Low Estrogen

This Hormone Type means estrogen production has possibly decreased. This imbalance is common in the menopausal transition and can also happen when you’re exposed to higher levels of physical, physiological, mental, or emotional stress.

If this resonates, you’re not alone!

Thankfully, there are many things you can do to improve symptoms (which don’t include expensive lab tests, supplements, or meds).

It can be simple and starts with a personalized approach that includes: balancing stress and blood sugar, optimizing sleep, reducing your exposure to common endocrine disruptors, and improving elimination pathways (think sweat and gut health).

Read on to find out more.

How it happens

While common in post-menopausal women, symptoms of low estrogen can be experienced by women of any age. You might notice fatigue, mood issues, sporadic or missing periods, weight issues, and more.

Low estrogen levels could impact a woman’s overall well-being, especially her physical, emotional, and sexual health. It could also increase a woman’s risk of other conditions such as osteoporosis, heart disease, and obesity.

Here are some ways it can happen:

• Age — For most women, estrogen starts to decline in the mid-30s as a lead-up to menopause, but it varies from woman to woman.
• Excessive exercise
• Chronic stress
• Eating disorders, such as anorexia or extreme dieting
• Malnutrition
• Low body fat
• Pituitary gland dysfunction, such as hyperprolactinemia
• Hysterectomies
• Post pregnancy
• The birth control pill
• After stopping birth control (estrogen levels may be low for a while)

Low estrogen symptoms

Low estrogen symptoms will present differently in different women. You might have a few or many of the following symptoms, while someone else could have completely different ones. We’re all wonderfully unique like that.

Common symptoms include:

• Vaginal dryness
• Painful sex, or loss of feeling
• Hot flashes
• Night sweats
• Low mood or depression
• Headaches or worsening migraines
• Fatigue
• Weight gain
• Poor sleep
• Infertility
• Low libido
• Dry eyes
• Achy joints
• Osteoporosis
• Extra light or sporadic periods (in non-menopausal women)

Dearest Reader,

This information is for educational purposes only and not intended to diagnose or highlight imperfections. You've likely landed here following my quiz at YourHormoneQuiz.com.

No matter what you discover in these results, you're beautiful and perfect as you are. You're good enough and trying hard enough.

We're all unique and will experience hormonal shifts differently. This information is here to highlight that, despite what we've been told, we're not just little men — our bodies work differently — and if our hormones have us feeling less than our best, we absolutely can do something about it.

My aim is to support and empower you on your journey, where you need and want it. Take what you need, leave what you don't.

No judgement here, just good honest support.

XO, Laurie

What’s happening physiologically when estrogen goes low?

Estrogen’s role goes far beyond pregnancy, sexual health, and menstruation. It affects over 400 functions in our bodies, and when estrogen gets out of balance with other essential hormones, you’ll feel it.

It can affect our energy, mood, sleep, skin, appetite, sex life, ability to burn fat, and more. Estrogen is a fundamental regulator of the female metabolic system and is important for brain, bone, and heart health. It protects against adiposity (obesity), insulin resistance, type 2 diabetes, and the list goes on.

What we can do about it

If your estrogen is low because of age or other medical reasons, there are a variety of options for hormone replacement therapy should one need or prefer.

Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) can help with symptom management as well as health improvement and can help reduce the risk of certain health complications. HRT can come in synthetic as well as bio-identical hormones (BHRT) and a variety of forms and applications, from oral to injections, vaginal to sub-dermal.

It’s best to discuss the individual benefits and risks with a knowledgeable and experienced prescriber to decide what is right for you and your body. Many women find that their general practitioner or gynecologist is not that person. Do seek someone with adequate expertise in the area of female hormone replacement who has similar values and is willing to help thoroughly educate you on the subject.

I also help with this.

For women whose estrogen has gone low due to other reasons, it’s important to figure out what could be at the root of it all. It often starts with returning to foundational basics such as improving diet, movement, sleep, and stress management practices. Dealing with the root cause or causes is essential for long-term improvement and health.

Check out this post for even more ways to get your hormones back in harmony.

This information is for educational purposes only and is not intended to diagnose, manage, or treat disease or serious conditions. Always check with your doctor before making any changes. It's important to consult a well-informed health practitioner for personal advice about your situation before relying on general information — we're all wonderfully unique.