Estrogen is one of the key sex hormones that is responsible for the development and regulation of the female reproductive system. It is primarily produced in the ovaries and plays a vital role in the menstrual cycle, pregnancy, and overall female health.
There are three main types of estrogen - estradiol, estriol, and estrone. Estradiol is the strongest and most predominant form that stimulates breast growth, regulates the menstrual cycle, and maintains bone and heart health. Estriol levels increase during pregnancy. Estrone is produced before and after menopause.
Some key functions of estrogen include:
- Stimulates breast development during puberty
- Regulates the menstrual cycle
- Thickens the endometrium lining of the uterus
- Maintains bone mineral density
- Plays a role in cardiovascular health
Estrogen levels fluctuate throughout a woman's life during key stages like puberty, menstruation, pregnancy, and menopause. Imbalanced or dropping estrogen levels during perimenopause and menopause can cause symptoms like hot flashes, night sweats, vaginal dryness, mood changes, trouble sleeping etc. This is where
hormone therapy can help alleviate symptoms.
At Hormone Health Institute, we offer customized bioidentical hormone therapy to help tackle troublesome perimenopause and menopause symptoms. Contact us today to schedule an assessment with our hormone specialists to get your hormone levels tested and estrogen balanced.
Some key takeaways about estrogen:
- It is the primary female sex hormone
- Has three main forms - estradiol, estriol and estrone
- Mainly produced in the ovaries
- Vital for female sexual development and menstrual cycle
- Helps maintain bone, heart, reproductive health
- Declining estrogen causes menopause symptoms
- Hormone therapy can help balance estrogen
I hope this gives you a good overview of what the hormone estrogen is, its different forms and functions, and why maintaining optimal estrogen levels is so important for overall women's health. Let me know if you have any other questions!