Browse our valuable tips, success stories, and practical advice to support you on your wellness journey.
Before menopause, most of the estrogen in your body is estradiol or E2. After menopause, the primary form of estrogen is estrone, or E1, which is less potent than estradiol.
Estrogen is made in your ovaries. It’s also secreted by your adrenal glands and by body fat. As it circulates through your body, estrogen binds to estrogen receptors found in reproductive organs, as well as your brain, bones, cardiovascular system, and fat tissue.
When estrogen levels drop, the shift can be felt throughout your body. Common symptoms of low estrogen include:
Night sweats
Low libido
Insomnia
Vaginal dryness
Fatigue
Depression
“Brain fog” or fuzzy thinking
Painful intercourse
Mood changes
Increased appearance of wrinkles and delicate skin
Because estrogen plays a role in keeping your bones strong, low levels can also lead to a decrease in bone density.
You may also experience an increase in LDL cholesterol, which is the “bad” cholesterol, and a decrease in HDL, or “good cholesterol.” This can raise the risk of cardiovascular disease.
For many women, the ovaries’ production of estrogen typically starts to slow down around the age of 40, triggering the perimenopause stage. This decline doesn’t always happen in a predictable pattern, leading to a “rollercoaster” feeling for some women in the perimenopausal years.
However, women of any age can experience low estrogen. Contributing factors include:
Extreme calorie restriction. Females who don’t consume an adequate number of calories risk the disruption of estrogen production.
Poor diet. The quality of those calories is also important as we need certain essential nutrients for optimum hormonal balance.
Over-exercising. Although regular activity is important for hormonal health, overdoing it can have the opposite effect.
High stress levels. Chronic stress affects your body’s delicate hormonal balance. When you produce excess levels of stress hormones like cortisol, the production of reproductive hormones like estrogen can slow.
Alcohol use. Too much alcohol taxes your liver, which in turn affects the liver’s ability to metabolize estrogen.
Smoking. Nicotine has been proven to slow estrogen production in your brain.
Determining the cause of low estrogen requires a comprehensive medical history, often involving diagnostic tests to determine hormone imbalance.
Many strategies can work to treat low estrogen, including lifestyle modifications, dietary adjustments, and supplements. Here are some common treatments.
Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) is often recommended for women close to menopause or in perimenopause. It can be administered through topical application, oral medication, vaginal creams, or injections. It’s important to work closely with a healthcare provider since HRT can carry health risks for some women, and dosage and delivery vary a lot based on your medical history.
A balanced diet of whole foods will help maintain a healthy weight with balanced hormone levels.
In particular, they include phytoestrogens, compounds in plants that mimic estrogen in the body. Studies show that phytoestrogens ease symptoms of low estrogen, like hot flashes, and even support bone health. Good sources of phytoestrogens include lentils, flaxseeds, chickpeas, plums, pears, and cabbage.
Omega-3 fatty acids reduce inflammation in the body, which helps regulate hormone production. Look for foods like avocados, fatty fish, and nuts to boost your omega-3 consumption.
Foods high in magnesium also support hormone production, including estrogen. Many people are unknowingly low in magnesium, so look for whole grains, seeds like pumpkin and flax, and legumes.
As always, work closely with a healthcare practitioner to determine the right supplements and levels for you. Some supplements that support estrogen levels include:
Vitamin D. This vitamin plays a role in estrogen synthesis, but it’s often difficult to get enough through diet and sunlight exposure alone, particularly in the winter.
DHEA, or dehydroepiandrosterone. This is a natural hormone that the body can convert to estrogen. As well, one study suggests that DHEA might offer comparable benefits to estrogen in the body.
Boron. Research shows that boron strengthens estrogen receptors in your body.
Black cohosh. This herb has been used for centuries to treat menopausal symptoms and now scientists are discovering that it may stimulate estrogen receptors.
DIM (Diindolylmethane). Found in cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli and Brussels sprouts, DIM supports symptoms of low estrogen and may help stimulate estrogen production.
Evening primrose oil. A time-honored treatment for menstrual problems, evening primrose oil can also ease symptoms of low estrogen.
Maca root. Maca root may stimulate estrogen production and has been shown to improve menopausal symptoms.
Reducing stress is an important part of supporting estrogen production. Look for stress-reducing activities like yoga and meditation. If those aren’t for you, think about activities when you feel at ease and try to incorporate more of those into your life.
