- bloating.
- swelling and tenderness in your breasts.
- fibrocystic lumps in your breasts.
- decreased sex drive.
- irregular menstrual periods.
- increased symptoms of premenstrual syndrome (PMS)
- mood swings.
- headaches.
What produces too much estrogen?
- Estrogen dominance is essentially too much estrogen. ...
- Estrogen is crucial for day-to-day functioning. ...
- Too much estrogen can wreak absolute havoc on your whole body. ...
- Conventional medicine tends to prescribe hormonal birth control to alleviate symptoms of estrogen dominance, which can have a lot of side effects and make the problem worse in the long ...
What happens when a man takes estrogen?
What happens if a man takes estrogen? Estrogen may stimulate breast tissue growth. Men with too much estrogen may develop gynecomastia, a condition which leads to larger breasts. Erectile dysfunction (ED). Men with high levels of estrogen may have difficulty getting or maintaining an erection.
What is the function of estrogen hormones?
The function of estrogen includes:
- The repair and maintenance of the skin
- Protecting certain parts of the brain
- Regulating one’s mood via boosting serotonin production
- The development and maintenance of healthy bones
- Regulating body weight
- Cholesterol metabolism
- The growth of bodily hair
- The development of wider hips and bigger breasts
- The onset of ovulation
- The development of pregnancy
What is the best replacement for estrogen?
- Opting for 150 minutes of aerobic activity per week or 75 minutes of vigorous exercise weekly
- Adding strength training exercises two times a week, including squats, pull-ups, or lunges
- Choosing safe and effective exercises to balance your hormones, like walking, yoga, swimming, or jogging
Which hormone has the strongest effect on the body's estrogen receptors?
What are hormones?
What is the second most common type of estrogen produced by your body during your childbearing years?
What is the E2 period?
What is the role of etrone?
What happens when estrogen levels are low?
Is estrogen a hormone?
See more
What does the estrogen hormone do?
In females, it helps develop and maintain both the reproductive system and female characteristics, such as breasts and pubic hair. Estrogen contributes to cognitive health , bone health, the function of the cardiovascular system , and other essential bodily processes.
What does high estrogen do to a woman's body?
High estrogen levels can cause symptoms such as irregular or heavy periods, weight gain, fatigue, and fibroids in females. In males, they can cause breast tissue growth, difficulty getting or maintaining an erection, and infertility.
What happens when estrogen is low?
Low estrogen can affect your body in various ways, depending on where you are in terms of your sexual development. Low estrogen: May delay puberty, slow or prevent sexual development. Occurs in perimenopause and menopause, often leading to painful sex, lower sexual desire and hot flashes.
Does estrogen increase breast size?
When the ovaries start to produce and release (secrete) estrogen, fat in the connective tissue starts to collect. This causes the breasts to enlarge.
What are symptoms of high estrogen?
Symptoms of high estrogen in womenbloating.swelling and tenderness in your breasts.fibrocystic lumps in your breasts.decreased sex drive.irregular menstrual periods.increased symptoms of premenstrual syndrome (PMS)mood swings.headaches.More items...
How can I test my estrogen levels at home?
If you would prefer to take a lab test from the comfort of home, the most reliable way is with an at-home Female Hormone Test. LetsGetChecked's Female Hormone Test requires a simple finger prick sample and provides a broad picture of your hormonal health, with online results in 5 days.
How can I get estrogen naturally?
FoodSoybeans. Soybeans and the products produced from them, such as tofu and miso, are a great source of phytoestrogens . ... Flax seeds. Flax seeds also contain high amounts of phytoestrogens. ... Sesame seeds. Sesame seeds are another dietary source of phytoestrogens.
What causes low estrogen in females?
It's normal, but the symptoms that come with it can be treated with hormone therapy (HRT). For younger women that are facing decreased levels of estrogen, there's typically a medical reason behind it, such as: Premature ovarian failure. A history of eating disorders.
What vitamins can increase estrogen?
