Will Low Estrogen Cause Hair Loss

Caring For Your Hair And Skin In Menopause

My hair, nails and skin look amazing since menopause started, said no perimenopausal or postmenopausal woman EVER! BUT that does not mean all hope is lost. On the contrary, there is a lot of easy and effective actions to take.

In general, skin and hair appearance are a reflection of what our body is trying to tell us. We are what we eatso lets start with the nitty gritty about diet and nutrients:

TAKE HOME POINT: for most women- a daily multivitamin is really all you need.

What Causes Hair Loss In Women

When most people hear the words hair loss, they think of balding men. However, hair loss can also be a significant problem for women. Female hair loss can occur for several reasons, from a genetic sensitivity to certain androgenic hormones to reactive factors.

Weve listed the most common causes of female hair loss below, as well as the specific ways in which each cause can affect your hairline.

Solutions For Aging Hair

For many women, problems with aging hair, especially hair loss and thinning hair, causes stress, anxiety, and even social withdrawal. Confidence and self-esteem take a hit too. While we can point the finger at hormones and genetics, there are some controllable factors like lifestyle and environment.

Here are a few steps you can take to improve the health and look of your hair.

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Testosterone And Hair Loss

Before we get to estrogen and hair loss, we need to talk about another hormone, testosterone.

While both men and women have testosterone in their bodies, men have much more testosterone than women, and they experience the effects of testosterone more than women.

Unfortunately for men, testosterone is responsible for the majority of non-traumatic hair loss.

To be more specific, something called DHT is the cause of hair loss. DHT is produced from testosterone and causes alopecia androgenica, more commonly known as male pattern baldness.

In men, this results in loosing hair near the forehead first, and slowing loosing hair toward the back of the head until they are bald.

In women, alopecia androgenica results not in going bald, but in an overall thinning of hair.

Why Do We Lose Estrogen

All estrogen is produced within the ovaries. This means that the health of your ovaries is directly linked to estrogen production. During perimenopause, the ovaries make less estrogen than they used to. This decline is a natural part of life. Then when menopause hits, estrogen production stops. However, other factors can impact estrogen production, such as:

• Kidney disease
• Inadequate functioning of the pituitary gland
• Anorexia
• Ovarian failure and ovarian cysts
• Age
• Turner syndrome

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Estrogen Dominance An Epidemic

I mentioned above that estrogen dominance can occur during menopause. However, it can at other times, too and, it can affect both men and women.

In recent decades, the use of estrogen-containing products has increased.

These products most famously include plastics and parabens , but even the estrogen found in birth control pills and other medications is making its way to water sources and contaminating drinking water.

But what does this have to do with progesterone?

As mentioned previously, hormones work to balance each other. When estrogen is continually consumed, however, it can become difficult for progesterone to keep up.

Symptoms of estrogen dominance are similar to symptoms of low progesterone but, they can also include:

• Water retention

In addition to the above symptoms, hair loss can also occur.

How Nutrition Response Testing With Healthieru Can Help You Overcome Hormonal Hair Loss

Can hormone imbalance cause hair loss?

Absolutely.

Do you have to live with hair loss due to hormonal imbalance?

Absolutely not.

Through Nutrition Response Testing at HealthierU, Dr. Sergi can:

• Pinpoint the cause of your hormonal imbalance hair loss
• Evaluate the way your body currently functioning in response to hormonal imbalance
• Develop a customized plan to help your body get back into balance

Get in touch with HealthierU today for your free consultation and find out howholistic nutritioncan help put an end to your hair loss.

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Too Much Estrogen And Hair Loss Estrogen Dominance

Just HOW do our hormones get so out of kilter during menopause?

As described above, our progesterone and estrogen levels do not drop in harmony the progesterone levels drop faster and this leaves us with estrogen dominance.

And the reason that our estrogen levels do not drop as much is that they are available environmentally as well as in other tissues of our bodies besides our ovaries.

Of course, the ovaries are the primary source of estrogen prior to menopause, but AFTER menopause the fatty tissues of the body continue to produce estrogen.

