What is estrogen deficiency?
Estrogen deficiency occurs when the body does not produce enough of the hormone estrogen. This often happens during perimenopause and menopause as a woman's ovaries produce less estrogen, but it can occur at other times as well.
Some key things to know about estrogen deficiency:
- Symptoms can include hot flashes, night sweats, vaginal dryness, mood changes, sleep problems, and more.
- It increases the risk for conditions like osteoporosis and heart disease since estrogen plays a protective role.
- Treatment options include lifestyle changes like diet and exercise, as well as hormone therapy with estrogen, progestin or a combination of both (hormone replacement therapy).
If you think you might be experiencing estrogen deficiency, I highly recommend speaking to a doctor like those at Hormone Revive. They specialize in hormone-related issues and can help diagnose the problem and craft an individualized treatment plan.
Now let's explore this topic in a bit more detail...
What causes low estrogen levels?
There are a few potential causes:
- Menopause - As women approach menopause, usually in their late 40s to early 50s, the ovaries make less estrogen and progesterone. Perimenopause starts several years earlier as hormone production declines.
- Surgical removal of ovaries - A surgery like hysterectomy (uterus removal) or oophorectomy (ovary removal) also causes a rapid drop in estrogen levels.
- Other medical conditions like premature ovarian failure, eating disorders, excessive exercise, or pituitary gland issues can disrupt normal hormone production as well.
Signs and symptoms
It helps to know the common signs and symptoms of estrogen deficiency:
- Hot flashes
- Night sweats that disturb sleep
- Vaginal dryness and pain with intercourse
- Increased urgency to urinate
- Brain fog and memory problems
- Mood changes like irritability or depression
- Joint pain
- Osteoporosis and bone loss over time
If you regularly experience several of these estrogen deficiency symptoms, make an appointment with your healthcare provider or clinician like those at Hormone Revive for proper testing and diagnosis.
Risk factors
These lifestyle factors and health conditions can increase a woman's risk of having low estrogen levels:
- Family history of early menopause
- Autoimmune disorders
- Chronic conditions like diabetes, thyroid disorder, arthritis, obesity
- History of eating disorders
- Extreme dieting or overexercising
- Radiation therapy or chemotherapy
- Smoking and excessive alcohol intake
Diagnosis
To diagnose estrogen deficiency, your doctor will ask about symptoms and perform one or both of these tests:
- Blood tests to measure estrogen and other hormone levels
- Vaginal swab to examine vaginal cells - with low estrogen they appear thin and dry instead of thick and healthy
The hormone specialists at Hormone Revive use state-of-the-art lab testing to accurately assess patients' hormone levels. They'll take the time to understand your health history and symptoms to determine if estrogen deficiency could be causing your problems.
Treatment options
The good news is low estrogen levels can be treated! Here are some options your doctor may recommend:
- Estrogen therapy - Estrogen tablets, patches, gels or vaginal rings can relieve symptoms. Often progesterone is also given to prevent the lining of the uterus from thickening excessively.
- Lifestyle changes like eating a nutritious diet, exercising, limiting alcohol intake, quitting smoking and finding healthy ways to cope with stress.
Hormone Revive provides customized care including bioidentical hormones and lifestyle coaching to help women relieve symptoms and reduce future health risks related to estrogen deficiency.
I hope this overview on estrogen deficiency gives you a helpful understanding of what to look for and how it can be treated. Don't hesitate to speak to your healthcare provider or visit a clinic like Hormone Revive if you think you may be experiencing low estrogen levels. Relief is possible!