There are no vitamins that can increase estrogen levels, Dr. Langdon says. Ramello agrees: "There are no foods or vitamins that can be taken and directly turn into estrogen in the body," she says. And, she notes, "it is unlikely that a food or vitamin will correct clinically low levels [of estrogen]."
Why did my boobs get bigger?
Hormonal Changes: Women develop their breasts during puberty as estrogen increases. Pregnancy and milk production can also cause the breasts to enlarge due to hormonal changes. Drug Use: Certain drugs can lead to enlarged breast tissue in both men and women.
Why do breast increase in size after marriage?
The breast size increase after marriage due to Hormonal variations in female body. The size can be reduced in a natural way by mean of exercise and Diet .
Does estrogen make you fat?
Estrogen promotes the storage of fat for healthy reproductive years. When estrogen is balanced, the right amount of fat helps carry out female reproductive functions. However, when there's too little or too much estrogen, weight gain often results.
Which hormone has the strongest effect on the body's estrogen receptors?
Estradiol also has the strongest effect on your body's estrogen-specific hormone receptors. Estradiol is produced mainly in your ovaries, and the amount they produce varies over the course of your monthly menstrual cycle. 2 A small amount of estradiol is converted from another type of estrogen called estrone.
What are hormones?
Hormones are chemicals produced by your body that act as messengers that help control and coordinate how your body works and responds to your environment. You have special glands in your body that produce and release hormones when signaled by your brain.
What is the second most common type of estrogen produced by your body during your childbearing years?
Estrone is the second most common type of estrogen produced by your body during your childbearing years. It also has a weaker effect than estradiol on your body's estrogen specific hormone receptors. 3
What is the E2 period?
Estradiol (E2) Estradiol is the major estrogen in your body during your childbearing years. 2 This is the time from just before your first period until your last period or menopause. During this time, you have more estradiol in your bloodstream than you do other types of estrogen.
What is the role of etrone?
Estrone (E1) Estriol (E3) Estrogen's Role. Estrogen is the major sex hormone In women and it impacts more areas of your health than you may realize. It goes beyond fertility and sex-related functions to mood, bone strength, and even heart health. GARO / PHANIE / Getty Images.
What happens when estrogen levels are low?
That means when your estrogen level is low, your serotonin level will decrease as well. The effect of this is very significant in some women. It is thought that this low estrogen -related drop in serotonin production contributes to postpartum and menopausal depression. 1 .
Is estrogen a hormone?
In its role as the major sex hormone in your body, estrogen does some pretty important things that aren't related to fertility. As a hormone, estrogen (mostly estradiol) acts on the parts of your body that have estrogen-specific hormone receptors. Estrogen is involved with numerous important functions throughout your body.
Why do estrogen levels change during menopause?
Estrogen level changes during menopause because of which women experience many uncomfortable symptoms. Estrogen hormonal levels vary depending upon the age of individuals.
Why is estrogen low in women?
The most common reason for low estrogen in women is menopause or surgical removal of the ovaries. Symptoms of low estrogen include: Dry skin. Insomnia. Mood swings. Loss of libido. Hot flashes or night sweats. Dryness and thinning of the vagina. Irregular or absent menstrual periods.
What hormones are produced during the period?
Every phase of the menstrual cycle is influenced by estrogen hormones and other female sex hormones. Our body produces three main types of estrogen: Estradiol (E2): the most common type in women of childbearing age. Estriol (E3): the main estrogen produced during pregnancy.
What is the role of a sex hormone in the development of the uterus?
It keeps cholesterol in control. Regulation of the menstrual cycle. Regulates the development and functioning of the uterus. It is mainly responsible for the changes that take place during pregnancy. It is also responsible for secondary sexual characteristics and reproductive development during puberty.
Why do men get migraines before their period?
Menstrual migraine, right before their menstrual period, because of the drop in estrogen. The under secretion of estrogen hormone even affects males. The symptoms include: Men with low estrogen hormones can suffer from excess belly fat and low sexual desire.
Which hormone is produced by the ovaries?
Synthesis of Estrogen Hormone. Estrogen is widely secreted and released by a pair of ovaries in the female gonad and only a small amount of estrogen is released by the adrenal glands and fat cells, which is responsible for sexual and reproductive development during puberty. Estrogen hormones produced by the ovaries promote the development ...
