Causes of Memory Loss in Women

Both men and women experience some memory loss with age. The causes vary, ranging from simple forgetfulness to Alzheimer's disease to dementia. In women, memory loss is often tied to menopause and hormonal imbalances caused by lack of estrogen production. While this is a common cause, it's not the only reason women are affected by this condition.

Pregnancy

• Whether it's from hormonal fluctuations, disrupted sleep patterns or preoccupation with the birth of the baby, pregnant women can become more forgetful. In a study published in the Journal of Clinical and Experimental Neuropsychology, results showed pregnant women and new mothers had difficulty retaining new information. They also had difficulty multitasking, if any of the tasks were unfamiliar to them. Though the study only followed women for up to one year after giving birth, the condition of memory loss appears to fade.

Statins

• Statins are a powerful medication used to control cholesterol. Some of the side effects are muscle and joint pain, and in severe cases, muscle and kidney damage. But doctors are reporting another side effect, and it seems to be confined to women. While using a statin such as Lipitor, women are suffering from memory loss. Words escape them. They forget phone numbers and experience brain fog. Once off the medication, doctors report, the women's memories return to normal.

No-Carb Diet

• The Atkins diet is famous for its restriction of carbohydrates. With the absence of foods such as bread, potatoes, sugars and certain fruits and vegetables, the memory becomes underfed, or so it seems, according to a study performed at Tufts University in Boston, Massachusetts. The study involved 19 women, 10 of whom were put on a no-carb diet. In a week's time, the women were given memory challenging tests, and the performance of the women on the no-carb diet showed a decrease in memory function. Why? A lack of glucose, found in healthy carbohydrates, may be the reason.

Ovarian Removal

• Premenopausal women, aged 30 to 50 years old, who have had one or both ovaries removed, may be at higher risk for early onset dementia, or severe memory loss. The findings of a study published in the August 2008 issue of "Journal," show that after such a procedure, the lack of estrogen production at such a young age increases the risk of dementia after menopause. Women who were treated with estrogen after their surgeries didn't show signs of severe memory loss, compared to those left untreated.

Menopause

• One of the symptoms, or side effects, of menopause is memory loss. This should not be confused, however, with dementia. Memory loss in menopausal women is usually confined to mild brain fog, short retention span and inability to learn new tasks as quickly as before the onset of menopause. As with ovarian removal, the result of menopause is lack of estrogen production. Estrogen treatments can lessen memory loss, but for some women, ginko supplements, caffeine intake and memory-improving exercises, such as crossword puzzles, may be sufficient to ward off more severe memory loss.