Estrogens are the main female hormones that are responsible for appearance the fair sex, their height, weight, sex drive and even mood. It is not surprising that the slightest fluctuations in hormones instantly affect the external and internal state of a woman.
It is generally accepted that women are more likely to experience estrogen deficiency, which is why they experience a lot of unpleasant symptoms. However, life shows that no less number of the fair sex suffer from advanced level estrogen. That is why in this article we will talk about the cases in which the level of estrogen rises, how this hormonal failure manifests itself, and what measures should be taken to normalize your condition.
The effect of estrogens on the female body
Female hormonal background can change significantly over the course of a lifetime. The synthesis of estrogens rapidly increases during the puberty of a girl, because this hormone is responsible for the menstrual cycle, affects the strength of the vaginal walls and the production of lubrication by the genitals. Moreover, under the influence of estrogens, the girl develops secondary sexual characteristics - the hips expand, the chest fills up, the skin becomes velvety, and the hair becomes strong and luxurious.
During menopause, the production of estrogen by the ovaries is noticeably reduced, which does not go unnoticed for a woman. Her periods disappear, vaginal dryness occurs, hot flashes attack, sexual desire disappears, hair deteriorates, and age spots and wrinkles appear on the skin. And given that, together with calcium, estrogen takes part in the formation and strengthening of bones, with the onset of menopause, a woman’s bones become fragile and susceptible to disease.
Be that as it may, at puberty, estrogen in women is produced in sufficient quantities, in some cases even in excess of the norm (puberty and the time of bearing a child). The rest of the time, estrogen is in balance with another important hormone for women called progesterone. However, under the influence of certain factors, this hormone can be produced not only by the ovaries, but also by the liver, fatty tissue, muscles, adrenal glands, and even the brain. Doctors call this condition estrogen dominance, since in this case it begins to prevail over progesterone, which is also responsible for the menstrual cycle.
Causes of increased estrogen production
As it turns out, excess estrogen is a fairly common phenomenon, which is explained by the constant ingestion of estrogen-like compounds from food into the body. These are all kinds of herbicides and pesticides, growth hormones and other substances that are “stuffed” with grown plants and livestock for speedy growth and increase in volume. Moreover, in nature there are products (soy) that differ high content plant estrogens. It is logical that the regular use of this food leads to an increase in the level of estrogen in the body of a woman.
By the way, household products, in particular, detergents, cosmetics, carpeting, furniture and various plastic structures, contain chemicals that are called "endocrine disruptors." They imitate estrogen, which means that by inhaling their harmful vapors, the level of the hormone in question can increase in the body. Moreover, with prolonged exposure to toxins on the body, a woman begins to gain weight, and in this case, other organs join the production of estrogen by the ovaries, as already mentioned above.
Of the other reasons for the increase in estrogen levels in female body should be highlighted:
- taking certain medications (hormone replacement therapy);
- excessive alcohol consumption;
- high blood pressure;
- heart disease;
- diabetes;
- stress.
Not surprisingly, more than 50% of women over 30 are diagnosed with estrogen dominance by doctors. That's just the vast majority of the fair sex do not even know about the existing problem. That is why below we will consider the signs that characterize this state.
10 symptoms of high estrogen
1. Uncontrolled weight gain
If a woman, without changing her lifestyle and not overeating, suddenly begins to gain weight for no apparent reason, this is one of the main signs of increased production of the hormone estrogen. It is especially worth paying attention to weight gain if you are on a diet and play sports, i.e. do everything to lose weight. This happens because hormonal imbalance interferes with weight loss. Moreover, a woman in this case is gaining weight mainly in the hips.
2. Violation of the menstrual cycle
There are many reasons that can affect the menstrual cycle. However, in 80% of cases, hormonal failure, or rather the predominance of estrogen, is to blame. That is why, if your cycle began to go astray or monthly discharge became too plentiful, it is worth donating blood and checking the level of hormones.
3. Swelling and increased sensitivity of the breast
The female breast is very sensitive to changes in hormonal levels. Each representative of the fair sex noticed that during menstrual flow or during pregnancy, the breasts are rounded, increasing in size. All this is due to increased production of estrogen. When the breasts become rounded without objective reasons, it is time to think about the dominance of estrogen.
