Staying healthy through the different phases of hormonal life
The human body is subject to hormonal fluctuations throughout life, and these variations can have an impact on our bodies. Three phases of life when hormones play a key role are puberty, pregnancy and menopause. At each of these stages, it’s crucial to understand the associated health risks and take preventive measures to ensure optimal well-being. In this article, we’ll look at the health risks associated with each hormonal phase and the precautions to take.
Puberty and its risks
Puberty marks the beginning of sexual maturation in adolescents, accompanied by significant hormonal changes. This phase is essential for both physical and emotional development. During adolescence, the brain triggers the release of hormones from the ovaries: estrogen and progesterone.
Estrogen is responsible for the development of the female organs during puberty, but also affects mood and libido, as well as having an effect on the body (e.g. fat distribution, bone consolidation, blood circulation, etc.). Progesterone is produced by the ovaries and helps create a favorable climate for pregnancy. Thanks to these two hormones, the hormonal cycle and the ovarian cycle are established and repeated until the menopause, allowing ovulation every 28 days in several phases.
At puberty, it’s common to suffer from headaches or acne, due in part to the hyper-functioning of the sebaceous glands. However, certain health risks may arise:
- Mental health:
Hormonal fluctuations can also affect teenagers’ mental health, increasing the risk of depression and anxiety. Adolescence, with the onset of puberty, represents a developmental period during which there is greater vulnerability for the emergence of psychopathologies.
- Cardiovascular risks:
During puberty, it’s crucial to pay attention to eating habits and physical activity, as unhealthy choices can contribute to obesity, hypertension and high cholesterol levels.
- Type 2 diabetes:
The critical time for diabetes is puberty. At this age, the risk of developing type 2 diabetes increases if there is a genetic predisposition. The body changes, particularly in terms of hormones, and growth stops at the end of puberty.
To minimize health risks during puberty, it’s essential to take preventive measures and promote a healthy lifestyle. It’s important to adopt a balanced diet, avoid excess sugar and fat, and encourage regular physical activity to maintain good health and strengthen muscles and bones.
Pregnancy risks
Pregnancy is a period of profound hormonal and physiological change for women. Hormone levels are completely altered during pregnancy. In the first trimester, the body produces more and more progesterone, which can cause a major bout of fatigue. Estrogen levels then rise considerably as pregnancy progresses, having a major impact on mood. This helps to restore energy.
These pregnancy hormones also support fetal development, thickening the uterine wall to accommodate the fetus, skin and hair, and enabling lactation, for example. Acting on other organs, they can have less desirable effects, such as constipation, fainting, water retention and anxiety.
During this period, it’s important to keep an eye on certain health risks:
- Cardiovascular risks:
The biological changes linked to pregnancy represent a high-risk situation for cardiovascular disease. Pregnant women may be prone to high blood pressure, pre-eclampsia and other cardiovascular complications, requiring regular medical monitoring.
- Gestational diabetes:
Gestational or gestational diabetes is an increase in blood sugar levels that appears during pregnancy and disappears after delivery. It has an impact on the health of both mother and child. During pregnancy, a pregnant woman’s blood sugar regulation changes. Gestational diabetes is a disorder of sugar tolerance, with a more or less marked increase in glycemia (the amount of sugar in the blood). The risk of gestational diabetes is increased if the pregnant woman is overweight, has a history of diabetes or suffers from polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS).
- Stroke and blood clots:
Hormonal changes during pregnancy can increase the risk of blood clots and stroke, particularly in women with pre-existing risk factors. The risk of stroke is three times higher in pregnant women than in young adults. Pregnant women undergo physiological changes that are likely to increase the risk of vascular events. Gestational hypertension, overweight or gestational diabetes, which are common in pregnant women, increase the risk of stroke. Stroke remains a rare event during pregnancy, estimated at 10/100,000 deliveries.
To minimize health risks during pregnancy, it’s important to take preventive measures and benefit from appropriate medical follow-up. Adopting a healthy diet, being active and managing stress can help reduce cardiovascular and stroke risks. Regular medical check-ups and open communication with health professionals are also essential to ensure a healthy pregnancy.
Menopause: What are the health implications?
Menopause marks the end of the fertile period for women, and is characterized by a significant drop in sex hormone levels. Menopause is a natural phenomenon. It occurs when the ovaries stop secreting hormones (estrogen and progesterone) and forming an egg every month. Menopause can lead to potential symptoms such as hot flushes, insomnia, fatigue, irritability…
However, menopause also increases the risk of certain diseases:
- Osteoporosis:
Lower estrogen levels have long-term consequences for bones, blood vessels and the heart. After menopause, the risk of bone demineralization is higher, leading to bone fragility and fracture in the event of a fall: this is osteoporosis. This pathology mainly affects post-menopausal women, with a prevalence two to three times higher than in men of the same age. Discover our article on the link between menopause and osteoporosis in 5 questions.
- Cardiovascular disease:
Although the risk of cardiovascular disease (hypertension, coronary heart disease, atherosclerosis, heart attack, stroke) is lower in women than in men, it nevertheless increases after menopause. Ten years after menopause, the risks for women are as high as for men of the same age. In fact, the drop in female hormones can increase the risk of cardiovascular disease, and certain factors such as smoking and being overweight accentuate this risk. It’s therefore essential to maintain a healthy lifestyle and have blood pressure and cholesterol levels checked regularly.
- Weight gain :
Hormonal changes can make weight management more difficult during menopause. This weight gain is linked to an increase in fatty tissue, with a change in the distribution of fat, which accumulates mainly on the stomach (and much less on the thighs and buttocks), while muscle mass decreases.
Although menopause is inevitable, it is possible to take preventive measures and manage the associated health risks. Adopting a healthy lifestyle, a balanced diet rich in calcium and vitamin D, combined with regular physical activity and stress management can help strengthen bones and prevent osteoporosis. Regular check-ups can monitor cholesterol levels, blood pressure and other risk factors for cardiovascular disease.
Conclusion
Hormonal fluctuations at different stages of life can have a significant impact on cardiovascular health, diabetes, stroke and other health risks. It’s crucial to be aware of these risks and to take preventive measures right from puberty by adopting a healthy lifestyle, paying particular attention to diet and exercise. During pregnancy, regular medical monitoring is essential to detect and manage any risks. Finally, during the menopause, preventive measures such as a balanced diet and regular check-ups can help maintain good health. By taking care of our health during each hormonal phase, we can improve our overall well-being and reduce the risk of future complications.
To alleviate the symptoms of this phase of life, MiYé offers natural solutions designed for these various imbalances, to support women’s cycles in a natural and environmentally-friendly way. Discover the Miyé range, which includes infusions, dietary supplements, balancing intimate gels and other treatments dedicated to this period.
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