Can hormones affect my asthma?
Health | 12/10/2019
Have you found that your asthma symptoms seem to worsen before your period? Or have you noticed that your breathing got more challenging as you approached menopause? Neither of these would be unusual. In fact, studies show that women are likely to notice worsening asthma symptoms around times of hormonal change, like during puberty, periods and pregnancy.
Paula Kauppi, Chief Specialist of the Allergy Unit of the Helsinki University Hospital, explains that hormonal fluctuations and their impact on asthma are a reality for many women.
“It’s been known for decades that asthma is more common in women. Plus, it’s clear that it peaks in specific age groups – both in terms of when it manifests and when it’s problematic,” says Kauppi.
For example, the risk of getting asthma around puberty doubles for girls who start their periods early.
Interestingly, women also have different experiences to men when it comes to asthma symptoms. They are more likely to suffer from wheezing and coughing, particularly when they’re younger. Also, while men widely report that their symptoms get substantially milder as they get older, women don’t experience that phenomenon quite as strongly.
Hormones as an asthma trigger
Why do hormones affect women like that?
When oestrogen and progesterone levels peak, your airways are more likely to be hyper-sensitive, Kauppi says – so you’re not imagining things if you find that at certain times you’re more affected by the things that usually set your asthma off such as exercise, airborne pollution or other asthma triggers.
Hormones are also an asthma trigger in themselves and can make women more sensitive to other irritants, such as hay fever.
Also, it’s much more likely for women to develop severe asthma at around 40-50 years of age. However, the good news is that the majority of women find that later in life their symptoms seem to generally ease off.
“Generally, premenstruation and perimenopause (the time leading up to menopause and the time shortly after) tend to be the most problematic phases,” says Kauppi, although she points out that not all women find that their asthma develops or flares up at these times.
Asthma and pregnancy
Pregnancy is also a time when women should pay special attention to lung health, says Kauppi. However, women won’t necessarily find that they’re more troubled by inflamed airways when they’re pregnant. In fact, a third of women say their asthma symptoms stay about the same and another third report that they actually breathe easier when they have a baby on board.
Most asthma medications, especially inhaled ones, are well tolerated in pregnancy, but it’s always good to have a talk with a doctor about your personal situation, especially if asthma symptoms are getting worse.
Self-care is important for all women with asthma, especially at times of hormonal change.
”Hormones and asthma both have the power to impact on your physical and mental wellbeing, and vice versa,” reminds Kauppi.
Above all, it’s important to remember that it is possible to stay on top of your symptoms at any stage of your life or your cycle. The options for controlling your asthma are as individual and adaptable as your own body.
By Sarah Hudson
Photo by iStock
References:
Hong, C. C., Pajak, A., Teitelbaum, S. L., Vangeepuram, N., Galvez, M., Pinney, S. M., … Breast Cancer and Environment Research Program (2014). Younger pubertal age is associated with allergy and other atopic conditions in girls. Pediatric allergy and immunology: official publication of the European Society of Pediatric Allergy and Immunology, 25(8), 773–780. doi:10.1111/pai.12307 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4321790/
Koper, I., Hufnagl, K., & Ehmann, R. (2017). Gender aspects and influence of hormones on bronchial asthma - Secondary publication and update. The World Allergy Organization journal, 10(1), 46. doi:10.1186/s40413-017-0177-9 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5745695/
University of Edinburgh. (2018, February 15). Female hormones may be linked to asthma, study suggests. ScienceDaily. Retrieved November 12, 2019 from www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2018/02/180215105729.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2018/02/180215105729.htm
5 common asthma myths debunked
Asthma is a common respiratory condition affecting millions of people worldwide. It is a chronic inflammation of the airways, causing them to be sensitive and narrower. When it is not well managed, it can lead to breathing difficulties.
Is asthma keeping you awake at night?
Asthma attacks commonly come on at night, but this could be a sign that the condition is not being managed properly. Find out why night-time symptoms occur and what to do about them.
Orion Corporation is a globally operating Finnish pharmaceutical company. We develop, manufacture and market human and veterinary pharmaceuticals and active pharmaceutical ingredients. The dry powder inhaler developed at Orion is in the core of our respiratory therapy area.
Was this article useful?
