Causes of Menopause
A woman is born with a finite number of eggs, which are stored in the ovaries. The ovaries also produce the hormones estrogen and progesterone, which regulate menstruation and ovulation. Menopause occurs when the ovaries are totally depleted of eggs and no amount of stimulation from the regulating hormones can force them to work.
In such cases the woman stops having periods and her fertility period ends. menopause is a part of the natural aging process in a woman and marks the end of a woman’s child bearing capacity. An artificial menopause may be caused by medical intervention in those who want an early stop to their periods and child bearing capacities. Menopause, when it occurs between the ages of 45 and 55, is considered "natural" and is a normal part of aging. But, some women can experience menopause early, either as a result of a surgical intervention, such as hysterectomy, or damage to the ovaries, such as from chemotherapy. Menopause that occurs before the age of 45, regardless of the cause, is called premature menopause.
This creates a very unpleasant physical imbalance called hormone imbalance that leads to menopausal symptoms. And most of the menopause symptoms experienced by women in the industrialized countries ARE NOT NORMAL! The consequences of hormone imbalance causes early menopause.
Stress, lack of exercise, progesterone deficiency due to missed ovulations, obesity, exposure to chemicals, synthetic hormone replacement therapy, poor diet, heredity and estrogen dominance are all factors in creating this "hormone imbalance" which causes early menopause.
Risk Factors of Menopause
menopause in a woman leads to the stop of her menstrual periods due to decreased levels of estrogen. Apart from being the end of a woman’s fertility the decreased levels of estrogen can often lead to complications such as-
Since menopause leads to lower estrogen levels, this often leads to sagging of the uterus. This is primarily because; the female body is dependent on estrogen for the toning of the muscles in the uterus and vaginaarea.
Osteoporosis is common fallout of menopause, since the loss of estrogen results in decreased levels of bone density. Reduction of bone density leads to weak bones which might also lead to bone breakages and frequent fractures.
It has been observed that women experiencing menopause have urinary incontinence wherein there is spurts of leakages in urine during coughing, laughing, sneezing, jogging or any other physical activity for that matter where there is stress on the abdomen. There are 12 risk factors in menopause just as there are 12 types of menopause and they are as follows;
Type 1: Ideal Menopause - In general, your experience of menopause is smooth and virtually free of symptoms. And after the changes of menopause are complete, you feel absolutely fine. While few women in this group experience very mild symptoms related to subtle changes or variations in hormonal levels.
Type 2: Low Testosterone - Testosterone deficiency can increase your risk for disorders of the vulva, such as lichen sclerosus, a condition in which the labia and vulva become thin and fragile. Low testosterone can cause your muscle tone to weaken, and is associated with wrinkles and sagging skin. And you are at a somewhat higher risk for osteoporosis, or chest pain due to spasms of the coronary arteries.
Type 3: High Testosterone - High testosterone levels are known to reduce blood levels of good cholesterol, which is another effect that can increase your risk for heart disease. High testosterone levels have been linked to insulin resistance to condition that interferes, with your body's ability to regulate our blood sugar levels.
Type 4: Low Estrogen - Estrogen is also protective against cardiovascular disease. Premenopausal women rarely suffer heart attacks. Further, too low a level of estrogen may promote the development of insulin resistance, which can contribute to diabetes, cancer, and heart disease.
Type 5: Low Estrogen, Low Testosterone - A deficiency in both estrogen and testosterone can affect your skin and muscle tone, leading to premature sagging and wrinkles. The breast tissue can also shrink and begin to sag due to a loss of collagen. You run the same health risks that come with Types 2 and 4: osteoporosis, cardiovascular disease and insulin resistance.
Type 6: Low Estrogen, High Testosterone - In Type 6, however, this imbalance is even more pronounced than in Type 3. In addition to oily skin and acne, it can cause a condition called "androgenic alopecia" (hair loss or even baldness). If you have Type 6 menopause, you face the greatest risk for insulin resistance, especially if your estrogen level.
Type 7: Low Progesterone - This may show up as muscle aches or joint inflammation. Either way, these discomforts only worsen an already irritated nervous system. A progesterone deficiency isn't good for your long term health, either. When progesterone levels fall too low to balance out your estrogen, your risk for uterine and breast cancer increases. Low levels of progesterone also increase your risk for osteoporosis, since progesterone plays a role in bone formation. By lowering good cholesterol levels, low progesterone elevates your risk for cardiovascular disease.
Type 8: Low Progesterone, Low Testosterone - This menopause type faces all the health risks associated with Type 7 and Type 2, plus episodes of hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) and hypoinsulinemia (or low blood insulin) if estrogen levels are too high. The low blood insulin and low blood sugar can increase feelings of fatigue and cause poor concentration.
Type 9 : Low Progesterone, High Testosterone - Type 9 menopause may involve the highest risk for endometrial (uterus) cancer(since both low progesterone and high testosterone contribute to this risk.) You can also suffer from abnormal uterine bleeding, which can be irregular, prolonged, and quite profuse. This abnormal bleeding may begin in perimenopause (the years leading up to menopause), but can continue beyond the expected end of menses. Type 9 also includes the health risks listed under Types 2 and 7. In addition, you face an increased risk for hyperinsulinemia.
Type 10: Low Estrogen, Low Progesterone - Of all the types, this one is most likely to include some trouble with stress incontinence ("wetting your pants" when you laugh or sneeze). Oily skin and acne can also be a sign of a Type 10 imbalance, since the levels of estrogen and progesterone are not adequate to control the effects of testosterone. The health risks associated with Type 10 menopause can be serious. Low levels of estrogen and progesterone have a doubly damaging affect on bones and blood cholesterol, greatly increasing your risk for osteoporosis and heart disease.
