Many women struggle with hormonal problems. A younger woman may have irregular menstrual cycles, and an older women may experience hot flashes. Prescription medications can rectify these problems, but such drugs often cause unwanted side effects. Changes in diet might provide an alternative option, according to a February 2011 report in "Infant, Child and Adolescent Nutrition." Specific foods affect a woman's hormones as well. Speak with a doctor before changing your diet.
Estrogen
Estrogen plays an important role in human reproduction. It also appears to reduce the risk of developing cardiovascular disease, according to a March 2011 article in "Current Vascular Pharmacology." Increasing estrogen through dietary modification could therefore benefit women at risk for heart attack. Experiments described in the July 2011 edition of "Food and Chemical Toxicology" showed that many food products and infant formulas affect estrogen, with soy products proving especially estrogenic. Also, women who drink black tea have higher estrogen levels than those who do not, according to a May 2005 report in "Carcinogenesis."
Progesterone
Progesterone supports the fetus during pregnancy and regulates the menstrual cycle. This hormone also prevents the development of reproductive tumors, according to an April 2011 report in "Trends in Endocrinology and Metabolism." Enhancing natural progesterone might therefore help suppress cancer. A study presented in the November 2008 issue of the "American Journal of Primatology" looked at the effect of eating fruit on progesterone. Wild chimpanzees who consumed large amounts of fruit taken from the Meru oak had elevated levels of the female hormone.
Luteinizing Hormone
Luteinizing hormone, or LH, creates and maintains a temporary gland in the ovaries. This structure -- the corpus luteum -- releases hormones that allows a nonpregnant woman to progress through her menstrual cycle. Luteinizing hormone also appears to prevent ovarian tumors, according to a 2011 article in "Neoplasma." Eating foods that enhance LH could possibly lower your risk of acquiring cancer. Research published in the June 2011 issue of the "European Journal of Nutrition" determined the effects of fiber on LH. Premenopausal women kept diet logs for at least two menstrual cycles, with hormone levels assessed throughout the study. Results indicated that subjects with a low-fiber diet had higher LH levels than those with a high-fiber diet.
Follicle-Stimulating Hormone
Follicle-stimulating hormone, or FSH, interacts synergistically with LH, stimulating the production of eggs in the ovary. Injections of FSH can facilitate pregnancy, according to a 2004 review in the journal "Drugs." Consuming foods that increase FSH might therefore be useful for women having difficulty becoming pregnant. A study presented in the October 2009 edition of the "American Journal of Clinical Nutrition" evaluated the impact of dietary fiber on circulating hormones. The authors followed the diets of younger women for about two months, and found that participants who ate smaller amounts of fiber had higher FSH levels.
References
- "Infant, Child and Adolescent Nutrition"; Can Reduction in Dietary Carbohydrate Play a Role in Normalizing the Endocrine-Metabolic State Perturbed During the Pubertal Transition?; Krista Casazza, et al.; February 2011
- "Current Vascular Pharmacology"; Effects of Estrogens on Atherogenesis; Genovefa Kolovou, et al.; March 2011
- "Food and Chemical Toxicology"; Estrogens in the Daily Diet; Maximilian Behr, et al.; July 2011
- "Carcinogenesis"; Tea and Circulating Estrogen Levels in Postmenopausal Chinese Women in Singapore; Anna H. Wu, et al.; May 2005
- "Trends in Endocrinology and Metabolism"; Progesterone: The Ultimate Endometrial Tumor Suppressor; Shujie Yang, et al.; April 2011
- "American Journal of Primatology"; Hyperprogesteronemia in Response to Vitex Fischeri Consumption in Wild Chimpanzees (Pan Troglodytes Schweinfurthii); Melissa Emery Thompson, et al.; November 2008