Whats more, phytoestrogens are obtained from plants and xenoestrogens are obtained environmentally, from all sorts of products from plastics to nail polish, and also from pesticides, dairy products and hormonally supplemented red meat and chicken.

In fact, some sources suggest that there is so MUCH estrogen available environmentally that its rare for estrogen deficiency to be responsible for menopausal symptoms like hair loss its far more likely for estrogen dominance to be the cause instead.

A full Hormone Panel test will look at all your hormonal levels and is a good way to establish if estrogen dominance is contributing to YOUR hair loss.

Sources:Estrogen and Hair Loss Dr Lam

Vitamin D The Sunshine Vitamin And So Much More

Vitamin D is an important nutrient that is essential to our immunity, bone health and many other processes. With regard to hair, it actually helps create new hair follicles by initiating the anagen phase. It does so by regulating the expression of genes that are required for hair follicle cycling. A number of symptoms, such as hair loss, can occur when the body lacks enough vitamin D. Its not surprising then when researchers found suboptimal serum vitamin D levels in women with telogen effluvium or female pattern hair loss . Moreover, patients with alopecia areata, an autoimmune condition which gives rise to hair loss, also have low serum vitamin D levels . Emerging clinical research is putting forward recommendations to evaluate serum vitamin D levels in patients with hair loss .

Most people can get the bulk of their vitamin D through sunlight exposure or through diet. Some foods are naturally rich in this nutrient, such as fatty fish , mushrooms, or foods fortified with vitamin D . Vegan or vegetarian diets tend to provide less vitamin D, so supplements may be needed. Additionally, finding a balance between protecting skin from sun exposure and absorbing the vitamin may be essential to achieving optimal vitamin D levels.

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Estrogen And Hair Loss

Estrogen is the dominant female sex hormone which is essential for the development of female characteristics. It can however be also found in men as well, but in lower quantities. Likewise there are also few quantities of the male sex hormones Testosterone, in female body. Estrogen is not a single hormone but actually a group of female sex hormones which include estradiol, estriol and estrone hormones. Estrogen is made in the ovaries and to a lesser extent in other bodily tissues.

It is known that estrogen plays a great role in reducing bodily hair, in promoting the growth of the hair on your head, controlling height, reducing the muscle mass, promoting the breast growth, keeping the skin smooth, keeping away from wrinkles, regulating menstrual cycle in women, preventing fatigue, keeping away depression etc. From all these it can be known that estrogen hormone is important for the overall health of an individual.

However, we are here concerned with the link between estrogen and hair loss. So, in the following section we will know about our concerned topic.

Hormones That Cause Hair Loss

More than 50% of women experience hair loss at some point in their lives. And while it may be comforting knowing youre not alone, hair loss can still be devastating. The WORST part? It can be due to several reasons including GENETICS, DIET, STRESS, DEFICIENCIES, and HORMONES making it harder to diagnose and treat! Today, Im going to focus on the effect hormones have on your hair. The best way to determine if one of these hormones is the culprit is to speak with your doctor about doing a blood test.

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What Causes Low Estrogen

Several different factors can affect your estrogen levels. The most significant is age. In menopausal women, its normal for the amount of estrogen thats produced by the body to decline.

In premenopausal women, the body should produce approximately 30 picograms to 400 picograms of estradiol per milliliter of blood .

And for postmenopausal women, its normal to have a blood estradiol level of 30 pg per mL or less.

Several other issues may also cause low estrogen:

• Being underweight or having very little body fat. Research

  has found that estrogen production is usually lower in women with very little body fat than in women with normal levels of fat.

• Being overweight or obese

  . Similarly, research has also found that women with very high levels of body fat are also more likely to have decreased estrogen levels.

• Exercising excessively. While a moderate amount of exercise is great for your health, large amounts of high-intensity exercise

  may affect your hormone production and result in lower estrogen levels.

• Being under significant stress. Research

  shows that psychological stress may make the natural falls in estrogen that occur during your menstrual cycle more extreme, cranking up the hormonal imbalance and the issues that come with it.