4. Pain in the mammary glands
An excess of the hormone in question against the background of a low level of progesterone has an extremely negative effect on the mammary glands of a woman. They not only increase in size and become sensitive, but also acquire the so-called fibrous state, in which every touch on the chest causes pain. And even without touching, a woman may complain of a dull pain on top and sides of her chest. It may seem to the fair sex that they develop mastitis, or a neoplasm has appeared in the breast, but in fact, hormones are most often to blame for the pain.
5. Heightened emotionality
As noted above, estrogen affects not only the body, but also psychological condition women. Did you have to notice the nervousness, irritability and tearfulness that covered you during menstruation? A similar condition can haunt a woman all the time if estrogen begins to dominate over progesterone in her body. Representatives of the weaker sex in this case may become depressed, experience panic attacks, temper tantrums and other emotional states.
6. Frequent headaches
Every woman suffers from headaches and migraines from time to time. Of course, this pathological condition can have a hundred reasons, ranging from genetics, and ending with chronic fatigue and malnutrition. However, if headaches haunt a woman all the time, it does not hurt to check the level of estrogen in the blood. It is likely that it will be significantly higher than normal, while the level of progesterone will be quite low.
By the way, this fact is confirmed by statistics. It turns out that before puberty, girls and boys experience migraines with the same frequency, while at puberty, women suffer from severe headaches 3 times more often.
7. Abundant hair loss
It is generally accepted that men are more likely to experience hair loss. This is partly true, the representatives of the stronger sex are twice as likely to suffer from baldness. However, if a woman is dominated by estrogen, she risks losing her beautiful hair in the prime of her life. Of course, it is not at all necessary for a woman with such a hormonal imbalance to become bald, but she is definitely provided with abundant hair loss and worries about this.
8. Memory problems
Memory problems are another sign of hormonal imbalance in the body. Noticing that you forget over and over again what day it is, do not remember important dates, lose your car keys or forget your purse in transport, urgently check the level of hormones. It is possible that all this is the effect of increased estrogen production. By the way, rapid memory loss is often associated with the development of Alzheimer's disease, but today it has been proven that hormonal failure also leads to a similar condition.
Estrogen is a well-known brain stimulant, and therefore women who take hormonal preparations with this biologically active substance are at risk for depression and insomnia. This is due to the fact that with an increased production of the hormone in question, the production of melatonin decreases, i.e. sleep hormone. And if at the same time there is a low level of progesterone - the hormone responsible for calmness, you are definitely provided with night wakefulness.
In addition, another characteristic sign of estrogen dominance can be considered the inability of a person to stop talking, working or playing sports.
10. Exhaustion of the body
As a result of lack of sleep, a woman's body begins to deplete, which leads to a variety of problems with the body. Of course, there are plenty of reasons for increased fatigue, low performance and apathy without hormonal imbalance, but if such a problem haunts you almost in the morning and this continues day after day, the diagnosis of the body should also include tests for hormone levels.
In addition, let's say that doctors associate estrogen dominance with the development of such pathological conditions as depression, high blood pressure, endometriosis, breast cancer and uterine oncology.
It is clear that such a problem must be combated by regularly checking the level of this hormone. But what if estrogen is high and progesterone is low? Here are some simple yet extremely helpful tips.
How to bring your estrogen levels back to normal
1. Limit your alcohol intake
The liver is responsible for the metabolism of estrogen, and therefore this organ should be taken care of tirelessly if you do not want to face hormonal imbalance. And, first of all, you should stop “poisoning” him with alcohol. This will be the first step towards normalizing the level of female sex hormones. And in addition, it should be remembered that taking more than one glass of alcohol per day, a woman runs the risk of breast cancer.
2. Eat Organic
Non-organic foods contain a lot of "chemicals" that adversely affect the entire body, and above all endocrine system. To remedy the situation, try to buy vegetables and fruits more often in the market where natural products are sold, or grow plants yourself.
3. Eat More Fiber
Indigestible dietary fiber, which we call fiber, removes toxins and waste from the body. In the same way, they bind excess free-floating estrogen, ridding the body of excess estrogen and thereby helping to achieve the necessary hormonal balance. In this regard, try to ensure that vegetables and fruits, nuts, seeds and beans are constantly present in your diet.
4. Eat Probiotic Foods
The development of dysbacteriosis threatens women not only with intestinal problems, but also hormonal failure, because in this case it will be more difficult for the intestines to remove excess hormones in question from the body. To restore the level of beneficial microbes in the stomach and prevent dysbacteriosis, eat foods with probiotics more often, namely, fermented milk products and kvass, sauerkraut, pickles, kimchi and tofu cheese.
