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Oestrogen is the hormone that protects you against osteoporosis, heart disease, stroke and signs of ageing. Without it, your risk for these conditions increases, and your skin starts to show its age.
With menopause comes a marked decrease in the production of oestrogen in your body. Fortunately, there are steps you can take to ward off these threatening conditions and to protect your skin.
1. Effect on the skeletal bones
Osteoporosis can be a serious long-term health consequence of the menopause. It's a silent disease - until a bone breaks.
Oestrogen deficiency accelerates the bone depletion that occurs during the normal ageing process. About 25% of women gradually experience bone fragility and fractures with declining oestrogen production. A decrease in bone mass may lead to curvature of the spine, vertebral compression fractures, height loss and pain. Bone loss in the femur bones occurs at a slower rate.
Oestrogen replacement therapy can slow the development of osteoporosis. However, this isn't an option for everyone, as it comes with its own risks.
Speak to your doctor about screening, and the prevention and possible treatment of osteoporosis, if some of the following risk factors apply to you:
- Advanced age
- Going through menopause before the age of 45
- Low sex-hormone levels
- Long-term cortisone use
- Previous fracture after minimal trauma
- Alcohol or tobacco abuse
- Excessive leanness
- A strong family history of osteoporosis
- Malnutrition, poor calcium intake and/or an eating disorder (e.g. anorexia, bulimia)
2. Effect on the heart
After menopause the risk of a heart attack rises steadily. Generally, the incidence of heart attacks rises in both sexes with advancing age. But the rate of increase is greater in women older than 50 than in men. As a result, the ratio of heart attacks in women to men after 50 decreases to 2:1 by age 65 and 1:1 by age 80.
In addition, the first heart attack is more likely to be fatal for women than for men. Oestrogen decrease is thought to cause unfavourable changes in levels of cholesterol and other blood fats, as well as in fibrinogen, a substance that affects blood clotting. These changes may increase the risk of heart disease and stroke. Heart disease is a leading cause of death among women.
3. Effect on fat distribution, muscle mass and skin
As age advances and oestrogen levels decline, muscle mass decreases, body fat increases and skin collagen gradually becomes thinner and less elastic.
The increase in body weight and total body fat is associated with a shift of fat from the peripheral sites of the body to the abdomen. In certain women this causes a change in shape from the more gynaecoid (female-like) to the android (male-like) fat distribution, which is thought to carry an increased risk for the development of cardiovascular disease.
Breasts: The glandular tissue becomes less and is replaced by fat.
Skin: As oestrogen levels decline, skin collagen gradually becomes thinner and less elastic. This causes sags and wrinkles. The skin also becomes drier.
Hair: Oestrogen stimulates hair growth. When oestrogen levels fall, hair growth slows down and the hair becomes thinner and less manageable.
Teeth: Decreased levels of oestrogen can lead to dental problems such as tooth loss, gingival bleeding and inflammation and loosening of the teeth. Tooth loss could also be due to an underying bone disease such as osteoporosis.
4. Effect on the brain
Oestrogen has definite effects on the functioning of the brain. It affects the blood flow to the brain, growth and survival of nerve cells and the way in which impulses are transmitted along nerve cells.
Low levels of oestrogen have been linked to a decrease in mental abilities and alertness, such as in Alzheimer's disease.
Oestrogen replacement may decrease one’s risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease.
5. Effect on fertility
As the number of ova (eggs) in the ovaries is reduced and ovulation becomes irregular and the ability of perimenopausal women to conceive decreases. Pregnancy is still possible, however, and to avoid it, you should use contraception until you’ve had 12 period-free months.
