Understanding the “hormone soup” of Perimenopause

Perimenopause is a period of time (lasting 2-10 years) that immediately precedes menopause, which is when you’ve gone 12 months without having a period. And, as most women find out, it can often be more symptomatic than the actual experience of menopause itself! If you’re over the age of 35 and are experiencing any of these symptoms you may be perimenopausal:

Irregular or otherwise abnormal menstrual periods (including heavier periods)
Hot flashes or night sweats
Bloating (water retention)
Breast swelling and tenderness
Fibrocystic breasts
Headaches (especially premenstrually)
Mood swings (including anxiety, irritability, and depression)
Body changes
Hair loss
Foggy thinking, memory loss
Fatigue
Trouble sleeping/insomnia
Decreased sex drive
Worsening PMS

What hormone changes are to blame?

Estrogen vs progesterone.png — The “hormone Soup” of perimenopause

**Lower Progesterone.**
It's no surprise to hear that our eggs lose their youthfulness as we age, but so do the follicles that the eggs grow in. And, it's the follicle remnant (corpus luteum) that produces progesterone in the second half (luteal phase) of our menstrual cycle. As we age, the amount of progesterone produced decreases. Therefore, peri-menopausal women may have a normal follicular phase (first half of the cycle) but a shortened luteal phase, leading to fluctuating levels of estrogen and progesterone. This often causes symptoms in the second half of our cycle, especially worsening PMS, breast tenderness, mood and sleep changes.
**Higher Estrogen**
It may come as a surprise that estrogen levels actually rise in perimenopause. While on a decline overall, women in perimenopause often have months where estrogen is high due to the sputtering nature of ovarian function at this stage.

What can I do NOW?

Joyful movement. Many studies have found that women who exercise for 30 minutes most days experience fewer symptoms, or are less impacted by them. And it doesn’t have to be vigorous exercise - any movement that you enjoy will do the trick!
Reduce alcohol and caffeine consumption to the least amount needed not to hate your life. Both can worsen symptoms especially anxiety, sleep changes and hot flashes/night sweats.
Add beans and legumes to your diet, 3-4x/week
Learn to love flax! Try to get 1-2 tbsp/day
Support healthy gut-hormone balance
Have a plan to manage the stress response.
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