What is PCOS in medicine?
Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). Tumours in the ovaries or adrenal glands. Use of medications, including steroids, ampicillin, estrogen-containing drugs, phenothiazines and tetracyclines.
How does estrogen help women?
Estrogen helps a younger woman’s body protect her against heart disease. Changes in the walls of the blood vessels, making it more likely for plaque and blood clots to form. Changes in the level of lipids (fats) in the blood occur. An increase in fibrinogen (a substance in the blood that helps the blood to clot).
When did the NIH stop taking estrogen?
Then, in 2004, the NIH stopped the estrogen-only study arm, in which women who had undergone hysterectomy were taking estrogen. Data showed that estrogen increased their risk of blood clots and stroke and did not reduce the risk of heart attack. (Estrogen’s effect on breast cancer risk was unclear.)
What is the term for the period of time when a woman stops menstruating?
The term menopause is commonly used to describe any of the changes a woman experiences either before or after she stops menstruating. As menopause nears, the ovaries gradually produce less estrogen (a female hormone), causing changes in the menstrual cycle and other physical changes.
Why do women on hormone replacement therapy have less heart disease?
It appears that the reason why the observational studies showed women on hormone replacement therapy had less heart disease was likely due to the lifestyles of women who take hormone replacement therapy rather than the medical benefits.
What are the side effects of HRT?
About 5 to 10 percent of women treated with HRT have side effects which may include breast tenderness, fluid retention and mood swings. In most cases, these side effects are mild and do not require the woman to stop HRT therapy. If you have bothersome side effects from HRT, talk to your doctor.
When does menopause occur?
Menopause usually occurs naturally in women between ages 45 and 55 . However, loss of estrogen can also occur if the ovaries are removed during surgery or if a woman goes through early menopause.
Does estrogen help with heart disease?
Over the years, evidence was accumulating that suggested estrogen also helped protect women against heart disease . With heart disease is the number one killer among women over age 65, this is an important issue. Women develop heart disease 10 years later than men, but by age 65, their risk is equal to that of men.
Where does estrogen come from?
The name estrogen is derived from the Greek οἶστρος ( oistros ), literally meaning "verve or inspiration" but figuratively sexual passion or desire, and the suffix -gen, meaning "producer of".
Where is estrogen expressed in the body?
The ER is expressed in specific tissues including the ovary, uterus and breast. The metabolic effects of estrogen in postmenopausal women have been linked to the genetic polymorphism of the ER.
What are the four major estrogens?
The four major naturally occurring estrogens in women are estrone (E1), estradiol (E2), estriol (E3), and estetrol (E4). Estradiol is the predominant estrogen during reproductive years both in terms of absolute serum levels as well as in terms of estrogenic activity.
What receptors do estrogens bind to?
Additionally, estrogens bind to and activate rapid-signaling membrane estrogen receptors (mERs), such as GPER (GPR30).
How is estradiol metabolized?
Estrogens are metabolized via hydroxylation by cytochrome P450 enzymes such as CYP1A1 and CYP3A4 and via conjugation by estrogen sulfotransferases ( sulfation) and UDP-glucuronyltransferases ( glucuronidation ). In addition, estradiol is dehydrogenated by 17β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase into the much less potent estrogen estrone. These reactions occur primarily in the liver, but also in other tissues .
What is the name of the hormone that is produced during pregnancy?
Another type of estrogen called estetrol (E4) is produced only during pregnancy. All of the different forms of estrogen are synthesized from androgens, specifically testosterone and androstenedione, by the enzyme aromatase .
Why do women have less heart disease?
Women suffer less from heart disease due to vasculo-protective action of estrogen which helps in preventing atherosclerosis. It also helps in maintaining the delicate balance between fighting infections and protecting arteries from damage thus lowering the risk of cardiovascular disease. During pregnancy, high levels of estrogens increase coagulation and the risk of venous thromboembolism .
What is the role of estrogen in pregnancy?