Before deciding how to increase estrogen levels in women, it should be noted that this group includes several important hormones- estriol, estradiol, as well as estrone, on which many processes in the body depend.
Analyzing the reasons for the lack of estrogens in the female body, it can be noted that the weakened functioning of the ovaries dominates among them, which are designed to produce vital female hormones.
A number of pathological disorders that can lower estrogens are also revealed:
- diseases of the pituitary gland, causing a failure in the regulation of hormonal levels;
- sharp weight loss;
- bad habits - alcohol, drugs, smoking;
- hormonally active tumors;
- hereditary factor;
- taking antidepressants for a long time.
Thyroid hormones produced by the thyroid gland affect the proper functioning of estradiol, a reduced level of which can occur with hypothyroidism, a pathological process in the thyroid gland.
There is hypoestrogenia and as a consequence of age-related changes. May cause estrogen deficiency incorrect intake of the drug Vitex, which is prescribed for certain female diseases. This is due to the fact that Vitex, taken to alleviate the premenstrual state, is able to lower the generation of estrogen. If you strictly follow the medical prescriptions, the result will be the restoration of hormonal balance. With excessive use of the drug, serious disorders will follow, caused by a lack of hormones and requiring therapeutic measures.
Visible symptoms
For estrogens of female hormones, the symptoms of deficiency are quite characteristic, so they can be noticed on their own, being the reason for going to the doctor.
At the beginning life path such signs of estrogen deficiency as late formation or complete absence of secondary sexual characteristics due to delayed sexual development can be tracked. Girls may have uncharacteristic masculine features - facial hair, developed muscles, a muscular body, etc. If menstruation comes very late or does not appear at all, then without timely treatment infertility may develop.
The most noticeable with a lack of estrogen for women of reproductive age are negative changes in the state of appearance:
- fragility and dull hair color;
- deterioration in the shape of the breast;
- dryness, loss of elasticity, thinning and peeling of the skin;
- the appearance of wrinkles;
- brittleness and delamination of nails.
The following pathological changes in the body may also indicate the presence of a lack of estrogen in women:
- the appearance of one or many new moles, as well as papillomas;
- drops in blood pressure;
- Bad mood;
- dryness of the vagina;
- bloating;
- frequent manifestation of bladder infections;
- violation of thermoregulation, the characteristic features of which are a rapid change in sensations of cold and intense heat in the body;
- inability to get pregnant;
- decline.
Combined estrogen-progesterone deficiency manifests itself as severe pain against the background of irregular periods, as well as infertility. A lack of estrogen can cause a rapid deterioration in memory. Sometimes this is evidenced by heart pain, poor coordination, loss of concentration. Many of the symptoms are similar to those of hypothyroidism, so a thyroid test will be required to make a proper diagnosis.
In women after 40 years of age, weight gain for no apparent reason is of concern, since the diet remains the same. This is due to the fact that by this age the intensity of estrogen production falls, and the body begins hormonal changes. It should be borne in mind that if prolactin is elevated, then this is also fraught with obesity.
Against the background of estrogen deficiency, due to the loss of calcium in a woman, bone strength decreases, which often leads to the development of osteoporosis. Most often, this condition occurs after 50 years, when estrogens are no longer produced during menopause according to physiological normal parameters. Is it necessary in this case to be treated with supportive hormone therapy the doctor decides.
It is impossible to understand the causal relationship on your own, therefore, with any noticeable and disturbing symptoms characteristic of estrogen deficiency, competent consulting support from a specialist is necessary.
Level normalization methods
For serious malfunctions in the body that caused low estrogen levels, treatment is usually carried out. by special means designed to replenish the amount of hormones. The therapeutic complex in each case is determined individually. It can include both medicinal and natural preparations.
Given that needed by the body estrogens are found in some affordable products, the doctor gives recommendations on how to properly organize your daily diet. Estrogen-progesterone deficiency will require a special approach, since it is necessary, along with the replenishment of female hormones, to stimulate the production of progesterone.
Menopause also requires attention. In severe cases, a supportive treatment course can be carried out.
Medical treatment
Traditional treatment is based on the use of drugs that have an increasing effect on tarragon. As active ingredient they have that kind of hormones, which, according to the results of analytical studies, is not enough for the normal functioning of the body.
