Symptoms of low hormones in women range from mild to severe. We observe several changes during the years leading up to menopause (perimenopause). These are brought on by changing levels of hormones produced by the ovaries, mainly estrogen.
What are Estrogen and Progesterone?
We can define it as the main estrogen hormone produced by women after they hit menopause. It plays an essential role in girls when they reach puberty, as it promotes changes like the start of menstruation periods and the growth of pubic hair. Estrogen helps control cholesterol in the blood.
Progesterone is primarily a female sex hormone. Ovaries are responsible for producing it following ovulation each month. We can take it as a crucial part of the menstrual cycle and maintenance of pregnancy.
What are the Symptoms of Low Estrogen and Progesterone Levels?
The issue of low estrogen is common in girls who haven’t reached puberty and women approaching menopause. Still, it is not unusual that women of all ages can develop low estrogen issues like.
1-Hot Flash
It could be named as the most frequent symptoms of insufficient estrogen are hot flashes, flushes, and night sweats. You feel as if blood rushes to the surface of your skin at times. It might give you a warm sensation (hot flash). Your face may be flushed. Flashes that occur while you are sleeping. Flashes that occur while you are sleeping are night sweats.
2-Mood Swings
Low estrogen can also cause mood swings. You could be depressed, worried, or annoyed. Changes in hormone levels and night sweats might make it difficult to get a good night’s sleep. It might lead to exhaustion, which can increase mood swings.
3-Tissue Thinning
Tissue thinning can be painful. Urinary tract thinning can lead to bladder infections as there could be an increased desire to urinate urgently. You might also lose control of your bladder (incontinence). Dryness and uncomfortable intercourse can be caused by vaginal thinning.
4-Breast Tenderness
Sore breasts are a visible sign of low estrogen that’s normal. It happens as, during the part of your cycle before your period, estrogen levels naturally decrease.
5-Fatigue and Sleep Issues
Estrogen and serotonin are closely interdependent, and serotonin produces melatonin. The main sleep hormone is melatonin. It suggests you might have low estrogen if you’ve been sleeping less and feeling tired.
6-Irregular Menstrual Cycles
Irregular cycles also point to low estrogen. It is common during perimenopause.
Your menstruation is controlled by estrogen. If you don’t have enough, your cycle may come to an end. During perimenopause and, of course, menopause, this is natural.
7-Headaches
Low estrogen can cause headaches, particularly migraines. It happens because estrogen affects the molecules in the brain that generate pain.
8-Sex is becoming more painful
Estrogen helps in the maintenance of vaginal lubrication. Low estrogen levels might cause vaginal dryness. It’s also possible for the vaginal wall to thin. Both of these conditions make sex quite unpleasant.
9-Weight Gain
Estrogen and progestin are responsible for controlling body fat storage and production. Your body may accumulate more fat than usual when estrogen levels are low.
10-Brittle Bones
Your bones may become less strong and fragile when your estrogen levels drop.
11-Vulvovaginal atrophy
It’s a condition where low estrogen levels cause your vagina to narrow, lose flexibility and take longer to lubricate. Menopause genitourinary syndrome is another name for this illness.
Causes for Low Hormones in Women
Following are some common causes for low estrogen levels include:
- Eating disorders like anorexia or extreme dieting
- Pituitary gland disorders
- Age is a factor (ovaries produce less estrogen as you get older)
- Excessive exercise
- Ovarian cysts or other hormonal disorders in the family
- Ovarian dysfunction that develops too early
- Perimenopause
Major Health Risks of Low Estrogen
Here are some health risks due to low estrogen levels in women. Estrogen is an important hormone to maintain strong bones
by preventing calcium loss. Decreased calcium levels can increase the risk of fractures in the spine, hips, and leg and arm bones. Similarly, the women who drink a lot of alcohol, smoke, are not active and are thin or petite are at greater risk. This issue might run in families.
Estrogen, which is produced by the body, indicates to protect against heart disease. It may do so by increasing HDL (good) cholesterol levels in the blood. We observe that after menopause, the risk of heart disease increases significantly. Consult your endocrinologist about strategies to maintain your healthy estrogen levels and maintain your heart in good shape.
Conclusion
If you’re pregnant or have had uterine, breast, or ovarian cancer, blood clots or pulmonary embolism, active liver illness; irregular uterine bleeding of unknown origin; or an extremely high triglyceride level, don’t take estrogen in any form. Get yearly breast examinations and annual mammograms if you’re on estrogen or estrogen with progestin.
Frequently Asked Questions(FAQs)
1-How to increase estrogen?
Estrogen levels increase during a healthy pregnancy, and tumors of the ovaries, testes, or adrenal glands can cause elevated estrogen levels. Steroid treatments, ampicillin, estrogen-containing pharmaceuticals, phenothiazines, and tetracyclines are examples of drugs that can boost estrogen levels.
2-How do I know if my hormone levels are low?
Hot flashes and missed periods are two obvious signs of low estrogen. However, some of these symptoms might also be caused by other illnesses, such as thyroid issues. With a blood test, it is easy to assess hormone levels to determine low estrogen.
3-How do you fix hormonal imbalance?
Following are the natural ways to balance your hormones:
- Eat Enough Protein at Every Meal
- Consuming an adequate amount of protein
- Engage in Regular Exercise
- Avoid Sugar and Refined Carbs
- Learn to Manage Stress
- Consume Healthy Fats
- Avoid Overeating and Undereating
