Explaining everything you need to know about low estrogen and helping you identify if you may be in need of treatment if you resonate with any of the red flags below! Here are symptoms and causes of low estrogen…
What are the symptoms of low estrogen?
First, women of all ages can develop low estrogen.
Common symptoms of low estrogen include:
- painful sex due to a lack of vaginal lubrication
- an increase in urinary tract infections (UTIs) due to a thinning of the urethra
- irregular or absent periods
- mood swings
- hot flashes
- breast tenderness
- headaches or accentuation of pre-existing migraines
- depression
- trouble concentrating
- fatigue
In fact, you may also find that your bones fracture or break more easily. This may be due to a decrease in bone density. Furthermore, estrogen works in conjunction with calcium, vitamin D, and other minerals to keep bones strong. If your estrogen levels are low, you may experience decreased bone density. What causes all this? Glad you asked!
What causes low estrogen?
Estrogen is primarily produced in the ovaries. And unfortunately, anything that affects the ovaries will end up affecting estrogen production. And this isn’t for just mature age women.
Young women may experience low levels of estrogen due to:
- excessive exercise
- eating disorders, such as anorexia
- a low-functioning pituitary gland
- premature ovarian failure, which can result from genetic defects, toxins, or an autoimmune condition
- Turner syndrome
- chronic kidney disease
In women over age 40, low estrogen can be a sign of approaching menopause. This time of transition is called perimenopause.
During perimenopause, your ovaries will still produce estrogen. Production will continue to slow until you reach menopause. When you’re no longer producing estrogen, you’ve reached menopause. So, check your levels today!
