During ovulation, a woman’s body reduces its natural protections so sperm can reach the uterus without the body trying to fight it off.
It is kind of like Captain Kirk ordering the Deflector Shields to be turned off in Star Trek.
LOWERED IMMUNE SYSTEM DURING OVULATION
Do you often feel sick while ovulating?
Women most often fall sick while they are menstruating. It does not refer to the cramps and the bloating. In fact, right when women are in their ovulation stages, they are more likely to catch an infection. But have you ever wondered why do you feel sick when on your periods?
There are a lot of research (including groundbreaking studies from Indiana University) that proves that it has to do with the hormones. So let’s discuss how and why do women fall sick during their ovulation cycle.
Various research studies have reported that ovulation has a significant impact on immunity.
Ovulation is the stage when it is prime for a woman to get pregnant. It is at this stage that when an egg is released from the ovary. It then reaches the uterus.
The uterus is filled with the nutrients to sustain the egg. However, at this stage, the level of estrogen is the highest. Researches show that at this stage, women are more likely to get infected by pathogens.
The reduced immunity is so that the sperm can successfully reach the uterus. A weakened immunity does not kill off the sperm cell. That, in turn, leads to a higher chance of fertilization of the egg.
Older research proves that immunity is lowered during the ovulation phase. The research that we discussed before told us why it happens. Now, let’s discuss how it does happen.
The hormone estrogen is responsible for turning down the immune system. This immune system helps protect the body against bacteria, viruses, and other pathogens.
It was studied in mice by scientists. They observed how high levels of estrogen in mice affects their immune system. Mice were injected with estrogen, and their susceptibility to Candida was observed. Candida Albicans is a type of fungi that causes yeast infections.
As the results were already expected, the mice that were given estrogen developed yeast infections. This further lead to the research that these mice had low levels of Th17. Th17 is an immune system molecule.
With the help of this research, it was concluded that female sex hormones are also crucial in regulating immunity. Sex hormones like estrogen and progesterone play essential parts in autoimmune disorders. Women are more prone to getting autoimmune diseases such as HIV.
The scientists believe that the reason behind this might be because of the sex hormones. Some might even say that estrogen causes inflammation. However, it might be dependent on the amount of hormone released at a time.
The best part about this is that you can manage to be sick. Many specialists suggest that you might not always get sick. Being sick can easily be prevented by keeping check and balance on your hormones. If you know you are in your ovulation phase, try certain precautions not to catch a cold.
Minor modifications in your lifestyle might help you not to catch infections during this phase. A term called bio-hacking is used in such situations. Furthermore, bio-hacking might be one of the best ways to cheat your natural system.
The Takeaway
Nobody knows your body better than you. You can change your lifestyle to the best. Make healthier choices and live a healthy life. The immune system and menstrual cycle work hand in hand.
It does not always have to be for the bad. So eat healthy. Wash your hands before every meal. Exercise regularly. These are simple steps that will help you to get rid of any infections that are coming your way.