What is estrogen deficiency?
Estrogen deficiency occurs when the body does not produce adequate amounts of the hormone estrogen. This condition affects women of various ages and stages of life due to natural hormonal fluctuations or medical conditions.
Causes
The main causes of estrogen deficiency include:
- Menopause - Estrogen levels begin to fall during the menopausal transition, starting in a woman's 40s. They continue dropping rapidly during the first 1-2 years after a woman's final period.
- Premature ovarian failure - When the ovaries stop working before age 40. This leads to low estrogen along with low fertility.
- Hysterectomies - Surgical removal of the uterus causes estrogen production to halt, as the ovaries no longer receive signals to mature eggs.
- Other medical conditions like pituitary tumors, endometriosis, radiation exposure, and autoimmune diseases.
Symptoms
Estrogen deficiency can cause the following symptoms:
- Vaginal dryness and pain during sex
- More frequent urinary tract infections
- Hot flashes, night sweats, and chills from vasomotor instability
- Mood changes like depression, irritability, anxiety, and loss of motivation
- Fatigue, insomnia, difficulty concentrating and remembering things
- Joint pain and headaches
Problems related to low bone density:
- Osteopenia - Early bone loss when bones become less dense
- Osteoporosis - Severe bone deterioration and fragility from progressive bone loss
Changes related to heart disease risk:
- Higher LDL cholesterol ("bad" cholesterol)
- Lower HDL cholesterol ("good" cholesterol)
- Increased triglycerides
- Atherosclerosis - plaque buildup in arteries
Treatment
If you're experiencing unpleasant menopausal symptoms or health problems from estrogen deficiency, consider making an appointment at New Beginnings HRT Clinic to discuss treatment options like:
- Hormone therapy - Usually estrogen alone for women without a uterus or estrogen plus progesterone to protect the uterus
- Vaginal estrogen creams or tablets for genitourinary symptoms
- Lifestyle changes like regular exercise, good nutrition, adequate calcium and vitamin D intake
- Medications or supplements to help manage bone loss, cholesterol, blood pressure, etc.
Restoring estrogen levels through hormone therapy or other treatments can help relieve symptoms and reduce long term health risks associated with deficiency. Please with one of New Beginnings HRT Clinic's board-certified medical providers specializing in hormone balance and bioidentical hormone therapy. We develop customized treatment plans to help women optimize their health during menopause and beyond.