Type 11: Low Estrogen, Low Progesterone, Low Testosterone - Mentally and emotionally, you may struggle with anxiety, depression, dullness, memory problems, and a feeling of apathy. You may feel easily tired, even while your other symptoms are making you work harder to get things done. You may have trouble sleeping. In general, you can suffer from a number of the symptoms described under Types 2, 4, and 7. As with Type 10, this menopause type brings especially high health risks. Women with Type 11 menopause are also at risk for becoming insulin resistant and developing hyperinsulinemia. The risk for osteoporosis is especially high with this menopause type, since all three of these hormones play a role in protecting bones.
Type 12: Low Estrogen, Low Progesterone, High Testosterone - Women with this type of menopause almost always have insulin resistance, which if untreated, can increase the risk for endometrial cancer, breast cancer, non-insulin dependent diabetes, and heart disease. Type 12 menopause also involves a high risk for heart disease, but the high testosterone levels can reduce the risk for osteoporosis that comes with a dual deficiency in estrogen and progesterone.
Conventional Treatments of Menopause
menopause actually does not need treatment unless the symptoms that a woman goes through are quite severe. Being a natural process, treatments are required in case of artificially induced menopause.
- However hormonal replacement agents including estrogen with progesterone are often administered for patients with a uterus in order to prevent endometrial cancer. In case the patient doesn’t have a uterus, this isn’t necessary at all.
- There are other patients who may want medications to help them deal with symptoms like mood swings and hot flashes, associated with menopause. Most of these medications such as fluoxetine, clonidine, venlafaxine, paroxetine, are mostly low doses of antidepressants that are effective in keeping blood pressure at normal levels too.
Some common advice by doctors for dealing with menopause are;
- Intake of anti anxiety and anti depressant drugs, in order to calm the nerves.
- Trying out Progestin/Estrogen Replacement Therapies
- Use of Premarin - a form of ERT.
- Intake of 1500 mg calcium daily (for retarding the affects of low bone density levels)
Patients Medical’s Treatment for Menopause
Patients Medical boasts of a proper treatment for all hormone therapy replacements. We believe that Bio-identical hormones are the most appropriate and excellent solution for all menopause related issues. Our treatment help women deal with all the symptoms of menopause like hot flashes and mood swing in a much better way and thus making them more comfortable too.
This hormonal imbalance is causing many to feel depressed, anxious, fatigued, sexless, sleepless, and ultimately ill, sometimes even terminally. What’s more, Somers and twenty doctors in the field of antiaging medicine argue that the processed chemicals in foods and pharmaceuticals we ply ourselves with are actually slowly eroding our bodies and minds. So we’re getting slammed twice. From estrogen dominance to deceptive thyroid problems, people are suffering, and most don’t have access to the treatment they truly need to get better and thrive . . . until now.
Our hormone therapy involves replacing natural hormones, like Progesterone and Estrogen (BIO-Identical) in a natural way, which also helps prevent from many diseases.
Hormone Replacement Therapy is a method used to help treat the symptoms of menopause, and other hormone imbalances. Custom HRT is another beneficial way of distributing the correct amount of hormones for each individual woman's needs. The FDA declared that since bio-identical hormones are considered to be natural, regardless of their source, they cannot be patented. Therefore, there are no huge drug companies out there really profiting off the use and sale of bio-identical hormones.
Endocrine glands make chemicals called hormones and pass them straight into the bloodstream. (Glands that pass their secretions down tubes or ducts to particular places are called ‘exocrine glands’.) Hormones can be thought of as chemical messages. They communicate with the body and bring about changes. Usually, hormones take effect quite slowly. The endocrine system works with the nervous system and the immune system to help the body cope with different events and stresses.
Dr. Rashmi Gulati, MD, Medical Director of our Practice, Dr. John Salerno and Dr. Dana Cohen, MD are Board Certified in Internal Medicine. With over 15 years experience they have worked with Bio-identical Hormones for many years.
Dr. Satty Gill Keswani, MD who heads our Holistic Gynecology Group is a Holistic Gynecologist and Infertility Specialist with over 30 years experience. In March 2006, she received the coveted "Gynecologist of the year" award from a leading women’s association.
Dr. Keswani is an expert in the use of ancient medicine of India known as Ayurveda, and the use of botanicals and herbs for the replacement of estrogen and progesterone, as well as the use of bio-identical hormones for menopause related issues.
Dr. Mark Michnik, MD, PhD, Obstetrics & Gynecology, Board Certified Naturopathic Physician, is also Assistant Professor of Clinical Obstetrics and Gynecology, Columbia University, with over 15 years experience.
All our doctors work closely together and are part of our staff of 20 people in the office.
Menopause Supplements used by Patients Medical
EstroFactors®Published case studies have shown a significant decrease of hot flashes and night sweats in patients taking this scientifically formulated nutriceutical. A reduction in certain risk indicators of hormone related cancers has also been observed in a preliminary study.
Black Cohosh Plus® This herbal formula has Black Cohosh, which has according to numerous studies has helped women with the symptoms of menopause. It also contains safe and effective adaptogenic herbs to help the adrenal glands deal with the stress of this hormonal transition.
Next Steps:
Poor health can significantly affect your life. Improve your life by changing to good health. Call our patient coordinator at 1-212-679-9667 or click on Request an Appointment to schedule an appointment with one of our doctors for evaluation and testing.
We are located at: Patients Medical PC, 800 Second Avenue, Suite 900 (Between 42nd & 43rd Street), Manhattan, NYC, New York, NY 10017.
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Article Last Updated: 06/26/2009