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What approximate level of estrogen in a woman is needed to sustain the "protective benefits" from high blood pressure and heart/cardiovascular disease?

By Anonymous November 17, 2008 - 9:26am
 
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I keep seeing article from the medical community about estrogen's protective effect and the threats that menopause has on heart disease and high blood pressure. What are the safe or "protective" estrogen levels needed? I know every woman is different, but even an average to guage?

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hi can you tell me if im in normal range for oestradol and if not what are the normal ranges dont understand your figures as mine are written like this on my blood report
<73 if its low is it abnormally low or if high is it abnormally high ty

May 11, 2010 - 10:40am
(reply to maku)

Maku, do you mean estradiol?

And if so, what day of your cycle were your levels measured? I ask because it is one of the hormone levels that changes throughout the month. They can be <50 at menstruation and <200 at ovulation, or more. Here is one chart that explains this:

http://www.fertilityplus.org/faq/hormonelevels.html

Does that help you?

May 12, 2010 - 8:34am

Hi Sue,

Thanks for you questions, the endocrine changes in menopause and perimenopause can be complicated and confusing and different for every woman.

First off, different labs have different reference ranges for normal values and it is important to look at the units the lab is reporting the values in. FSH also changes throughout the cycle and the best day to test for it is day 3 of the cycle. Normal FSH in the first half of the cycle (day 1-14) is 4 IUs, in perimenopausal women it is 14 IUs. In perimenopause we see elevated FSH as well as LH hormones.

In general we see fluctuating estrogen levels throughout perimenopause, but mostly women experience elevated estrogen levels and decreased progesterone levels.

Perimenopause is different for every woman and one of the ways we evaluate a woman's menopausal status is by her menstrual cycle and by symptoms. The perimenopausal transition can begin as early as the late 30's although the average age is 47.5 years.
Here are some general guidelines for determining perimenopausal status.

Perimenopause is the period of time before a woman reaches 12 continuous months without a menses.
Early perimenopause is characterized by a varying cycle length greater than 7 days different from normal.
Late perimenopause is when there are two skipped cycles and an interval of no menses for 60 days. This is often the phase when women begin to experience hot flashes.

I realize you dont have a cycle due to your hysterectomy, but your hormone levels along with your symptoms can help you and your doctor determine if you are perimenopausal.

October 23, 2009 - 11:40am

Dear Anon,

Thanks for this question. I am posting this response on behalf of one of our experts, Dr. Lishan Aklog:

Unfortunately there isn’t a simple answer to this question as it varies from woman to woman. There was a time when it was felt that hormone replacement therapy (HRT) was protective for most post-menopausal women. Then data came out that showed that was not true and that in fact it was it increased the risk of heart disease and stroke in some women. In most women, HRT should be used to treat other conditions, not simply to decrease the risk of heart disease. It should not be used in patients with prior history or at high risk for heart disease or stroke, blood clots, breast or uterine cancer.

September 25, 2009 - 5:51am
EmpowHER Guest
Anonymous

Thank you for your question.
FSH stands for follicle-stimulating hormone. Below are the normal ranges for FSH.

Before puberty: 0-5.0 IU/L
During puberty: 0.3-10.0 IU/L
Follicular phase of the menstrual cycle: 3.5-12.5 IU/L
Mid-cycle: 4.7-21.5 IU/L
Luteal phase of the menstrual cycle: 1.7-7.7 IU/L
Postmenopausal: 25.8-134.8 IU/L

You are currently in the luteal phase which means (premenstrual) according to the test. When a womans body enters menopause, the FSH rises while the ovaries begin to decease in productivity. Here is a link from Medicine Net that will provide more information. According to Medicine Net, there is no clear test to predict menopause. I hope this helps your question.
http://www.medicinenet.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=17348

September 19, 2009 - 9:06am
(reply to Anonymous)

i mean 7.78, i feel hot alot

September 19, 2009 - 2:40pm
(reply to Anonymous)

many thanks, my estrogen is 7.70 is that ok

September 19, 2009 - 2:39pm

hi please could you tell me if my estrogen boold test level is normal it is 7.78 thanks

September 19, 2009 - 1:25am

I am not a supporter of giving the body artficially more than it needs to function optimally. The end of menstruation is a very old occurance and as the aging process takes its natural course we need to prepare the bodies to transition to the next stage of life by preparing it with more than hormones. Women have been going through this since the cave times! The exceptions on my book are when Hormone Replacement Therapy is medically indicated for women who undergo premature surgical procedures, breat cancer, or other hormonal irregularities. HRT has a potential to put unncessary stress on the liver so people should consider bio-identical HRT instead if they are to get HRT. Doctors can order very accurate tests to confirm estrogen levels and my suggestion is to discuss bio-identical vice synthetic types.

Each body is different and each of us ages differently. The protective benefits of estrogen serve its purpose at a particular time and age. Once the wisdom of the body turns off the switch, then we must consider natural approaches to maintaining our bodies healthy. Heart disease and osteoporosis are two areas of concern when estrogen levels begin to decrease (of course there are others!). However, most conditions can be avoided if we maintain a healthy life style that includes good nutrition, exercise, stress reduction techniques and supplements such as magnesium, calcium, zinc, Black cohosh, soy protein powder among others. In addition to this, I take a product called MACA. It is awesome and helps me keep healthy hormonal balances naturally.

November 17, 2008 - 10:46pm

Hey, Anon,

You're right, every one of us is different, and our estrogen levels also change based on where we are in our cycle and our phase of life (puberty, child-bearing years, perimenopause, menopause, etc). That said, a "normal" estrogen level can be anywhere between 30 and 400 (400 is, for instance, puberty). Post menopausal women can be anywhere between 9 and 20.

Here's a chart on normal estrogen levels during the month for a woman who is still ovulating:

http://www.larkfieldpublishing.com/media/estrogen_levels.pdf

Have you been tested for your levels of estradiol (estrogen)?

I wasn't able to find specific post-menopausal levels of estrogen that are the baseline for protecting women against heart disease and menopause; I'm sure this is because individuals very so greatly. But here are some good resources that discuss estrogen's effects on the heart and blood pressure in menopause:

estrogen and high blood pressure:

http://highbloodpressure.about.com/od/informationforwomen/a/menop_art.htm

estrogen and heart disease:

http://www.texasheart.org/HIC/Topics/HSmart/women.cfm

One of the reasons estrogen helps protect women against heart disease is its effect on both your good and bad cholesterol. Estrogen helps raise the good cholesterol; a lack of it contributes to an increase in bad cholesterol. Here's a good explainer on this:

http://heart-disease-treatment.suite101.com/article.cfm/menopause_estrogen_and_cholesterol

November 17, 2008 - 10:52am
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