If you choose what is better to use, you must take into account that there are several dosage forms.
- The most convenient and common are tablets. When they are taken according to the recommended scheme, a positive effect appears quite quickly.
- For people who often travel and work, patches are becoming increasingly attractive, which provide an increase in estrogen by absorbing the active substance through skin.
- Medicinal ointments, gels, creams with estrogen affect the body in the same way. They do not cause discomfort when used, unless an allergic reaction is observed.
- Subcutaneous implants have a long duration of action. They are able to secrete hormones directly into the blood. Usually they last for six months, and then a replacement follows. In case of possible negative reactions, immediate removal of the implant is required.
- Virtually no side effects vaginal forms work. But the manifestation of a positive effect is weaker.
- In order to bring low estrogen back to normal more quickly, a doctor may prescribe intravenous or intramuscular injections.
If progesterone deficiency is observed simultaneously with estrogen deficiency, then combined oral contraceptives. Drugs are needed that restore the functioning of the thyroid gland in case of hypothyroidism, if it is established that this disease was the cause of a decrease in the amount of female hormones.
If prolactin is elevated, then this indicates that the level of estrogen is also high. Before conducting a lowering course, it is necessary to identify the causes of hormonal failure so that the body quickly restores its vital activity.
Folk remedies
Along with hormonal therapy, natural estrogens are often used, which, when used correctly, gently restore the disturbed balance.
When deciding how to increase the level of estrogen, you can pay attention to the flax seed, which can simply be brewed in the evening, left until the morning, so that after waking up you can drink a flaxseed drink. Also good effect Flax manifests itself if its seeds are simply chewed dry. Since they have a specific taste, it is preferable to prepare a vitamin salad with carrots, cabbage, flax seeds, and nuts. You can also grind flaxseed to a powder and add little by little to dishes.
The level of estrogen will gradually increase if brewed, instead of tablets, herbs such as wormwood, sage and others. The natural estrogens contained in them have a beneficial effect on the female body. Particularly effective in increasing the concentration of female hormones is sage, often used if menstrual cycle failures occur.
Sage also has a calming effect on hot flashes, promotes the formation of the follicle. Before drinking sage, it must be borne in mind that it is advisable to do this at the end of menstruation before ovulation begins. It is more convenient to use sage for brewing in bags. The course, if necessary, can last a year, but with mandatory supervision by a doctor.
Foods rich in estrogen
Becomes more effective treatment in order to increase estrogen, if you make adjustments to the diet and eat foods that have a high percentage of these hormones.
A fairly extensive list includes the following food varieties containing estrogens that have a beneficial effect on the female body:
- soy, beans;
- olive oil;
- fruits - pomegranate, plums, apples, etc.;
- dairy;
- Red beans;
- eggplant.
It is also important to know which foods contain carotene, which is needed for estrogen deficiency (beets, sea buckthorn, carrots, and others). Especially useful in small quantities beet juice, rich in other vitamins.
Estrogen is essential for the proper functioning of the body. When all hormones are balanced, the body works as it should, but with an excess of hormones, various problems arise. Despite the fact that estrogen is known as the "female" hormone, its excess negatively affects men as well.
In women, estrogen is produced in the ovaries pathological conditions it is often produced by fat cells, placenta, liver, adrenal glands, brain and muscles. It is responsible for the menstrual cycle, the development of secondary sexual characteristics, and even bone formation.
Together with calcium and vitamin D, it restores bones, so its level decreases significantly with age.
Estrogen also affects the thickness and strength of the vaginal walls, blood clotting, stimulates the production of vaginal lubrication and many other bodily functions, affecting the pelvic muscles, hair and skin.
Throughout life, a woman's hormonal levels are constantly changing.: From puberty to pregnancy to menopause. A decrease in estrogen production occurs with the onset of menopause, leading to symptoms such as hot flashes, vaginal dryness, and loss of sex drive.
What happens when the body produces too much estrogen?
Possible causes of excess estrogen:
Estrogen levels rise with the onset of puberty and pregnancy. But sometimes excess estrogen appears in the normal period of life.
There are only two reasons for the accumulation of estrogen in the body: either the body itself produces too much of it, or we get it from the environment and food.
If estrogen levels are high compared to other hormones, then the condition is often referred to as estrogen dominance because one hormone dominates the others. A common disorder is estrogen dominance over progesterone, another hormone that also regulates the menstrual cycle.
