Dear patients, the depletion of kidney qi discussed in Donguibogam can be explained in modern medicine as premature ovarian insufficiency or premature menopause. It generally refers to a state where ovarian function is lost before the age of 40 and menstruation stops, occurring as secretions of the female sex hormones estrogen and progesterone decrease sharply. The ovary is like a pendulum regulating a woman's time, so if this pendulum stops early, a chain reaction inevitably occurs throughout our entire body.
Estrogen is not simply involved in reproductive function; it exerts profound effects across the entire body, including maintaining bone density, protecting the cardiovascular system, activating brain function such as memory and mood regulation, preserving skin elasticity, and sustaining vaginal mucosa health. When this hormone decreases, calcium is leached from bones, lowering bone mineral density and raising the risk of osteoporosis, while blood vessels lose elasticity, potentially increasing the incidence of cardiovascular disease. In the brain, the balance of neurotransmitters such as serotonin and dopamine is disrupted, leading to symptoms like depression, anxiety, insomnia, and cognitive decline.
In particular, facial flushing and sweating are closely related to dysfunction of the thermoregulatory center in the hypothalamus caused by estrogen decline. The hypothalamus is the command center overseeing our body's endocrine system and autonomic nervous system. When estrogen becomes deficient, the homeostatic function that maintains a constant body temperature becomes unstable, causing body temperature to fluctuate sharply at even minor stimuli, triggering burning sensations and sweating. Vaginal dryness is a natural phenomenon that occurs as the vaginal mucosa thins and atrophies due to decreased estrogen. This can cause pain and pruritus, markedly lowering quality of life.
Premature menopause is understood to result from a combination of genetic factors, autoimmune diseases, ovarian surgery or chemotherapy, exposure to endocrine disruptors, and above all, chronic stress and excessive fatigue, which accelerate the aging of the ovaries. Therefore, rather than merely relieving symptoms, it is important to focus on preserving ovarian health and restoring systemic balance.
