9/10 STRESS AND REPRODUCTION
- MEN
O UNDER STRESS, THE WHOLE REPRODUCTIVE SYSTEM IS INHIBITED
§ EPINEPHRINE BLOCKS THE RELEASE OF HORMONES NEEDED FOR THIS
PROCESS
O CHRONIC STRESS LEADS TO INCREASED LEVELS OF CORTISOL
§ DECREASES TESTOSTERONE
§ AFFECTS SPERM PRODUCTION
§ AFFECTS SPERM MATURATION
O SAME FOR EXTREME ATHLETES?
§ ULTRA MARATHONERS OR TRIATHLETES EXPERIENCE THE SAME STRESS AS
SOLDIERS
§ TOO MUCH EXERCISE CAN MIMIC EFFECTS OF CORTISOL ON REPRODUCTION
O STRESS AND ERECTIONS
§ DECREASED BLOOD FLOW IN VESSELS CAN IMPEDE BLOOD FLOW WHERE
NEEDED (CHRONIC)
§ ANXIETY OR NERVOUSNESS BLOCKS NATURAL PARASYMPATHETIC ACTIVITY…
CAUSING ERECTILE DYSFUNCTION
§ OR… ANXIETY DURING SEX SHIFTS FROM PNS TO SNS… PREMATURE
EJACULATION
O ED CAN CAUSE THE STRESS RESPONSE ALL BY ITSELF
- WOMEN
O TWO HALVES OF THE CYCLE
§ FOLLICULAR PHASE
· HORMONES, INCLUDING ESTROGEN BUILD UP, LEADING TO
OVULATION
§ LUTEAL PHASE
· PROGESTERONE STIMULATES MATURATION OF UTERINE WALLS
§ UNDER STRESS, GLUCOCORTICOIDS INHIBIT BOTH PHASES
§ LEADS TO HYPOTHALAMIC AMENORRHEA (NO CYCLE) OF STRESS
· ALSO SEEN IN EATING DISORDERS, EXTREME ATHLETES,
DANCERS, GYMNASTS
O STRESS
§ GLUCOCORTICOIDS MAKE OVARIES LESS RESPONSIVE TO HORMONES NEEDED
· OVULATION DELAYED OR SHUT DOWN
§ EGGS LESS LIKELY TO IMPLANT PROPERLY
- MEN
O UNDER STRESS, THE WHOLE REPRODUCTIVE SYSTEM IS INHIBITED
§ EPINEPHRINE BLOCKS THE RELEASE OF HORMONES NEEDED FOR THIS
PROCESS
O CHRONIC STRESS LEADS TO INCREASED LEVELS OF CORTISOL
§ DECREASES TESTOSTERONE
§ AFFECTS SPERM PRODUCTION
§ AFFECTS SPERM MATURATION
O SAME FOR EXTREME ATHLETES?
§ ULTRA MARATHONERS OR TRIATHLETES EXPERIENCE THE SAME STRESS AS
SOLDIERS
§ TOO MUCH EXERCISE CAN MIMIC EFFECTS OF CORTISOL ON REPRODUCTION
O STRESS AND ERECTIONS
§ DECREASED BLOOD FLOW IN VESSELS CAN IMPEDE BLOOD FLOW WHERE
NEEDED (CHRONIC)
§ ANXIETY OR NERVOUSNESS BLOCKS NATURAL PARASYMPATHETIC ACTIVITY…
CAUSING ERECTILE DYSFUNCTION
§ OR… ANXIETY DURING SEX SHIFTS FROM PNS TO SNS… PREMATURE
EJACULATION
O ED CAN CAUSE THE STRESS RESPONSE ALL BY ITSELF
- WOMEN
O TWO HALVES OF THE CYCLE
§ FOLLICULAR PHASE
· HORMONES, INCLUDING ESTROGEN BUILD UP, LEADING TO
OVULATION
§ LUTEAL PHASE
· PROGESTERONE STIMULATES MATURATION OF UTERINE WALLS
§ UNDER STRESS, GLUCOCORTICOIDS INHIBIT BOTH PHASES
§ LEADS TO HYPOTHALAMIC AMENORRHEA (NO CYCLE) OF STRESS
· ALSO SEEN IN EATING DISORDERS, EXTREME ATHLETES,
DANCERS, GYMNASTS
O STRESS
§ GLUCOCORTICOIDS MAKE OVARIES LESS RESPONSIVE TO HORMONES NEEDED
· OVULATION DELAYED OR SHUT DOWN
§ EGGS LESS LIKELY TO IMPLANT PROPERLY
