![\"\"](\"https:\/\/simplyhealth.today\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Irregular-periods.jpg\")
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Estrogen is a hormone that plays an important part in the female reproductive system. It helps to control uterine lining growth during menstrual cycles, as well as in the beginning stages of pregnancy, creating a healthy environment where fertilized eggs can implant into the uterus and develop. This hormone also contributes to changes in the breasts in teenage girls and pregnant women, aides in the growth of the vagina, and stimulates the growth of egg follicles in the ovaries.<\/p>\n
Estrogen is also the hormone that makes female bodies different than male bodies; for example, it increases the storage of fat in the thighs and hips, influences the way body hair grows in, making it less coarse and less pronounced, and it shortens the length of the vocal chords and allows makes the voice box smaller, which is why females\u2019 voices are higher pitched than males.<\/p>\n
Low estrogen levels can occur for a number of reasons, with hereditary and age being the primary causes. When levels of this hormone are low, noticeable symptoms will arise. Here\u2019s a look at 16 of the most common signs of low estrogen.<\/p>\n
The most common sign of low estrogen<\/a> is changes in a woman\u2019s period. That is because this hormone plays a crucial part in the menstrual cycle. If your estrogen levels are low, your periods can go from being regular to extremely light, they can come at irregular times (you might miss a month or two, for example), or they may cease altogether.<\/p>\n Estrogen helps to thicken the uterine lining, the part of the female reproductive system that is shed during the menstrual cycle. If the lining of your uterus isn\u2019t thick enough, there won\u2019t be enough lining to be shed, which can make your period much lighter or less frequent than normal, or it can make it stop completely. Since estrogen levels tend to decrease with age, missed periods in older women are one of the telltale signs of pre-menopause; however, low estrogen can also affect younger women and impact their menstrual cycle, too. <\/p>\n While there are many reasons why women may not feel sexually aroused, included depression, high levels of stress, and lack of sleep, low estrogen levels are can certainly affect the libido<\/a>. The reason? \u2013 The production of estrogen affects the body\u2019s production of serotonin, and serotonin has a direct impact on a woman\u2019s feelings of sexual desire. When estrogen levels are low, the amount of serotonin your body creates decreases significantly, which results in less serotonin making its way into your bloodstream.<\/p>\n As a result, you may notice a marked decrease in your desire to have sexual relations; you may not want to engage in intercourse as frequently as you used to, or you may not want to engage in it at all. Again, since estrogen levels naturally decrease with age, it is not unusual for older women to experience a decrease in their sex drive, particularly if they are reaching menopause. <\/p>\n If you do feel like you want to engage in sexual intercourse, you may notice that it is more painful, which leads us to our next sign of low estrogen levels: painful sex. Estrogen plays a very important part in all aspects of the female reproductive system, which of course, includes the vagina. This hormone<\/a> helps to thicken the walls of the vagina and also aides in lubricating it; two things that are important for enjoyable sex.<\/p>\n If your estrogen levels are low, the walls of the vagina can thin out. Additionally, less lubrication is produced. These two things combined can make sexual intercourse painful. The pain can range from mild to severe and stabbing. Of course, if you do experience pain when you engage in sexual activities, you are going to be less interested in having it, which will further decrease your libido. If you find that sex is painful, low estrogen could be to blame. <\/p>\n Another telltale sign that estrogen levels are dipping is a change in your mood<\/a>. Estrogen itself is a hormone, and this hormone has a direct effect on other hormones that your body produces; and all of these hormones have a significant impact on your mood. This explains why you probably feel like your mood is on a rollercoaster ride when each month when your menstrual cycle is due to start, or when it begins, and why you start to feel more balanced when it ends.<\/p>\n While all hormones can impact your mood, estrogen, in particular, plays a significant role in the way that you feel. That is because this hormone influences the parts of your brain that help to control your emotions, including the production of endorphins (the \u201cfeel good\u201d chemicals your brain produces) and reduces production of serotonin, which directly affects your sleep (and when you\u2019re sleepy, you tend to be more irritable). <\/p>\n If you have been struck by insomnia or you find that you spend more time tossing and turning in your bed than you do sleeping, low estrogen levels could be to blame. While there are certainly a number of things that can affect your sleep, estrogen is definitely one of them. Why? \u2013 Because, as we have already mentioned, estrogen is directly linked to serotonin, a chemical that your brain produces.<\/p>\n Serotonin<\/a> is responsible for creating melatonin, a sleep hormone, so when your estrogen levels are low, your serotonin levels also become low, which in turn, affect the levels of melatonin in your body. As a result, you can end up having a very difficult time falling asleep or staying asleep. Sleep deprivation has been found to have a number of adverse effects on your health. It can alter your mood, further contributing to the mood swings you may already be experiencing as a result of low estrogen levels, and it can also lead to weight gain. <\/p>\n This brings us to the next noticeable sign of low estrogen levels: weight gain. If you notice that you are putting on weight, despite the fact that you are eating healthy and exercising, or that you are having a time losing weight, it could be because you are experiencing low estrogen levels. Estrogen helps to control weight gain, as it aides in the regulation of metabolism<\/a>.