Estrogen is the main female hormone, and it is partly responsible for regulating the menstrual cycle, among other things. When a female is young, around the onset of puberty, estrogen levels begin to rise. Throughout most of her reproductive years, these levels typically remain constant. As she gets older, however, her estrogen levels begin to drop and menopause begins. This lack of estrogen stimulates the end of menstrual periods, along with other physical and emotional changes.
Sex hormones are chemicals produced by the body that help regulate and maintain the functions of the reproductive system. There are three main types of estrogen that are produced predominately by females. Estrone and estriol are weak forms of estrogen, and these are mostly produced during pregnancy. Estradiol, on the other hand, is a much stronger and abundant form of estrogen, and it is produced in the ovaries throughout most of a woman's life.
To understand the relationship between estrogen and menopause, it is helpful to understand the relationship between estrogen and puberty. As a female child begins to mature and gets closer to her teenage years, her body begins to produce more estrogen. This hormone stimulates breast growth and the start of a female's menstrual cycle. It also helps keep bones strong and lowers bad cholesterol.
Unlike men, who are constantly producing reproductive cells, women are born with a limited number of eggs. As these eggs are used, the amount of estrogen produced by the body begins to decrease. The first signs of low estrogen and menopause can begin as early as a woman's 30s or 40s, and this is sometimes referred to as pre-menopause, or perimenopause.
The gradual reduction in estrogen levels in the blood can cause a variety of symptoms in older women. One of the most common symptoms of fluctuating levels of estrogen and menopause is known as hot flashes. Unstable estrogen levels can make a woman feel very warm and sweaty one moment, and very cold the next.
A woman will also usually begin to notice menstrual cycle changes as she produces less estrogen and menopause begins. She may have irregular menstrual periods, for example. Pre-menstrual symptoms may also get worse, or they may fade away completely. Since estrogen also has an effect on seratonin, a mood-enhancing neurotransmitter in the brain, she may also begin to feel more irritable and depressed.
Eventually, estrogen levels in a woman's body will begin to stabilize. These levels will be much lower than in younger women, however, and a menopausal woman will stop having her period altogether. At this point, another possible link between estrogen and menopause may affect a woman's sex life. The low levels of this hormone can decrease a woman's libido and make it more difficult to produce the natural lubrication needed for sexual intercourse. This can make sexual intercourse very uncomfortable, and some doctors may recommend an estrogen cream to help with these symptoms.