Surprisingly, the accumulation of excess estrogen is not too difficult to explain, since we are constantly exposed to estrogen-like compounds in foods containing toxic pesticides, herbicides, and growth hormones.
Many of the everyday household products we use, including plastics such as BPA, detergents, cosmetics, furniture and carpeting contain endocrine disruptors - chemicals that mimic estrogen.
These toxins lead to weight gain, which serves as an incentive to produce more estrogen from our own fat cells.
Pharmaceutical hormones that are used in hormone replacement therapy (HRT) also lead to excess estrogen, whether we take them ourselves or drink them from drinking water.
Know that there are also products with high content some types of phytoestrogens, such as soy.
There are other causes of excess estrogen, including:
- Excessive alcohol consumption;
- Stress;
- Medications;
- Diabetes;
- High blood pressure;
- Obesity;
- Heart diseases.
With all of this in mind, it's no surprise that the alarming rates of estrogen dominance in recent statistics show that more than 50% of women aged 35 and over suffer from excess estrogen.
Let's look at some signs of estrogen dominance:
1) You are gaining weight, although you have not changed your lifestyle
You don't overeat, you don't lie on the couch all day. But you still gain weight for no reason, especially in the pelvic area - this is one of the main symptoms of excess estrogen.
You also often suffer from bloating and cannot lose weight even if you significantly cut calories, eat healthy food and exercise regularly. All this is because the body cannot balance the hormonal background, because only then will you lose weight and be able to maintain your ideal weight.
2) You have an irregular menstrual cycle
There are many reasons why menstruation comes early or late, and high level estrogen is one of them. If your cycle is always on schedule and suddenly becomes erratic (except during pregnancy), it may be due to excess estrogen.
The menstrual period is carefully controlled by hormones and with an increase in the level of one beyond the norm, the whole process goes astray.
3) Your breasts are too sensitive or swollen
Many women experience breast changes during their monthly cycle and also during pregnancy. The chest is very sensitive to hormonal changes. If your breasts are sore, especially around the nipples and front of your breasts, or if you notice that they are more swollen than usual, then you need to check your estrogen levels.
4) Mammary glands hurt
With an excess of estrogen and a low level of progesterone, the breast acquires the so-called fibrocystic condition. It becomes sensitive and even painful, usually on the upper or side of the chest. With these signs, immediately consult a doctor to avoid the appearance of a tumor and other changes in the breast.
5) You are too emotional
Estrogen affects many systems in our body. Mental state and emotions are no exception. You probably experienced imbalance and agitation during PMS. Such drastic mood changes are due to hormones. With an excess of estrogen, women experience depression, panic attacks, anxiety, inexplicable anger, and more.
6) You have frequent headaches
Women are more prone to headaches and migraines due to their reproductive system and fluctuating estrogen levels. With a strong deviation of estrogen from progesterone, headaches often develop.
Many factors influence the development of headaches, including genetics and diet, but in women, excess estrogen is a major contributing factor to chronic headaches and menstrual migraines.
Before puberty, migraines occur approximately equally in both boys and girls, but after maturation they occur with a frequency of 3:1 towards girls.
7) Your hair is falling out
Many people think that men are more prone to hair loss, but this is not true. With an excess of estrogen and a lack of progesterone, women lose hair no less than men. But do not rush to blame hormones for everything. It all depends on how much hair you have lost and for how long.
Noticeable hair loss depends on a number of factors: genetic predisposition, lifestyle, diet and general condition health, whether you are taking steps to solve the problem or not.
"Maiden memory"
Do you know this funny expression? If you notice that your memory is failing much more often than before, such as losing your car keys often, leaving your phone at work, then this may be the fault of estrogen.
Low estrogen levels are often linked to Alzheimer's disease and memory loss, but scientists have found that excess estrogen also leads to memory difficulties, although the exact cause of this phenomenon is not yet known.
9) You suffer from insomnia
Estrogen is a stimulant for the brain, in fact, this hormone can be considered an exotoxin. Therefore, women who take a lot of estrogen experience terrible depression and insomnia after abruptly stopping the intake.
One of the signs of excess estrogen in women is the inability to stop, whether it's work, sports, or just talking.
Even moderate estrogen dominance causes sleep problems, because an excess of this hormone reduces the production of melatonin. So if you have a lot of estrogen and not enough progesterone (a hormone that helps to calm down), then you are guaranteed insomnia.
