What Are Estrogen?
Estrogen is female hormones consisting of estrone, estradiol and estriol. These are the female sex hormones and regulate their periods. Estrogen is found in both males and females, but the level is more in females, especially the ones who are able to reproduce. Estrogen is manufactured by the ovaries. It is also produced by corpus leuteum in the ovaries and placenta during pregnancy to regulate the safe delivery of the baby.
Why estrogen is important for woman?
Estrogen is very important for the health of women in spite of the dangers it can cause. Estrogen plays a vital role in developing the secondary sex characteristics of females. These characteristics generate the main difference between males and females.
It includes breasts, expanded pelvis and increased quantity of fat in the lower body. Estrogen is also responsible for less hair growth and smooth skin in females.
Each month this reproductive hormone regulates the menstrual cycle and prepares the uterus for pregnancy by making the walls of the endometrium thick. Estrogen also regulates metabolism, reduces muscles, increases fat deposition, triggers endometrial tissue growth, increase vaginal fluid, enlarges uterus, reduces the chances of bone breakage, increasse blood circulation and platelets, increases the quantity of high density lipid that cause heart problems, reduces low density lipids and increases cholesterol in bile.
After menopause, most women suffer with low estrogen levels. This leads to dried vagina, memory loss, hot flashes, tiredness, irritation and osteoporosis- decreased bone density.
Women who take estrogen in higher quantity are more prone to heart attacks, strokes, blood clotting, breast bumps, breast cancer and loss of memory.
Medical applications for estrogen:
Oral Contraceptives:
Estrogen in blood reduces the level of FSH and LH. To treat this, most oral contraceptives have estrogen and progestin.
Hormone Therapy:
These hormones are mostly offered to post menopause females to reduce the chances of osteoporosis. This therapy also reduces the symptoms of menopause which are fatigue, sweating, distress, urinary tract complications, cold sensations, hot flashes and dried vagina.
Breast cancer:
High amount of estrogen leads to breast cancer. To suppress breast cancer, the level of estrogen in the blood should be reduced.
Prostate cancer:
Since this hormone is also present in men and is not an alien for their body, it can be used to treat prostate cancer.
While taking estrogen treatment, whenever you feel intense vomiting, weakness, numbness, loss of sight, difficulty in remembering and learning things, dizziness, blood cough, difficulty in breathing, speech problems and lumps in the breast, immediately contact your physician.
How do I know if my hormone levels are too high or too low?
Talk to your doctor. Your doctor can do a physical examination and assess your health situation and symptoms. That will enable the doctor to determine if further laboratory tests are needed to check hormone levels. Those tests could be especially in order if you have a health condition such as PCOS or loss of menstrual period because of excess training or anorexia nervosa. If the tests show abnormal levels of hormones, your doctor can prescribe effective treatment.
Author Bio: Mr.Estrogeni
Category: Medicines and Remedies
Keywords: estrogeni