Stress as a potential moderator of ovarian hormone influences on binge eating in women

Abstract

Previous research has demonstrated significant associations between increased levels of ovarian hormones and increased rates of binge eating (BE) in women. However, whereas all women experience fluctuations in ovarian hormones across the menstrual cycle, not all women binge eat in response to these fluctuations, suggesting that other factors must contribute. Stress is one potential contributing factor. Specifically, it may be that hormone-BE associations are stronger in women who experience high levels of stress, particularly as stress has been shown to be a precipitant to BE episodes in women. To date, no studies have directly examined stress as a moderator of hormone-BE associations, but indirect data (that is, associations between BE and stress and between ovarian hormones and stress) could provide initial clues about moderating effects. Given the above, the purpose of this narrative review was to evaluate these indirect data and their promise for understanding the role of stress in hormone-BE associations. Studies examining associations between all three phenotypes (that is, ovarian hormones, stress, and BE) in animals and humans were reviewed to provide the most thorough and up-to-date review of the literature on the potential moderating effects of stress on ovarian hormone–BE associations. Overall, current evidence suggests that associations between hormones and BE may be stronger in women with high stress levels, possibly via altered hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal axis response to stress and increased sensitivity to and altered effects of ovarian hormones during stress. Additional studies are necessary to directly examine stress as a moderator of ovarian hormone–BE associations and identify the mechanisms underlying these effects.

Appetitive Traits in a Population-Based Study of Polish Adolescents within the PLACE-19 Study: Validation of the Adult Eating Behavior Questionnaire

“…This situation is explained by a cultural expectation of thinness in women [ 59 ], which results from internalized appearance standards [ 60 ] and causes their weight-related concerns [ 61 ]. It may also be associated with the influence of ovarian hormones [ 62 ] and menstrual cycle [ 63 ]; the mid-luteal phase increases emotional eating (as a result of ovarian hormone effects) [ 64 ], which may impact the associations for women.…”

Diet, Stress and Mental Health

“…Figure 1 shows the myriad and complex relationships that can exist between diet and psychiatric symptoms. In Path A in the figure, stress can act through the brain to cause an increase in over-eating [ 12 ], including binge-eating [ 13 ], and a reduction in exercise that in turn leads to obesity and/or metabolic syndrome (MetS, defined as increased blood pressure, and blood sugar, excess waist body fat and elevated cholesterol or triglyceride levels), which may in turn lead to disorders such as depression due to functional and/or social impairments [ 14 ]. In Path B, stress-related psychiatric disorders develop (PTSD, depression) that are associated with changes in metabolism and obesity [ 15 ].…”

The Disruptive Effects of Estrogen Removal Before Puberty on Risk for Binge Eating in Female Rats

“…Genotyping of female BEP rats and studies of neural gene expression are also needed to confirm that underlying mechanisms reflect Gene × Hormone interaction effects across development. It would be useful in these studies to also examine psychosocial factors (e.g., stress, food restriction; Boggiano & Chandler, 2006; Fowler, Vo, Sisk, & Klump, 2019; Hagan et al, 2002) that may interact with hormonal manipulations to produce long-lasting changes in BEP. Binge eating is multifactorial, and ovarian hormones are only one of many etiologic factors that are likely to contribute to dysregulated eating in females.…”