Insulin & Estrogen

To round off this month of period and hormone health stuff, let’s dig into something we don’t hear enough about… estrogen and insulin are connected!

For folks who have periods, estrogen is a hormone we almost hear too much about. It’s the main star of the period, leaving progesterone behind the scenes and everything else in the dust. And while estrogen is great and important, insulin is another hormone superstar. Funnily enough, they share the stage (and they do it beautifully).

Insulin is heavily involved in our blood sugar regulation – it is an anabolic or growth type hormone, where it assists in carrying glucose from the bloodstream into the tissues. As a result, this helps blood sugar stay in the normal range for ideal health and reduced risks.

When insulin levels are high (usually related to another condition in the pancreas) this can tank blood sugar levels, causing dizziness, fainting and other symptoms of hypoglycemia. When insulin levels are low (or if insulin is less effective in the body) we see blood sugar being higher than the normal range – this may be partially explained by insulin resistance. One small detail to consider as well is that insulin resistance can also occur when insulin levels are very high but its function is much lower than normal.

Estrogen, as we know, is a “growth” hormone when it comes to menstruation – it contributes to the growth of uterine tissue as well as others prior to ovulation, before progesterone takes over in the second half of the menstrual cycle.

Estrogen has been shown to optimize insulin activity and may have a favourable effect on fasting insulin levels – in shorter and less complication jargon, estrogen may help insulin do its job better and more effectively. You can imagine then that folks producing appropriate amounts of estrogen are likely also managing their insulin levels just fine, however there can be other contributing factors to insulin function that are out of the scope of this post particularly.

As estrogen production declines, especially in peri-menopause and menopause, this means there is a potential shift in insulin function. In these bodies, it might be more difficult for insulin to carry glucose into tissues and may contribute to poor energy levels, difficulty sleeping, changes in weight and menstrual irregularity. High levels of insulin may also increase androgen production (think testosterone) as the expense of estrogen – this may explain changes in hair and skin, similar in some ways to that of PCOS (but obviously different).

So how can we support both hormones, throughout the life cycle of bodies with periods?

Eating regularly and enough, to start. When the body doesn’t have access to adequate nutrition (from both nutrient and energy-dense foods) it has to shift into fight or flight mode, typically mobilizing glucose stores from the liver and muscles and making insulin work harder for survival.

Including sources of fibre. Fibre helps to slow how quickly sugar enters the bloodstream, creating longer-lasting energy. It also provides significant benefits on digestive health, to manage bloating, bowel movement changes and discomfort that may occur around a period (where estrogen may drop, potentially impacting insulin and blood sugar levels), during peri-menopause and throughout the phase of menopause itself.

Drinking adequate fluids. When blood is concentrated, it leaves glucose hanging around in higher amounts. This typically occurs with dehydration. Folks who may experience night sweats and hot flashes are also going to need enough fluids to replace sweat losses. I like to encourage most of fluid intake come from water, but teas, small amounts of coffee and other fluid options like milk can also be used.

If this is the first time you’ve heard about insulin and estrogen, you’re not alone! You can check out my Instagram for more content on blood sugar and insulin this week - @sayyestonourish.