Estrogen. The hormone we love to hate

Don’t you just love to hate Estrogen?  Who knew that one little hormone could do so much to ruin a perfectly good day!  Estrogen is the thing that tips the scale and sways the pendulum of a woman’s mood from one extreme to the next in one fell swoop.  Men joke about it and women cry over it. 

Estrogen is perhaps a little misunderstood.  Let’s start a love affair with the hormone as women, we can’t live without.

Did you know that estrogen does more than regulate moods and menstrual cycles?  Estrogen has over a hundred functions in the human body.  Estrogen even has its place in men, albeit in much lower amounts than women.  Here’s a brief rundown of all the good, estrogen does, in addition to its functions we already know and joke about. 

·         Promotes the formation of secondary female sex characteristics

·         Accelerates metabolism

·         Increases fat stores

·         Maintains vessels and skin

·         Reduces bone resorption

·         Increases bone formation

·         Increases platelet function

·         Increases HDL, triglycerides

·         Decreases LDL

·         Improved collagen

·         Balances fluids such as sodium

·         Promotes lung function

·         Critical in fetal development

·         Promotes connective tissue growth

·         Helps prevent cardiovascular disease

·         Has important anti-inflammatory properties

·         Assists in mobilizing white blood cells and neutrophils

·         Has a positive influence on cognitive skills

·         Has a significant role in mental health, sustained low levels can cause problems with post-partum, perimenopause and post menopause depression

·         Balanced levels can decrease OCD tendencies

·         Estrogen replacement may suppress binge eating, as this is typically associated with increased progesterone and decreased estradiol.

So, now what do you think of estrogen?  Not bad for the little hormone that endures a battering from bad memes! 

And, there’s more!  The American University in Washington DC, has found a link between estrogen and its ability to control increased brain inflammation.  This work could provide more insight into the future treatment of neurodegenerative diseases such as Parkinsons. 

As with anything in life, balance is everything!  When estrogen gets out of balance, we can readily feel it’s effects negatively, though we may not associate our discomfort with it.  That’s where your favorite provider at Madison Women’s Clinic comes into play!  Make an appointment today and let’s discuss ways to get you back in the game and determine what role Estrogen plays in your good health.