Hormones & Heart Health
February is heart month. All month we have our hearts on our minds with it being awareness month of cardiovascular disease and prevention, and with Valentines day in the middle of the month!
We may think that all human hearts are created equal, but that is far from the truth. From birth, there are differences between those who are born male, and those who are born female. Females are born with a smaller engine to start; females are born with a smaller heart. This means we have lower cardiac output compared to our male counterparts. Females also have less blood volume, and less blood oxygen carrying capacity. Another major different is our cycling hormones; throughout a female’s life we go through years of having menstrual cycles, peri-menopause, then transition into post-menopause. This could be why we experience heart attacks and related diseases with different symptoms than our male counterparts. In recent research it has been shown that one in eight females did not have classic heart attack symptoms.
In recent medical history there has been amazing progress in the research and education on heart disease in women specifically. Our bodies are not the same, as Dr Stacy Sims says, “Women are not small men”. For many years the common heart attack symptoms of chest pain has led to many misdiagnosis in females. Females are more likely to experience “atypical” symptoms such as indigestion, shortness of breath, dizziness, clammy skin, unusual fatigue, and back pain, with or without the more obvious chest pain symptom.
Females also have some additional risk factors to heart disease. Smoking, diabetes, high blood pressure, family history, co-existing metabolic syndrome, and high c-reactive protein (inflammation) levels are all common risk factors shared across genders. Additionally, females have the following risk factors:
High testosterone prior to menopause
Hypertension
Autoimmune disease (e.g. rheumatoid arthritis)
Anxiety, depression, and/or chronic stress
Lack of information on different risk factors and symptoms.
The main difference in risk factors can be connected to how female hormones influence the body as we transition through peri to post-menopause. Estrogen, our drama queen, takes a leading role in the risk factors for heart disease in women. During the menstruating phase of life, estrogen acts as a heart protector – it helps to relax the arteries and influences good cholesterol. During the peri-post menopause phase of life, when estrogen levels decline, there is a higher risk for cardiovascular disease. The risk for heart disease in women increases around age 65, which is about 10 years later for males who’s risks increase at 55.
Females are also more likely to experience “broken heart syndrome” in their post-menopausal phase of life. This syndrome mimics a heart attack, but is a temporary stress response to emotional of physical stress. It is possible that males experience this as well, but it is more common in females. “Broken heart syndrome” is a newer phenomenon and the long-term effects are still being discovered, but so far no lasting damage has been seen.
Although there are many factors that influence one’s risk of heart disease, there are also many ways to lower your chances. Avoiding smoking, regular movement for your body, preventative screenings with your physician, and a diet rich in variety and fiber. There is a correlation between cholesterol levels and heart health. One of the ways that we can influence our cholesterol levels is by eating a diet that is rich in fiber. Fiber plays an important role in our total health, from gut health to hormones, and even our heart health. If you’re looking for inspiration for fiber rich meals, check out our Instagram page for weekly Friday Fiber Fueled reels.
Our hearts are the love center of our body. There is a lot of research that shows the connection between emotional connection with others and heart attack rates. According to the CDC, individuals who have a strong social bond have a 50% increased likelihood of survival than those with fewer social connections. In communities that have strong social connections, even if their dietary and lifestyle risk factors are high, there are less rates of heart attacks. Research into these social determinates of health are newer to the medical world, but so far the data is showing that there is a strong connection between your social emotional state and your physical heart health.
As we take time this month to think about our heart health, it is important to share knowledge with females that we love that heart attack symptoms are different for us than males. For females who are in the peri-post menopause phase of life, there is an increased risk of heart disease, with symptoms such as indigestion, shortness of breath, clammy skin, and back pain. Risk factors across genders include family history, high blood pressure, smoking, and diabetes, but for females we have added risks such as high testosterone, and autoimmune disease. Dietary increases of fibrous foods and maintaining social connections can help reduce your risk rates for heart disease and illness.
References:
Women are Not Small Men – Dr Stacy Sims
https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/conditions-and-diseases/heart-disease-differences-in-men-and-women#:~:text=%22So%20while%20the%20classical%20symptoms,absence%20of%20obvious%20chest%20discomfort.%22
