HEMPEARTH – Preliminary findings on the use of psychedelics for women’s health are encouraging. From libido, body image and disordered eating to regulating the menstrual cycle, psychedelics are helping women find relief . For mental health, psychedelic assisted therapy is being used successfully for depression and post-traumatic stress disorder. Psychedelics reduce inflammation in both the body and brain which may be why the results appear to be far-reaching.
Psilocybin
Psilocybin, the psychoactive compound found in magic mushrooms, has been the subject of much research in recent years. Studies have found that psilocybin can have a range of positive effects on mental health, including reducing symptoms of addiction, depression and anxiety. But psilocybin may also have positive effects on body image and libido, two important aspects of sexual health.
Body Image
Body image is a complex issue that affects many people, particularly women. Poor body image can lead to a range of negative outcomes, including depression, anxiety, and eating disorders. In a study , researchers found that psilocybin may improve body image perception in women.
The study involved 10 women who received a high dose of psilocybin in a controlled setting. The women reported feeling more connected to their bodies and a greater sense of acceptance of their physical selves. The researchers believe that psilocybin have a therapeutic effect on body image perception, which could be particularly beneficial for women who struggle with poor body image.
Libido
Sexual health is an important aspect of overall health and wellbeing. Many factors can affect libido, including stress, anxiety, and relationship issues. Psilocybin have positive effects on libido by reducing stress and anxiety and increasing feelings of connection and intimacy.
In a study researchers found that psilocybin may increase sexual desire and arousal in women. The study involved 20 women who received a moderate dose of psilocybin in a controlled setting. The women reported feeling more connected to their partners and more in touch with their own bodies. They also reported experiencing more intense and pleasurable orgasms.
Regulating the Menstrual Cycle
The mechanism of action includes the hypothalamic-pituitary (HPA) axis and neurotransmitters receptors in the brain. Severe pain during menstruation is called premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD). The first line treatment for both PMS and PMDD is antidepressants however many women want other solutions because of the side-effects of these drugs.
Microdosing psilocybin may be it. There are reports of less severe cramps, fever headaches, better mood and lighter cycles from women who microdose regularly. Sex hormones are affected by the HPA-axis which is regulated by chemical messengers like dopamine, gaba and serotonin.
Can Psilocybin Help Women with Endometriosis and Adenomyosis?
Anecdotal reports as indicated that psilocybin may play a role in regulating the menstrual cycle. Irregularity is a common complaint of people who have endometriosis.
Researchers are also looking at psilocybin for its potential to help ease chronic-pain. The research is just getting started. A consideration is that psilocybin may have an anti-inflammatory effect. One study found that hot-water extracts from four psilocybin mushrooms downregulated pro-inflammatory mediators, known as cytokines, on human cell lines.
Cytokines are proteins that cells release, and they can either contribute to inflammation or reduce it. Pro-inflammatory cytokines—specifically interleukin-6 (IL-6), interleukin-1β (IL-1β), and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α)—are involved in nociceptor sensory neurons that detect potential threats and lead to pain sensations, the study authors note. Cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) is an enzyme also implicated in pain. In fact, non-steroidal antiinflammatory (NSAID) medications inhibit COX-2. Well, the magic mushroom extracts in the study, one of which included the popular Golden Teacher strain, significantly inhibited production of TNF-α and IL-1β, while also lowering concentrations of IL-6 and COX- 2.
Ketamine
Ketamine have increased in place of traditional treatments for depression due to their effectiveness against common symptoms of depression and suicidal ideation.
Early research has observed that the dosage amount between males and females can affect its overall efficacy for combating depression. When given a higher, controlled dose of ketamine, women reported lower feelings of depression throughout 24 hours⁴. The differences in the way ketamine affects males and females have been hypothesized to be due to sex differences and ovarian hormones.
Ketamine is effective to treat depressive symptoms- even when depression is resistant to a traditional approach. Additionally, the effects of ketamine can be much more rapid than other medications, which may take weeks or months to take effect.
Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder (PMDD)
Premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD), a severe mood disorder, is characterized by mental health and physical symptoms in the week before the onset of menstruation and affects millions of women worldwide. It is a much more intense form of PMS.
Currently, the first line of treatment for PMDD are selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs). Unlike in other mood disorders, patients with PMDD experience rapid onset of action from SSRI (as opposed to the typical two to three week onset time).
Recent research shows that ketamine administered at the onset of PMDD alleviate the treatment-resistance symptoms.
Recent data shows that ketamine actually activates estrogen receptors. This is important because declining levels of estrogen during the luteal phase may be a contribution factor to PMDD. By administering ketamine at the start of the luteal phase, or when symptoms of PMDD become apparent, it may be possible to treat one of the big contributing factors.
The same study showed that ketamine works with estrogen to increase glutamate levels. Glutamate is a neurotransmitter that may be uniquely connected to major depression. The lack of glutamate in certain regions of the brain has been strongly linked to depression.
Ketamine has been shown to activate glutamate transmission in the brain and is thought to be a key mechanism in its anti-depressant effects. Therefore ketamine may have a direct impact on mood and other signs of depression is administered at the onset of PMDD.
Prenatal Depression
a small study was conducted to test the feasibility of ketamine use in prenatal depressive symptoms for the possibility of running a future large trial.
A total of 66 women with prenatal depression who were scheduled for an elected cesarean delivery were randomized to receive low-dose ketamine (0.5mg/kg) were administered intravenously over a 40-minute period after clamping the umbilical cord. Depression was assessed 48 hours postpartum.
Postpartum depression
Ketamine was investigated for its effect on postpartum depression in women undergoing cesarean delivery. In a larger study of 654 women undergoing C-section, 10 minutes after childbirth, patients in the ketamine group were given a higher dose of ketamine, 0.5mg/kg, while the women in the control group were given standard postpartum care.
The prevalence of postpartum blues and postpartum depression were significantly lower in the ketamine group, and the study findings suggested that ketamine functions are a preventative agent against postpartum depression.
