Introduction

Menopause is a natural transition that occurs in every woman’s life and hormones play a significant role in it. Hormones contribute to various things right from the changes that are occurring in your body to how you feel during those changes. The major hormones that drive the menopausal transition are Estrogen, Progesterone and FSH as well as Cortisol and Norepinephrine that further contribute to the menopausal symptoms. During the menopause journey, your estrogen and progesterone declines gradually while FSH levels increase. 

Estrogen

Estrogen is one of the key hormones in the female reproductive system, responsible for regulating the menstrual cycle. It also helps in supporting the health of the reproductive organs and maintaining bone density. During menopause, the ovaries gradually decrease their production of this hormone. This decline in estrogen leads to various physical and emotional changes associated with menopause like hot flashes, vaginal dryness, mood swings and changes in bone density. 

Progesterone

Progesterone is another hormone produced by the ovaries to prepare the uterus for pregnancy. During menopause, progesterone production declines along with estrogen. It is due to the decline of this hormone that marks the inability of a woman to get pregnant anymore. Estrogen and Progesterone both have antioxidant properties which in turn helps to reduce the oxidative stress in the body. Due to the declining hormones, it can impact oxidative stress levels like changes in cellular functioning including mitochondrial functioning or impact on cardiovascular health, bone density and cognitive function.

FSH – Follicle Stimulating Hormone

FSH plays a role in stimulating the growth and maturation of ovarian follicles, which contain the eggs. As estrogen levels decrease, the body tries to make up for it and there is an increase in the FSH levels as the body attempts to stimulate the ovaries to produce estrogen. This increased FSH can affect libido (sex drive) in women.

Stress Hormones – Cortisol and Norepinephrine

During menopause, women experience extra stress due to dysregulation of the body’s stress response system. This means more than increased levels of the stress hormones like Cortisol and Norepinephrine. Elevated cortisol levels exacerbate menopausal symptoms such as mood swings and sleep disturbances. It may also contribute to the onset or worsening of conditions like anxiety and depression during menopause. Norepinephrine on the other hand regulates temperature in the body and alterations in its levels contribute to frequent occurrence of sudden hot flashes.