Can women take estrogen after menopause?

As we all know, many women generally suffer from estrogen deficiency after menopause. If the hormone deficiency is serious, many diseases will follow. When women reach the age of 50, the amount of menstruation gradually improves and gradually becomes less and less. In this case, if women have severe menopause, they must improve from related aspects to help women improve the estrogen deficiency caused by menopause. So, can you take estrogen after menopause? Let’s take a look at it below.

Menopause in women refers to the decline of ovarian function and the cessation of menstruation. Menopause can be divided into natural menopause and artificial menopause. Natural menopause refers to the exhaustion of ovarian follicles, or the loss of response of the remaining follicles to gonadotropins. The follicles no longer develop and secrete estrogen, and cannot stimulate the growth of the endometrium, leading to menopause. Artificial menopause refers to surgical removal of both ovaries or other methods of stopping ovarian function, such as radiotherapy and chemotherapy. Removal of the hyster alone while retaining one or both ovaries is not considered artificial menopause. The perimenopausal syndrome or menopausal syndrome is a group of syndromes characterized by autonomic nervous system dysfunction and neuropsychological symptoms caused by fluctuations or decreases in sex hormones before and after menopause in women.

Menopause represents the decline of ovarian function, depletion of estrogen secretion, cessation of menstruation, and termination of reproductive function. It is generally divided into three stages: premenopause, menopause and postmenopause. Menopause is calculated based on the time of the last menstrual period for women over 40 years old. Most women go through menopause between the ages of 45 and 55.

The sudden and obvious lack of estrogen after menopause can cause some pain and discomfort, which may occur in some people before menopause. It is often manifested by changes in mood and emotions, irritability, excitability, insomnia, anxiety, inner uneasiness, depression, paroxysmal facial flushing, hot flashes, sweating, dry and itchy skin, sometimes a crawling feeling on the skin, loss of skin elasticity, increased wrinkles, gradual muscle relaxation, occasional pain, fatigue or weakness, headache, dizziness and unstable blood pressure, etc. These symptoms are called menopausal syndrome.

Can I take estrogen after menopause? It is possible to do so under the guidance of a doctor, but the supplement must be done under the guidance of a doctor.

Effects of estrogen after menopause

1. Senile vaginitis

The ovaries of normal women of childbearing age secrete estrogen, which causes the vaginal mucosal epithelium to proliferate and thicken, and has strong antibacterial ability. After menopause, women's ovarian function declines, estrogen levels decrease, glycogen content in epithelial cells decreases, and the pH value in the vagina rises, changing from acidic to alkaline, which is not conducive to the survival of lactobacilli in the vagina, resulting in a weakening of the vagina's self-cleaning function. At the same time, due to the atrophy and thinning of the vaginal wall and insufficient blood supply, local resistance is reduced, making it easy to be infected by other parasitic bacteria in the vagina, causing senile vaginitis. It is often caused by common pathogenic bacteria, such as Staphylococcus, Streptococcus, Escherichia coli or anaerobic bacteria.

2. Osteoporosis

After menopause, estrogen deficiency can cause increased bone absorption, intestinal calcium absorption disorders, decreased calcitonin secretion, reduced bone formation and weakened inhibitory effect on osteoclasts, resulting in increased bone loss. Starting from the menopausal transition period, the average annual bone loss rate is 1% to 3%, or even 5%, which lasts for 5 to 10 years. Then the bone mass is relatively stable, with less loss for about 10 to 20 years. After the age of 70, bone loss accelerates again with aging.

3. Osteoarthritis

The loss of sex hormone protection and abnormal levels of related cytokines in menopausal women play an important role in the pathogenesis of osteoarthritis. Postmenopausal hormone replacement therapy (HRT) has a certain effect on alleviating the pain symptoms of knee osteoarthritis.

4. Menopausal urinary incontinence

As women gradually enter old age from perimenopause to menopause, their organs throughout the body are changing, and the changes in the urinary and reproductive systems are becoming increasingly significant. Estrogen deficiency causes relaxation of the pubic muscles, fascia, ligaments, etc., and a decrease in the function of supporting tissues, making it impossible to maintain normal urethral position and bladder tension. When coughing, holding your breath, constipation, etc. increase abdominal pressure, urine will flow out involuntarily. Its characteristic is that there is no enuresis under normal conditions, but urine flows out automatically when the abdominal pressure suddenly increases.

5. Urinary tract infection in menopausal women

Causes of urinary tract infection in elderly women: The decrease in keratinized cells reduces the self-cleaning function of the vagina, making it easier for bacteria to multiply in the vestibule and vagina. Although women are prone to urinary tract infection, whether or not they develop the disease depends mainly on the body's internal factors, and is closely related to the body's weakened resistance, changes in the anatomical and physiological characteristics of the urethra, and abnormal internal environment.

The above is all about whether you can take estrogen after menopause. Now everyone has a certain understanding of this issue. You can take estrogen after menopause, but don’t supplement estrogen blindly. It is best to go to the hospital for a comprehensive examination and then supplement according to your own body. You should also arrange reasonable living habits and healthy diet in your daily life.