Have you noticed how one day you feel very happy, and the next day you feel low for no reason? Most women experience mood swings and other changes in their bodies during their menstrual cycle, and they don't have much control over them. Did you know your menstrual cycle is controlled by a hormone known as estrogen?
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Estrogen is the female sexual hormone responsible for regulating the menstrual cycle and reproductive system. A female's body produces three types of estrogen at different times in her life.
● E1 – Estrone is produced after a woman attains menopause
● E2 – Estradiol is the most potent form of estrogen and is produced during a woman's reproductive years
● E3- Estriol is produced during pregnancy.
Women's estrogen levels will go up and down during their menstrual cycle. However, if it is always too high or too low or fluctuates very drastically, it can indicate health issues or complications that need medical attention.
Estrogen is not only responsible for sexual health but also plays an important role in other parts of the body. Estrogen is important for the following reasons:
1. Along with progesterone, estrogen is responsible for the development of breasts, hips, and other secondary sex characteristics in a woman.
2. Estrogen is very important for menstruation, pregnancy and menopause. It is a hormone which tells the body when to start or stop various processes related to sexual and reproductive health.
3. When a girl attains puberty, her estrogen levels increase and aid in the development of breasts, hips, and other sexual characteristics.
4. Estrogen coexists with other hormones to maintain a delicate balance that ensures regular menstrual cycles. A disturbance in this balance can lead to irregular periods.
5. Estrogen levels increase when it is time for ovulation. It will make your cervical mucus thinner so that the sperm can enter the vagina and travel up the fallopian tube easily. This increases the chances of fertilisation, which leads to pregnancy.
6. Estrogen keeps the vaginal walls thick, lubricated, and elastic so that intercourse is easier and less painful.
7. It also affects cholesterol and blood sugar levels. It impacts your brain function, collagen production, blood flow and circulation. It also influences your bone and muscle mass.
Estrogen levels increase and decrease during a woman's menstrual cycle. It will increase during ovulation and decrease during menstruation. However, if your estrogen levels are consistently low, then it can indicate any of the following:
● You are approaching menopause
● You have fertility issues
● You are suffering from a nutritional deficiency
When the estrogen levels are consistently low, you may experience the following:
● Irregular periods
● Amenorrhea (no periods)
● Dry vagina
● Pain during intercourse
● Hot flashes or night sweats
● Breasts feel sore or tender
● Headaches
● Tiredness, fatigue, drowsiness
● Sleep issues
● Mood swings
● Weak or brittle bones
So, what causes low estrogen? Some of the common causes are:
1. Age – If you are over 45 years of age, you may be in the perimenopausal stage. As you get older and near menopause, your estrogen levels will decrease.
2. Genetic Issues – Genetic conditions like Fragile X and Turner syndrome cause low estrogen levels.
3. Autoimmune Disease – Autoimmune disease that affects your ovaries can reduce or even stop estrogen production, thus leading to low estrogen.
4. Eating Disorder – If you are suffering from an eating disorder like anorexia or bulimia, you will be losing important nutrients. Undernourishment or the lack of sufficient nutrients in the blood can affect the hormonal balance, leading to a dip in estrogen production.
5. Primary Ovarian Insufficiency – This is a condition where the woman's ovaries stop producing eggs even before she turns 40 years old. This, in turn, leads to early menopause. When your menstruation stops, estrogen production will also decrease.
6. Treatments – Certain treatments, like chemotherapy or radiation, can cause severe damage to the ovaries. The injuries can prevent or reduce estrogen production. Removal of one or both ovaries will also decrease estrogen production.
7. Issues in the Pituitary Gland – The pituitary gland produces many important hormones. It also produces the hormone that tells the ovaries to reduce estrogen production. If the pituitary gland does not function properly, it can affect estrogen production.
8. Hypothalamic Amenorrhea – When your body does not get sufficient rest and is under a lot of stress, it can forget to pass instructions regarding estrogen production. This can also affect your nourishment, leading to low estrogen levels.
How Do You Diagnose Low Estrogen?
If you experience any of the low estrogen levels symptoms mentioned above (irregular periods, mood swings, painful sex, dry vagina, etc.), your gynaecologist will check levels of your estrogen and a few other hormones. An estrogen test can reveal the levels of all three types of estrogen in your body.
It can be challenging to diagnose low estrogen, as the symptoms are very similar to those of various other hormonal issues. Your doctor may not take an estrogen test right away. If your symptoms persist despite the changes in diet, lifestyle, or medications, your doctor will recommend the estrogen test.
If your estrogen levels are very low and the symptoms are severe, your doctor may suggest hormone replacement therapy, estrogen therapy, or treatments to manage the symptoms or health conditions causing the low estrogen.
While supplements are available to increase estrogen levels, these are not completely regulated by the FDA. So, can you treat low estrogen naturally? Here are a few tips:
1. Reduce Stress – Stress is one of the primary factors causing hormonal imbalance and low estrogen production. Learn stress reduction techniques that you can use anywhere, anytime.
2. Diet Change – Include foods like legumes, seeds, berries, and fresh fruits in your regular diet. These contain phytoestrogen – plant-based estrogens and can help alleviate some menopausal symptoms.
3. Vitamin Intake – Vitamins like Boron, Vitamin B, D and E are essential for producing estrogen. Increasing your intake of these vitamins can help stimulate estrogen production.
4. Weight Management – Maintaining an ideal weight can help reduce other health issues and maintain hormonal balance, which in turn can reduce the effects of low estrogen.
5. Regular Exercise – Regular and moderate exercise can also help regulate hormone production in the body and manage weight.
Estrogen is an essential hormone that can fluctuate for various reasons. If you are in the perimenopause stage, it is natural for your estrogen levels to drop. With timely intervention, you can reduce the symptoms and effects of low estrogen before it can cause any serious damage.
Hormone replacement therapy and estrogen therapy are two of the most common medical treatments for low estrogen. Doctors will also use treatments to reduce symptoms or control health issues that are causing your estrogen levels to dip.
Low estrogen can delay puberty, cause irregular periods, infertility, or decrease libido in women. It can cause erectile dysfunction in men. Consistent low estrogen levels can even lead to osteoporosis, high cholesterol, high triglycerides, or coronary heart diseases.
