Estrogen is a female sex hormone that is present in your body in small amounts but has major roles. It is also produced in men, but women produce it more. Estrogen is responsible for maintaining your health in many ways, for example:
● It makes the bone functioning strong
● It maintains cholesterol metabolism in the body
● It holds responsibility for the development of breasts and pubic hair in girls when they reach puberty
● It controls the uterine lining growth during the menstruation cycle and pregnancy
● It holds responsibility for the changes in breasts in women who are pregnant
● It regulates the body weight
● It regulates the food intake
● It regulates glucose functioning and insulin sensitivity
The estrogen levels in women can fall at various times in a lifetime. It mostly happens in women who are reaching their puberty or during perimenopause in women. Perimenopause is the time period before the menopause. During this period, the hormonal levels start to change vigorously.
Symptoms of Low Estrogen Levels:
The following are the symptoms of low estrogen levels in women:
● The most common symptom of low estrogen levels is hot flushes, flashes, and night sweats. You may look flushed at nights when you are sleeping.
● Low levels of estrogen can cause mood swings. You may feel irritated, frustrated, sad, or anxious at times. Nights sweats and sleep disturbance can make the mood swings even worse.
● The skin tissues start getting thinner causing wrinkles.
● The urinary tract tissues get thinner causing the frequent need for urination. You may lose control over your bladder.
● The vaginal tissues can get thinner causing dryness that ultimately leads to painful sexual intercourse.
● The breasts can become tender.
● It can lead to mental problems such as depression, anxiety, fatigue, etc.
Health Risks of Low Estrogen Levels:
The major and most common health risks of low estrogen levels in women are written below:
Heart Disease:
Estrogen plays a significant role in protecting the body against heart disease. It does duty by increasing the levels of good cholesterol in the body. The risk of heart disease generally increases after menopause in women.
Osteoporosis:
The sex hormone estrogen is responsible for the maintenance of stronger bones by preventing the loss of calcium. When calcium is lost from the bones, it increases the chances of fractures in bones. The weakness of bones due to calcium deficiency is known as osteoporosis. The risk can further increase if you have had a history of osteoporosis.
Infertility:
The low estrogen levels in women for a longer period of time can cause infertility.