Hormonal health

One example that Lascar points out is how mood is impacted by the perimenopause – the lead-up to the menopause – that can happen “as early as your mid 30s, but more commonly after 40,” says Lascar. “Women [can] suffer with anxiety, depression, and other mood and sleep problems, and they and their care providers are often still overlooking this as being potentially due to perimenopause,” says Lascar. “Progesterone declines sharply in perimenopause, whilst estrogen levels may fluctuate widely and are often too high.” She adds that women “make progesterone when we ovulate, but if ovulation occurs less regularly, we may have an imbalance between estrogen and progesterone.” Lascar notes that progesterone “may interact with the GABA receptor, which is the brain’s main calming molecule, and therefore you may find it hard to switch off, which is typical of the insomnia and anxiety experienced during perimenopause.”

And Guive Balooch, global vice president of L’Oréal’s Technology Incubator, tells JWT Innovation that hormones are “absolutely affecting the bacteria and microbiome of the skin, which then leads to changes in the pH,” he said. “So the main question for us becomes more about how we make the links between all of these things.”

One company that’s ushered in a greater awareness of hormones and how they affect women’s health from a fertility standpoint is Natural Cycles. The Swedish company offers a first-of-its-kind, FDA-approved digital birth control, which uses an algorithm and a basal thermometer to monitor women’s hormones fluctuations. Natural Cycles has been a pioneer in making women more aware of their hormonal ebbs and flows since its launch in 2014. But now, alongside period and ovulation tracking apps such as Clue, startups are broadening the scope and encouraging users to monitor the emotional impact of their hormones, alongside their physical effects.

Moody Month is an app that takes data from the user’s menstrual cycle and reported physical symptoms to provide a “daily feed of mood and hormone insights,” alongside the weather and phases of the moon, and how these natural phenomena might impact mood and wellbeing. The app also allows users to buy nutritional supplements tailored to their hormonal profile, and provides nutritional recommendations.

And arming women with hard data about their hormonal activity are a host of at-home hormone testing kits. They include Thorne, which provides an at-home fertility test, testing for levels of hormones including estradiol – the active form of estrogen – cortisol, progesterone, and DHEA. It then offers users a personalized health plan based on the results. The company also carries a plethora of vitamins and supplements to address hormonal imbalances.

In the UK, Lina Chan launched the at-home fertility test Adia in early 2019. Customers can order a blood test to take at home with a finger-prick, and test for levels of six hormones that impact fertility, including anti mullerian hormone, prolactin, and thyroxine. When the customer receives their results, the aim is that the test will help them understand their “ovarian reserve, ovulation and general health, all important markers for conception and pregnancy,” the company says. Chan also says that what sets Adia apart is that it contextualizes its results. “A lot of companies that you’ll go to, all you’ll get is a list of numbers and averages, but that doesn’t tell you anything,” says Chan. “What does that mean to how quickly I’m going to reach menopause, or what does that mean if I’m going to do IVF? Am I going to be a good candidate or not a good candidate? And what does it mean for my ovarian reserves? So…we translate all of that data into decisions and choices and information to make you aware.”