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Aging Without Estrogen/
Not for Women Only
Susan G. Adams, M. Ed l0/8/09
Objective: The
objective of this article is to
describe the changes that come
as women begin to lose
estrogen-usually with age, as
well as some suggestions for
dealing with these changes.
Summary: Estrogen has
been said to be the "glue" that
holds women together. As we
age, our estrogen levels drop.
This can result in mood changes
and weight gain as well as bone
loss, decreased sex drive, and
genital dryness. It is just as
important for the men in our
lives to understand the changes
in our bodies as it is for us to
understand them. There are ways
to help this situation besides
hormone replacement therapy.
For years, hormone
replacement therapy was
considered routine. In recent
years it has come into
question. So, what else can
women do who are losing estrogen
with age or because of other
factors?
First of all, what are
the signs of estrogen loss, most
commonly occurring in
menopause? Negative moods
effect a large number of women.
They report feeling anxious,
irritable, impatient and
depressed. HRT has been
reported to be helpful here.
However, many women are
reluctant to go this route.
A number of herbal and
dietary remedies are touted for
their effects on menopausal
symptoms. These supplements may
help with mood swings but are
more linked to hot flashes. The
most popular herbal supplement
is black cohash.
No one knows why black
cohash works, when it does. The
long term risks of taking it are
not known but, if it acts in the
body like estrogen, it may be
that long-term use would produce
the same health risks as HRT.
There are studies in progress to
evaluate this.
In general, the problem
with herbal remedies is that
there is a lack of rigorous
study to determine the
effectiveness or risk of these
herbs. Another problem, is that
it is difficult to determine
exactly what is in the
supplements that consumers
buy. It has been shown
that placebos can reduce hot
flashes by 30% on average and up
to 75% in some women. This
would lead us to believe that
calm has an effect on hot
flashes--the relaxation that
comes with taking a placebo and
the expectation of improvement.
Other remedies for the
hot flashes themselves would
include staying cool and
avoiding triggers. Spicy foods,
hot beverages, caffeine, and
alcohol are common triggers to
hot flashes.
Relaxing and reducing
stress helps. Twice-daily
sessions of deep-breathing have
been shown to reduce hot flashes
by 40%. These sessions can be
done morning and night and also
when a hot flash is felt to be
coming on.
One of the big issues,
and disruptors of families, are
the mood swings which can come
with menopause. Women can
become very unpredictable and
emotional. The men in their
lives often feel desperate with
the behavoral changes. Some
women get depressed and think
that is the fault of their
partner--and it may be. Or it
may be the change of life that
goes undiagnosed and
or/untreated.
Anti-depressants may be
called for at this time of life
to raise mood but also to
stabilize it. Of these drugs,
Lexapro is thought to have the
least side effects.
Bone loss accelerates
when estrogen levels drop,
particularly within the first
five years after menopause.
Bone loss can also increase for
people who have been on HRT and
stop. Therefore, it is
important to aim for l500
milligrams of calcium and
400-800 international units of
vitamin D per day. Accompany
this with weight bearing
exercises which include walking,
jogging, and stair climbing.
Talk to your doctor about a bone
density test to determine the
health of your bones and if
osteoporosis is developing, he
can advise you about appropriate
medication
There is a relatively
new medication on the market
that is an injectable. It
actually restores bone loss and
can be justified if the oral
bisphosphonates have not proven
effective in retarding the bone
loss. This is an important drug
to explore as it is the ONLY one
that restores the bone.
Genital dryness may be
addressed with lubricants and
moisturizers. There is an
estrogen cream on the market-Estrace-
which does contain estrogen but
in a different delivery system
than the pill and in smaller
quantities.
Testosterone in small
quantities is often given to
women (and men) to increase sex
drive. It also comes in a cream
to be applies on the skin.
Muscle mass typically
declines with age. It declines
faster without regular
exercise. Changes in hormone
levels after menopause may
accelerate this decline. The
rate at which you burn calories
(metabolism) may also slow after
menopause. Therefore, your
weight may increase.
You probably need to eat
less--200-400 calories per day
less, just to maintain your
current weight. Regular exercise
is important here. You want to
train your muscles with
exercises like resistance
training. You exercise with an
elastic band or weightlifting
and tis increases bone strength
and improves metabolism since
muscle burns three times as many
calories as fat.
Overall, maintain a
healthy lifestyle. Avoid
smoking, keep a healthy weight,
eat a nutritious diet (low at,
high fiber, and plenty of fresh
fruits and vegetables), exercise
regularly, and limit alcohol
consumption.
I think that the most
visible discomfort to menopause
is the emotional change that
happens to some women and leaves
families baffled. It this
happens to you, by all means
seek help and consider an
anti-depressant for your sake
and for the sakes of the people
who love you.
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