A female hormone primarily produced by the ovaries, estrogen is synonymous with femininity and reproduction. Serving numerous functions in the body, if estrogen is thrown out of balance there could be numerous consequences. Keep reading to learn more about estrogen, its role in the body, what the symptoms and causes of estrogen imbalance are, and how to treat this estrogen imbalance.
About Estrogen
Particularly during menopause or during the monthly menstrual cycle,
fluctuating estrogen levels can cause a host of secondary symptoms. Keep reading to learn more about what estrogen is and how it functions in the female body.
What is Estrogen?
Estrogen is a steroid compound hormone that is made up of a group of three different hormones:
estrone,
estradiol, and
estriol. Estrogen is the hormone primarily responsible for a woman's monthly periods.
Estrogen's Function
Functions of estrogen in a woman's body are all-encompassing and complex. Their most essential roles can be summed up in the following list. Estrogen. . .
• Promotes formation of secondary female sexual
characteristics.
• Accelerates metabolism.
• Helps regulate the menstrual cycle.
• Increases uterine growth.
• Preserves bone density.
• Protects against heart disease.
Sudden estrogen withdrawal, estrogen fluctuations, or periods of sustained low estrogen levels can all contribute to a lowered mood, particularly in menopausal women. Click the following link to learn more
about estrogen; or, keep reading for more information about estrogen imbalance.
Estrogen Imbalance
Women usually experience the effects of both high and low estrogen levels as they reach the ages of 45 to 55.
Estrogen is one of the most important players of menopausal symptoms. Keep reading to learn more about estrogen levels common in women throughout their lifetimes.
Estrogen Levels
|
Age (yrs) |
Estrogen level
(pg/ml) Pictograms per milliliter |
| 20 - 29 |
149 |
| 30 - 39 |
210 |
| 40 - 44 |
152 |
| 0 - 30 |
130 |
|
There are different ways in which estrogen levels can be tested in order to establish whether a woman has an estrogen imbalance, which is often caused by the onset of menopause. The table to the right shows the average estrogen levels for a woman at different times during her reproductive years. Keep reading to learn more about low levels of estrogen and the symptoms of hormone imbalance.
Low Estrogen Levels
A simple estrogen test can be carried out by a doctor to determine the level of estrogen in a woman. This usually involves a blood, urine or saliva sample, which can be evaluated in a lab in order to identify any abnormal estrogen levels. A woman suffering from low estrogen levels during menopause will usually have an estrogen reading of
10 - 20 pg/ml (pictograms/milliliter). Click the following link to get more information about
low estrogen levels; or, continue reading to learn about high estrogen levels.
High Estrogen Levels
A woman suffering from high estrogen levels during menopause will usually have an estrogen reading of
200+ pg/ml (pictograms/milliliter). Click the following link to learn more about
high estrogen levels; or, read on to find out the symptoms of estrogen imbalance.
Symptoms of Estrogen Imbalance
Below are examples of symptoms associated with low and high levels of estrogen during menopause and perimenopause. Read on to learn about these symptoms.
Symptoms of Low Estrogen Levels
Because symptoms can be subtle and varied, women may not recognize at first that their issue is low estrogen. Below are some of the most frequently experienced symptoms that indicate low estrogen levels, particularly in menopausal women.
- Fatigue
- Hot Flashes
- Night Sweats
- Memory Lapses
|
- Difficulty Concentrating
- Joint Pain
- Vaginal Dryness
- Dry Skin
|
The most common long-term side effect of low estrogen levels is osteoporosis, which
20% of post menopausal women are thought to have.
Osteoporosis - Estrogen helps the bones to absorb calcium and vitamin D, without it bones become weak and there's an increased risk of fracturing.
Click the following link to learn more about
symptoms of low estrogen levels; or, read on to better understand the symptoms of high estrogen levels.
Symptoms of High Estrogen Levels
|
|
|
• Mood Swings.
• Anxiety.
• Depression.
• Loss of Libido.
• Insomnia.
|
• Headaches.
• Weight Gain.
• Breast Tenderness.
• Irregular Periods.
• Water Retention/Bloating
• Hypoglycemia. |
|
The most common symptoms of high estrogen levels can be separated into two categories: psychological and physical, and they are as follows:
More seriously, though,
breast cancer and
uterine cancer can result from high estrogen levels. Click the following link to discover more about
symptoms of high estrogen levels; or, keep reading to learn more about the causes of estrogen imbalance, both biological and environmentally induced.
Causes of Estrogen Imbalance
Fluctuating estrogen levels are caused by many things, but some key factors are stress, diet, and lifestyle. Keep reading to find out what causes low and high estrogen levels, and ultimately how they can be treated.
Causes of Low Estrogen Levels
Over the years, the estrogen produced in a woman's ovaries, and more precisely, her eggs, naturally tapers off as her egg supply is exhausted and ceases to be delivered to the uterus each month.
This declining estrogen level is what primarily causes the host of menopausal symptoms that most women experience during this time. Click the following link to learn more about
causes of low estrogen levels; or, read on to find out about the causes of high estrogen levels.
Causes of High Estrogen Levels
One of the first signs of menopause is a
drop in progesterone production, which leads to increased estrogen levels in the body to compensate. The two hormones exist in a delicate balance, and are thrown into a bipolar dance during perimenopause.
Xenoestrogens, manmade chemicals in the environment that mimic the body's own estrogen when ingested into the body, are a recent factor that can cause high estrogen levels, but it can not be ignored. Plastics are a major source of xenoestrogens.
Other causes of high estrogen levels:
Stress can also cause high estrogen levels. Click the following link to learn more about
causes of high estrogen levels; or, continue reading to gain an understanding of the various treatments for estrogen imbalance.
Treatments for Estrogen Imbalance
There are numerous treatments for estrogen imbalance, including lifestyle changes, alternative remedies, and estrogen replacement therapy. They are spelled out below.
Lifestyle Changes
Diet and exercise play a large role in the regulation of hormone levels within the body, particularly estrogen. By paying attention to eating right and getting a minimum of 20 minutes of exercise three times a week, it is possible to treat estrogen imbalance.
Alternative Remedies for Estrogen Imbalance
Alternative medicines can greatly help to balance estrogen levels, especially herbs that stimulate the natural production of hormones (
non-estrogenic), as opposed to herbs that contain estrogen compounds and introduce similar, but not human hormones, hormones into a woman's body (
phytoestrogenic).
Estrogen Replacement Therapy
In recent years, estrogen replacement therapy has been criticized for its association with
breast and
uterine cancer,
heart disease, and
strokes.
Hormone replacement therapy should be used only in extreme cases, and under the supervision of a health care professional.
A combination of approaches is usually the most effective route to take. Lifestyle changes combined with alternative medicine will most likely be the best way to alleviate hormonal imbalance.
Click the following link to learn more about
treatments for estrogen imbalance.
