The Crucial Roles of Estrogen

Medical Reviewed By Lucas Rosa

PhD in Molecular Biology

Estrogen is an essential hormone that plays crucial roles in mental health, body maintenance, and reproduction.

The Basics of Estrogen

Estrogen is the main female sex hormone and it promotes the development of female sexual characteristics.

Estrogen is naturally produced in both men and women, but it is significantly higher in women than in men. Estrogen impacts women more than it does men, but it is still equally important for both to have healthy levels of it.

Estrogen Levels

Estrogen levels fluctuate as you get older. Puberty causes a drastic increase in estrogen levels, and usually after 40 years old estrogen levels tend to gradually decline.

Your test results may vary depending on the lab you use for the test. If your estrogen levels are higher or lower than 30 - 400 pg/mL (for women) or 10 - 50 pg/mL (for men), then you may want to seek professional advice.

• For adult women: 30 - 400 pg/mL (picograms per milliliter) is the typical range
• For adult men: 10 - 50 pg/mL (picograms per milliliter) is the typical range
  

Estrogen's Crucial Roles

Estrogen plays many crucial roles throughout our bodies. It is an essential hormone that is necessary in everyone's body. 

Mental Health

Estrogen has a substantial impact on mood and mental health. It affects the levels of serotonin in our bodies. Serotonin is a chemical messenger in our bodies that regulates mood, sleep, and appetite. An imbalance in estrogen levels has been shown to lead to mood swings, depression, and anxiety.

Research also suggests that estrogen may have protective effects on our brains by potentially lowering the risk of getting brain degenerative diseases (like Alzheimer's). However, more studies are needed to fully understand this relationship.

Body Maintenance

Estrogen is as critical as calcium when it comes to bone health. Estrogen helps maintain bone density by promoting the activity of the cells that are responsible for bone formation. It also inhibits the activity of the cells responsible for breaking down bone tissue, leading to stronger bones.

In addition to maintaining bone health, estrogen also promotes heart health. Estrogen increases HDL cholesterol, decreases LDL cholesterol, and increases blood flow.

HDL cholesterol is the "good cholesterol" that helps our bodies get rid of excess fat in our blood vessels. It clears out plaque buildup in our arteries and lowers our risk of heart disease and stroke. On the other hand, too much LDL cholesterol leads to a higher risk of heart disease and stroke because it contributes to plaque buildup in our bodies.

Lastly, estrogen's other crucial role in body maintenance is to help prevent your skin from aging. Estrogen prevents the decrease of skin collagen, and skin collagen's main role is to provide structure, strength, and support to your skin. Additionally, estrogen also helps maintain skin moisture, increases skin elasticity, and accelerates the healing of skin wounds.

Reproduction

Estrogen is indispensable in our reproductive systems. It is most active in women's reproductive health, but it also plays crucial roles in men's reproductive health.

In people assigned female at birth, estrogen is vital for the development of the breast, maintaining a healthy vagina, and regulating the uterus. During the menstrual cycle, estrogen plays a crucial role in stimulating the growth of egg follicles which eventually become mature eggs. Also, estrogen is the key hormone that makes it easier to become pregnant.

In people assigned male at birth, a form of estrogen called estradiol plays crucial roles in reproduction. In these individuals, estradiol is used to regulate libido, erectile function, and the production of sperm cells. An imbalance of estradiol has been shown to lead to infertility, erectile dysfunction, and decreased sex drive.

Conclusion

Estrogen is a crucial hormone that is active in many functions within our bodies. The hormone is more abundant in women than in men, but it is equally crucial for both to have healthy levels of it.

Estrogen has crucial functions in our mental health, body maintenance, and reproductive systems which makes it essential for our overall health.

Sources:

Professional, C. C. medical. (2024, September 17). Estrogen: Hormone, function, Levels & Imbalances. Cleveland Clinic. https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/body/22353-estrogen 

Nicoles, H., & Wilson, D. R. (2023, November 20). Estrogen: Functions, uses, and imbalances. Medical News Today. https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/277177#function