Reviewed by Dr. Chad Gilliam PA
Reading time: five minutes.
Estrogen plays a key role in the female body, affecting everything from reproductive health to bone metabolism.
It is one of the most important sex hormones for women. It is responsible for sexual development, vaginal health, and regulating the menstrual cycle.
When your estrogen levels drop, it can trigger a variety of symptoms that may affect your overall physical health.
Note: This article is intended for individuals who were assigned female at birth. While low estrogen levels can affect anyone, the symptoms and treatments discussed here specifically address concerns related to those assigned female at birth.
Key Takeaway
If you are dealing with symptoms like hot flashes, mood swings, fatigue, or changes in your menstrual cycle, these could be signs of low estrogen.
What is Estrogen, and Why Is It Important?
Estrogen is one of the primary female sex hormones, responsible for regulating your menstrual cycle, supporting bone health, and maintaining vaginal tissue.
It also plays a crucial role in brain function, heart health, and even collagen production, which affects the elasticity of your skin.
Estrogen levels naturally fluctuate throughout a woman’s lifetime. Menopausal women experience a sharp decline in estrogen production, which leads to menopause symptoms.
However, low estrogen can also occur in younger women due to factors such as ovarian insufficiency, excessive exercise, extreme dieting, or certain health conditions like autoimmune diseases and chronic kidney disease.
10 Signs of Low Estrogen in Women
When your hormones are out of balance, you will notice changes in your body that might leave you feeling less like yourself. Here are the most common signs to watch for:
1. Hot Flashes and Night Sweats
You may feel sudden waves of heat, especially in your upper body, followed by sweating. This is a classic sign of hormone changes, often disrupting your sleep at night.
2. Irregular Menstrual Cycles
Your cycle might become irregular, with periods that are shorter, longer, or missed entirely. This change can be confusing, especially if you are not yet approaching menopause.
3. Mood Swings and Anxiety
Hormonal shifts can take a toll on your emotional well-being and mental health. You might experience unpredictable mood swings, heightened anxiety, or even depression.
4. Fatigue and Low Energy
If you are feeling tired all the time or struggling to stay focused, your hormones could be to blame. Brain fog, fatigue and low energy are common when things are out of sync.
5. Decreased Sex Drive and Pain During Sex
You might notice a drop in your sex drive, and intimacy may become uncomfortable due to dryness or irritation in the vaginal area. This can impact both your desire and enjoyment of sexual activity.
6. Weight Gain, Especially Around the Abdomen
Have you noticed that your clothes are tighter around your waist? Hormonal shifts can lead to weight gain, particularly around the abdomen, even if your diet and exercise habits have not changed.
7. Breast Tenderness
You may feel your breasts becoming more tender or sore, even when you are not expecting your period. Hormonal fluctuations can cause this sensitivity.
8. Bone Loss and Risk of Fractures
As your hormones change, your bones may weaken, increasing your risk of fractures. Over time, this can lead to conditions like osteoporosis.
9. Vaginal Dryness and Irritation
Vaginal health can decline when estrogen levels drop, leading to dryness, itching, and discomfort. These changes can also affect your overall comfort and confidence.
10. Trouble Sleeping
Hormonal imbalances can disrupt your sleep, leaving you tossing and turning at night. You may also experience night sweats, making restful sleep even harder to come by.
What Causes Low Estrogen?
A drop in estrogen levels can result from several factors, including:
- Menopause: Natural reduction of estrogen production in women around 45-55 years of age.
- Ovarian failure: The inability of the ovaries to produce enough estrogen.
- Excessive exercise: Overworking your body can cause a reduction in hormone levels.
- Autoimmune diseases: Conditions that attack the body’s organs, such as thyroid disorders or lupus, may impact estrogen production.
Treatment Options
If you suspect you have a hormone imbalance, the first step is to consult with a healthcare professional. A simple blood test can determine if you have a hormone imbalance. A common treatment approach is hormone replacement therapy, but this treatment is not always needed in every case.
Hormone Therapy
Hormone therapy involves supplementing your body with hormones that are deficient to relieve symptoms like hot flashes, mood swings, and vaginal atrophy. There are different forms of hormone replacement therapy, including pills, patches, and gels.
Here at Madison Wellness and Aesthetics Center, we offer BioTe, a bioidentical hormone replacement therapy. These hormones are nearly identical to the ones your body naturally produces.
Lifestyle Modifications
- Balanced diet: A diet rich in healthy fats like olive oil and fatty fish can support hormonal balance.
- Regular exercise: Exercise helps regulate hormone levels and promotes overall physical health. It also helps to keep your cardiovascular system strong and improves bone health.
- Adequate sleep: Sleep is crucial for maintaining a healthy hormone balance. Make sure you prioritize your sleep hygiene and get 7-9 hours of sleep per night.
Trust Our Hormone Specialists in Madison, AL
Low estrogen levels can impact various aspects of your life, from your menstrual cycle to your mental health and bone health.
If you are experiencing symptoms such as hot flashes, mood swings, or weight gain, it might be time to consult a healthcare professional.
Our hormone specialists, Chad Gilliam, M.M.S. PA-C, Dr. Dawn Mancuso, MD, Dr. Gary Adams, MD, and Amanda Lucker, R, can help you understand your hormone levels and explore personalized treatment options that suit your needs.
Let us help you rebalance your hormones and revitalize your health. To book an appointment at our wellness clinic, call (256) 529-4047 or complete the online booking form. We are excited to announce a special promotion starting on November 27th through December 19th. Purchase $300 in gift cards, and receive an additional $100 for free, or buy $600 and get $200 free, plus enjoy a Platinum Hydrafacial valued at $325! So $600 gets you a $1125 value! Limit one Platinum HydraFacial with gift cards.
