Say Goodbye to Low Estrogen Symptoms: Causes, Symptoms & Easy Lifestyle Fixes

• Written by Jagriti Chakraborty

  Reviewed by Akhil Pillai

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Nisha has been juggling doctors' visits, and despite a cabinet full of medications, her low estrogen symptoms like constant fatigue, mood fluctuations, and brain fog refuse to ease. Her friend, Tanya, reminds her that medicines only set the stage, but identifying how to increase estrogen through a balanced diet and a natural lifestyle is the key to reclaiming hormonal balance and strength.

Think of your plate and lifestyle as your estrogen support squad. Whole foods, mindful exercise, a stress-management routine, and adequate sleep work together to naturally balance estrogen, allowing you to feel more energised and improve your overall wellness.

However, folks like Nisha often rely on a stack of medicines while overlooking diet and lifestyle changes, which makes low estrogen symptoms resistant to relief. One must understand that medications alone do not deliver total relief. Complete wellness is achieved when healthy food, regular physical activity, stress management, and proper rest come together.

Are you eager to discover the secrets to maintaining optimal estrogen balance? Let’s understand everything about Low Estrogen.

Understanding Low Estrogen Symptoms & Causes

Low estrogen can trigger a wide range of physical, mental, and emotional symptoms. Although commonly associated with menopause, it can occur in anyone experiencing a drop in hormone levels. Because this hormone supports the heart, bones, mood, and menstrual health, identifying how to increase estrogen is vital to maintaining total wellness.

Common Low Estrogen Symptoms:

• Menstrual Cycle Changes: Irregular periods, changes in menstrual flow, and skipped cycles are common symptoms of low estrogen in women.
• Temperature Regulation Issues: Sudden body warmth and nighttime sweating.
• Mood and Emotional Changes: Irritable moods, depression, mood swings, and anxiety.
• Urinary and Vaginal Issues: Dryness in the vaginal area, discomfort during intimacy, and increased risk of urinary infections are other symptoms of low estrogen common in women.
• Sleep Disturbances: Trouble sleeping and persistent tiredness.
• Physical Changes: Noticeable changes like tender breasts, dry skin, brittle nails, and hair.
• Cognitive Challenges: Difficulty focusing, remembering things, or maintaining mental clarity.

After learning the symptoms of low estrogen, are you curious about its triggers? Here’s a detailed breakdown in the next section.

What are the Causes of Low Estrogen Symptoms?

Low estrogen symptoms don’t appear out of nowhere. They usually result from multiple factors such as natural ageing, medical issues, treatments, and lifestyle choices. Let’s identify the main reasons below.

• Natural Life Stages & Genetics: Estrogen levels naturally decline during perimenopause and menopause, typically starting around age 45. It can also occur sooner because of early ovarian failure or genetic disorders like Turner Syndrome.
• Medical Conditions: Certain factors, like eating disorders, pituitary or hypothalamic dysfunctions, and autoimmune conditions, can interfere with hormone signals that affect nutrient levels and low estrogen production.
• Medical Treatments: Cancer treatments like chemotherapy or radiation, and medical intervention, including ovarian surgery, can reduce estrogen production and trigger low estrogen symptoms.
• Lifestyle Factors: Lifestyle imbalances such as persistent stress, excessive exercise, and insufficient rest can contribute to low estrogen levels.
• Other Contributing Factors: Thyroid issues, PCOS, severe nutritional deficiencies, and sudden weight shifts add to the hormonal imbalance. Additionally, chemicals such as phthalates, BPA, and pesticides can mimic estrogenic activity.

Knowing the triggers is key. Let’s identify potential health complications of low estrogen levels.

What are the Health Consequences of Low Estrogen Levels?

It is often misunderstood that when estrogen dips, it’s all about mood swings or irregular periods. However, this is not true. Your body experiences low estrogen symptoms everywhere. From bones to heart, low estrogen can silently influence overall wellness, making awareness and timely action crucial.

• Osteoporosis: Reduced estrogen levels disrupt the typical structure of bone, which can lead to osteoporosis. It can also alter spinal alignment, such as lumbar lordosis, raising the possibility of fractures and back pain.

