Tag Archives: depression

Can A Hormone Imbalance Really Cause Depression?

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Georgianna Donadio, MSc, DC, PhD

A research review by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) explored hormonal dysfunction in women as a potential cause for depression. The focus of the investigators and their subsequent report was on how the female reproductive system interacts with the Hypothalamus-Pituitary-Adrenal (HPA) axis, which regulates the body’s stress response.

HPA Disruption Consequences

This mechanism can set up a biochemical environment for psychological disorders in females. It was noted that females are twice as likely as men to experience depression. Through the HP-axis, stress in women impacts the reproductive hormones, which can upset patterns of ovulation. This upset can contribute to the loss of menses and to infertility. If the inter-relationship of stress and female reproductive hormones becomes chronic, behavior and mood disorders and depression can increase significantly.

When oxytocin is suppressed due to excessive stress hormones, fertilized eggs cannot implant into the uterus. This is believed to be a primary cause of infertility in American women, owing to our highly stressful lifestyle. Depression, eating disorders, alcoholism or other addictions may also occur with the estrogen-induced disruption of normal HPA function.

The Stress-Less Cure

The key to preventing or correcting the problem as we find in many physiological conditions is to create a more balanced, less stressful lifestyle. If the body’s stress adaptation system becomes overwhelmed, and cannot appropriately adapt to the environment and demands of everyday life, many disorders and conditions can develop, depression being just one of them.

Post-Partum Problems

Regarding post-partum depression, the investigators identified that chronic hyper secretion of the stress hormone cortisol during a pregnancy creates a temporary suppression of adrenal function following delivery. This coupled with the sudden drop of hormonal levels of estrogen after birth may be a significant factor in post-partum depression or subsequent immune dysfunctions such as post-partum thyroid conditions.

Why Balance Is The Key

It is very important for women, because of our very integrated hormonal and nervous systems, to work towards a balanced, low stress life-style. Unlike our male counterparts, our hormonal system immediately lets us know when we are “off center” by delivering loud messages through hormonal dysfunction.

Why Dark Chocolate Is A Good Health Food Choice

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Dark chocolate is booming in gourmet shops, Michelin-starred restaurants, and chocolatiers across the globe–owing in no small part to recent research on the numerous health benefits of this product. Over a decade ago, studies pointing to dark chocolate as a potent health food began. One study, published by researchers at the University of Nottingham, showed that eating chocolate could help boost blood flow to key areas of the brain, thus providing a powerful boost to one’s cognitive skills. Dark chocolate contains many healthful compounds, including flavonols, which can help consumers battle fatigue, sleep deprivation, and even serious illnesses such as heart disease.

Dark Chocolate And Heart Health

The Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology recommends the consumption of dark chocolate because this food helps restore flexibility to arteries and prevents white blood vessels from attaching themselves to the walls of blood vessels. Because artery stiffness and white blood cell adhesion are two major factors involved in atherosclerosis, foods which prevent these processes can play an important role in long-term health. Other studies have shown that dark chocolate lowers blood pressure. To avail of the beneficial effects of dark chocolate, enjoy this guilt-free treat in moderation, and opt for raw chocolate if possible, since it has a higher antioxidant content than heated chocolate.

Dark Chocolate vs Depression

A 2019 study published in the journal, Depression and Anxiety found that dark chocolate may help battle symptoms of depression and lift one’s mood. Scientists took into account factors like height, weight and physical activity, finding that after these adjustments, people who consumed chocolate in two 24-hour periods had a 70% lower likelihood of showing clinical depression. The causal relationship is unclear, though chocolate has long been thought to contain mood-enhancing properties, and it is a popular comfort food in various countries the world over.

Dark Chocolate And Stress

Depression and anxiety are two of the most common mental conditions in America, and stress can be a trigger for both. Stress, when present chronically, can also contribute to conditions like obesity, Type 2 diabetes and heart disease. A study published in the Journal of Proteome Research found that consuming around one and a half ounces of dark chocolate every day for two weeks reduced levels of stress hormones in people who were highly stressed.

Dark Chocolate For Athletes?

Researchers at Kingston University have deemed dark chocolate to be a tasty treat that could give athletes an edge in their training endeavors. This is because it has epicatechin – a type of flavonol (antioxidant) that increases the production of nitric oxide – a substance that dilates blood vessels and reduces oxygen consumption. The study showed that cyclists who ate dark chocolate used up less oxygen when exercising than those who did not. The researchers stated that further research would be required to determine the optimal antioxidant levels in dark chocolate than can boost sporting performance.

Why Make It Dark?

