What Causes Low Estrogen?
Estrogen is a growth hormone responsible for the development and maintenance of the female reproductive system. It is released during the follicular phase of the menstrual cycle which is the first two weeks leading up to ovulation. Estrogen is released from the ovaries, fat tissue, and adrenal glands. The main functions include building up the uterine wall for the menstrual cycle, stimulating the growth of the egg follicle, developing breast tissue, stabilizing bone density, and controlling the metabolism of glucose and lipids.
Low levels of estrogen can be harmful because it can cause weak bones, weight gain, mood swings, hot flashes, loss of period, and fatigue. So what causes low estrogen?
1. Diminished Ovarian Reserve / Primary Ovarian Insufficiency
The ovarian reserve expresses the reproductive potential for a female given her hormone levels and quality and quantity of existing eggs in the ovaries. Diminished ovarian reserve would mean that there is a decreased reproductive potential because of decreased hormone levels such as estrogen, lower quantity, and/or quality of eggs. This is why diminished ovarian reserve is what can cause low estrogen levels.
Source: 27382229
2. Perimenopause or menopause
Menopause is defined as a female in her 40s-50s who had her last menstrual cycle at least 12 months ago and no longer gets it anymore. Perimenopause is the process which leads up to this point and can be what causes low estrogen. Irregular periods are common in perimenopause, and therefore correlates with decreased ovulation and can be what causes low estrogen levels.
Osteoporosis is the weakening of the bones due to leached calcium into the blood. This condition is a huge concern for many females during menopause because the estrogen is a supporter for good bone health. Since low estrogen comes with menopause, osteoporosis can be a result from menopause which is what causes low estrogen.
Source: Harvard
3.Undereating
Undereating can be what causes low estrogen because this is a form of stress on the body. Undereating refers to the decrease in your calorie intake below your energy output per day. If undereating is intentional to the point of starvation, then this can be a symptom of anorexia nervosa. Another form of food restriction comes from the binge and purge mentality stemming from bulimia. Disordered eating habits that result in any for of food restriction can put a stress on the body and impact reproductive hormones. Though, every case is different, it is important to signal that these are possible cases for what causes low estrogen levels. These patterns put our body into a state of panic and stress because we are trying to survive at an energy level insufficient for our current size. From this stress, estrogen levels decrease because we are not prepared for pregnancy. Our body fat percentage is most likely decreasing as well due to the under eating and therefore estrogen levels can become very low due to this.
Source: 7021778
4. Overexercising
In addition to undereating, over exercising has a similar effect on the body in terms of estrogen levels. Over exercising can be what causes low estrogen because of the high stress it puts on the body. Over exercising can be identified as any exercise performed at a high frequency and intensity during the week with minimal to no rest days. It is important to note that exercising in general is great and actually beneficial for hormone levels, but it is the excessive nature of exercise that is harmful. The main issue with this is that our bodies need a stable body fat percentage to maintain a normal menstrual cycle, and estrogen levels will drop as body fat drops. As a rule of thumb, most females need at least 17% body fat to maintain a normal menstrual cycle to ovulate.
5. Breastfeeding
Breastfeeding may be what causes low estrogen levels. Many women report lots of spotting in the first months after birth, and this is because of lack of ovulation. The extent to which females experience low estrogen levels is determinant on the frequency, volume and duration of the breastfeeding. Breastfeeding women tend to ovulate less frequently than women who do not breastfeed, and this can be what causes lower estrogen levels in females who are breastfeeding.
Source: Breastfeeding Book
6. Gluten Intolerance
Gluten intolerance or celiac disease is an autoimmune condition where the immune system attacks the small intestine in response to eating gluten, damaging the microvilli that increase the surface area of the gut lining for proper absorption of nutrients. When gluten is ingested in the body, this increases inflammation in the gut. This process, if gluten is not avoided, will exhaust your adrenal glands which release stress hormones. We know that stress plays a large factor in the reproductive system, so this can be what causes lower estrogen levels.
Gluten intolerance is also connected with multiple other things mentioned that can be what causes low estrogen levels such as amenorrhea or loss of period, infertility, and diminished ovarian reserve.
Source: Gluten Free Society
7. Miscarriage
Miscarriage is caused by a number of issues, but it can be shown to be what causes low estrogen levels temporarily. After the loss of a pregnancy your body no longer needs the extra boost from estrogen to maintain the reproductive system for the fetus, so levels can drop lower than normal. Miscarriage is also linked to have lowered pituitary function which makes a connection to what causes low estrogen levels too, which is mentioned next.
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8. Hypopituitarism
Hypopituitarism is lowered pituitary function. The pituitary gland is in the brain and releases a host of hormones. When the pituitary gland is not functioning at its optimal level, this can be what causes low estrogen levels. This is because in hypopituitarism, the gland will have a decreased signaling to the other endocrine glands and will therefore reduce other hormone output. In this case, the condition can be what causes lower estrogen levels and can also lower other hormones like FSH, follicle stimulating hormone.
Source: 27041067
Take away message:
There are multiple potential causes of low estrogen levels. If you’re looking to understand the root causes of low estrogen levels, check out my hormone testing packages HERE.
Be sure to check out my FREE hormone guide & 5-day meal plan below for more hormone balancing tips. And my online course Heal Your Period: Everything you need to know to achieve a regular, pain-free period.
