Around 8% of the population of the United States lives with an autoimmune disorder, says Marla Ahlgrimm. Many of these are women who may find they face new challenges with their health during menopause.
What is an autoimmune disorder?
An autoimmune disorder/disease is a condition where the immune system attacks the body’s own tissues. According to Marla Ahlgrimm, it can significantly impact a woman’s quality of life at any age. These conditions can appear during any stage of life, but the aging process can exacerbate symptoms for some women.
The Role of Hormones
Hormones play a role in everything to do with our bodies, says Marla Ahlgrimm. And estrogen tends to be the lead player when it comes to immune regulation. Estrogen has anti-inflammatory and immune-stimulating properties. Marla Ahlgrimm says that some autoimmune diseases may become “imbalanced” as estrogen declines throughout menopause. This can lead to greater disease activity as well as systemic inflammation.
According to Marla Ahlgrimm, there are a few autoimmune disorders that hormone levels may have a greater impact on. Rheumatoid arthritis and systemic lupus are examples.