<\/p>\n When your estrogen levels are low, it becomes difficult for your body to effectively metabolize the foods that you eat. This hormone can also impact the way your body stores fat; for example, you might notice an increase in belly fat, which is known as visceral fat. Furthermore, low estrogen levels can also affect your muscle mass, which affects your body\u2019s ability to burn calories, resulting in an increased storage of fat. So, if you find that you are gaining weight or that you are having trouble losing it, you could be experiencing a decrease in estrogen production. <\/p>\n Hot flashes<\/a> are one of the textbook signs of menopause. You suddenly feel this raging surge of heat rushing through your body, despite the fact that it may be cool or downright cold. Hot flashes can occur at any time of the day, and they can also occur at night (known as night sweats). Why does low estrogen levels make you feel hot? \u2013 It\u2019s because this hormone has a big impact on the hypothalamus, the part of the brain that helps to regulate your body temperature.<\/p>\n If you aren\u2019t producing enough estrogen, the hypothalamus makes your body feel as if it is hot, and in an effort to help you cool down, your body will naturally expend that heat in hot flashes. Hot flashes can be more than an annoyance; they can be downright uncomfortable and unsettling. They can also compound the mood swings that you are experiencing and make it even more difficult to fall asleep or stay asleep. <\/p>\n Not only can you experience crazy mood swings when your estrogen levels are low \u2013 one minute you feel extremely happy and the next you are crying when you watch a commercial on the TV \u2013 but it can also make you feel downright depressed. Again, this is because of the effect that estrogen has on your body\u2019s ability to produce serotonin. When your estrogen levels are at a normal level, your body can produce the right amount of serotonin, a chemical that does a lot of things for your body, including combating feelings of depression<\/a>.<\/p>\n However, when estrogen levels dip, your body\u2019s production of serotonin also declines. As a result, you aren\u2019t producing enough serotonin to help you combat the feelings of depression. If you are feeling like you are down in the dumps more often than not, or that you have a feeling of sadness that you just can\u2019t shake, it may be because you are experiencing a decrease in the amount of estrogen your body is producing. <\/p>\n While estrogen plays a huge part in the female reproductive system, it also has a big impact on the brain. As we have already discussed, this hormone has a direct impact on your brain\u2019s ability to produce key chemicals<\/a> and hormones, which is why so many aspects of your body are affected when your estrogen levels are low. Another noticeable way in which low estrogen levels affects your brain is your ability to remember things. When the amounts of this hormone are decreased, your cortisol levels are affects.<\/p>\n Cortisol is known as the stress hormone, but it also affects the neurotransmitters in your brain, which make it possible for different areas within your brain to communicate with one another. If you aren\u2019t producing enough estrogen, cortisol levels can get out of whack. When that happens, the neurotransmitters in your brain can\u2019t do their job as effectively as they normally would, which can lead to forgetfulness. <\/p>\n Females are naturally more likely to experience more headaches<\/a> than men, and that has to do with \u2013 you guessed it \u2013 estrogen. This hormone affects virtually all aspects of the female body. When the levels of this hormone are low, it is not unusual to experience more frequent headaches. In addition to suffering from more headaches, the intensity of those headaches may be more severe.<\/p>\n Think about your monthly cycle; you probably experience headaches when your period is about to start. That\u2019s because of a dip in your estrogen production. The same is true when your estrogen levels decrease overall, whether as a result of the natural decline of this hormone that occurs with age, or for other reasons, such as family history of low estrogen or certain health conditions. If your estrogen levels are on the decline, an increase in the incidence of headaches is likely; even worse, you may experience migraines.<\/p>\n It is not unusual for women to experience urinary tract infections; however, the incidence of these infections can definitely increase when a woman\u2019s estrogen levels are low. Why? \u2013 Because this hormone impacts all of the elements of the female reproductive system, including the urethra, which is the tub that urine pushes through when you urinate. When estrogen levels are low, the urethra can thin out. When that happens, it is easier for harmful bacteria to make their way into the bladder and other parts of the urinary tract.<\/p>\n Those bacteria can increase the risk of developing a urinary tract infection<\/a>. Signs of an infection in the urinary tract can include painful urination, an increased need to urinate with very little urine output, and cloudy or foul-smelling urine. If left untreated, a urinary tract infection can cause severe complications, including infections of the kidneys. <\/p>\n It is not uncommon for women to experience changes in their skin when they start menopause; namely, their skin becomes dry and itchy<\/a>. Again, this is a side effect of low estrogen levels. While most people know that estrogen plays a crucial role in the female reproductive system, they don\u2019t know that it also plays a number of other important functions within the body. One of these roles is the stimulates of collagen and oil, two things that help to smooth the skin.<\/p>\n For that reason, it is not unusual for women to start to experience drier, rougher, and itchier skin when they start to go through menopause. As estrogen levels dip, oil and collagen production declines, which has a direct impact on the look and feel of the skin. Furthermore, low estrogen levels can also reduce your skin\u2019s ability to retain moisture. One of the first places you will notice that your skin is drying out is in the t-zone of your face (the forehead and nose); however, you will also eventually experience dry skin all over your body. <\/p>\n Estrogen certainly plays a significant part in your body\u2019s reproductive system, but it also helps to maintain the health and strength of your bones. That is because estrogen helps your body preserve calcium<\/a>, which helps to prevent the breakdown of bones. Therefore, when your estrogen levels start to dip, your body isn\u2019t holding onto calcium the way that it is supposed to, and as a result of this lack of calcium preservation, your bones can suffer dramatically in the form of bone loss.