The effects of misfiring sex hormones to the brain

The hormones regulating sexual response in humans are testosterone, estrogen, progesterone, oxytocin, and vasopressin.  Testosterone is most prevalent in males and estrogen and progesterone in females. Oxytocin and vasopressin are present equally in both men and women.

Each hormone plays a specific function in sexual motivation and response. Testosterone encourages males to compete for the attention of females. Estrogen increases sexual motivation in women, and is most elevated during ovulation, while at the same time progesterone, which lowers female sexual motivation, is lower. Oxytocin is associated with sexual pleasure and is the hormone responsible for forming emotional bonds. Vasopressin levels are raised during arousal in males, and may contribute towards increased sexual motivation.

When released at regular levels and at the correct times in response to ovulatory cycles or sexual stimulus, these hormones create the motivation for sexual reproduction and increase the pleasure response that it generates.

However, when these hormones are out of balance or secreted at the wrong time, they can have very adverse effects on one’s wellbeing.

Many women are aware of the link between hormones and mental health, having experienced it on a monthly basis in the form of PMS and mood swings in the time approaching the onset of her menstrual cycle. When the body undergoes puberty, the rising and falling hormone levels also result in mood swings, depression, irritability, and aggression. Pregnancy also releases a flood of hormones which affect mood and can in some women cause severe post-partum depression after giving birth. Menopause and menopausal symptoms of irritability, erratic behavior, changes in sex drive, brain fog, and hot flashes are also all the result of hormones being out of balance.

Although the mechanics of hormone-induced mental health issues are not fully understood, it would appear from the reactions that estrogen and progesterone, particularly, interact with the production and reception of serotonin and GABA (gamma-aminobutyric acid) neurotransmitters in the brain. The fluctuation of estrogen and progesterone around the time of menstruation causes PMS and also PMDD or premenstrual dysphoric disorder. PMDD manifests in severe depression and anxiety, as well as seasonal affective disorder (SAD). PMDD sufferers have been misdiagnosed as bi-polar or with any of some other psychological disorders, because of the havoc wreaked by their hormones on their brain chemistry.

One sufferer in Cornwall stated: “The most bizarre part is that as soon as I start bleeding it goes away. Literally 30 minutes or an hour later and I feel totally normal again. Like I’ve been in a fog for a week and then I just step out”. However, she says of the week to ten days before her period: “Smells are stronger, sounds are louder, things that don’t bother me normally become a major issue, I’m clumsy and accident prone, totally exhausted and emotional. As I get closer to my period all of that intensifies and gets coupled with an extreme self-loathing, sometimes even suicidal thoughts. I look in the mirror, and my whole face looks different, distorted and not myself. It sounds bonkers; it feels bonkers.”

This disorder affects approximately 5% of menstruating women, although the prevalence may be much higher but simply go unreported.

And women are not the only sufferers. Men who experience an excess of estrogen are prone to depression and mood swings as well. Too little testosterone will display in symptoms such as fatigue, weight gain, loss of libido, and depression.

Check out our Integrative Addiction Conference 2016 being held in Austin, Texas

Tests and studies carried out in a Canadian ice hockey team yielded some results regarding the effect of testosterone on mood and mental health, and showed a direct correlation between testosterone levels and confidence and aggression. The research into the link between testosterone and competitiveness returns very mixed results depending on the baseline personality of the subject.

Excess testosterone is metabolized into estrogen, which in some men results in metal health issues which are often diagnosed as bi-polar disorder. Studies conducted on some such patients which included hormone replacement therapy instead of the bi-polar medication which they had been taking showed positive results in their behavior and mental health.

Testosterone has also been shown to have a causal effect on egocentric and anti-social behavior. Also, low testosterone levels in men have been found to have a detrimental effect on sleep patterns. Disrupted sleep can have many psychological and physiological consequences, including heart disease, diabetes, stroke, obesity, and depression.

Diagnosing and recognizing hormone-related disorders is the challenge. Very often this cause is overlooked and remains untreated. Regulating hormone levels in cases of mental health issues could present a long-term solution. Much research and study in this area are still necessary to fully understand and determine the link between the hormones and mental health.

The effect of hormones on mental health and wellbeing will be one of the topics under discussion at the upcoming Integrated Addiction Conference. Register online at http://regenerativepotential.com/integrativeaddictionconference/ for access to the forum and discussions and to attend the event.