What is estrogen deficiency?
Estrogen deficiency occurs when a person's body produces too little of the hormone estrogen. This is most common during perimenopause and menopause in people with ovaries, but can happen at other times as well.
Some key things to know about estrogen deficiency:
- Symptoms can include hot flashes, night sweats, vaginal dryness, mood changes, sleep problems, and more.
- It increases the risk for conditions like osteoporosis since estrogen plays a key role in bone health. Lack of estrogen speeds up bone loss.
- Causes include natural drops in estrogen levels during perimenopause and menopause. Some medical conditions, medications, and treatments like chemotherapy can also trigger it.
- Diagnosis is typically based on a person's symptoms, medical history, physical exam, and sometimes blood tests to measure hormone levels.
- Treatment options include lifestyle changes like diet and exercise, as well as hormone therapy to replace estrogen. This helps relieve symptoms and prevent bone loss.
To summarize:
- Estrogen deficiency is when the body produces very little estrogen
- It causes symptoms like hot flashes and mood changes
- It increases osteoporosis risk by speeding up bone loss
- It's often caused by menopause
- Diagnosis involves assessing symptoms and hormone levels
- Treatment options include lifestyle changes and hormone replacement therapy
Let me know if you have any other questions! I'm happy to discuss this topic further to help raise awareness around this common issue.