<\/p>\n In fact, it is estimated that women lose about 10 percent of their bone mass when they transition into menopause. Bone loss is a condition that is known as osteoporosis. This condition can cause a number of complications, including brittle bones, which means that you are more susceptible to fractures or breaks if your estrogen levels are low. It\u2019s important to speak to a doctor to find out how you can combat bone loss if your estrogen levels are low. <\/p>\n It is definitely not unusual for women to feel anxious from time to time; after all, women tend to have a lot on their plates, and trying to juggle it all can make them feel overwhelmed, which, in turn, can bring about feelings of anxiety. However, if a woman starts to experience a dip in your estrogen production, she is more prone to developing feelings of anxiety<\/a>. Why is anxiety more common when estrogen levels are low? \u2013 It has to do with the way that estrogen effects serotonin.<\/p>\n As we have already discussed several times, when estrogen levels are low, the production of serotonin also decreases. Serotonin plays an important part in helping with the management of stress. As a result, when estrogen production decreases, it\u2019s easier for a woman to become stressed out, which can lead to heightened anxiety. Furthermore, scientific studies have revealed that low estrogen increases feelings of fear, which also contributes to anxiety. <\/p>\n If you have ever been pregnant, there is probably a good chance that you experienced fuller, more luscious locks. That\u2019s because of the high amount of estrogen that your body produces when you are pregnant; estrogen allows your hair to continue growing, while preventing it from falling out, thus your locks look so much more radiant when you are expecting. However, the opposite is true when your estrogen levels are low. As estrogen levels diminish, the influence of testosterone is more prominent, and testosterone shortens the growth phase of your hair.<\/p>\n When this happens, hair loss<\/a> is more likely. This hair loss happens gradually, and it can be noticed throughout the scalp; however, it is usually first seen as a receding hairline or as a widening in the hair\u2019s part. In other words, hair loss in women does not present in the same manner as it does in men in that it doesn\u2019t have that horseshoe-like pattern around the head. <\/p>\n If you are trying to get pregnant and you haven\u2019t had success, it could be because your estrogen levels are low. As you know (or you know now, after reading this article), estrogen is one of the most crucial hormones in the female reproductive system. It is produced by the follicles in the ovaries. It also helps to thicken the wall of the uterus<\/a> and the endometrium, creating a hospitable environment for a fertilized egg to attach to and grow.<\/p>\n However, if estrogen levels are low, the quality of the reproductive system can be reduced, which can make it difficult to become pregnant. A fertilized egg may not be able to attach into the uterus, or the cervix may not be able to contract enough to allow semen to make its way to an egg and fertilize it. For that reason, women are unable to get pregnant after they go through menopause. Young women who have low estrogen levels can also have a hard time getting pregnant. \r\n<\/h3>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/simplyhealth.today\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/05\/Couples-in-doctor.jpg\")
2. Decreased libido<\/h3>\n<\/h3>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/simplyhealth.today\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/05\/pain-during-sex-1.jpg\")
3. Painful sex<\/h3>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/simplyhealth.today\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/05\/Mood.jpg\")
<\/h3>\n4. Changes in your mood<\/h3>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/simplyhealth.today\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/05\/Sleep-Disorder-1.jpg\")
<\/h3>\n5. Difficulty falling or staying asleep<\/h3>\n
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![\"\"](\"https:\/\/simplyhealth.today\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/05\/Weight-Gain.jpg\")
6. Weight gain<\/h3>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/simplyhealth.today\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/05\/Hot-flush.jpg\")
<\/h3>\n7. Hot flashes<\/h3>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/simplyhealth.today\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/06\/Isolation.jpg\")
<\/h3>\n8. Feelings of depression<\/h3>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/simplyhealth.today\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Memory-Loss_Perimenopause.jpg\")
<\/h3>\n9. You\u2019ve become forgetful<\/h3>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/simplyhealth.today\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Headache-1.jpg\")
<\/h3>\n10. Increased headaches<\/h3>\n
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![\"\"](\"https:\/\/simplyhealth.today\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/increase-urination_new.jpg\")
11. An increase in urinary tract infections<\/h3>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/simplyhealth.today\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/06\/Allergy.jpg\")
<\/h3>\n12. Dry, itchy skin<\/h3>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/simplyhealth.today\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/05\/Osteoporosis.jpg\")
<\/h3>\n13. Weakened bones<\/h3>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/simplyhealth.today\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/06\/Insomnia.jpg\")
<\/h3>\n14. Increased anxiety<\/h3>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/simplyhealth.today\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Hair-loss.jpg\")
<\/h3>\n15. Hair loss<\/h3>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/simplyhealth.today\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/05\/Fertility-Issues.jpg\")
<\/h3>\n16. Inability to conceive<\/h3>\n
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