How Do Estrogen Levels Change During Menopause?

Estrogen is often known as the “female” hormone. It is responsible for all the bodily changes that take place during menstruation, reproduction, lactation and menopause. Estrogen, particularly during menopause, can have drastic physical and emotional effects. Menopausal symptoms such as hot flashes, headaches and can be attributed to changes in estrogen. Read on to find out more about the changes that take place in your estrogen levels during menopause, and its effects.

Estrogen During Menopause

Menopause is the stage of a woman’s life when her body makes the transition from being reproductive to non-reproductive. The body goes through four phases: premenopause, perimenopause, menopause and postmenopause. In each phase, the role of estrogen differs slightly.

Premenopause

Premenopause is the time from a woman’s first period until she enters perimenopause. During this time, estrogen is responsible for controlling the menstrual cycle. Excess levels of estrogen during various stages of the menstrual cycle can cause:

• PMS
• Abdominal pains
• Bloating
• Acne

Perimenopause

Perimenopause is the stage before the moment of menopause, when a woman may suffer menopausal symptoms. During this time, the level of a woman’s progesterone may drop, leaving a disproportionally high level of estrogen in the body, in a relationship known as estrogen dominance. It is this fluctuation of hormones that is responsible for many of menopausal symptoms. Symptoms vary from woman to woman, and may include:

• Hot flashes
• Fatigue
• Headaches
• Vaginal dryness
• Weight gain
• Depression
• A loss of libido

Menopause

Menopause is the single moment when a woman’s body makes the transition from reproductive to non-reproductive. It is usually defined when a woman has not had a period for 12 consecutive months.

Postmenopause

Postmenopause is the time in a woman’s life following menopause, when she is no longer productive. During this time, the woman will not menstruate, and estrogen levels may drop. The symptoms of the subsequent estrogen deficiency may be particularly difficult to deal with, and may be experienced over a longer period of time. Estrogen deficiency during the postmenopause phase may contribute to causing:

• Allergies
• Heart Disease
• Breast or uterine cancer
• Osteoporosis
• Thyroid dysfunction

Symptoms such as hot flashes, headaches and fatigue are all normal side-effects of changing estrogen levels during menopause. However, these symptoms can be uncomfortable and unpleasant. For more information about the fluctuation in your hormone levels during menopause, and ways to deal with the symptoms of these changes, click the link below.