During pregnancy, the placenta produces estrogen which helps prepare the breasts for milk production and maintain the pregnancy. Estrogens also have critical roles in male sexual function, including modulation of libido, erectile function, and spermatogenesis. In males, estrogens are produced by the adrenal cortex, in fat tissue, ...
Why are estrogens used in men?
They may be used to suppress lactation and in men to treat androgen-dependent cancers such as prostate cancer. Estrogens are also used as contraceptives, in combination with progestins (another class of sex hormones).
What are the three most common estrogens?
Estrone (E1) , estradiol (E2), estriol (E3) are the three most common naturally occurring estrogens. In women, estrogens are the main hormone responsible for sexual and reproductive development. Estrogen is produced by the ovaries, adrenal glands, and in fat tissue.
How is testosterone converted into estrogen?
Testosterone is also converted into estrogen by the enzyme, aromatase. Excessive production of estrogen in men causes feminization. Estrogens may be used to treat symptoms of conditions associated with estrogen deficiency such as amenorrhea and menopause.
Where is estrogen produced?
Estrogen is primarily produced in the ovaries. Anything that affects the ovaries will end up affecting estrogen production. Young women may experience low levels of estrogen due to: excessive exercise. eating disorders, such as anorexia. a low-functioning pituitary gland.
Why does estrogen drop?
Age, certain diseases, or inherited disorders can cause your estrogen levels to drop. Low estrogen levels can interfere with sexual development and sexual functions. They can also increase your risk for obesity, osteoporosis, and cardiovascular disease. Treatments have evolved over the years and become more effective.
Why do you need HRT?
HRT is used to increase your body’s natural hormone levels. Your doctor may recommend HRT if you’re approaching menopause. Menopause causes your estrogen and progesterone levels to significantly decrease. HRT can help return these levels to normal.
What are the risk factors for low estrogen levels?
The most common risk factors for low estrogen levels include: age, since your ovaries produce less estrogen over time. family history of hormonal issues, such as ovarian cysts. eating disorders. extreme dieting. excessive exercising. issues with your pituitary gland. chemotherapy and radiation therapy.
How long does estrogen therapy last?
Estrogen therapy may also ease the severity of menopausal symptoms and reduce your risk for fractures. Estrogen therapy is only recommended for 1 to 2 years. This is because estrogen therapy may increase your risk for cancer.
What hormones are responsible for sexual development?
Estrogen is commonly associated with the female body. Men also produce estrogen, but women produce it in higher levels. The hormone estrogen: is responsible for the sexual development of girls when they reach puberty.
Why do women gain weight during menopause?
Estrogen regulates glucose and lipid metabolism. If your estrogen levels are low, it can result in weight gain. Research suggests that this may be why women approaching menopause are likely to become overweight. Being overweight can increase your risk for obesity, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease.
What Are The Benefits Of Taking Estrogen
Women suffering from vasomotor symptoms in menopause can take this medication. Women who are menopausal should take steps to prevent bone loss and reduce the number of fractures. Women who have premature ovarian failure, underactive ovaries or have had their ovaries removed should take steps to prevent bone loss and menopausal symptoms.
Can I Buy Estradiol Online
Estradiol medications, including estradiol 2 mg tablets and ethinyl estradiol vaginal creams, are prescription medications in the United States. As such, one cannot just buy estradiol online or get estradiol OTC at a pharmacy. Instead, the first step is getting a prescription from a medical provider.
What Are The Pros And Cons Of Using Over
When considering over-the-counter estrogen cream to help relieve the symptoms of menopause, it is important to look at both the pros and cons. On the positive side, these creams are readily available and do not require a doctors prescription. There is also some evidence that they can help reduce problems like hot flashes and vaginal dryness.
What Are The Main Differences Between Estriol And Estradiol
Estriol is sometimes referred to as E3 or oestriol. It is the weakest form of estrogen in the body. Like estrone, estriol levels naturally increase during pregnancy. Estriol is FDA approved for urinary incontinence in female dogs after removal of the ovaries and uterus. Estriol is not FDA-approved as a prescription drug for humans.
