By Mike Kocsis | 7 minutes read | Last updated: August 2, 2025 Categories: Menopause
Medically Reviewed by Dr. George Touliatos
For women who have dealt with menstrual cycles their entire life, you would think that it would bring happiness to enter menopause.
But the truth is that it can sometimes cause more issues, or at least different issues than the ones you previously went through.
Women going through menopause or postmenopause can experience symptoms of low estrogen, which can range from severe to mild and have an overall drastic effect.
If you want to have the best chance at combating these signs, it is important to first identify the effects of low estrogen following menopause.
This guide to the most common symptoms of low estrogen will help you identify if that is the struggle you are facing due to estrogen deficiency.
11 Common Symptoms of Low Estrogen After Menopause
Painful Sex
Painful sex is one of the most common side effects of low estrogen. It usually occurs because low estrogen leads to a low production of vaginal lubricant, vaginal dryness, vaginal bleeding and vaginal thinning.
If you are having painful sex and are in a menopausal or post-menopausal state, it may be because of low estrogen.
Increased Risk for Urinary Tract Infections (UTI)
As women get older and experience hormonal changes, the urethra can often become much narrower. This urinary symptom or structural change increases their risk for urinary tract infections (UTIs)
Other factors that contribute to this issue include changes in vaginal flora and thinning of vaginal tissue. These changes make it easier for germs to enter your urinary tract and cause problems.
Some women may also experience urinary incontinence – unintentional passage of urine – due to weaker pelvic floor muscles.
Mood Swings
Hormonal changes after menopause can cause irritability and mood changes. These mood symptoms can be secondary to other symptoms like night sweats and sleep disturbance.
Hot Flashes
Low estrogen can disrupt the body’s temperature regulator. So, your brain can get confused with a little change in body temperature and think that the body is overheating (even when it is not).
This triggers a cooling mechanism that may feel like hot flashes.
Headaches
Hormone shifts after menopause can also cause migraines and tension-type headaches by dilating and constricting blood vessels in the brain.
Depression
When the body doesn’t have enough estrogen, it can have a drastic impact on the overall chemical balance of the body. Depression and other mental health issues can develop over time if this hormonal imbalance isn’t addressed.
Fatigue
Lack of estrogen can negatively influence the production of mood-related brain chemicals. It reduces serotonin and dopamine levels, leading to low mood and loss of motivation.
Low estrogen also causes sleep issues which can also lead to tiredness and low energy levels.
Weight gain
Low estrogen makes menopausal and postmenopausal women store more fat and burn fewer calories, leading to an increase in weight over time.
Osteoporosis
Many menopausal women lose bone mineral density over the years because of low estrogen levels.
If it is not managed on time, it can cause osteoporosis – a condition where your bones’ density decreases, making them brittle and fragile.
Women with osteoporosis or bone loss have a high risk of bone fractures and related injuries.
Cardiovascular disease
Estrogen has a protective effect on the heart. So, when your estrogen decreases after menopause, your heart health may also decline.
That is why postmenopausal women have a higher health risk of heart attack, stroke, coronary heart disease and high blood pressure.
Low sexual desire
Estrogen is a female sex hormone. It controls multiple sexual functions and is also required for sexual development and maintenance of the reproductive system.
It is needless to say, when its levels drop after menopause, many women experience low libido/sex drive and develop sexual dysfunction.
Weird Symptoms of Low Estrogen That You May Not Know
In addition to the above-mentioned common low estrogen effects, some menopausal or postmenopausal women may experience the following uncommon, weird symptoms as well:
- Eye dryness
- Heart palpitation
- Dizziness
- Itching ears
- Itchy skin
- Brittle nails
- Swollen ankles
- Teeth sensitivity
- Muscle tremors
- Body odor
- A metallic taste in the mouth
- Hypersensitivity to taste
- White skin patches
Does Menopause Come to an End?
There are a variety of factors that go into whether menopause will “end” for you. Officially, menopause is considered over once you have gone through one year without a menstrual period.
However, this is just the beginning because while menopausal symptoms (both mental and physical symptoms) may go away with time, the biological changes of menopause are permanent.
Does Postmenopause Come to an End?
Postmenopause comes after menopause and it stays for the rest of a postmenopausal woman’s life.
The frequency and severity of postmenopausal symptoms can vary from person to person. Making suitable lifestyle changes and consulting with healthcare professionals can help you deal with this phase of shifting hormone levels.
How to Deal with Symptoms of Menopause/Postmenopause?
Living with the symptoms of low estrogen and menopause is undoubtedly not fun, so many women wonder if there is a solution to managing or eliminating the symptoms of low estrogen.
As it turns out, there are a variety of potential treatments for low estrogen and the menopause that can be used to manage hormonal imbalance.
These treatments always start with a consultation that involves a blood test to determine the level of estrogen in the bloodstream.
Only from this place of knowledge can you know which treatment is suitable for you for low estrogen.
Generally, the following methods and healthy habits are suggested to support your health after menopause:
Exercises Regularly
Exercise can help you rebuild your muscular strength (that you may have started losing because of low estrogen) and support your overall health. It can freshen up your mood and make you energetic as well.
Have a Balanced Diet
Eat meals that contain all essential nutrients in a balanced amount, so you can support your body just right.
