Lack of estrogen

A lack of estrogen means that the level of the most important female sex hormone in the body has dropped to too low a level. Strictly speaking, estrogen is not a special hormone, but the umbrella term for various hormones, especially estriol, estradiol and estrone . They control the reproductive processes in the woman's body and are important for the development of the female organism. An estrogen deficiency can have correspondingly diverse and usually unpleasant consequences.

Estrogen Deficiency: Symptoms

A lack of estrogen is often a signs of menopause , i.e. the period in which the woman's hormonal balance changes again, the woman has her last period and becomes sterile. Typical symptom of an estrogen deficiency during menopause are:

• Hot flashes
• depressive moods
• Exhaustion
• night sweats
• Loss of libido
• dry vaginal mucous membranes ( vaginal dryness )
• more susceptible to bacterial vaginal infections
• Intermenstrual bleeding (this should always be clarified by your gynecologist)
• Bladder weakness ( incontinence )
• Fatigue and trouble sleeping
• Memory problems

But not only women from 40 and older are affected, the levels of female hormones can also drop in young women. Depend on how early the deficiency occurs, it can affect sex development. This often manifest itself in menstrual cycle disorders (missed periods or intermenstrual bleeding ) or even in infertility . Because estrogen is important for pregnancy.

Hair loss, weight gain, and other symptoms of lack of estrogen

Common symptoms of estrogen deficiency can include:

• Weight gain. According to a US study, the female sex hormone influences two brain centers in the hypothalamus, an important "control center" that regulates energy expenditure and hunger. In addition, the figure sometimes changes in women during the menopause due to the hormonal changes: the stomach becomes thicker, the curves on the bottom and legs are lost, as male sex hormones predominate in the event of an estrogen deficiency.
• Hair loss. The woman's sex hormone stimulates the hair roots. Because of this, older women often have thinner hair, while pregnant women, in whom estrogen production is increased, have thicker manes than usual.
• Blemished skin. Some women know the phenomenon from their period - the pimples sprout before the bleeding, then the skin becomes clear again. That's because estrogen regulates sebum production. The less estrogen, the more the male sex hormone testosterone takes over the regiment that boosts sebum production. This is permanently the case with a lack of estrogen.

Men, too, are not entirely immune to a lack of estrogen , even if it is practically never isolated. It occurs when testosterone levels drop sharply with age, as men produce estrogen in the testes from an enzyme in testosterone. Symptoms or consequences can be that weight increases and sexual desire decreases.

Fix estrogen deficiency

How the doctor treats an estrogen deficiency depends on what caused it. During the menopause, so-called hormone replacement therapy (HRT or HRT), in which the woman takes hormones to compensate for the deficiency, can be considered. There are such "replacement hormones" in the form of patches, suppositories, ointments or tablets. However, hormone treatment should never be taken lightly, because the possible risks (for example, increased risk of thrombosis, cardiovascular disease and breast cancer - if treated for more than five years) are high.

Herbal remedies for estrogen deficiency

It can therefore be worthwhile, in consultation with the doctor, to try to deal with the lack of estrogen in a natural way. Herbal remedies, for example, are often used:

• Chaste tree. Should be able to restore the hormonal balance and help with breast tenderness, water retention and moods.
• Black cohosh. Provides the body with plant-based estrogen and is supposed to support the effect of the hormone.
• Johannis herbs. Does not change anything in the estrogen concentration, but can have a positive effect on depressive moods. Caution: may limit the effectiveness of the contraceptive pill .

Estrogen deficiency and lifestyle as well as homeopathy

You can also try homeopathy if you have an estrogen deficiency. Since there are many homeopathic remedies, you should seek individual advice from an experienced pharmacist or alternative practitioner, which is the right one for you. However, the success of homeopathic medicines has not been scientifically proven.

In addition, lifestyle can do a lot to improve wellbeing when there is a lack of estrogen. Diet, for example, plays a big role. On the one hand, because plant estrogens, such as those found in soy products, can help cushion the deficiency. On the other hand, because a lack of estrogen can lead to osteoporosis (bone loss) in the long term and you can counteract this with appropriate foods ( calcium , vitamin D ) and physical activity.

Estrogen deficiency: causes

Not all estrogen deficiencies are the same. During menopause, it is usually due to a natural aging process , during which the ovaries increasingly stop their “work” and produce fewer and fewer hormones. At a young age, an estrogen deficiency can result from the pill or hormonal contraceptives in general. Because the synthetic estrogens in these suppress the body's own estrogen, but sometimes cannot completely replace it. Other causes of an estrogen deficiency can be:

• Malformation or malfunction of the ovaries
• Weakness of the adrenal gland, which produces a precursor to estrogen
• surgical removal of the ovaries, for example due to cancer
• Luteal weakness
• Puberty tarda, here sexual maturity is delayed by the lack of estrogen, this lack of estrogen is often caused by malnutrition / malnutrition, excessive sport / high-performance sport or a malfunction of the endocrine glands

Estrogen deficiency and the desire to have children

A lack of estrogen can mean that ovulation does not occur , the egg cells do not mature sufficiently and / or the cervix produces too little or no mucus so that the sperm are not mobile enough to reach the egg. But all of this is necessary to get pregnant. If left untreated, the desire to have children will very likely remain unfulfilled if there is a lack of estrogen.

Estrogen deficiency: these are the consequences

As if the symptoms alone weren't uncomfortable enough, some unsightly to dangerous long-term consequences can occur with an estrogen deficiency:

• the vagina may become dry as the mucous membranes thin and release less fluid. That can make sex painful.
• the skin can become wrinkled.
• the sexual and urinary organs can recede, increasing the risk of infections there.
• bone density can decrease.
• Sleep disorders due to low levels of estradiol (a body estrogen), which can cause the brain to age prematurely, for example.

Determining Estrogen Deficiency: How Much Is Enough?

Determining whether there is enough estrogen circulating in the body is not that easy. Because every woman's estrogen level is different. You should therefore pay attention to possible signs of an estrogen deficiency and if you suspect you should go to a doctor who will check the values ​​by means of a gynecological examination and, if necessary, arrange for a hormone analysis. As a guideline, the estrogen level in sexually mature women is on average 50 picograms per milliliter (pg / ml) and should not fall below 15 pg / ml . A picograms is a trillionth of a gram.

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