Estrogen: Functions, uses, and imbalances - Medical News ...

Estrogen is a hormone that plays various roles in the body. In females, it helps develop and maintain both the reproductive system and female ... MedicalNewsTodayHealthConditionsDiscoverToolsConnectSubscribeEverythingyouneedtoknowaboutestrogenMedicallyreviewedbyDebraRoseWilson,Ph.D.,MSN,R.N.,IBCLC,AHN-BC,CHT—WrittenbyHannahNichols—UpdatedonMarch12,2020TypesFunctionLevelsImbalanceSourcesandusesFoodsourcesSupplementsEstrogenisahormonethatplaysvariousrolesinthebody.Infemales,ithelpsdevelopandmaintainboththereproductivesystemandfemalecharacteristics,suchasbreastsandpubichair.Estrogencontributestocognitivehealth,bonehealth,thefunctionofthecardiovascularsystem,andotheressentialbodilyprocesses.However,mostpeopleknowitforitsrolealongsideprogesteroneinfemalesexualandreproductivehealth.Theovaries,adrenalglands,andfattissuesproduceestrogen.Bothfemaleandmalebodieshavethishormone,butfemalescreatemoreofit.Inthisarticle,welookatestrogeninmoredetail,includinghowitworks,whathappenswhenthelevelsfluctuate,andmedicaluses.TypesofestrogenShareonPinterestEstrogenplaysanimportantroleinmanybodilyfunctions.Therearedifferenttypesofestrogen:EstroneThistypeofestrogenispresentinthebodyaftermenopause.Itisaweakerformofestrogenandonethatthebodycanconverttootherformsofestrogen,asnecessary.EstradiolBothmalesandfemalesproduceestradiol,anditisthemostcommontypeofestrogeninfemalesduringtheirreproductiveyears.Toomuchestradiolmayresultinacne,lossofsexdrive,osteoporosis,anddepression.Veryhighlevelscanincreasetheriskofuterineandbreastcancer.However,lowlevelscanresultinweightgainandcardiovasculardisease.EstriolLevelsofestriolriseduringpregnancy,asithelpstheuterusgrowandpreparesthebodyfordelivery.Estriollevelspeakjustbeforebirth.FunctionEstrogenenablesthefollowingorganstofunction:Ovaries:Estrogenhelpsstimulatethegrowthoftheeggfollicle.Vagina:Inthevagina,estrogenmaintainsthethicknessofthevaginalwallandpromoteslubrication.Uterus:Estrogenenhancesandmaintainsthemucousmembranethatlinestheuterus.Italsoregulatestheflowandthicknessofuterinemucussecretions.Breasts:Thebodyusesestrogenintheformationofbreasttissue.Thishormonealsohelpsstoptheflowofmilkafterweaning.LevelsofestrogenEstrogenlevelsvaryamongindividuals.Theyalsofluctuateduringthemenstrualcycleandoverafemale’slifetime.Thisfluctuationcansometimesproduceeffectssuchasmoodchangesbeforemenstruationorhotflashesinmenopause.Factorsthatcanaffectestrogenlevelsinclude:pregnancy,theendofpregnancy,andbreastfeedingpubertymenopauseolderageoverweightandobesityextremedietingoranorexianervosastrenuousexerciseortrainingtheuseofcertainmedications,includingsteroids,ampicillin,estrogen-containingdrugs,phenothiazines,andtetracyclinessomecongenitalconditions,suchasTurner’ssyndromehighbloodpressurediabetesprimaryovarianinsufficiencyanunderactivepituitaryglandpolycysticovarysyndrome(PCOS)tumorsoftheovariesoradrenalglandsLearnmoreabouthighestrogenlevelsandlowestrogenlevelshere.EstrogenimbalanceAnimbalanceofestrogenleadsto:irregularornomenstruationlightorheavybleedingduringmenstruationmoreseverepremenstrualormenopausalsymptomshotflashes,nightsweats,orbothnoncancerouslumpsinthebreastanduterusmoodchangesandsleepingproblemsweightgain,mainlyinthehips,thighs,andwaistlowsexualdesirevaginaldrynessandvaginalatrophyfatiguemoodswingsfeelingsofdepressionandanxietydryskinSomeoftheseeffectsarecommonduringmenopause.Somehereditaryandotherconditionscanleadtohighlevelsofestrogeninmales,whichcanresultin:infertilityerectiledysfunctionlargerbreasts,knownasgynecomastiaMaleswithlowestrogenlevelsmayhaveexcessbellyfatandlowlibido.EstrogensourcesandusesIfapersonhaslowlevelsofestrogen,adoctormayprescribesupplementsormedication.Estrogenproductsinclude:syntheticestrogenbioidenticalestrogenPremarin,whichcontainsestrogensfromtheurineofpregnantmaresEstrogentherapyEstrogentherapycanhelpmanagemenopausesymptomsaspartofhormonetherapy,whichpeopleusuallyrefertoashormonereplacementtherapy.Thetreatmentmayconsistsolelyofestrogen(estrogenreplacementtherapy,orERT),oritmayinvolveacombinationofestrogenandprogestin,asyntheticformofprogesterone.Hormonetreatmentisavailableasapill,nasalspray,patch,skingel,injection,vaginalcream,orring.Itcanhelpmanage:hotflashesvaginaldrynesspainfulintercoursemoodchangessleepdisordersanxietydecreasedsexualdesireItmayalsohelpreducetheriskofosteoporosis,whichincreaseswhenpeopleentermenopause.Sideeffectsinclude:bloatingbreastsorenessheadacheslegcrampsindigestionnauseavaginalbleedingfluidretention,leadingtoswellingSometypesofhormonetherapycanalsoincreasetheriskofastroke,bloodclots,anduterineandbreastcancer.Adoctorcanadviseapersononwhetherestrogentherapyissuitableforthem.Inadditiontomenopause,estrogentherapycanalsohelpresolve:primaryovarianinsufficiencyotherovarianissuessometypesofacnesomecasesofprostatecancerdelayedpuberty,forexample,inTurner’ssyndromeHighlevelsofestrogencanincreasetheriskandprogressionofsometypesofbreastcancer.Somehormonetreatmentsblocktheactionofestrogenasawayofslowingorstoppingcancerdevelopment.Hormonaltherapyisnotforeveryone.Afamilyhistoryofbreastcancerorthyroidissuesmaycontradictusinghormones.Peoplewhoareunsurecanspeaktoadoctor.TransitioningtofemaleAdoctorcanprescribeestrogenaspartofthetherapyforapersonassignedmaleatbirthwhowishestotransitiontofemale.Thepersonmayalsoneedanti-androgenictreatment.Estrogencanhelpapersondevelopfemalesecondarysexualcharacteristics,suchasbreasts,andreducemalepatternhairformation.Estrogentherapywillbepartofabroadertreatmentapproach.Ahealthcareprofessionalcanadvisetheindividualonthebestcourseoftreatment.BirthcontrolBirthcontrolpillscontaineithersyntheticestrogenandprogestinorprogestinonly.Sometypespreventpregnancybystoppingovulation,andtheydothisbyensuringthathormonelevelsdonotfluctuatethroughoutthemonth.Theyalsomakethemucusinthecervixthicksothatanyspermcannotreachtheegg.Otherusesincludedecreasingpremenstrualsymptomsandreducingtheseverityofhormone-relatedacne.Birthcontrolpillsmayincreasetheriskof:heartattackstrokebloodclotspulmonaryembolismnauseaandvomitingheadachesirregularbleedingweightchangesbreasttendernessandswellingOralbirthcontrolpresentsmoreriskforwomenwhosmokeorareovertheageof35years.Long-termusemayalsoleadtoahigherriskofbreastcancer.FoodsourcesofestrogenSomefoodscontainphytoestrogens,whichareplant-basedsubstancesthatresembleestrogen.Somestudiessuggestthatthesemayaffectlevelsofestrogeninthebody.However,thereisnotenoughevidencetoconfirmthis.Foodsthatcontainphytoestrogensinclude:cruciferousvegetablessoyandsomefoodscontainingsoyproteinberriesseedsandgrainsnutsfruitwineSomepeoplebelievethatfoodscontainingphytoestrogenscanhelpmanagehotflashesandothereffectsofmenopause,butthisdoesnothavescientificbacking.Inaddition,eatingwholesoyfoods,forexample,isunlikelytohavethesameeffectastakingextractsfromsoyasasupplement.SupplementsSomeherbsandsupplementscontainphytoestrogens,whichactinasimilarwaytoestrogen.Thesemayhelpregulateestrogenandtreatsymptomsofmenopause.Examplesare:blackcohoshredcloversoyisoflavonesHowever,itisunclearexactlyhowthesecompoundsaffectestrogenandestrogen-relatedactivityinthebody,andthereisnotenoughevidencetoconfirmthattheyaresafeandeffective,especiallyinthelongterm.Researchershavecalledforfurtherstudies.Inaddition,theFoodandDrugAdministration(FDA)donotregulateherbalandnonmedicinalsupplements.Asaresult,itisnotpossibletoknowexactlywhataproductcontains.Peopleshouldcheckwithadoctorbeforetakinganysupplementsormedications.LastmedicallyreviewedonMarch12,2020EndocrinologyMenopausePregnancy/ObstetricsWomen'sHealth/GynecologyMedicallyreviewedbyDebraRoseWilson,Ph.D.,MSN,R.N.,IBCLC,AHN-BC,CHT—WrittenbyHannahNichols—UpdatedonMarch12,2020LatestnewsFDAapprovestirzepatide:Apotentnewdrugfortype2diabetesPFASindietandothersources:ThehealthrisksKetomoleculemayhelpreversecolorectalcancerObesity:NewWHOreportshiftsfocusfromtheindividualtosocietalcausesSodiumselenate:Apotentialfuturetreatmentforearly-onsetdementiaRelatedCoverageWhatarephytoestrogens?BenefitsandfoodsMedicallyreviewedbyDebraRoseWilson,Ph.D.,MSN,R.N.,IBCLC,AHN-BC,CHTPhytoestrogensareanaturalcompoundfoundinplants.Wheneaten,theymayaffectapersoninthesamewayasestrogenproducedbythebody.READMOREProgesteroneandprogestin:Howdotheywork?MedicallyreviewedbyUniversityofIllinoisFindoutaouttheroleofthehormoneprogesteroneinthehumanbody,howanimbalancecanaffectbothwomenandmen,andhowitcanbetreated.READMORECanestrogenlevelsaffectweightgain?MedicallyreviewedbyValindaRigginsNwadike,MD,MPHChangingestrogenlevelsmayappeartobelinkedwithweightgain,particularlyaroundmenopause.Inthisarticle,weexaminewhattherelationship…READMOREWhathappenswhenestrogenlevelsarelow?MedicallyreviewedbyCynthiaCobb,DNP,APRN,WHNP-BC,FAANPLowestrogenlevelscancausearangeofsymptoms.Thisarticleincludesdetailonsignsoflowestrogenandexaminestheriskfactors.READMORE10mostcommonbirthcontrolpillsideeffectsMedicallyreviewedbyValindaRigginsNwadike,MD,MPHBirthcontrolpillsaregenerallysafeandeffective,thoughsideeffectsarecommon.Thisarticlelooksatcommonsideeffects,risks,and…READMORE