Estrogens what are they and what do they do? Well turns out we have four estrogen compounds, each serving its own unique purpose in the body.
Estrone (E1) is a weak estrogen and the most abundant estrogen produced after menopause. It’s produced in the ovaries, adrenal glands, liver, and fat cells. Estrone can be converted into estradiol in the ovaries, so it’s a natural reserve source of estrogen. Elevated E1 levels have been postulated to cause an increased risk of breast and uterine cancers, by binding preferentially to the estrogen receptor-alpha; this receptor is known to make tissues grow, increasing risks of cancer.
Estradiol (E2) the strongest form of estrogen, it’s twelve times as strong as estrone and eighty times stronger than estriol. E2 is predominantly made in the ovaries, but also in the fat cells, adrenal glands and as noted above conversion from estrone. This is responsible for secondary sexual characteristics It is involved in the regulation of the estrous and menstrual female reproductive cycles. Estradiol is responsible for the development of female secondary sexual characteristics such as the breasts, widening of the hips, and a female-associated pattern of fat distribution and is important in the development and maintenance of female reproductive tissues such as the mammary glands, uterus, and vagina during puberty, adulthood, and pregnancy. It also has important effects in many other tissues including bone, fat, skin, liver, and the brain. E2 binds to estrogen receptor-alpha and beta equally. Estrogen receptor-beta decreases cell growth.
Estriol (E3) is the weakest of the three estrogens. Estriol is the main estrogen involved in pregnancy and is produced naturally by the placenta and fetus, In some pregnant women with autoimmune diseases, it has been observed that their symptoms are not as severe during their pregnancy, especially the later stages of pregnancy when estriol levels are highest. Based on these observations some researchers are investigating whether estriol can suppress the immune system and therefore if it could be used to relieve some of the symptoms of conditions such as multiple sclerosis and rheumatoid arthritis. Estriol is bound preferentially to estrogen receptor-beta in a three-to-one ratio, making this more likely to prevent tissue growth and suppress cancers.
For the topic of this website, we will be focusing on estradiol as this is the main regulatory hormone premenopausal, and the hormone responsible for most of the symptoms that we are trying to alleviate. Estrogen has over 400 functions in the body, we will focus on only a few here. Things like:
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Decreasing fatigue
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Decreasing total cholesterol and LDL
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Decreasing triglycerides
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Increasing HDL
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Increasing growth hormone
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Helps with memory
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Helps maintain bones
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Helps decrease cardiovascular disease
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Helps maintain mood
Problems can arise when estrogen decreased or becomes out of balance in relation to other regulatory hormones such as progesterone. Symptoms of estrogen decline in menstruating women would include:
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Joint pain
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Anxiety attacks
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Bone loss
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Decreased collagen in the skin
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Increased facial hair
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Tension headaches
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Loss of energy
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Decreased sexual interest
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Mood swings especially premenstrual
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Muscle soreness
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Palpitations
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Premenstrual migraines
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Worsening allergies
Symptoms can also occur when we have excess estrogen. Increased estrogen can be a result of overproduction or the progesterone-estrogen ratio being out of balance, this is called estrogen dominance. Symptoms of estrogen dominance can affect all phases of a female's life. Symptoms of estrogen dominance or elevated estrogen levels include:
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Bloating
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Cervical dysplasia
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Decreased sexual interest
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Depression with anxiety or agitation
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Increased risk of breast cancer
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Fatigue
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Fibrocystic breasts
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Headache
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Heavy cycles
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Hypothyroidism
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Increased risk of autoimmune disease
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Increased risk of uterine cancer
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Irritability
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Mood swings
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Panic attacks
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Poor sleep
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Swollen breasts
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Uterine fibroids
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Water retention
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Weight gain
Knowledge is key, so we can help you understand, how this hormone affects your daily life and how to bring this into a balance. We will not only focus on getting the symptoms under control, but also how to get this hormone to metabolize in a safer way.