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[Kathleen]

Hello Ladies.

My internal shaking is really bad today which is making me anxious or perhaps my anxiety is causing the internal shaking? Who knows? However while I sit here with my herbal tea desperately trying to calm down I've thought of a question that perhaps you lovely ladies can help me with.

 When we experience physical symptoms what is actually happening on a cellular level? Would it be true to say that  cells with oestrogen receptors are distressed at the lack of hormones and are misfiring as a result so
we are in effect experiencing a prolonged oestrogen withdrawal. This response continues for as long as the cells live and it is only when all our oestrogen sensitive cells have been replaced with those that no longer recognise oestrogen that everything calms down. I read somewhere that all the cells in our body are replaced over a seven year period so could this be why menopause lasts as long as it does ie it takes that long for all hormone sensitive cells to be replaced. I also read that puberty takes five years to go through so could s similar mechanism be at work?

Please let me know your thoughts ladies, especially the science types amongst you lol. If this idea is truly daft feel free to say so, I won't be offended I promise.

Take care all.

K.

[ancient runner]

No question is silly (and you get the best answers from the most unusual questions).
No idea if you're right but it's a really interesting idea. Anyone?

[Tempest]

It's the estrogen receptors, Kathleen. They down regulate over time.  Also the 'vibrating' is an adrenal response as your body shifts it's production of hormones from the declining ovaries over to the adrenals. xxxxx

[Tempest]

Just to add, this is what women perceive as 'anxiety', when in fact it isn't! Relaxation is good as it takes some of the strain off the adrenals - many women (myself included) get caught up in a cycle of responding to these symptoms with an anxious response, which then triggers the fight or flight response which then stresses the adrenals more! Hope this makes sense....xxxx

[peri]

Can I ask what happens in women who take hrt, does this stop the oestrogen receptors down regulating or does the switchover to the adrenal still happen anyway?

[Kathleen]

Hello ladies.

Excellent replies as ever!

Tempest - Thank you so much for your response. Your answer makes perfect sense.

I wonder how women with damaged or diseased Adrenal Glands fare through the menopause? It would also be good to know if there are any lifestyle changes that can be helpful.

Take care all.

K.

[Tempest]

I guess the major lifestyle change would be stress reduction, where possible! Learning to say 'no' is another good one - as women, we take on so many demands and I think it's important that we are allowed to put ourselves first more during this time of life and moving forward.

And of course, absolutely limiting the use of stimulants is key! Stimulants such as coffee, nicotine etc further stress the adrenals - it's no accident that these also make hot flushes so much worse! I could also ramble on about their vasoconstricting effects and how this effects hot flushes, but I won't....Too boring and complicated! 😉xxxx

[Hurdity]

The whole issue of oestrogen, receptors and its effect in the body is EXTREMELY complex!

For example oestrogen receptors work on two levels - there are receptors on cell membranes ( in certain parts of the body) and the responses in these tissues is more immediate. The main effects of oestrogen are mediated through oestrogen receptors in the cell nucleus and genomic effects - that is through the genes and the whole process of switching on genes, transcription, protein synthesis, enzymes, cofactors etc. The effects are different in different parts of the body.

I haven't read about what happens to the oestrogen receptors in the absence of large quantities of oestrogen long term - but of course in the nucleus it means that the genes won't be switched on to the same extent. However we do always have some oestrogen so there is still some activity. I did read that it is thought for example that the endometrium becomes unresponsive to oestrogen once it has atrophied else older women would suffer increasing thickness of the lining (from the oestrogen still circulating in their bodies) with the associated cancer risk - which doesn't seem to happen after a certain stage (in the absence of added oestrogen as part of HRT).

This doesn't answer your question Kathleen except to say I have read bits about some of it - and I don't think it is all understood yet and what is known involves very complex biochemistry - so one can speculate - but it is likely to be simplistic! However you are right that what is happening at cellular level affects how we feel - but that the effects are also happening at a systemic level because of the different locations of the oestrogen receptors.

That probably sounds like gobbledygook - mainly because I have only skimmed the surface of it - due to its complexity so don't really understand it all and have forgotten most of the cell biology/physiology I ever knew!!!

Hurdity x