Understanding Menopause- Causes, Symptoms & Its Impact

Dear women, are you ready for the ultimate life transition? Didn’t get us? We are talking about menopause here! The menopause, or the end of a woman's reproductive age, is one of the greatest transitions in her life. It occurs when the ovaries fail to produce eggs and the hormone levels of progesterone and estrogen decrease. ¹ 

Menopause is an inevitable phase of ageing, even if it can be a difficult time to manage. In this comprehensive guide, we will discuss the stages, causes, symptoms and treatment plan of menopause. 

So, let’s dive in!

When Does Menopause Happen?

It varies from woman to woman. At an average age, women may experience menopause in their 50s. However, for some, it may start early, like in the 30s, whereas some women may experience it later in their lives. Women who smoke or drink alcohol tend to experience it early while obese women often encounter late menopause. ²

What Are Its Causes?

A variety of reasons contribute to menopause and they are as follows:

1. When a woman enters her late 30s, there is a natural decline of hormones. It means the body produces less amount of period-regulating hormones. As she ages, the ovaries don’t release eggs and by the time she enters her 50s, the menstrual cycle completely comes to an end. ³
2. Premature menopause is another contributing factor. It refers to ovarian failure before the age of 40. Also known as primary ovarian insufficiency, it impairs the ovarian blood supply causing menopause. ^{2 3}

That said, some cancer treatments like chemotherapy and radiation therapy may stop your menstrual cycles either temporarily or permanently. This may cause menopause. However, in some cases, the menstrual cycles may resume even after these treatments. ³

Stages Of Menopause

It is a natural process that marks the end of the menstruation cycle. This happens in three stages:

1. Perimenopause - It is the transitional phase to menopause and begins 8-10 years before menopause. A woman usually experiences it around her 40s and can last for several months to years. ⁴
2. Menopause - Menopause is the point when your menstrual cycle ends, and you can no longer get pregnant. A doctor diagnoses menopause when you haven't had a period for more than a year. ⁴
3. Post-menopause - Characterised by stable, low estrogen levels, it marks the end of menopausal transition. This phase brings relief from menopausal symptoms. However, it requires ongoing health management to mitigate osteoporosis and cardiovascular risks. ⁴

Common Symptoms of Menopause

After knowing the causes and stages, let’s find out the signs and symptoms of menopause.

PHYSICAL CHANGES  ^{4 5}

• UTIs & vaginal dryness - The vaginal lining thins and becomes drier, which can cause discomfort or pain during sexual intercourse. In addition, women may experience urinary incontinence or an increased risk of urinary tract infections.
• Breasts - As a woman’s age progresses, her breasts become less firm, with some even experiencing breast tenderness or pain.
• Skin & hair - On approaching menopause, the skin may become more dry, thinner, and less elastic, resulting in wrinkles and age spots. Additionally, the hair may also become thinner and more dry.
• Decreased bone density - Women may experience a decline in bone density, leading to osteoporosis (a condition in which the bones get porous and extremely weak) and an increased risk of fractures.⁶ They may also notice a reduction in muscle mass and strength.
• Heart and blood vessels - Women may have higher cholesterol levels and a greater risk of heart disease and stroke.⁴

In addition to the above, hot flashes, night sweats, mood swings, fatigue, sleep disturbances, and memory issues are some other symptoms of menopause.  ⁴

HORMONAL CHANGES

• Decreased estrogen & progesterone levels- The production of these hormones ceases with the onset of menopause. This change can affect other body functions, such as how the body uses calcium and manages cholesterol levels. ^{4 5}
• Decreased AMH (Anti-Mullerian Hormone) levels- It’s a hormone produced by ovarian follicles that assesses ovarian reserve (the number and quality of eggs remaining in a woman’s ovaries).⁶ During or while approaching menopause, the number of ovarian follicles and the number of eggs in a woman’s ovaries decrease, resulting in a drop in AMH levels.  Moreover, due to this, the AMH levels can be used to predict menopause.^{7 8}
• Increased FSH (Follicle-stimulating hormone) - FSH is a hormone produced by pituitary glands. Its primary purpose is to enlarge and mature the follicles to produce estrogen. However, over time, as ovulation stops, only a few or none of the follicles are left to be stimulated, causing estrogen to decline; while increasing FSH levels. ⁹

Treatments For Menopause

Here are some common tips to manage menopausal symptoms. 

LIFESTYLE CHANGES ⁹

• It’s better to avoid smoking, alcohol consumption, spicy food and caffeine intake. All these may worsen the symptoms of menopause. 
• Maintain a healthy weight and eat a nutritious and balanced diet. Obesity or being overweight may aggravate hot flashes.
• Indulge in regular, simple exercises to improve your mood as well as other age-related diseases.
• Try to catch on a good night's sleep by sleeping early. You can also find other ways to relax like massaging, muscle relaxation and deep breathing techniques. All this helps ease menopausal symptoms. ¹⁰

NON-HORMONAL TREATMENTS

You can consult your doctor about the symptoms during your menopause phase. You may likely be prescribed some medicines, like ^{4 11}

• Birth control pills to help regulate hormones. 
• Antidepressants to help reduce mood swings and hot flashes. 
• Vaginal creams and lubricants to assist with vaginal dryness.

HORMONAL TREATMENTS

There are 2 main types of hormonal therapies including

• Estrogen Therapy (ET): This is a form of hormone replacement therapy (HRT) that can ease menopause symptoms. Doctors usually advise taking low doses of estrogen, including a patch, pill, cream, vaginal ring, gel, or spray. ¹³
• Estrogen Progesterone Therapy (EPT): This treatment is known as combination therapy because it combines doses of estrogen with a hormone that acts like progesterone. You can find progesterone in its natural form or as a synthetic version called progestin.

LifeCell’s Perimenopause Kit: Why You Should Take It

You can now predict menopause with LifeCell’s Perimenopause Test Kit - this test helps you take measures at the right time so that you can effectively manage the menopause associated symptoms! This simple at-home test, approved by the FDA, allows you to check three important female hormones: AMH, TSH, and fT4. By testing these hormones, women can find out if they are approaching menopause or if they are having symptoms related to thyroid issues, which are quite common among women.
Want to test your hormones with this kit? Simply order it online, collect your sample, and schedule a return and the rest will be taken care of by our expert team!

Parting Thoughts!

Though some women experience menopause in their 40s or 50s, few of them may experience the end of their female fertility age early on. This could be due to a variety of factors, such as underlying thyroid conditions or other reproductive health problems. Thanks to LifeCell’s Perimenopause Test Kit, women can now finally discover the true cause of their symptoms.

Take charge of your health, get your LifeCell Perimenopause Test Kit today!