Dark chocolate is richer in antioxidants, but it has an added bonus – it is generally lower in sugar. Moreover, as found in a University of Copenhagen study, it is more filling than milk chocolate, which enables people to reduce their cravings for sweet, salty and refined foods containing unhealthy fats. In this study, participants ate 100 grams of either dark or milk chocolate after a 12-hour fast. After consuming chocolate, they were asked to eat as much pizza as they liked. The results showed that those who had consumed dark chocolate consumed 15% fewer calories afterwards than those who had indulged in milk chocolate.

There are so many reasons why dark chocolate is increasingly being seen as a guilt-free treat. It boosts heart health, helps battle stress, and is linked to a lower rate of depression. When choosing chocolate, choose sugar-free or stevia-sweetened varieties. Aim for chocolate that contains at least 80% of cacao to ensure it is truly ‘dark.’

Join the conversation. If you enjoyed this article, be sure to follow NIWH on Facebook and Twitter for regular updates filled with useful health advocacy program information for holistic nurses and health coaches.

Author Credit: Allie Oliver

Female Hormones and Depression

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depressi

Recent research review by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) looked at hormonal dysfunction in women as potential causes for depression. This should be of interest as it lends to the mindset of clients with depression.

The focus of the review by the investigators and their subsequent report was on how the female reproductive system interacts with the Hypothalamus-Pituitary-Adrenal (HPA) axis, which regulates the body’s stress response. This mechanism can set up a biochemical environment for psychological disorders in females. It was noted that females are twice as likely as men to experience depression.

Through the HP-axis, stress in women impacts the reproductive hormones which can upset patterns of ovulation. This upset can contribute to the lost of menses and to infertility. If the inter-relationship of stress and female reproductive hormones becomes chronic, then behavior and mood disorders and depression can increase significantly.  We know that when oxytocin is suppressed due to excessive stress hormones, fertilized eggs cannot implant into the uterus. This is believed to be a primary cause of infertility in American women, owing to our highly stressful lifestyle.

Depression, eating disorders, alcoholism or other addictions may occur with the estrogen-induced disruption of normal HPA function. The key to preventing or correcting the problem as we find in many physiological conditions is to create a more balanced, less stressful lifestyle. If the body’s stress adaptation system becomes overwhelmed, and cannot appropriately adapt to the environment and demands of everyday life, many disorders and conditions can develop, depression being just one of them.

Regarding postpartum depression, the investigators identified that chronic hypersecretion of the stress hormone cortisol during pregnancy creates a temporary suppression of adrenal function following delivery. This coupled with the sudden drop of hormonal levels of estrogen after birth may be a significant factor in postpartum depression or subsequent immune dysfunctions such as postpartum thyroid conditions.

It is very important for women, because of our very integrated hormonal and nervous systems, to work towards a balanced, low-stress lifestyle. Unlike our male counterpart, our hormonal system immediately lets us know when we are “off-center” by delivering loud messages through hormonal dysfunction.

Join the conversation. If you enjoyed this article, be sure to follow NIWH on Facebook and Twitter for regular updates filled with useful health coach certification information for holistic nurses and health advocates.

Are Females More Prone To Depression?

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It comes as no surprise to most women that there is a relationship between their hormone fluctuation and the potential for experiencing depression. Nonetheless, studies of this connection have not been pursued until fairly recently.

A short time ago, the prestigious National Institutes of Health (NIH) looked at this subject and explored the potential relationship between hormonal dysfunction and depression in women. The published report specifically reviewed how the female reproductive system interacts with the Hypothalamus-Pituitary-Adrenal (HPA) axis. This is a major regulatory mechanism of the body's stress response.

With important data showing that women are twice as likely as men to experience depression, it becomes powerful to recognize that it is this mechanism which sets up a biochemical environment for depression. Stress in women impacts the reproductive hormones which can upset patterns of ovulation, hormone secretion and implantation. Mediated through the HP-axis, this upset can contribute to the loss of menses and to infertility.

If the stress becomes chronic and exerts an ongoing imbalance on the female reproductive hormones, then it makes sense that behavior, mood disorders and depression can significantly increase. When the powerful reproductive, love hormone oxytocin is suppressed due to excessive stress hormones, fertilized eggs cannot implant into the uterus. This significant result of chronic stress is believed to be a primary cause of infertility in American women.

A key to preventing or correcting the problem is to create a more balanced, less stressful lifestyle. When our body's stress adaptation system becomes overwhelmed, many disorders and conditions can develop, depression being just one of them.

The NIH investigators reported that regarding postpartum depression, ongoing hyper-secretion of the stress hormone cortisol during pregnancy creates a temporary drop in adrenal function following delivery. This hormonal change coupled with the plummeting levels of estrogen after giving birth may be an important factor in post-partum depression and possibly in immune dysfunctions, such as postpartum thyroid conditions.

 

 

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