Many women are affected by the rollercoaster ride of fluctuating hormones during menopause and peri-menopause. Often we think this is normal because it is so common, but it is not normal, it is a symptom and one of the main culprits may be a pregnenolone steal due to chronic stress.

Pregnenolone steal is the mechanism where chronic stress robs the body of sex hormones so that it can produce more stress hormone cortisol.

How your body copes with stress

When you experience stress, the adrenal glands produce a hormone called cortisol which elevates the “fight or flight” response. Normally this “fight or flight” stage is short lived and the body returns to a “rest and digest” phase. But for many people in modern society, they become stuck in a permanent “fight or flight” stage, this is especially so for those who are dealing with chronic inflammatory problems or autoimmune issues.

When people hear the word stress it often conjures up images of emotional upheaval or money worries and whilst these do provoke a stress repose there are other very significant mechanisms that provoke the same stress response. Such as unstable blood sugar from a diet high in carbohydrates, skipping meals or relying on caffeine or high energy drinks to keep going.

There are other serious stressors such as undiagnosed autoimmunity, gastrointestinal problems like IBS, chronic inflammation and chronic pain, insomnia but the bottom line is it does not matter where the stress is coming from your body will respond in the same way and produce more cortisol.

Pregnenolone Steal

Pregnenolone is precursor hormone, essentially a building block, which is converted into other hormones that are produced in the adrenal glands. These hormones include sex hormones like progesterone and oestrogen but also the stress hormone cortisol. This is particularly important for peri-menopausal or menopausal women, during this stage of your life as the ovaries stop producing hormones, the adrenal glands become the main producer of hormones in your body.

Pregnenolone steal refers to a situation when there is excessive stress diverting pregnenolone from producing progesterone and oestrogen to producing cortisol. This sets the stage for the hormone imbalances that cause many of the common symptoms of menopause especially low progesterone.

Symptoms of low progesterone include, mood swings, depression and anxiety, insomnia, fatigue, changes in menstruation, brain fog and low libido. Many people look to replacement progesterone as a fix but actually if stress is the issue removing this normally works better.

Stress comes in many different forms and is specific for each person. Some stressors may be impossible to remove so it is important to have an honest appraisal of the stressors in your life and remove them or reduce them if possible.

One of the main mechanisms of stress I see in clinic is women not eating enough, skipping meals and ending up with low blood sugar. If you get “hangry” or feel better with more energy after eating this is a sign that your blood sugar level is dipping too low – if that, is you - you should NOT fast. Instead eat at least three meals a day and maybe snack in between meals too but avoid sugar and high carb foods and excessive amounts of fruit.

In the case of relationships and emotional stress help from a professional like a hypnotherapist or counsellor can be great. Acupuncture is also useful to help balance hormones and reduce stress.   If you have unresolved IBS, food sensitivities, chronic pain, insomnia or an autoimmune issue, functional medicine can help you make changes that will improve your symptoms, reduce stress and balance your hormones.