Summary: Low sex hormones are a significant problem in postmenopausal women. They cause mood swings, poor bone health, and more. A new study shows that women living with psychological trauma are more likely to have low sex hormones. The cause is ovarian dysfunction (the ovaries not working well). But psychological trauma does not appear to change FSH levels. Also, low hormone levels only occur in women who are short on sleep.
A new study shows that women with trauma in their past are more likely to have low sex hormone levels. This is most true for those who do not get enough sleep. These findings come from the latest study presented at The North American Menopause Society (NAMS) Annual Meeting in Atlanta in 2022. Hormone decline is natural in postmenopausal women. But in some women the drop is sharper, and it causes many health problems. Experts want to know why some women lose more sex hormones than others. Those women face worse physical and mental health problems.
There are many possible reasons for this decline. It could be genes. It could be lifestyle, like diet and sitting too much. Researchers care most about causes that can be prevented or managed. This is not the first study to show an association between hormone levels and post-traumatic stress disorder in women. Earlier studies have shown that PTSD may cause hormone problems in young women. Many young women also have their ovaries slow down after PTSD. So researchers wanted to know whether PTSD may affect hormone levels in postmenopausal women, too.
Researchers at the University of Pittsburgh ran this new study on women’s health, focusing on post-traumatic stress disorder treatment. They enrolled 260 postmenopausal women in the study. Researchers checked their mental health and their levels of hormones like estrogens and follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH). They also tracked how long the women slept. They found a few interesting things. First, women with psychological trauma were more likely to have a low estrogen level. But they did not have a low FSH level. That means the low hormone levels have more to do with the ovaries not working well than with changes in the brain that disrupt the hypothalamic-pituitary-ovarian axis (the signal chain from brain to ovaries).
They also looked at other confounding factors (things that could skew the results) like stress, anxiety, and depression. They found that psychological stress was related to low sex hormones. But the most striking finding was this: low sex hormones only occurred in women who slept fewer than six hours a day. Psychological trauma did not lead to a significant drop in hormone levels in women who slept enough.
This study added to what we already knew. It also showed why a patient’s history matters. Low hormone levels are a significant problem in middle-aged and older women. They cause mood problems and weaker bones. They raise the risk of many other health problems. This is the first study to show that psychological trauma is associated with even worse outcomes, through ovarian dysfunction and lower hormone levels.
The study also shows why enough sleep matters. Rest acts as a remedy. Women who sleep enough can still expect better hormone health. The problem is worse in women who are short on sleep. Of course, the study also raises many questions. For example, can treating sleep disorders improve hormone health? Would more sleep, and better sleep, help prevent or reverse these problems?
A few questions are still open. Even so, the study adds something new to what we know about hormone health in postmenopausal women. This matters because not all women want hormone replacement therapy. So this study suggests there might be other ways to improve hormone health in postmenopausal women.
Frequently asked questions
Can trauma lower estrogen in women?
It can. A University of Pittsburgh study of 260 postmenopausal women looked at this. Women with psychological trauma were more likely to have low estrogen. The drop showed up only in women who slept fewer than six hours a day. Women with trauma who slept enough did not have a significant fall in hormone levels. That points to sleep as a key factor.
What are the side effects of low estrogen in women?
Low sex hormones are a significant problem for middle-aged and older women. They cause mood swings and mood problems. They weaken the bones and raise the risk of many other health problems. The decline is natural after menopause, but it is sharper in some women. Trauma combined with short sleep appears to be one reason the drop can be worse.
Why were FSH levels normal in women with trauma?
Follicle-stimulating hormone, or FSH, is the brain’s signal to the ovaries. In the study, women with trauma had low estrogen but normal FSH. So the brain was still sending its signal. The problem sat in the ovaries themselves. The researchers read this as ovarian dysfunction, not a breakdown in the hypothalamic-pituitary-ovarian axis.
Does sleep affect hormone levels after menopause?
In this study, yes. Low sex hormones linked to trauma showed up only in women who slept fewer than six hours a day. Women who slept enough could still expect better hormone health. That raises a practical question. Could treating sleep problems and getting better sleep help protect hormone levels? That matters for women who would rather not use hormone replacement therapy.
Dr. Gurpreet Singh Padda, MD, MBA, MHP
