Oestrogen: The 2-Faced B*tch That Rules Your Muscles (and Your Life)

Oestrogen.

The primary female sex hormone that rules our lives.

This 2-faced b*tch plays a crucial role in various aspects of a woman’s health, from the reproductive function to bone density — it’s our saviour and destroyer.

Today I want to talk about a widely overlooked topic relating to oestrogen. Muscle growth and development. Understanding how oestrogen changes throughout our lives is crucial to staying on top of muscle loss and weakness in our later years of life.

Puberty:

Ohhh the dreaded transition from innocent, pure bliss, to a revolving hell show painted in red.

Although, when we think of a woman going through puberty we see a lot of ruined sheets and pimple ridden pictures, oestrogen also stimulates muscle growth and maturation; increased muscle mass and distribution of muscle tissue, giving us that typically “feminine” shape. Whether we like it or not, it’s unavoidable.

This b*itch kindly encourages muscle repair and regeneration by promoting protein synthesis, though it’s more subtle compared to testosterones capabilities, which also rises during this dreadful time — yes ladies, we have testosterone too, get with the program.

(If there’s any men reading this — I’m doubtful — I’m pleased to inform you that you also have oestrogen xoxo)

Testosterone drives a larger increase in muscle mass.

Oestrogen supports muscle function and repair.

Reproductive Years:

In a woman’s reproductive years, oestrogen continues to influence muscle health, though its effects are a little more indirect. It helps maintain muscle mass and strength by supporting the function of mitochondria (the energy-producing, power-houses of our cells) enhancing endurance, reducing fatigue, and aiding in muscle repair and recovery; keeping you bouncing back every time …until it doesn’t.

Funnily enough, oestrogen’s influence on muscle mass fluctuates with the menstrual cycle — that little beaut.

During the first half of your cycle (when oestrogen levels rise), you may notice you feel stronger with quicker recovery time if you exercise regularly.

Conveniently, during the second half of your cycle (when progesterone dominates), you might feel weaker and more lethargic — just what we need before we paint the walls red!

I hate to be the barer of bad news, but women start losing muscle at 30… and at the ripe years of 60, you’ve lost 50% of your muscle mass.

For the most part, oestrogen has been pretty great to us.

Until now…

The menopause:

We enter the perimenopause and then the full blown thing.

The significant drop in oestrogen leads to muscle loss and changes in muscle composition — I won’t even mention the hot flushes, intense tiredness, foggy mind, etc. etc. etc.

Research has shown that reduced oestrogen after the menopause is linked to sarcopenia (a condition which in tales gradual loss of muscle mass and strength), as well as a decrease in the body’s ability to repair and regenerate muscle tissue, making it harder for women to maintain muscle mass, despite exercise.

Basically, this b*itch has spat you out on the street like a piece of gum ready to be trampled on. She’s done her bit, its time to fend for yourself.

Time to get out of the gutter.

Now let’s stop with the dramatics. Yes, oestrogen has been cruel, you’ve been in a love-hate relationship your entire life. But you can still save yourself here. Just because you are losing your muscle mass (and sanity) at a freakish rate, doesn’t mean you should lose all hope.

You can counteract this demise with strength training and nutrition, and I promise you, if you put in the work, you will not disappoint yourself.

By focusing on resistance training and the right nutrition (that means upping your protein intake and cutting out foods that convert into glucose as soon as they enter your mouth) you can gain that muscle back and improve your metabolic health like never before!

It’s going to take effort, I won’t lie to you. But is your health not the most valuable thing you have? Is it not worth it?

And if you aren’t quite ready to let go of that b*tch (you’d still like to retain the knowledge of what you ate last night and why you walked into that room) then get onto your gp and start nagging them for HRT, ASAP. I know there are some horror stories out there but they are all outdated myths. New research is proving some phenomenal benefits — do a bit of your own research and see what you think.

When women entered the menopause, we used to be burnt at the stake for being possessed. Then, we got submitted into mental asylums for insanity. In today’s society, I’d like to be the crazy 70 year old who has people stunned as I lug my new Christmas tree into the back of my 4x4 truck.

Who do you want to be?