The hormonal rollercoaster that is perimenopause.
- Kristyn Zalota
- Apr 2
- 3 min read
Are you 35+ and lingering on Instagram posts and YouTube about perimenopause, want to undertand the hormonal rollercoaster you are on but not sure what's for real?
Let me start by saying I am not a doctor or a qualified medical professional. Everything I write is based on my own research and sometimes experience. I will always provide citations to the material I use to write a post.
I am going to break down hormones for you in this and the next 2 posts.
In this article, we will look at where hormones come from and what role they play.
In the next, we will look at the symptoms associated with declining sex hormones.
In the final of this series, we will explore the long term impact of sex hormone decline
The Ovaries & Sex Hormones
Your ovaries are key to what happens to your sex hormones in perimenopause. They contain follicles, which are the primary source of estrogen, progesterone and testosterone production during the reproductive years.
During ovulation each menstrual cycle, these hormones stimulate several follicles to grow and release usually 1 egg for fertilization. In perimenopause, the supply of follicles in the ovaries dwindles and estrogen, progesterone and testosterone production fluctuates.
Progesterone usually drops first, while estrogen can fluctuate between high and low before dropping significantly. Testosterone, which is not the exclusive domain of men, gradually decreases over time.
When the ovaries can no longer produce viable eggs, ovulation stops, menstruation ceases, and hormone production dramatically reduces...permanently.
The Roles of Sex Hormones
So what is the impact of this hormonal decline? It's BIG! Each of the hormones has a crucial role in the healthy functioning of the whole body, not only reproductive functions:
Estrogen:
menstrual cycle regulation
pregnancy support
promotes memory and cognition
protects cardiovascular health
temperature regulation
maintains healthy muscles and joints
helps nerves work correctly
maintains a healthy metabolism
reduces inflammation throughout your body
improves the way neurotransmitters (like serotonin and dopamine) work in the brain
keeps vagina/vulval tissues healthy and lubricated
Progesterone:
menstrual cycle regulation
pregnancy support
maintains bone density and strength
protects brain health
improves cardiovascular health
regulates mood
alleviates symptoms of anxiety/ depression
reduces sleep disturbances
metabolism regulation
Testosterone:
crucial for follicle and egg development in the ovaries
regulates sexual desire (libido) and arousal
promotes nerve connections
reduces anxiety
improves mood and energy levels
supports maintaining muscle mass and bone density
aids in metabolism and cellular function
You can see that the body relies on these hormone to work properly, so what happens when the body has to go without? Read on: The few famous and many never-spoken of symptoms of perimenopause
Here are the sources I used for the first 2 posts:
Bluming, Avrum, and Carol Tavris. Estrogen Matters: Why Taking Hormones in Menopause Can Improve and Lengthen Women's Lives--Without Raising the Risk of Breast Cancer. Hachette Books, 2018.
Fadal, Tamsen. How to Menopause: Take Charge of Your Health, Reclaim Your Life, and Feel Even Better than Before. Balance, 2025.
Harlow SD, Gass M, Hall JE, et al. Executive summary of the stages of reproductive aging workshop + 10: Addressing the unfinished agenda of staging reproductive aging. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 2012.
McKinlay SM, Brambilla DJ, Posner JG. The normal menopause transition. Maturitas. 1992 Jan 1;14(2):103-15.
Mosconi, Lisa. The Menopause Brain: New Science Empowers Women to Navigate the Pivotal Transition With Knowledge and Confidence. Atlantic Books, 2024.
Sundström-Poromaa I, Comasco E, Sumner R, Luders E. Progesterone - Friend or foe? Front Neuroendocrinol. 2020 Oct;59:100856. doi: 10.1016/j.yfrne.2020.100856. Epub 2020 Jul 28. PMID: 32730861.
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