Hormones are well-known for their role in your reproductive health and sexual behavior. However, they support every part of the body.
Your body produces more than 50 hormones that control metabolism, strengthen muscles and bones, and regulate mood, blood pressure, hunger, and immune function (to name a few).
Hormone imbalances can occur for numerous reasons and cause many symptoms. As a specialist in women’s health, Chetanna Okasi, MD, at Women’s Wellness MD, in Columbia and Greenbelt, Maryland, helps women reclaim optimal health by restoring natural hormone levels.
Let’s explore the top symptoms caused by changes in estrogen levels and then look at an overview of other hormone imbalance signs.
Estrogen imbalances develop due to health conditions, perimenopause, and menopause. Ovarian disorders like polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) are among the top reasons for hormone problems.
However, thyroid disease, pituitary disorders, kidney disease, and eating disorders may also be the reason for the imbalance.
Here are nine signs you may experience when estrogen levels fall:
Hormone problems at any age can change your monthly periods. You may stop menstruating, have irregular periods, spotting between periods, or heavy periods. You could also have longer or shorter monthly cycles.
These changes often occur during perimenopause, which may begin 8-10 years before menopause. After menopause begins, your periods stop.
Did you know estrogen activates nerves regulating mood? When estrogen levels drop, and especially after menopause, women frequently feel depressed, anxious, irritable, and sad.
Estrogen boosts nerve communication and supports energy production in the brain. An estrogen imbalance can cause memory loss, difficulty concentrating, and general brain fog.
Though more research is needed, studies suggest that low estrogen increases the risk of women developing dementia.
Three hormones - estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone (yes, women produce a small amount of testosterone), are responsible for your sex drive. Imbalances in any of them can diminish or eliminate your desire for and ability to enjoy sex.
Without estrogen, the tissues inside your vagina change, thinning out and losing moisture. You also produce less lubrication during sexual arousal.
Because of these changes, having sex is painful. You may even bleed after sex. You also have symptoms like vaginal itching and burning.
Hot flashes and night sweats are the most obvious signs of low estrogen. They’re the most common problem after menopause, but you can also have them during perimenopause.
Though many factors contribute to weight gain, hormones have a vital role. An imbalance can slow your metabolism. When estrogen decreases, you may gain weight in your waist and abdomen more than in other body areas.
Estrogen levels also affect muscle mass and strength. During menopause, women lose muscle, which means they burn fewer calories.
Collagen is crucial for healthy, resilient skin. Though collagen levels slowly decline throughout your adult life, they dramatically drop at menopause because estrogen supports collagen production.
The skin loses about 30% of its collagen in the first five years after menopause. That means your skin becomes dry and loses elasticity, resulting in sagging skin and wrinkles.
Hormone imbalances often lead to difficulty sleeping. Estrogen has numerous roles in your sleep-wake cycle, from metabolizing neurotransmitters that regulate sleep to increasing total sleep time.
Estrogen also regulates your body temperature during the night, which is important because keeping your temperature low helps you nod off and stay asleep.
Your body depends on maintaining specific levels of every hormone. You develop health problems and symptoms whether the levels rise too high or fall too low.
Causes of hormone problems include:
Your symptoms depend on which hormone is affected, whether high or low. However, a few signs to watch for include:
These symptoms usually develop gradually, making them hard to notice.
As specialists in women’s healthcare, we can identify and recommend treatment for imbalances in estrogen and other hormones.
Call Women’s Wellness MD to schedule an appointment or connect through online booking today.
