiency may even occur.
— Serotonin (“hormone of joy”), dopamine (“hormone of pleasure”), endorphin (“hormone of happiness”), oxytocin (“hormone of trust”) - how much does our state, our mood depend on them?
- Their significance is great, of course, since they bind to other hormones. Very important mechanisms for increasing the production of these hormones are food and exercise. The very first reflex is food, and we will never get away from it - we should enjoy food. Both daylight and communication with others play a role here - a state of stress or not stress.
— So there won’t be any life hacks on how to legally stimulate the production of these hormones?
— Reliable ways to influence these hormones are to eat healthy, tasty, varied, move a lot, love yourself, your loved ones, your life, not have bad habits and enjoy every day.
About the importance of female hormones for men
1. About male estrogens. If a man’s hormones do not go beyond the norm, then they have an important task:
- they participate in metabolic processes;
- responsible for the activity of the head brain, memory function;
- affect the functioning of the heart and blood vessels;
- form sexual desire.
The production of estrogen in excess of the norm is called hyperestrogenism and is absolute. If this is due to a lack of androgen hormones (hormones produced only in men), then this is called relative hyperestrogenism. You need to know that the amount of estrogen hormone in a man increases over the years.
After overcoming the 70-year mark, it becomes several times higher in the male body than in the female body.
All this affects the state of health, the following signs are observed:
- the male figure becomes similar to the female;
- the mammary glands change, they enlarge, which is typical for gynecomastia;
- fat deposits form in the abdominal area; older men are prone to obesity;
- fluid accumulates in their body;
- sexual activity decreases;
- the voice changes, its timbre increases;
- the man becomes prone to emotional disorders.
From all of the above, it follows that high concentrations of estrogen, as well as other female hormones, affect men’s disturbances in the development of sperm (male reproductive cells) and decreased libido. Men become prone to obesity and gynecomastia.
Ensuring the norm of estrogen is possible with sufficient production of progesterone.
If estrogen deviates from the norm towards a decrease, the following symptoms are observed:
- various abnormalities will begin in the cardiac and vascular systems;
- physical activity will begin to decrease;
- muscle mass will decrease;
- strength changes in bones and joints, which is the beginning of the development of osteoporosis;
The main form of estrogen is estradiol, the breakdown of which leads to the formation of estriol and estrone. Their predominance is mainly observed in men of retirement age.
One of the features of testosterone being transformed into estrogen leads to the fact that the level of female hormones estradiol most often increases. In addition, soy, protein, legume products, beer, bread, and sweets contain many phytoestrogens. This requires taking, for example, antiestrogens in order to neutralize their excess and thereby avoid violations.
2. About male progesterone. Its benefits are as follows:
- it is responsible for providing the body with testosterone, thanks to which the reproductive system fully develops. Cholesterol forms progesterones, which are further converted into testosterone;
- in addition, progesterone helps maintain estrogen levels, which helps the male body to counteract the appearance in it of properties characteristic of women;
- It happens that testosterone begins to convert. In this case, progesterone prevents the formation of dihydrotestosterone, thereby preventing the development of prostate cancer.
Progesterone levels help the stronger half:
- make bones stronger;
- helps to avoid the serious disease of prostate cancer;
- regulate the metabolic process of water and salt in the body;
- support brain activity;
- normalize the functioning of the heart and blood vessels;
- erection and libido will become full;
- Insomnia will disappear.
If disturbances in the production of this hormone begin, sexual desire will be suppressed, atrophy in the testicles will begin, which will subsequently cause infertility.
3. About male oxytocin and prolactin.
Prolactin is also referred to as a stress hormone. With heavy physical exertion and psychological trauma, its level increases significantly. This hormone leads to an increase in the effect of estrogen, as a result of which gynecomastia develops.
An increase in prolactin leads to disruption of male reproductive ability, as the process in the formation and development of sperm is disrupted. An increase in this hormone helps stimulate prolactin, and depression develops against the background of all this.
The role of the female hormone oxytocin in the body of the stronger half of humanity is as follows: it calms and normalizes the mental and emotional systems.
About suspicious youth
— An endocrinologist is not at all the doctor we go to periodically. And it is necessary?
— Most people come to us through referrals from ophthalmologists, dermatologists, and gynecologists. The same diabetes is often detected by doctors of other specialties based on various indirect signs. Young people also go to the endocrinologist because they read a lot and know everything from the Internet. Treat nonspecific complaints: those that are common to many conditions. Fatigue, irritability, mood changes, weight gain or loss. The endocrinologist asks about life, about other diseases, looks and in advance it is already clear how specific this condition is for endocrinological diseases. And prescribes the scope of examinations.
— It has somehow become fashionable to check your hormones. I recently read a discussion under someone’s post about nutrition: “Have you been tested for cortisol?” Should everyone get these tests?
- Under no circumstances is it worth it. Because if we talk about the hormone norms that each laboratory indicates, then the norm is the most common indication in a large population of those examined. The norm is different for everyone and depends on the clinical manifestations, because we treat not laboratory tests, but the patient himself. The levels of many hormones change in response to different life circumstances: stress, chronic fatigue, inflammation. These circumstances must be assessed every time.
When a person sees an altered hormone, he runs to an endocrinologist, having found a certain picture based on test results, Internet data and complaints. And very often there is nothing there. Healthy. And he goes home disappointed.
- And does this happen often?
- Of course, often. Especially among young people. It can be very difficult to dissuade. And very often such patients require treatment where it does not need to be carried out.
— Returning to those very symptoms of chronic fatigue with which young people so often come to you. Where is actually the best place to go with this?
— This is more a question for psychotherapists, probably. The hormonal picture does not change dramatically with chronic fatigue.
