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Finally! increasing symptoms or onset of UC during pregnancy/menstruation perhaps explained

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Ulcerative Colitis
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Posted 2/5/2014 1:54 AM (GMT 0)
This has totally perplexed and intrigued me for some time now as all the time women on here post about onset of symptoms during pregnancy or worsening during menstruation.

The first paper (which is actually surprisingly old 2010):

Estrogen receptor-β signaling modulates epithelial barrier function: ajpgi.physiology.org/content/300/4/G621


And the second one though at first seemingly unrelated as it deals with Urinary Tract Infections

Estrogen is a new weapon against urinary tract infection in postmenopausal women:
www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/06/130619164620.htm

From these papers we learn that a drop in estrogen can have an effect on the permeability of the epithelial barrier. And we learn that when this is damaged there is a drop in the bodies ability to produce antimicrobial peptides and maintain a tight barrier.

This would leave them open to an increased chance of bacterial/fungal infection or a worsening of systems during times when estrogen levels drop (menstruation).

Plus it inspires lot's of thoughts about EDC's in the environment etc etc etc etc...
Posted 2/5/2014 2:08 AM (GMT 0)
This in an interesting statement as well from the first paper - so people with UC regardless of in remission or not show a drop in estrogen whereas in crohns patients in remission do not: And if I caught it right male vs female made no difference - so both genders show a drop.

"a reduction in ERβ mRNA levels was observed in colonic biopsies from the Crohn's disease patients in relapse, but interestingly, not the patients in remission. In contrast, in the ulcerative colitis patients, both the patients in remission and the patients suffering from relapse demonstrated reduced levels of ERβ mRNA"


EDIT: Correction - on reading the second paper again estrogen "induced" the expression of antimicrobial peptides - This is an important bit of information......

Post Edited (Canada Mark) : 2/4/2014 7:20:32 PM (GMT-7)

Posted 2/5/2014 4:47 AM (GMT 0)
This might go along with this as well... diet also having an influence.

Gut reaction: Effect of diet, estrogen on gut microbiota
www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/11/131108124854.htm
Posted 2/5/2014 5:04 AM (GMT 0)
Very interesting, explains why i got permenantly screwed after having my son. There is no bigger estrogen drop than the one postpartum.
Posted 2/5/2014 5:57 PM (GMT 0)
I always have bleeding when it's the half of my menstrual cycle and during menstruation
Posted 2/5/2014 8:47 PM (GMT 0)
I've checked this with two females with IBS - they say they have symptom increase as well.. which I find interesting.
Posted 2/6/2014 12:53 AM (GMT 0)
Same here, gets worse during my period, and flared during my pregnancy and badly after delivery. For some women pregnancy actually helps autoimmune disorders though. Apparently breastfeeding offers some protection for uc too.
Posted 2/6/2014 4:27 AM (GMT 0)
Before my symptoms showed up full time, I had blood in my stool during my period for two cycles for sure and possibly 4.

When I mentioned this to my GI, he played dumb like he'd never heard of such a thing.

So does this knowledge give any direction for those of us whose bodies seem to have this issue?
Posted 2/6/2014 4:56 AM (GMT 0)
I am so glad that you posted this. I was originally diagnosed during a pregnancy about 3 1/2 years ago and I have been battling a flare up for over a year now. I definitely have noticed an increase in symptoms around the time of my cycle. I have asked two different doctors about a possible link to hormones due to so many women being diagnosed during or right after pregnancy and they both said there was absolutely no connection. So frustrating!
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