Female Hormones and Stress

Yesterday marked the three-year anniversary of my father’s passing. Not exactly the type of anniversary I like to celebrate. Still, I went out into the garden that I planted in his honor and brought in a few tulips to brighten my house.

As the sadness of the day washed over me, I began to feel the typical signs of stress and depression…headache, muscle aches, food cravings, etc. As soon as I realized what was going on, I quickly took note to take a few amino acids.

Not only does stress wreak havoc with your emotions, but it is an ovulation killer as well. And as a woman with estrogen dominance, I cannot afford to have anything interfere with normal ovulation.

When you have estrogen dominance, you have more estrogen and progesterone, thus creating an imbalance in your female hormones. To offset these excess estrogen levels, you can work to increase progesterone levels. Best of all, certain amino acids work to not only boost ovulation and progesterone production, but also reduce stress.

Of all your body’s chemicals, serotonin has one of the most widespread effects on the brain and physiology. It plays a key role in regulating temperature, blood pressure, blood clotting, immunity, pain, digestion, sleep, and biorhythms.

Fortunately, the essential amino acid tryptophan is initially converted into an intermediary substance called 5-hydroxytryptophan (5-HTP), which is then converted into serotonin. While tryptophan is available as a supplement, I’ve found that 5-HTP is much more accessible, not to mention effective. Several double-blind studies have shown that 5-HTP is as effective as many of the more common antidepressant drugs and is associated with fewer and much milder side effects. In addition to increasing serotonin levels, 5-HTP triggers an increase in endorphins and other neurotransmitters that are often low in cases of depression.

So, last night, I made sure I took 50 mg of 5-HTP before bed to help me deal with my depression and stress. Plus, I slept soundly knowing that my ovulation and female hormones, namely progesterone, would stay balanced.