Originally posted Here
Apr 24 – It appears that some menstrual cycle disorders, such as the worsening of asthma and the occurrence of migraines or joint pain, may be the effects of an allergy to estrogen and progesterone.
Past research has shown an association between estrogen and progesterone and symptoms in women such as exacerbations of asthma, migraine headaches and pain. Progesterone and estrogen are hormones involved in the menstrual cycle. Produced by the ovaries, estrogen regulates menstruation and prepares the body for fertilization and reproduction. Progesterone is a hormone produced by the ovaries during the second half of the menstrual cycle. It promotes the growth and development of the endometrium to receive a fertilized egg. If there is no fertilized egg, progesterone levels decrease, causing the uterine lining to begin to break down several days later.
The recent study was conducted by researchers at The University of Texas at Austin, the Roby Institute and Immunosciences Lab, Inc.. Researchers found that women who experience health changes during their menstrual cycle may be allergic to these hormones.
An allergic response is the body’s overreaction to some substance it believes to be a threat. The substance may be completely harmless, but the body produces specific antibodies to combat this “threat†regardless. Antibodies are proteins produced by white blood cells. They are able to defend the body against dangerous substances by responding to specific antigens .
The researchers evaluated blood samples from over 600 women, some of whom experienced symptoms related to their menstrual cycles and others who did not. The samples were analyzed for IgG , IgM , and IgE antibodies to estrogen and progesterone. IgM antibodies are produced early in an infection and IgG antibodies are the body’s main antibody defense against attack by most bacteria and other antigens. IgE antibodies are primarily associated with allergies.
After analyzing their data, the researchers found that a significant number of the women who experienced health changes during their menstrual cycle showed high levels of IgG, IgM and IgE antibodies against estrogen and progesterone.
In the past, experts believed that hormone molecules were too small to trigger an allergic response. However, the researchers found that estrogen and progesterone can be recognized as an antigen.
These findings are significant because they may lead to new treatment methods for women suffering from undesired symptoms during their menstrual cycle.
