Women and Benzodiazepines
Did you know that estimates put the number of prescriptions written for benzodiazepines at two to three times higher for women than men? What’s the reason for the disparity? Are women just more anxious, stressed, and overwhelmed than men?
In truth, it’s the benzo marketing machine at work.
When the first benzodiazepine drugs became available, the pharmaceutical industry ads targeted women due to the natural biochemicals in the female body, mainly hormones and steroids. Progesterone, estrogen, and allopregnanolone all act like natural benzos in the body.
Since these biochemicals naturally fluctuate, women experience the phenomenon of progesterone withdrawal syndrome and a GABA-A receptor desensitization, which are very similar to withdrawal from benzodiazepines. This can occur during PMS, PMDD, post-partum depression, and menopause.
According to George Koob, Ph.D., a professor of neuropharmacology at the Scripps Research Institute in La Jolla, California, it could also be the reason why men and women have such a striking difference in the incidence of anxiety and mood disorders.
Cross Tolerance and Hormone Replacement
The fact that those biochemical and hormones act as natural benzodiazepines in the brain create a heightened risk of cross tolerance for women and make the withdrawal and recovery process more difficult. Progesterone (a GABAergic biochemical), allopregnanolone, and other metabolites are cross tolerant with benzos, and their ups and downs can cause symptoms that look like benzodiazepine withdrawal syndrome.
Estrogen, with its glutaminergic excitatory effects on the central nervous system, can also be an issue, increasing convulsions and resulting in an epileptic seizure disorder around the menstrual cycle. All of this together means that hormone replacement therapy can be risky for women who are already suffering from benzo withdrawal, epilepsy, or hormonal issues.
Benzos, Birth Control and Pregnancy
Those are not the only problems women can experience with benzos. Women who are taking both birth control and benzos can have disastrous side effects. That’s because birth control medications can increase the concentrations of benzos, like Xanax and Valium in your body, boosting the drug’s effects and risks.
Should you decide to get pregnant, benzos carry even more risk.
Even when taken as directed, benzodiazepines can cause birth defects and complications. This is why they are classified as a D or X drug by the U.S. FDA. Post-birth, benzodiazepines have been linked to withdrawal syndrome in babies, floppy infant syndrome, and seizures. Also, if you take benzos, you should not breastfeed, since the drugs cross into breast milk.
dependency and addiction
Benzodiazepines have also been shown to cause hormonal changes in women. According to experts, this can increase the chance of addiction issues in women compared to men, and is the reason that women can sometimes have more intense ‘cravings’ as well as lowered inhibitions when it comes to the drugs themselves.
High Risk
Considering their link to women’s natural biochemical system, there is an elevated risk for women taking benzos and common birth control and hormone replacement therapy can enhance that risk. Extreme care should be taken by women who are considering having children or entering menopause and wanting replacement therapy.