>> Read More: Struggling with Back Discomfort? Time to Rule Out Lumbar Lordosis

• Cardiovascular Disease: Falling estrogen levels, usually seen in menopause or in cases of premature ovarian insufficiency, can harm heart health. It raises bad cholesterol, constricts arteries, and increases blood pressure, which maximises the likelihood of heart issues, especially in young individuals.
• Mental Health Issues: Fluctuating estrogen can cause emotional turbulence, disrupt brain chemistry, and trigger brain fog as it impacts how serotonin works in the brain. These shifts are more common during perimenopause or postpartum, showing how crucial estrogen is for supporting stable moods and overall brain health.
• Obesity: Declining estrogen promotes weight gain by increasing belly fat, slowing metabolism, disrupting insulin sensitivity, and altering hunger and energy balance. Feeling tired or moody can further encourage stress eating and reduced exercise, increasing the risk of weight gain.
• Potential Maternity Issue: Low estrogen can block ovulation and make the uterus less receptive to an embryo, and can interfere with the placenta’s growth, which can raise the risk of miscarriage.

As low estrogen raises the possibility of pregnancy complications, maternity insurance ensures access to timely medical care, prenatal and postnatal monitoring. With trustworthy maternity health coverage, you can get support for the health of the mother and baby, making pregnancy, delivery and postpartum care easier while minimising stress.

Understanding Low Estrogen in Men vs Women

While topics of maternity and menopause might lead individuals to believe that low estrogen symptoms are more common in women than men, right? However, it’s not true. Low estrogen symptoms primarily impact women, but men also show low estrogen symptoms; they tend to appear in unique ways.

Let’s examine the unique effects of low estrogen levels in men versus women.

Did you know: Before menopause, estrogen protects women’s hearts by improving cholesterol and blood pressure control. Once menopause occurs, women are just as likely as men to develop cardiovascular issues.

Recognising that low estrogen symptoms differ between men and women can guide smarter health choices. While a medical evaluation is necessary for ongoing symptoms, incorporating hormone-friendly foods into your diet can also significantly support hormonal well-being.

Hormon-Friendly Foods for Low Estrogen

Are you feeling out of sync with your body? Due to estrogen deficiency, around 50% to 75% of women experience Genitourinary Syndrome of Menopause (GSM), bringing about vaginal dryness, bladder discomfort, and related estrogen-deficiency symptoms.

Nourishing your body with hormone-friendly food can be a gentle nudge to your estrogen levels, helping symptoms feel less severe.

• Soy Products: Rich in phytoestrogens, whole soy foods mimic estrogen to help manage menopause symptoms. Complementing soy with other legumes, such as peanuts, beans, and chickpeas, adds further hormone-supporting benefits.
• Nuts and Seeds: Nuts and seeds, such as flaxseeds, sesame seeds, pistachios, and walnuts, provide essential nutrients, including phytoestrogens that mimic estrogen and support overall hormone balance. However, remember to enjoy them in moderation to avoid other health issues.
• Also Read: 7 Crunchy Benefits of Eating Pistachios Daily
• Cruciferous Vegetables: Vegetables like kale, broccoli, and cabbage support the body in processing estrogen, aiding detoxification while maintaining healthy hormone levels. Eating these vegetables can naturally help prevent estrogen imbalances.
• Fish like Salmon: Rich in omega-3s and vitamin D, salmon contributes immensely to hormone regulation and supports estrogen metabolism. And it promotes overall reproductive wellness.
• Garlic: Garlic’s phytoestrogen and anti-inflammatory properties prevent bone loss affected by low estrogen while maximising antioxidant and anti-inflammatory benefits.
• Quinoa: Quinoa’s phytoestrogen supports estrogen levels, provides fibre, vitamin B and necessary minerals that regulate overall hormonal balance, stabilise blood sugar, and improve digestive health. Eating it regularly can help maintain bone health and reduce the risk of diabetes and heart disease.

Did you know: While quinoa aids overall wellness, medical emergencies may strike when least expected. Care Freedom is curated to ensure you and your family are financially protected from pre-existing medical conditions like diabetes, high BMI or high blood pressure. This family health insurance offers annual health check-ups, day-care treatments, and more.