What Are Estrogen Supplements
Estrogen supplements are around for use in the field of medicine since the 1930s. The use of estrogen supplements is one of the most common treatment methods employed as part of estrogen replacement treatment .
Can You Buy Estrogen Cream In Canada Without A Prescription
Short answer no. Your hormones are not something to mess around with, which is why hormone creams are regulated by Health Canada for quality control and correct dosing. Because we are all unique and your needs arent the same as your neighbours, estrogen therapy must be properly customized to each individual.
Natural Estrogen Replacement: The Great Debate
Because bioidentical estrogen is in the same form as the estrogen in our bodies, some argue that our bodies recognize it easier and therefore it gives us less chance of unwanted side effects.
What is the function of hormones in the body?
Produced in the endocrine glands, these powerful chemicals travel around your bloodstream telling tissues and organs what to do. They help control many of your body’s major processes, including metabolism and reproduction. When you have a hormonal imbalance, you have too much or too little of a certain hormone.
What causes hormonal imbalance?
Causes differ depending on which hormones or glands are affected. Common causes of hormonal imbalance include: hormone therapy. medications. cancer treatments such as chemotherapy. tumors, whether cancerous or benign.
What are the signs of hormonal imbalance in males?
If you aren’t producing enough testosterone, it can cause a variety of symptoms. Symptoms of hormonal imbalance in adult males include: gynecomastia, or the development of breast tissue. breast tenderness.
What are the symptoms of menopause?
Symptoms of a hormonal imbalance specific to females include: heavy or irregular periods, including missed periods, a stopped period, or a frequent period. hirsutism, or excessive hair on the face, chin, or other parts of the body. acne on the face, chest, or upper back. hair loss.
Why do women gain weight during menopause?
Hypothyroidism, if the condition is severe, can also lead to weight gain. During menopause, many women gain weight because the metabolism slows down.
Does metformin help with PCOs?
Metformin is a type 2 diabetes medication that may help some women with PCOS symptoms. The FDA hasn’t approved it to treat PCOS, but it might help lower androgen levels and encourage ovulation.
Does testosterone help with puberty?
Testosterone supplements can reduce the symptoms of low testosterone in men. In adolescents with delayed puberty, it stimulates the start of puberty. It’s available in many forms, including injections, a patch, and gel.
Which hormone has the strongest effect on the body's estrogen receptors?
Estradiol also has the strongest effect on your body's estrogen-specific hormone receptors. Estradiol is produced mainly in your ovaries, and the amount they produce varies over the course of your monthly menstrual cycle. 2 A small amount of estradiol is converted from another type of estrogen called estrone.
What are hormones?
Hormones are chemicals produced by your body that act as messengers that help control and coordinate how your body works and responds to your environment. You have special glands in your body that produce and release hormones when signaled by your brain.
What is the second most common type of estrogen produced by your body during your childbearing years?
Estrone is the second most common type of estrogen produced by your body during your childbearing years. It also has a weaker effect than estradiol on your body's estrogen specific hormone receptors. 3
What is the E2 period?
Estradiol (E2) Estradiol is the major estrogen in your body during your childbearing years. 2 This is the time from just before your first period until your last period or menopause. During this time, you have more estradiol in your bloodstream than you do other types of estrogen.
What is the role of etrone?
Estrone (E1) Estriol (E3) Estrogen's Role. Estrogen is the major sex hormone In women and it impacts more areas of your health than you may realize. It goes beyond fertility and sex-related functions to mood, bone strength, and even heart health. GARO / PHANIE / Getty Images.
What happens when estrogen levels are low?
That means when your estrogen level is low, your serotonin level will decrease as well. The effect of this is very significant in some women. It is thought that this low estrogen -related drop in serotonin production contributes to postpartum and menopausal depression. 1 .
Is estrogen a hormone?
In its role as the major sex hormone in your body, estrogen does some pretty important things that aren't related to fertility. As a hormone, estrogen (mostly estradiol) acts on the parts of your body that have estrogen-specific hormone receptors. Estrogen is involved with numerous important functions throughout your body.
