Menopause and Immunity: Can Hormonal Imbalance Weaken Immune System?

25 Mar Menopause and Immunity: Can Hormonal Imbalance Weaken Immune System?

Can menopause and your immune system be somehow related?

The puberty’s evil older sister, menopause, takes a toll on the mind and body.

Not to mention, every menstruating woman has to go through the hell of menopause. It is one of those difficult phases in a female’s life that brings changes in her physical and mental health.

The reason is the natural depletion of ovarian oocytes.

Unfortunately, these changes often leave women with numerous health issues.

For instance, some of the health problems menopausal women have to go through include:

• Weight gain
• Sleep deprivation
• Compromised Bone Health
• Depression

Moreover, women tend to get ill more frequently during and after menopause. They are even susceptible to severe health issues.

So, does menopause weaken your immune system too?

Well, it does seem like that to be honest.

However, queries related to the life-changing phase can’t be quite left on a guess.

Hence, we’ve come up with this blog to help find out how can menopause affect your immune system.

Does Menopause Weaken Your Immune System?

Menopause is an age-related change that hits every woman differently.

This biological transformation that transpires in their 40s and 50s brings one hell of hormonal changes.

But how can hormonal imbalance weaken immune system?

To explain, during menopause, a woman’s body experiences a decline in sex hormones.

Typically, sex hormones are better known for the functioning of the reproductive organs.

However, many women aren’t aware of the fact that sex hormones are also responsible for regulating their immunity system.

Hormones like estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone are responsible for maintaining the immunity level.

And a menopausal and post-menopausal woman’s body tends to produce less of these hormones.

Hence, menopause and weak immune system go hand-in-hand.

It also answers a lot of questions about the rise of autoimmune diseases in post-menopausal women.

In fact, recent studies have also indicated the changes in immunity levels in menopausal women.

Does Menopause Weaken Your Immune System – What The Research Indicates?

Check out some studies that indicate a strong correlation between menopause and the immune system.

Study#1: Effects Of Aging And Menopause On Immunity System

Aim: How aging and menopause bring changes to the immunity system.

Method: A systematic review involving, aging, menopause, and immunity system was conducted in vitro, animals, and humans.

This also involved electronic searches and the Cochrane Controlled Clinical Trials Register.

Results: After analyzing 688 studies, 30 were selected. It identified the relationship between the immune system and menopause. In conclusion, the studies suggested that changes in immunity in postmenopausal women are related to declines in their estrogen levels.

Study#2: The Immunity System In Menopause

Aim: Changes in the immune system, particularly genital tract immunity, due to aging in menopausal women.

Result: According to the study, the innate immune factors are compromised in the female reproductive tract of postmenopausal women. Notably, multiple immune factors of FRT (Female Reproductive Tract) are responsive to estrogen. Hence, a decline in the production of this hormone because of age and menopause results in antibacterial activity. It also leads to a lack of production of cervical mucus.

Now, this clearly shows how does estrogen affects your immune system.

Not to mention, the study also depicted that regulatory T cell expansion is also under hormone control. Notably, it is responsible for peripheral tolerance and immune-modulation.

As compared to premenopausal women, postmenopausal women showed decreased and constant numbers of T cells.

Going by the relationship between T cell expansion and immunity, the decrease in T cells will affect your immune system as well.

So, hopefully, now you’re beginning to understand h0w can menopause affect your immunity system?

Even though menopause is a natural occurrence, one can’t deny that it’s a difficult phase in a woman’s life.

It not only affects your skin and mood but also influences immunity.

As a result, women need to take ultimate care of their health during menopause to tackle the emerging health issues.

Hence, you must have awareness of how does this transformational phase actually works to take a toll on the immune system.

How Does Menopause Affect Your Immune System? [5 Harmful Effects]

Menopause has a hell lot of effects on women’s health. Those health issues also act as a trigger and affect the immunity system.

Moreover, there are several factors during menopause that have a detrimental impact on your immunity level, directly and indirectly.

Some of the factors that describe how does menopause affect your immunity system are:

#1. Rise In Cortisol Level

#2. Increased Inflammation

#3. Auto-Immune Disorders

#4. Inadequate Sleep

#5. Fatigue

Let’s get into these in detail one by one.

#1. Rise In Cortisol Level

Heard of “me” time?

Well, you might need it a lot during your menopause not only for the sake of your mental health but also for the immune level.

Persisting stress weakens the immune system.

In fact, stress is one of the common outcomes and also one of the symptoms of menopause.

The bad news is it increases the stress hormone, cortisol, during the last stage of menopause.

According to a study, psychological stress can hamper the human immune system.

Hence, this leaves you with compromised immunity.

So, in a way, menopause is like a mid-life crisis for women.

#2. Increased Inflammation

Notably, menopause results in the decline of estrogen, which is an anti-inflammatory hormone.

Inflammation happens in response to fighting an injury or foreign infection. It increases the number of white blood cells in the body.

Hence, a lack of estrogen during menopause can result in increased inflammation. This, as a result, leads to weak immunity in menopausal women.

It also increases the susceptibility to infections like HIV and influenza.

#3. Autoimmune Disorders

In a study, it was found that women are more prone to auto-immune diseases.

In such a case, menopause only increases the risk of having weak immunity.

To elaborate, menopause results in the decline of sex hormones like estrogen, progesterone, and oestrogen.

As previously mentioned, these hormones are the regulator of the immunity level in women’s reproductive organs.

Hence, a decline in these hormones only triggers auto-immune disorders in women.