• Polycystic ovary syndrome . This is a common hormonal disorder that tends to affect women in their 20s and 30s. It can cause a range of symptoms, including changes to your menstrual cycle and PCOS-related hair loss

Thinning Hair And Hormonal Imbalance: The Link

Thinning hair is a common, although irritating symptom of menopause. Typically, everyone loses around 100 hairs per day. Bodies naturally replace this hair loss, but it becomes harder for the body to do so with age. Many women experience thinning hair and hair loss during the menopause transition because of the fluctuation of hormones, specifically estrogen. Thinning hair is defined as the loss of hair density, rather than the complete loss of hair.Thinning hair results in patchy areas on the scalp, and can severely affect a woman’s self-confidence. Thinning hair can be caused by a number of things, like poor diet, vitamin deficiency, and excess stress, however, the primary physical cause of thinning hair in women is hormonal imbalance.

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When To See A Doctor

If youre concerned that your hair loss goes beyond normal shedding or temporary telogen effluvium, you should speak to your doctor. Hair thats coming out in clumps and leaving bald spots, and hair thats growing in patches, could be symptoms of an underlying health issue. Speak to your dermatologist or primary care physician and describe your symptoms if you need more guidance.

Estrogen And Oral Contraceptive Drugs

The role of estrogen and progestogen drugs in the treatment of hair loss and growth is also unclear. Estrogen is made when androstenedione or testosterone are modified by the enzyme aromatase. It is synthesized in the ovary and other peripheral tissues and then travels to its receptors, some of which are located in scalp hair follicles . At the scalp follicle, estradiol has been reported to induce aromatase activity . Estrogen has been hypothesized to have a protective role against hair loss on the basis of the observation that patients with lower estrogen levels during menopause, postpartum, or treatment with aromatase inhibitors or selective estrogen receptor modulators are more likely to develop FPHL . Another supporting observation is that in the frontal hairline of women, which tends to be spared with FPHL, there is a higher level of aromatase enzyme when compared with the rest of the scalp . This variation in hair loss could be the result of locally increased levels of estradiol or decreased levels of testosterone and DHT that is secondary to greater amounts of conversion.

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Change Your Hair Styling Habits

Stay away from tightly bound styles, like braids, buns, or ponytails. Resist twisting or rubbing your hair.

Gently wash or brush hair, switching to a wide-toothed comb if necessary to prevent too much pulling at the roots.

Hot rollers, curling or straightening irons, hot oil treatments, bleaching, and other chemical processes are other things to avoid.

Ways To Prevent Hair Loss Due To Low Estrogen

There are some ways to prevent hair loss caused due to low estrogen levels. Below are some of them.

Apart from all these, if you are in to smoking, kindly quit smoking which can help you boosting the estrogen levels and thus help you get rid of hair loss.

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Difficulty Dealing With Temperature Changes

If you are struggling to adjust to changes in temperature, you may be suffering from a thyroid problem. If your thyroid does not make enough hormones, you might have difficulty handling colder temperatures. For example, you might feel very cold when you go outside during the winter. In addition, you might have to turn up the heat in your home and wear jackets when you are inside. Its also common for your feet and hands to become cold.

When your thyroid gland is too active, you might have difficulty enduring hot weather. For example, you might sweat when you are in relatively mild climates. In addition, you might turn on the air conditioner in your home and experience hot flashes.

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The Role Of Hormones On Hair Loss

Androgen hormones, sometimes referred to as male hormones, like DHEA and testosterone, play the largest role in your overall hair growth. When your levels of these hormones are too high, you may experience excess hair growth, especially on the body or face. However, when your hormone levels drop, the reverse occurs and can lead to thinning hair and even hair loss.

The hormones produced by your thyroid also play an important role in hair growth and hair loss. When your thyroid isnt active enough , your metabolism slows. To compensate, your body begins to shut down less important functions, such as hair growth.

Menopausal women and women with polycystic ovarian syndrome or who are pregnant may also notice changes in their hair growth. This is typically because of changes or imbalances in estrogen and progesterone levels. The largest drop in estrogen occurs in perimenopause and menopause. Stress can exacerbate the effects of the loss of estrogen, causing further hair loss and thinning

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