What Does It Mean When Your Estrogen Is Too Low?

What Does It Mean When Your Estrogen Is Too Low?

We typically know estrogen as the hormone responsible for female sexual development and characteristics.

Women wouldn’t get their periods without estrogen, be able to have children, develop breasts, and so much more. Even men need estrogen!

It helps regulate certain sexual activities such as libido levels and erectile function.

What Happens if You Don’t Have Enough Estrogen?

When we think of low estrogen levels, we usually think of female characteristics or sexual functions being affected.

This includes things like:

  • Irregular periods
  • Lack of vaginal lubrication
  • Hot flashes

But low estrogen levels can affect a lot more than just your sexual characteristics. In this post, we’ll talk about the impacts of low estrogen levels on your heart and your brain. That sounds pretty intense, but don’t let it scare you too much, because there is a fix!

Our tried and true bio-identical hormone replacement therapy has changed the lives of many, many women suffering from low estrogen levels.

So low estrogen levels are treatable – but we do think it’s important to talk about the effects low estrogen can have on your body.

Estrogen and Your Heart

When women’s bodies are producing sufficient amounts of estrogen, their risk of developing heart conditions is significantly reduced. That’s mainly because estrogen is very good at regulating cholesterol levels.

Estrogen hormones act upon the liver to perform several functions: overall, they cause a decrease in the total amount of cholesterol in the body; they also bump up the amount of good cholesterol and reduce the amount of bad cholesterol.

And this is where your heart comes in. When your body is producing too much bad cholesterol, it can slowly build up over time and block up your blood vessels. Blood vessel blockages, unfortunately, can interfere with the flow of blood into your heart.

Good cholesterol, on the other hand, can act as an anti-blockage agent. It both regulates the amount of bad cholesterol in your body and reduces bad cholesterol’s ability to form into deposits that will block your blood vessel flow.

Although none of these developments will necessarily cause you to have heart issues, they increase your risk factors.

As women start to experience menopause, estrogen levels will naturally decline. Some women choose to take a proactive approach and call upon hormone replacement therapy to raise their estrogen levels and decrease their risk factors for heart-related conditions.

If you are not experiencing menopause, but are suffering from low estrogen levels, this may be even more reason to think about EvexiPEL’s proven bio-identical hormone replacement pellet therapy, as your body may not be as naturally ready to adjust to lower estrogen levels as it is during menopause.

Estrogen and Your Brain

Estrogen also has many properties that can affect the functioning of the brain. Estradiol is the most common form of estrogen in women.

It is mostly known for being responsible for sexual and reproductive development in women but also affects some important cognitive processes. The brain – especially as it’s developing – requires high levels of estradiol to stimulate signaling pathways necessary for the body to carry out essential functions.

Estradiol is critical for multiple aspects of the nervous system, such as:

  • Memory
  • Fine motor skills
  • Learning
  • Pain sensitivity

It also plays a role in protecting against Alzheimer’s disease and strokes. Let’s break some of this down:

Cognitive functioning is impacted by estrogen levels. Things like spatial awareness and verbal memory are influenced by estrogen levels.

Because of their difference in estrogen (specifically, estradiol) levels, men and women typically take different approaches to solve issues of spatial awareness, such as puzzles or navigation.

Researchers have proven estrogen impacts your mood as well. It plays a role in regulating women’s serotonin levels, which can help to dictate mood. Research has also shown that estradiol can have antidepressant effects in humans!

What Does This Mean For Me?

Everyone is different. Even if your estrogen levels are a little low, there’s no way to determine whether or not you’ll experience any or all of these symptoms.

Either way, though, the possible implications of low estrogen levels are probably worth considering. If you decide to take a proactive approach, or if you’re already experiencing some effects of low estrogen levels, we’re here to talk.

Our hormone pellet therapy can be a great low-risk, high-reward option for those who want to see an improvement in their quality of life.

Article Reviewed By The Medical Faculty and Advisory Review Board