What is Menopause Hormone

As a woman reaches her late forties to early fifties, her body will begin to go through substantial changes. Now, if the woman goes through early menopause, she might begin to have symptoms as early as the age of 35 although this is relatively rare. As she approaches menopause, several things will happen. The most common and noticeable symptom is that her menstrual cycle will change. Her normal cycle will begin to fluctuate, going from a light to heavy cycle and everything in between. Keep in mind that until the woman is without a monthly cycle for a full 12 months, she is considered in pre-menopause. Once 12 months has passed without a period, then she is in actual menopause. For both phases of menopause, hormonal levels are changing, which include the production of estrogen and progesterone.

What happens with menopause hormone levels is that the ovaries stop producing estrogen and progesterone as they have done since the woman first started into puberty. Along with the menopause hormone change come a number of symptoms. Take forgetfulness for example. At first, she may just think she is too busy and having trouble with concentration. However, the woman will soon begin to notice that her forgetfulness is frequent and that she forgets things she should never forget – like picking a child up from school. It happens all the time and it is perfectly normal (although it can be frightening). Then, think about insomnia, another symptom associated with menopause hormone changes. While the woman has always slept through the night, getting a full eight hours, she now finds that she cannot fall asleep and when she does, she wakes through the night three or four times.

Keep in mind that these symptoms are normal but just a few examples of what is to come. As menopause hormone levels continue to change, symptoms become more intense and varied. As an example, mood swings are quite common, leading the woman into a fit of depression one minute, laughter the next, and confusion the next. She might cry at the slightest thing and have no idea what even upset her. Additionally, there is often a disinterest in sex, which can be very difficult for couples. Other common symptoms include headaches, joint pain, night sweats, hot flashes, and weight gain, among others. Obviously, experiencing menopause hormone change is difficult for the woman as well as her entire family.

While this sounds like an impossible situation, remember there are solutions. For one, it is essential that these lost hormones get replaced. One option is by consuming soy. Many studies have been done to determine why Asian women have much fewer problems with menopause than western women. The common denominator is that Asian women consume far more soy. As more and more American women have started using soy to help battle menopause symptoms, they too have enjoyed the benefits. To combat night sweats and hot flashes, two of the most complained about symptoms, the woman should be sure she is eating a well-balanced diet, getting a minimum of 30 minutes exercise daily, and use phyto estrogens, which come from plants. Some excellent herbal remedies that work wonders are called Dong Quai and Black Cohosh.

The woman dealing with menopause hormone level changes also fights fatigue and stress on a daily basis. Things that would normally never bother her now make the world seem impossible. Understand that when a person is under constant stress, the adrenal glands, which govern the body’s ability to deal with stress are no longer able to function as they should. At this point, they begin to secrete cortisol. Normally, the body will put out the highest level of cortisol in the morning but when there is an imbalance, cortisol levels are all over the place throughout the day. When the woman in menopause is stressed, the body will produce too much cortisol but eventually, the output will halt suddenly, causing her to crash. Therefore, a woman going through menopause should control her intake of caffeine, hydrogenated fats, alcohol, sugar, and refined carbohydrates, all things that can cause the cortisol to go out of control. With a little adjustment, menopause can be far more manageable.