Eat Estrogen-Rich Foods
Certain food items, such as peaches, legumes, soy, and nuts, have phytoestrogens – natural chemicals that may mimic estrogen within the body.
So, increasing the intake of foods high in estrogen may help you increase your serum estrogen hormone levels.
Maintain Your Body Weight
Maintaining a healthy weight can help you prevent health problems that are common in postmenopausal women. These include heart disease, high blood pressure, joint pain and diabetes.
Become Socially Active
Join menopausal women clubs, meet with people going through the same stage of life so that you can understand you are not alone.
Learning their stories can give you the motivation (and bonus tips too) that you need to face menopausal symptoms.
Find Strength in the Midlife Shift with a Positive Attitude
Menopause is a natural phase rather than a loss. All women deal with it sometime in their lives.
So, focus on self-care, prioritize rest, stay informed, and maintain a healthy mindset to make the most of this transition.
A positive attitude may not erase your symptoms but it will certainly teach you how to manage them more gracefully.
Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT)
If menopausal symptoms are making your life miserable, your doctor may suggest hormone replacement therapy (HRT).
They will prescribe estrogen medication that you will have to take for a certain duration as per your doctor’s instructions.
Their goal is to artificially increase your serum estrogen levels and ease associated symptoms.
Hormone replacement therapy, also called estrogen therapy or menopausal hormone therapy, is available in multiple forms such as creams, gels, pills, and skin patches.
Though HRT is beneficial, it has its own side effects. That is why it is not suitable for all. It can increase the risk of breast cancer, uterine cancer, blood clots, heart disease and liver disease in some individuals.
That is why it is important to discuss HRT pros and cons with your healthcare provider. And if you choose to go for HRT, have regular follow-up sessions to monitor HRT’s effects on your uncomfortable symptoms and overall health.
FAQs about Postmenopausal Low Estrogen Symptoms
Can you have hot flashes after menopause?
Yes, hot flashes are a common menopausal and postmenopausal symptom. They happen because of the lack of estrogen.
Where does estrogen come from after menopause?
After menopause, your ovaries stop producing estrogen. So now, other body parts like adrenal glands and BODY fat cells will produce it in small amounts.
Can you get pregnant if you are in menopause?
If you have not had your period for the last 12 months, you cannot get naturally pregnant as your body has stopped releasing eggs.
You can still get pregnant if you are in the early stage of menopause – called perimenopause – during which you have irregular periods.
Why do estrogen levels fall after menopause?
Estrogen levels decline after menopause because the ovaries naturally stop producing this reproductive hormone as part of aging process.
How do you know you are in menopause?
You are considered in menopause if you have gone 12 full months without a period. It usually happens between the ages of 45 to 55.
Does your body go back to normal after menopause?
No, your body does not go back to a pre-menopausal state after menopause. Hormonal changes that happen during menopause are permanent. Your body eventually settles down into a stable postmenopausal phase.
What are the causes of low estrogen other than menopause?
Estrogen affects various processes in the body. You can have estrogen deficiency due to multiple reasons, such as:
- Premature ovarian failure
- Low pituitary hormones
- Eating disorders
- Excessive exercise
What are the common postmenopause symptoms at age 60?
Possible postmenopausal symptoms at age 60 include:
- Vaginal dryness
- Urinary issues
- Hot flashes
- Insomnia
- Brain fog
- Thinning hair
- Dry skin
- Brittle nails
- Bone thinning
Next Steps
Dealing with the side effects of low estrogen is not the most fun experience, but there is a way that you can remedy the situation.
Thousands of people each year find success in working with a doctor who specializes in low estrogen, such as those at Balance My Hormones.
With the guidance of a medical professionals who work with menopausal women, you can overcome low estrogen with a customized HRT treatment and get your hormones back to normal.
References
Opoku, A.A., Abushama, M. and Konje, J.C., 2023. Obesity and menopause. Best Practice & Research Clinical Obstetrics & Gynaecology, 88, p.102348.
Anagnostis, P., Lambrinoudaki, I., Stevenson, J.C. and Goulis, D.G., 2022. Menopause-associated risk of cardiovascular disease. Endocrine connections, 11(4).
Lobo, R.A. and Gompel, A., 2022. Management of menopause: a view towards prevention. The Lancet Diabetes & Endocrinology, 10(6), pp.457-470.
Armeni, E., Paschou, S.A., Goulis, D.G. and Lambrinoudaki, I., 2021. Hormone therapy regimens for managing the menopause and premature ovarian insufficiency. Best Practice & Research Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism, 35(6), p.101561.
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About the Author: Mike Kocsis
Mike Kocsis has an MBA with a focus on healthcare administration and is an entrepreneur and medical case manager for Balance My Hormones which offers medical services in the UK and Europe. Mike has over 20 years of experience in the healthcare sector, much of that working with people who have hormone imbalances. Mike has appeared on podcasts and radio and is an expert speaker on the subject of hormone imbalance. He specialises in Testosterone Replacement Therapy and Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) and has helped thousands of people suffering from hormone imbalances recover and regain control of their lives. You can follow him on LinkedIn and on the Balance My Hormones YouTube Channel.
Last update: August 2nd, 2025