#4. Inadequate Sleep

Poor sleep is again something that can impact your immune system.

Menopause, on the other hand, takes away peaceful sleep for not only days but even months.

Therefore, menopause, by hampering your sleep quality and quantity, indirectly affects your immune health.

Adding to it, inadequate sleep also increases stress, which is another reason why and how does menopause weaken your immune system.

#5. Fatigue

Fatigue is the root cause of many health issues these days. Hence, fatigue during menopause comes with no surprise.

The reason behind it is lack of iron, increased stress, and hampered sleep. Not to mention, menopause may also lead to sugar cravings, which can trigger the symptoms of fatigue.

Nevertheless, your immunity demands an active lifestyle and regular exercise to be at a healthy level. And fatigue during menopause can only be a hindrance in that.

Apart from all these, other factors of menopause that do weaken your immunity system are:

• gut health,
• fluctuating appetite,
• and increasing weight.

Although menopause can weaken your immunity system, there is no need to be extremely worried.

You can boost your immunity level during menopause.

How To Boost Immunity During Menopause? [Remedies]

A laid-back immune system post-menopause can only make women more susceptible to auto-immune diseases.

But rather than sulking over the health issues and low immunity during “the change”, women can try to boost their immunity.

You now might be wondering what is the fastest way to boost the immune system.

Well, the ways to boost immunity during menopause are not limited in numbers.

Here we have come up with some of the common and fastest ways to boost immunity during menopause.

#1. Stick to a Healthy Diet

A healthy diet is key to fitness.

According to studies, most women have anemia, and menopause can only worsen the condition.

Eating a nutritious balanced diet can help in keeping up the immunity healthy.

When going through weak immunity during menopause, try to munch on healthy foods.

Some of the foods to boost immunity during menopause are:

• Turmeric
• Spinach
• Broccoli
• Almonds
• Orange
• Green Tea
• Oily Fish

Thus, you can successfully reduce the risk of low immunity during menopause just by eating healthy.

#2. Keep Moving

Well, diet is only a part of the equation.

Although you can maintain social distancing from unhealthy eatables, you should also keep yourself close to an active lifestyle.

Doing regular exercise during menopause can not only boost immunity but will also help eliminate fatigue and sleeping issues. These two are the main risk factors of low immunity during menopause.

Additionally, keeping yourself active can improve your mental health and reduce the risk of weight gain.

Some of the best options to consider in your menopause exercise routine are:

• Stretching
• Strength Training
• Balancing Exercise
• Aerobic Exercise

Now, what if you are unable to push yourself to exercise daily?

Well, you can also maintain your active lifestyle by getting involved in household chores.

#3. Track Your Vitamin Levels

Keeping track of immune-boosting vitamins intake can help you overcome the immune deficiency during menopause.

So, what vitamins do you lack during menopause?

Avoiding a lack of vitamin D and C can help you with better immunity.

Vitamin D keeps the skin and bone healthy and is also good for mental health. Whereas, vitamin C keeps the immune cells active and stimulates the production of antibodies.

You can add foods rich in vitamin C and D to maintain the level of these vitamins.

Some of the foods rich in vitamin D are sardines, mushrooms, and egg yolks.

On the other hand, foods rich in vitamin C are lemon, oranges, cranberries, and watermelon.

Apart from these, you can also add some vitamin supplements in your diet only on the recommendation of a health professional.

#4. Take Care Of Your Gut Health

Digestive issues are common during menopause. In such a case, a lack of good bacteria can mess up your digestion process and impact your immunity.

As a result…

Not only your body won’t be able to process and absorb the nutrients properly, but it may also trigger infections and inflammation.

In fact, around 70-80% of the immune functions begin in your gut.

It is, hence, crucial to maintaining your gut health.

Take care of your gut health during menopause if you don’t really want a weak immunity.

#5. Look After Your Mental Health

The past few years have been challenging physically for some and mentally for others.

It is now a known fact that poor mental health can take a toll on your immunity level as well.

Constant feeling of loneliness, detachment and stress gives rise to cortisol hormones. It also increases the risk of anxiety and panic attacks.

To explain, when trying to fight a foreign infection, your body uses most of the energy.

Hence, it leaves you with low energy, depressed, and fatigued feeling as well.

By the same token, poor mental health gives rise to a poor diet and sedentary lifestyle.

Hence, directly or indirectly, poor mental health has a lot to contribute to your immunity level.

Fortunately, there are numerous ways to uplift your mood.

Some of them are:

• Meditation,
• socializing,
• and developing a hobby

A better mental health condition can help your body fight immunodeficiency during menopause.

No matter, how does menopause weakens your immune system, you can always bring it one level up. All you have to do is keep your physical and mental health and lifestyle on track.

Final Thoughts

Immunity may seem more genetic than anything else. But the importance of maintaining your immunity has been well learned during the past few years.

As menopause is often associated with anemia, fatigue, weight gain, and not only immunity, you need to take action.

Well, after all, it is absolutely safe to say that yes, menopause can weaken your immunity system. Either by decreasing the hormone level or by increasing stress and fatigue.

Menopause does affect the immunity level and makes women more vulnerable to auto-immune diseases and health issues like HIV.

Nevertheless, there is always a way out of a dark tunnel where you see the light.

The light of this dark tunnel is healthy nutritious food, exercise, and recommended vitamins and minerals.

Whether or not you are in your mid-life, there’s certainly no harm in keeping yourself educated and ready.

Want to know anything else? Do leave your queries in the comments.

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