• Fruits: Fruits, especially dried ones like dates, apricots, and prunes, offer estrogen-like compounds, vitamins, fibre, and antioxidants to support hormone regulation and relieve menopause symptoms. Add a mix of fresh and dried fruits throughout the day to maintain gut function as well.
• Key Considerations: Hormone-friendly foods can complement estrogen regulation, but are not a substitute for medical therapy. Therefore, when ongoing symptoms persist despite self-care, medical guidance becomes necessary. Also, rely on a balanced mix of foods rather than relying on a single miracle food for hormonal support.

DIY Estrogen Supporting Fruit Bowl

How do you increase estrogen quickly? Here’s a hack to make eating for estrogen easy and delicious:

• Choose fruits: Fresh fruits like apples, berries, and pomegranate; you can also consider fibre-rich fruits like prunes or bananas. Add lignan-rich dried fruits, such as apricots and dates.
• Add nuts and seeds: Phytoestrogen-rich options, such as flaxseeds, chia seeds, almonds, and walnuts, can help maintain plant-based estrogen levels.
• Preparation & Essentials: Rinse, chop, and soak dried fruits, if required. Then, assemble and finish with a touch of yoghurt, honey, and cinnamon powder (optional).
• Portion & Enjoy: Divide into jars for easy snacking; however, eat within 24 to 48 hours for freshness.

Pro tip: Dried fruits and nuts are calorie-dense, so portion them wisely to manage your calorie intake.

Everyday Lifestyle Tips to Increase Estrogen Levels

Balancing estrogen levels can be easier than you think. Discover effective lifestyle strategies to help increase estrogen levels in both females and males.

• Exercise & Movement Hacks: Incorporating balanced workouts —such as combining aerobics, resistance training, and yoga —can help enhance estrogen production, support metabolism, and promote overall hormonal balance. However, overexertion can disrupt hormonal balance.
• Stress & Sleep Hacks: Good sleep and daily stress-reduction strategies support healthy estrogen levels. Consistent sleep, reducing screen time, engaging in light exercise, and spending time outdoors can naturally help lower cortisol levels. This is undoubtedly an essential step if you’re wondering how to raise your estrogen levels quickly.
• Environmental Hack: Easy swaps like organic fruits and vegetables, glass containers, filtered water, and natural products minimise exposure to endocrine-disrupting chemicals, helping maintain overall hormone balance amid day-to-day toxins.
• Alcohol & Caffeine Moderation: Why red wine can raise estrogen levels; however, caffeine’s impact may vary across individuals. A limited intake of food, combined with wholesome meals and adequate rest, can help regulate estrogen levels.

Support balanced estrogen without overdoing it, because "the more the merrier” is not applicable here. Stay tuned for the next section.

What Happens if the Estrogen Level is High?

So far, we’ve explored the consequences of low estrogen symptoms, but what happens when the body experiences estrogen dominance?

High estrogen symptoms in women can cause breast tenderness, irregular periods and possible fertility issues. For men, hormone imbalances may impact sexual drive, mood, and overall reproductive function.

The consequences of low vs high estrogen levels can overlap; however, the type of estrogen imbalance determines the risks. For instance, low estrogen increases the risk of osteoporosis and cardiovascular diseases, while high estrogen raises the risk of infertility, uterine fibroids and certain cancers.

The Bottom Line: Neither low nor high estrogen is ideal; a steady estrogen balance promotes hormonal stability and overall health.

>> Read More: High Estrogen: Causes, Symptoms and Treatment

Mind the Estrogen Wellness Gap with Health Insurance

Estrogen is the unseen conductor of the heart, brain, bone, and mood. Yet its shifts, highs, and lows can quietly change the story of you and your wellness. Unfortunately, the estrogen wellness gap often goes unnoticed, putting women at risk.

Here, the proper medical coverage steps in as a bridge. It safeguards not just your health but your wallet. By covering consultations, hospitalisation, and preventive care, an individual health insurance policy turns hormonal unpredictability into lasting confidence and well-being.

Act now, because when estrogen levels change, your health insurance can help keep your wellness journey smooth and uninterrupted.

Disclaimer: All plan features, benefits, coverage and claims underwriting are subject to policy terms and conditions. Kindly refer to the brochure, sales prospectus and policy documents carefully.