10) You feel exhausted
Lack of sleep easily leads to feeling completely exhausted. Of course, in such a busy world, with many of us facing a long list of responsibilities every day, many get tired, but that doesn't always mean estrogen dominance.
If you notice that you get tired much more often than usual, you experience some of the other symptoms that we talked about, you may indeed have excess estrogen.
Know that estrogen dominance increases the risk of serious medical problems, including high blood pressure, depression, uterine, breast and endometrial cancer, and endometriosis.
Another important detail: the level of estrogen must be monitored from time to time, because its level fluctuates constantly.
What can we do to bring estrogen back to normal?
Limit your alcohol intake.
Since the liver is responsible for the metabolism of estrogen, it must be carefully taken care of. Alcohol impairs liver function, which can cause estrogen to build up.
Drinking more than one alcoholic drink a day in women increases the risk of breast cancer.
Eat organic foods.
Non-organic foods contain a variety of pesticides and chemicals, including those that act like estrogen in the body or endocrine disruptors. Buy more often natural products to keep your body from absorbing hormones, antibiotics, and chemicals.
Eat more fiber.
Insoluble fiber binds to excess estrogen in the digestive tract and is then excreted from the body. Fiber also influences the composition of gut bacteria and reduces the accumulation and re-absorption of free-floating estrogen. Good sources of fiber include fruits and vegetables, nuts, seeds, and dried beans.
Eat more probiotics.
An imbalance of healthy bacteria, known as probiotics, and "bad" or unhealthy bacteria can not only compromise digestion, but also prevent excess estrogen from being properly removed from the body in the digestive tract.
Eat more probiotic foods like kimchi, sauerkraut, yogurt, and kombucha, or take a probiotic supplement.
Weak phytoestrogenic foods.
These foods counteract the effect of excess estrogen: flaxseed, oats, barley, pears, berries, and apples.
Follow a balanced diet.
All essential vitamins and minerals help balance hormone levels. The body needs adequate amounts of vitamin B6, magnesium, zinc and some more nutrients for support normal level hormones and the functioning of enzymes that balance testosterone and estrogen.
Essential oil of rosemary.
It is believed that this oil can control estrogen levels by stimulating blood flow to the brain, encouraging proper thyroid function, and boosting the immune system.
This powerful antioxidant stimulates hair growth, improves memory, and eases muscle pain, which means it can combat some of the symptoms of estrogen dominance as well.
100% pure rosemary oil even affects the inert estrogen hormones. Rutgers University experts evaluated the effects of rosemary extract in laboratory mice and found that a diet with 2% rosemary oil increased liver microsomal oxidation and glucuronidation, a process associated with xenobiotic metabolism.
This was especially reflected in estradiol and estrone in the uterus. Estradiol is considered an aggressive form of estrogen.
Avoid exposure to xenoestrogens.
Xenoestrogens mimic the effects of estrogen and are found in cosmetics, plastics, birth control pills, and other products. Limit your exposure to these harmful substances.
Control stress.
Excessive stress leads to higher production of estrogen in the body. Stress decreases progesterone and increases the stress hormone cortisol, which often leads to an excess of estrogen.
Excess estrogen in the fair sex is called hormonal imbalance leading to women's health problems. The reasons for it lie not only in hereditary predisposition, but also in the influence of the anthropogenic factor - environmental pollution by humans, malnutrition and abuse of bad habits.
The role of the hormone estrogen in the body is associated with the control of growth, the functioning of the genital organ - stimulation of cell division of the inner surface of the uterus and its preparation for a future pregnancy. Estrogen provokes their rapid growth. The activation of the hormone falls on the process of puberty.
Visible symptoms of excess female hormone estrogen
When estrogen is in excess in a woman's body, they are the first to signal this external signs:
- weight gain;
- problems with hair loss on the head;
- the appearance of acne on the face and décolleté.
May disturb spotting bleeding in the middle of the menstrual cycle, which are not related to menstruation. This is due to the fact that hormones affect the vital activity of other systems, organs and the metabolic process.
Weight gain
Too much estrogen causes increased appetite, which causes the appearance of extra pounds in women. Basically, the waist line, legs, hips are rounded. At the same time, the process of obesity activates even more production of the sex hormone, because estrogen is produced in fatty tissues. Then there is a cyclicity in its excess and growth in body weight.
