Body Fat Monitors

Can low estrogen cause symptoms body wide?

Estrogen has broad affect in the body. It nourishes organ systems as diverse as the cardiovascular system, nervous system, skeletal system, urogenital system, and even the integument or skin.Estrogen is responsible for the health and maintenance of the skeleton, brain, heart and blood vessels, breasts, vagina, urethra and bladder, gums and teeth, skin and much more.

Falling estrogen therefore impacts all parts of the body. Low estrogen symptoms may not be obvious to you.

The drop of estrogen begins during perimenopause

Monthly cycles are determined by rising and falling levels of estrogen and progesterone in a smooth pattern. These hormones are managed by other hormones released from the brain. The regulated pattern of hormone release by the ovaries begins to change as we enter perimenopause. Rather than maintaining a smooth rhythm, secretion is unsteady and inconsistent. Abrupt drops in estrogen during this period are responsible for most of the symptoms of perimenopause.

A primer on the the symptoms of low estrogen?

-    Changes in your menstrual periods Changes in your menstrual cycle are the most common sign of falling estrogen. Ninety percent of women describe a change in their monthly cycle.  This can happen from four to eight years before actual conclusion of periods.

The most usual symptom is irregular periods. You may miss periods. The time between menstrual periods can shift. There can be an increase or a decrease in the amount of bleeding during your period. Spotting may occur between menstrual periods. With erratic estrogen levels, premenstrual symptoms can worsen.

-    Hot Flashes. The next most common symptom of dropping estrogen levels is hot flashes and night sweats. 85% of women in the United States complain of hot flashes and sweats, and of night sweats. Hot flashes can continue for 3-5 years, starting three or more years before menopause. It is impossible to predict how long hot flashes will last.  Some women report experiencing them for up to 20 years total.

How severe hot flashes are and how often they happen is variable. They may occur less than once daily and be a slight nuisance. Or if they occur several times per hour and are severe, they can be crippling.

-    Disturbance of sleep. Insomnia is sometimes a direct end product of experiencing hot flashes at night. When a hot flash occurs during sleep, one is often not entirely aware of the hot flash before awaking. When they are severe you may awaken drenched in sweat and feeling chilled. When frequent during the night, hot flashes can result in major insomnia.

Dropping estrogen levels triggers a brain response. At the brains command the adrenal glands release norepinephrine, a stress hormone. The result is a body wide stress reaction. Ordinary insomnia is mostly associated with stress and higher than normal levels of stress hormones.

-    Poor memory and concentration, fatigue and irritability. Fatigue results from the chronic stress on the body combined with insomnia. Chronic fatigue disrupts mental function and concentration, and results in irritability. Poor short term memory is also a frequent complaint during perimenopause. Memory lapses are explained by researchers as being due to a shift in brain neurotransmitters as a result of low estrogen.

-    Genital and bladder issues. Estrogen maintains the health of pelvic organs such as the bladder, urethra and vagina. Estrogen’s stimulatory action maintains the epithelial lining of the urinary bladder, the urethra and the vagina. With falling estrogen levels these mucous membranes become drier and thinner.

Muscles of the pelvis, especially of the bladder and vagina are also maintained by estrogen. Weakening of the bladder sphincter muscle leads to slight loss of control of the bladder. Urinary incontinence or involuntary loss of urine can result. Another common complaint is having to urinate repeatedly.  The feeling of urgency when needing to urinate is also common.

The mucous membranes of the vagina gradually dry out during perimenopause. Vaginal dryness can make sexual activity uncomfortable. Bleeding and pain can occur with intercourse. This can be followed by lack of interest in sex. Arousal can be more difficult and less pleasurable as a result of dropping estrogen.  This is because the sensitivity of the nerves depends on estrogen.

Thinning of the mucus membranes of the vagina and urinary tract can also result in more frequent bladder infections. The mucus secretions in the vagina are acidic in order to inhibit microbial growth. Protection is lost when the secretions decrease. Vaginal dryness can also cause itching.

Estrogens in plants can be used to replenish dropping estrogen levels.

Foods high in estrogen can help to supplant the estrogens that are lost during perimenopause. A good example of this is hot flashes and night sweats. 80-85% of American women experience them. Japanese women have a much lower incidence of hot flashes, at only 30%. The estrogen rich foods that are common place in the Japanese diet accounts for this difference.