What is Estrogen?
Estrogen is a key female sex hormone that plays various important roles in the female body. There are three major types of estrogen:
- Estrone (E1) - The lowest-potency estrogen, produced mainly after menopause.
- Estradiol (E2) - The strongest and most abundant estrogen during the reproductive years. It helps regulate the menstrual cycle and reproductive function.
- Estriol (E3) - The estrogen produced in large amounts during pregnancy. It helps the fetus develop and grow.
What Does Estrogen Do?
Estrogen acts as the "female hormone" and is responsible for developing and maintaining female characteristics in the body. Some of its main functions include:
- Stimulates breast growth at puberty and maintains female breast tissue
- Contributes to regulating the menstrual cycle
- Thickens the endometrium (uterine lining) during the menstrual cycle to prepare for potential pregnancy
- Maintains bone strength and health
- Affects mood, sleep, memory, and cognitive function
- May impact skin, hair, cholesterol levels, and body weight
During puberty in girls, rising estrogen levels are responsible for breast development, widening of the hips, starting of periods, and the growth spurt.
In adult women, estrogen levels fluctuate through the menstrual cycle. They rise just before ovulation, causing the uterine lining to thicken. If no pregnancy occurs, estrogen levels fall dramatically, triggering menstruation.
Estrogen Deficiency
Insufficient estrogen levels can cause issues like:
- Irregular or missed menstrual periods
- Vaginal dryness and difficulty getting aroused/reaching orgasm
- Hot flashes, night sweats, and sleep disturbances
- Mood changes like depression or anxiety
- Problems with memory and ability to concentrate
- Accelerated bone loss (osteoporosis)
- Heart disease and stroke risk
Estrogen production declines naturally during perimenopause and menopause. This estrogen deficiency after menopause is why many bothersome symptoms like hot flashes emerge. It also contributes to accelerated bone loss in postmenopausal women.
Managing Estrogen Levels
- Estrogen levels can be measured with blood or saliva tests. These can help diagnose potential deficiencies or imbalances.
- Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) medications provide estrogen directly to help relieve unpleasant perimenopause or menopause symptoms.
- For milder symptoms, some women may try alternative therapies like dietary phytoestrogens, herbal remedies, or lifestyle changes instead of HRT. But evidence on these is limited.
- Those with extremely low estrogen levels may benefit from taking prescribed estrogen pills, patches, gels, or creams under medical supervision at Harmony MD.
In summary, estrogen is an integral sex hormone for female health and reproduction. Declining levels with age can lead to disruptive symptoms, so managing estrogen levels is key for women's health.