Estrogen: Unveiling Its Role, Benefits, and Health Implications
– Estrogen is a chemical messenger that plays a role in reproductive health for women or DFAB (designated female at birth)
– During puberty, estrogen levels rise and lead to the development of secondary sex characteristics
– Estrogen, along with other hormones, plays a role in the menstrual cycle, ovulation, and preparing the uterus for pregnancy
– Estrogen peaks during the days leading up to ovulation, making it the most fertile period for women
– Estrogen thins cervical mucus, making it easier for sperm to reach and fertilize an egg
– Estrogen keeps vaginal walls thick, elastic, and lubricated, reducing pain during sex
– During perimenopause and menopause, estrogen levels drop, leading to symptoms such as vaginal dryness, mood changes, and hot flashes
– Estrogen also affects the reproductive health of men or AMAB individuals, impacting sex drive, erectile function, and sperm production
– Too much or too little estrogen in AMAB individuals can lead to issues such as low sex drive, infertility, and gynecomastia
– Estrogen also has non-reproductive functions, regulating processes in the skeletal, cardiovascular, and central nervous systems that impact overall health.
– Low estrogen can delay puberty, slow or prevent sexual development, and cause symptoms such as painful sex, lower sexual desire, and hot flashes in perimenopause and menopause.
– Menopause and postmenopause result in the ovaries no longer producing estrogen, with fat cells taking over production.
– Removal or injury to the ovaries can also result in lower estrogen levels.
– People assigned male at birth (AMAB) with low estrogen may experience sexual dysfunction, belly fat, reduced sex drive, bone loss, and osteoporosis.
– For transgender women or nonbinary people with penises, low estrogen levels may affect physical appearance, and feminizing hormone therapy with estrogen may be an option. The article discusses the effects of estrogen hormone on physical features in individuals, including softer facial features, less body hair, and the development of breasts and hips.