But there are other symptoms that you might not attribute to an estrogen or progesterone imbalance. For example, foggy thinking. Normally, estrogen helps to regulate cortisol, which affects the function of neurotransmitters in your brain. But a decline in estrogen levels means cortisol levels aren’t properly controlled, which results in a malfunction in the neurotransmitters. This can cause foggy thinking and memory loss. Some other surprising symptoms of estrogen imbalance are:
- Bone loss
- Depression
- Increased forgetfulness
- Insomnia
- Water retention
- Weight gain around the waist
Why are these symptoms related to hormones involved in human reproduction? Because receptors for estrogen and progesterone aren’t only in the obvious places like breasts and uterus, but all over the body, including the brain, skin, gastrointestinal tract, bone and liver.
