Menopause, puberty and any disorder or treatments that affect the ovaries can lead to estrogen deficiency. Hot flashes, depression, irregular periods, painful sex, depression, infertility and increased risk of breast cancer are some of the most common symptoms. Increase estrogen is the most direct way to recover the missing hormonal balance in these cases, and there are a number of ways you can do it.
3 ways to increase estrogen
The most efficient ways to increase estrogen need to be prescribed and followed up by a doctor, as they can potentially result in other serious health issues. The estrogen doses also need to be adjusted to the specific levels of the person and readjusted over time.
In general, estrogen therapies last no longer than 2 years because of the increased risk of cancer.
Hormone replacement therapy (HRT)
HRT is usually prescribed during menopause to replace the estrogen that stopped being produced by the ovaries. This treatment can be adapted in length, doses, and type of hormonal mixture depending on each case.
It can be administered orally, topically, vaginally and through injections. Although it might also be prescribed due to other reasons, HTR is normally ordered to treat symptoms such as hot flashes, bone loss, fatigue, mood swings and low sex drive or painful intercourse due to lack of lubrication.
This treatment to increase estrogens is not without risk, however, and these are some indications that it might increase the risk of breast cancer, according to a 2017 study.
Estrogen therapy
This is the most prescribed treatment for women between the ages of 25 and 50. The doses and the method of application depend on each case, but it can be administered orally, vaginally, topically and through injections. The first option is the most common and its intake usually follows that of a common birth control pill.
The goal with this treatment is to avoid health complications and unpleasant symptoms while the body is struggling against whatever is reducing its natural estrogen levels. It is then intended to be temporary as it can also raise the risk of cancer.
Foods high in estrogen?
Phytoestrogens are plant-hormones that mimic estrogen when ingested by humans. The researches conducted to date were still unable to prove that their consumption can increase estrogen levels. However, there are some indications that this mimicking effect can be enough in some cases to fill the gap and virtually re-balance the hormonal levels.
Among the foods high in estrogen, or phytoestrogens in this case, you can find flax and sesame seeds, peaches, peas and beans.
Why increase your estrogen levels
Although men also produce estrogen, women have high levels of this hormone and it is of the most utter important for the well-being of the female body.
Estrogen regulates anything related to the reproductive system. For instance, it controls the uterus lining in case of pregnancy and menstruations, it is responsible for the body changes in puberty and during the menopause, it triggers the development of breasts and their increase during pregnancy.
This hormone also impacts on bone density, cholesterol metabolism, body weight, appetite and insulin sensitivity.
An estrogen deficiency can then impact on all these normal body functions and trigger symptoms such as hot flashes, fatigue, increased risk of urinary tract infections, breast tenderness, headaches or migraines and painful intercourse.
To learn more about the importance of estrogen and why its deficiency can impact so much on the overall body health, check out the following Khan Academy explanation.
