Common Hormonal Imbalances and Symptoms During Perimenopause
ESTROGEN DOMINANCE
Estrogen dominance can happen when your estrogen to progesterone ratio is off, typically with too much estradiol and too little progesterone. It can also happen when you break down estrogens into too many “dirty ones” (which was the case with my son and husband).
Symptoms of Estrogen Dominance
Cycle changes
PMS and painful periods
Brain fog, depression, mood swings and anxiety
Headaches and migraines
Hot flashes
Allergies
Sleep issues
Auto-immune diseases
Fibroids, polyps, endometriosis
Thyroid changes
Blood sugar issues
Low libido
Hair loss
Stubborn fat (esp butt and thigh)
Breast, ovarian, and thyroid cancers
Breast changes like fibrocystic breasts and cysts
Digestions issues like gall stones and gallbladder issues
What Can You Do?
Look into possible root causes such as: toxic foods that contain hidden estrogens, contaminated water, personal care products, gut issues, BPA and other plastic products, body fat, hormone replacement, and chronic stress. Speak with your doctor about ways to reduce your exposure and how to clear toxins from your body.
LOW ESTROGEN
Low estrogen levels can be a tell tale sign of aging. However, in some cases, it can be caused by chronic illnesses, thyroid issues, excessive exercise, intense stress, and more. A woman's estrogen levels peak in her mid- to late-20s then decline by 50% by the time she is 50.
Symptoms may include:
Breast tenderness
Weak or brittle bones
Hot flashes and night sweats
Irregular periods or no periods
Trouble concentrating
Fatigue and trouble sleeping
Mood changes, irritability, and depression
Vaginal dryness
What Can You Do?
Address lifestyle factors such as: sleep, maintaining a healthy weight, reduction of exercise if over exercising, foods such as organic soy, flax seeds, sesame seeds, plums, apples, berries, and some vegetables like cabbage and garlic, seed cycling, healthy fats, and Vitamin D.
However, if you are downright miserable and want immediate results, your doctor may suggest HRT. This involves hormone patches, pills, and vaginal creams to deliver synthetic estrogen into your system to restore estrogen to proper levels. While hormone replacement therapy is a primary treatment for low estrogen, it isn't right for everyone.
Side effects can include: chronic headaches, weight gain, breast tenderness, vaginal bleeding, bloating, and indigestion and those are just the minor side effects.
Research shows it can increase your risk of blood clots, breast cancer, stroke, and heart attacks so it is not recommended for long-term use for more than 5 years. Talk with your doctor about the best option for you.
LOW PROGESTERONE
Progesterone has a significant role in our brain health and mood- increasing our sense of calm, promoting deeper sleep, protecting our brains from inflammation and injury, and even supporting us against anxiety and addictions.
14 common signs of low progesterone
Irregular menstrual cycles
Heavy or prolonged menstrual bleeding
Mood swings and irritability
Difficulty concentrating or with memory
Thyroid Issues
Weight gain
Bloating
Anxiety or increased feelings of stress
Insomnia or disrupted sleep
Breast tenderness or swelling
Decreased sex drive
Fatigue
Estrogen Dominance
Hot flashes
What Can You Do?
Speak with your doctor about your symptoms, testing your hormone levels and the possibility of “clean” bio-identical topical progesterone or compounded capsules. I like, and use, the ones made from yams with no phthalates, mineral oils, fragrances or preservatives. Some creams and oils can causes side effects that may include issues like heart palpitations, sleepiness, or nausea.
HIGH/LOW CORTISOL
Do you have stress in your life? Maybe it's emotional, physical, chemical or spiritual. During times of stress the body releases additional levels of cortisol to help the body cope. It's that surge of energy that helps you escape danger, but what happens when the stress is chronic? This becomes problematic because it leads to inflammation and a reduction in progesterone, leading to a cascade of hormonal imbalances.
Symptoms of high cortisol:
Wired and tired
Sleep issues
No energy in the morning
Belly fat
Anxiety
Short fuse
Hair loss
Symptoms of low cortisol:
Significant fatigue
Memory issues
Low motivation
Overreacting or crying spells
Salt cravings
Lightheadedness
Unstable blood sugar
Frequent illnesses
Low libido
What Can You Do?
Talk with your doctor about testing your cortisol levels through saliva or urine for the most accurate results. Implement lifestyle interventions discussed in the last newsletter and consider the sources of your stress and how you can reduce or eliminate them. Sometimes we flat out can NOT reduce the stress in our life, if that is the case, get curious about your relationship to stress and how you are processing it. Hard work-absolutely! But necessary when it comes to restoring your health and hormones.
Blood Sugar
Fluctuating blood sugar can contribute to hormone imbalances (especially high cortisol levels and inflammation) and make peri-menopausal symptoms so much worse.
Do you have blood sugar imbalances?
You get irritable if you skip a meal
You feel hungry constantly
You have intense cravings for sweets
You feel spacey and find it hard to concentrate
You overdose on caffeine to compensate for feeling tired
You get drowsy in the afternoons
Your moods seem to have a life of their own
You feel edgy but with no apparent cause
You have a hard time losing weight
You struggle with sound sleep
What can you do?
Start the day with a protein packed breakfast, eat fiber rich foods like whole grains, fruits, and vegetables, add in healthy fat , sprinkle cinnamon on your food, add apple cider vinegar into your dietary routine, avoid empty calorie snacking, investigate how much sugar is in your food over the course of 7 days, drink in moderation, and limit artificial sweeteners.