Sleep is also crucial for balanced hormones. Low estrogen levels can make it difficult to sleep, however, so you may need to make some adjustments to your routine. Practice good sleep hygiene: sleep in a cool dark room, avoid screens before bedtime and keep a regular schedule (yes, even on weekends).
Fluctuating estrogen levels are often part of aging, but these changes don’t have to slow you down. We can work together to identify the cause of low estrogen and minimize the impact!
Sources
Turek J, Gąsior Ł. Estrogen fluctuations during the menopausal transition are a risk factor for depressive disorders. Pharmacol Rep. 2023 Feb;75(1):32-43. doi: 10.1007/s43440-022-00444-2. Epub 2023 Jan 14. PMID: 36639604; PMCID: PMC9889489.
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2352647519300012?via%3Dihub
De Souza MJ, West SL, Jamal SA, Hawker GA, Gundberg CM, Williams NI. The presence of both an energy deficiency and estrogen deficiency exacerbate alterations of bone metabolism in exercising women. Bone. 2008 Jul;43(1):140-148. doi: 10.1016/j.bone.2008.03.013. Epub 2008 Apr 8. PMID: 18486582.
Assad S, Khan HH, Ghazanfar H, Khan ZH, Mansoor S, Rahman MA, Khan GH, Zafar B, Tariq U, Malik SA. Role of Sex Hormone Levels and Psychological Stress in the Pathogenesis of Autoimmune Diseases. Cureus. 2017 Jun 5;9(6):e1315. doi: 10.7759/cureus.1315. PMID: 28690949; PMCID: PMC5498122.
Chen MN, Lin CC, Liu CF. Efficacy of phytoestrogens for menopausal symptoms: a meta-analysis and systematic review. Climacteric. 2015 Apr;18(2):260-9. doi: 10.3109/13697137.2014.966241. Epub 2014 Dec 1. PMID: 25263312; PMCID: PMC4389700
Gangula PR, Dong YL, Al-Hendy A, Richard-Davis G, Montgomery-Rice V, Haddad G, Millis R, Nicholas SB, Moseberry D. Protective cardiovascular and renal actions of vitamin D and estrogen. Front Biosci (Schol Ed). 2013 Jan 1;5(1):134-48. doi: 10.2741/s362. PMID: 23277041; PMCID: PMC3673780.
Nielsen FH, Hunt CD, Mullen LM, Hunt JR. Effect of dietary boron on mineral, estrogen, and testosterone metabolism in postmenopausal women. FASEB J. 1987 Nov;1(5):394-7. PMID: 3678698.
Leach MJ, Moore V. Black cohosh (Cimicifuga spp.) for menopausal symptoms. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2012 Sep 12;2012(9):CD007244. doi: 10.1002/14651858.CD007244.pub2. PMID: 22972105; PMCID: PMC6599854.
Leach MJ, Moore V. Black cohosh (Cimicifuga spp.) for menopausal symptoms. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2012 Sep 12;2012(9):CD007244. doi: 10.1002/14651858.CD007244.pub2. PMID: 22972105; PMCID: PMC6599854.
Leach MJ, Moore V. Black cohosh (Cimicifuga spp.) for menopausal symptoms. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2012 Sep 12;2012(9):CD007244. doi: 10.1002/14651858.CD007244.pub2. PMID: 22972105; PMCID: PMC6599854.
Gentry-Maharaj A, Karpinskyj C, Glazer C, Burnell M, Ryan A, Fraser L, Lanceley A, Jacobs I, Hunter MS, Menon U. Use and perceived efficacy of complementary and alternative medicines after discontinuation of hormone therapy: a nested United Kingdom Collaborative Trial of Ovarian Cancer Screening cohort study. Menopause. 2015 Apr;22(4):384-90. doi: 10.1097/GME.0000000000000330. PMID: 25290539; PMCID: PMC4470524.
Biegon A, Kim SW, Logan J, Hooker JM, Muench L, Fowler JS. Nicotine blocks brain estrogen synthase (aromatase): in vivo positron emission tomography studies in female baboons. Biol Psychiatry. 2010 Apr 15;67(8):774-7. doi: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2010.01.004. Epub 2010 Feb 25. PMID: 20188349; PMCID: PMC2904480.