Hair loss
When the hormonal balance is disturbed, problems begin with hair loss. Normally, we lose 50-100 hairs a day, and at this time the rest is actively growing, so the loss is not noticeable.
When the pathology asserts itself, the hair begins to fall out in greater numbers, they break, become thinner, but new ones are in no hurry to grow in their place. The prolapse can be observed over the entire surface of the head or only in certain areas.
Acne
Her appearance is associated with blockage of the excretory channels of the sebaceous glands as a result of a hormonal imbalance. There is a stretching of the glands due to the accumulation of purulent formations in them and begins inflammatory process, which leads to a rash on the forehead, cheeks, behind the ears, on the nose, on the neck.
Spotting bleeding
Bloody discharge in the middle of the menstrual cycle appears in the form slightly visible daub. Rarely, they turn into profuse hemorrhage, which requires immediate hospitalization. Spotting with excess estrogen in the female body most often appears between 10 and 16 days after the last menstruation. Within the normal range, it is believed that they have the consistency of thick mucus, in which streaks of blood are visible. The duration of bleeding is from 12 hours to 3 days. If more - you need to urgently consult a gynecologist.
Tangible signs of excess estrogen in women
In addition to the visible signs of an excess of the hormone in the female body, there are also those that felt on a physical and psychological level. These include:
- dryness of the genitals;
- menstrual failure;
- headache;
- depression and anxiety;
- sensation of coldness in the extremities;
- nipple sensitivity;
- disorders of the organs of the cardiovascular and digestive systems.
Vaginal dryness
During menopause during the drug therapy hormonal imbalance occurs in the body, estrogen is produced in larger quantities than necessary. This provokes changes in the skin, which also includes a feeling of dryness in the vagina. The sensation appears because the endocrine glands, due to imbalance, can produce little natural lubrication. At the same time, the genitals of a woman become more sensitive, sometimes redness is observed.
Vascular and pancreatic diseases
While taking drugs that are designed to increase the level of estrogen in the body, along with its excess, the amount of triglyceride fats increases. They move around blood vessels and clog them in some places, forming blood clots and clotting. This causes diseases of the vessels and heart. Also, against the background of an excess of hormones, the pancreas is damaged, which provokes the disease of pancreatitis, accompanied by pain in the abdomen, nausea, and a gag reflex.
Menstrual irregularity
Irregularity in the frequency of menstruation- one of the symptoms of an excess of estrogen. Cycle imbalance is often accompanied by heavy bleeding or light bleeding. When menstruation is irregular, pain in the chest, bloating may disturb. It is caused by fluid retention and excess salt in the breasts and abdomen.
Migraine
Fits her arise suddenly and are either long-term or short-term. There may be an increased sensitivity of the organs of visual, auditory perception and smell.
Sometimes there is nausea, dizziness. The body becomes lethargic, sleepy. Pain focus in the left or right hemisphere but may spread throughout the head. Worried about migraine for half an hour or several hours.
depression, anxiety
An excess of the sex hormone estrogen causes internal disharmony. depressive state may turn into a severe form of mental disorder or be only a short-term change in mood.
To psychological signs the appearance of a depressive and anxious state during an excess of estrogen in the body include:
- Depression, unwillingness to take the initiative.
- Lack of satisfaction with life.
- Pessimistic view of the future.
- Feelings of worthlessness and guilt.
- Low self-esteem and obsessive thoughts about death.
Along with these symptoms, there are also somatic changes expressed in:
- loss of appetite;
- rapid fatigue;
- sleep disorder;
- inhibition of movements or vice versa overexcitation;
- loss of sexual desire;
- unkempt and sickly appearance.
Increased nipple sensitivity
It is observed with an excess of sex hormones at any stage of the menstrual cycle - before the onset of menstruation, during them or after. The pain can be sharp, pulling, stabbing or aching. Hypersensitivity is expressed in a painful reaction even to the most insignificant stimuli- not comfortable linen, hard pile towels. There is a feeling that everything interferes, creates discomfort.
Cold hands, feet
When excess estrogen accumulates in the body, blood circulation problems.
Its deficiency in the limbs of the body leads to the fact that the arms and legs constantly cold to the touch, the skin on them takes on a bluish or white color. The skin looks rough and numb.
The listed symptoms of an excess of estrogen in the female body appear individually or in combination and indicate the need for urgent action to normalization of hormonal balance.