Menopause is a word that strikes fear into many women and men. It is well known for its miserable symptoms. Menopause is the end of the woman’s menstrual cycle leaving her infertile. It should be a gradual change in hormone production and release allowing the body to accommodate to the changes in hormones. The severe symptoms that are associated with menopause are signs that the body is not following the gradual path that it should. Instead there are some bumps in the road leading to peaks and valleys in hormone production and release. The good news is that with proper knowledge of your hormone production and release we can identify solutions to flatten the peaks and valleys into the gradual path.

Menopause starts when the ovaries lower their production of estrogen and progesterone. Estrogen is made primarily by the ovaries, but also in smaller amounts by the adrenal glands and other organs. Estrogen is responsible for the developmental features of a woman’s figure, her fertility, keeping her cycle regular, along with protecting against cancers and increasing bone growth. Progesterone, like estrogen, is also made by the ovaries and the adrenal glands. It helps regulate the menstrual cycle and maintain fertility of the uterus.

As the ovaries reduce their production of estrogen and progesterone, the adrenal glands pick up the slack and use their reserves to support the gradual process. This is where the severe symptoms of menopause may begin to arise. The adrenal glands are two glands that sit on top of our kidneys. Before menopause, they play major roles in many important body functions that keep us alive and healthy. They release a hormone called aldosterone that works in the kidneys to adjust the sodium and potassium levels in our body. This is a large part of how we regulate our blood pressure and keep our heart working efficiently. They also release cortisol which increases blood sugar when it is low. Cortisol also is released to help us combat stress, whether it is physical or emotional. Another function of cortisol is to suppress the immune system. This may seem confusing, but there is a need to suppress the immune system. For instance, when a bone is broken there is swelling. The swelling is an immune response to bring nutrients to the area to start repair immediately, however, too much swelling can be more harmful than good. Cortisol is released to reduce the immune response so the swelling does not get out of control. The adrenal glands also release epinephrine, also called adrenaline. This is out “fight or flight” hormone that our body uses to quickly increase our blood sugar when we are threatened so we can fight back or run from the threat. The adrenal glands have a lot on their plate already, especially helping to deal with stress. If the adrenal glands are already working overtime from one or more of these jobs, they are going to have a difficult time adding estrogen and progesterone production to it list. This is why we identify what is stressing the adrenal glands and support those challenges so that they can produce the hormones to relieve the symptoms.

Many of the symptoms of menopause can be attributed to the adrenal glands being overworked including insomnia, depression, weight gain and low energy. To find out how we help with menopause naturally contact us today.