Treatment
- As recently as 10 years ago, virtually every woman at menopause automatically got a prescription for estrogen or estrogen combined with progestin, another female hormone. Hormone replacement therapy was standard treatment to relieve hot flashes, vaginal dryness, insomnia and other menopausal symptoms.
Pathophysiology
- Scientists are still learning about the actions of estrogen in the body. Studies have shown that estrogen affects almost every tissue or organ system, including the heart and blood vessels. Estrogens known effects on the cardiovascular system include a mix of positive and negative:
Health
- Over the years, evidence was accumulating that suggested estrogen also helped protect women against heart disease. With heart disease is the number one killer among women over age 65, this is an important issue. Women develop heart disease 10 years later than men, but by age 65, their risk is equal to that of men.
Uses
- Recent studies on the long-term use of HRT are changing that way of thinking. With scientific data potentially linking HRT to higher risks of heart attack, stroke and other serious health problems, many women are reconsidering HRT.
Results
- During the first year of HRT, women in the study had a 50 percent increase in heart attack and stroke. But, after two years of treatment, women on HRT actually had less heart disease and fewer heart attacks and strokes compared with women not taking HRT. The study left many unanswered questions, leading researchers to take another look at these same women. They pu…
Research
- Meanwhile, an even larger study, the Womens Health Initiative (WHI), was raising more questions about the potential risks associated with HRT. Involving more than 160,000 women, WHI is the worlds largest clinical trial of health interventions for midlife women, studying the effects HRT, diet changes and calcium and vitamin D supplements on heart disease, osteoporotic fractures a…
Epidemiology
- How prevalent is heart disease among women? Menopause usually occurs naturally in women between ages 45 and 55 . However, loss of estrogen can also occur if the ovaries are removed during surgery or if a woman goes through early menopause.
Signs and symptoms
- Menopause is a normal stage in a womans life. The term menopause is commonly used to describe any of the changes a woman experiences either before or after she stops menstruating. As menopause nears, the ovaries gradually produce less estrogen (a female hormone), causing changes in the menstrual cycle and other physical changes. The most common symptoms of m…
Diagnosis
- Technically, menopause is the end of a womans reproductive cycle, when the ovaries no longer produce eggs and she has her last menstrual cycle. The diagnosis of menopause is not confirmed until a woman has not had her period for six to twelve consecutive months.
Prevention
- What can be done to reduce the risk of heart disease for menopausal women? First and foremost, \"traditional\" risk factors should be addressed. Women with the lowest risk of heart disease are those who: If you have bothersome side effects from HRT, talk to your doctor. He or she can often reduce these side effects by changing the type and dosage of estrogen and/or progestin. If you …
Risks
- More recent studies of women, such as the Heart and Estrogen/progestin Replacement Study (HERS) and the Women's Health Initiative (WHI) concluded overall health risks exceeded the benefits provided by HRT. Women who participated in the WHI showed an increased risk for breast cancer, coronary heart disease (including nonfatal heart attacks), stroke, blood clots and …
Overview
- Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) is a treatment program in which a woman takes estrogen with or without progestin (a synthetic form of progesterone). To decrease the risk of uterine cancer in women who have a uterus, progestin is usually prescribed with estrogen.
Qualification
- All women taking hormone replacement therapy should have regular gynecological exams (including a PAP smear). The American Cancer Society also recommends that women over age 50 should:
Side effects
- About 5 to 10 percent of women treated with HRT have side effects which may include breast tenderness, fluid retention and mood swings. In most cases, these side effects are mild and do not require the woman to stop HRT therapy.
Causes
- No. Although women who take birth control pills are also taking estrogen and progestin, the effect is not the same. Women who take birth control pills have not been through menopause and need higher levels of hormones to prevent ovulation. HRT is not a high enough strength to stop ovulation.
Medical uses
- After menopause, estrogen levels are low and HRT is used at a low dose to restore hormone levels to a more normal level.
Overview
Estrogen or oestrogen is a category of sex hormone responsible for the development and regulation of the female reproductive system and secondary sex characteristics. There are three major endogenous estrogens that have estrogenic hormonal activity: estrone (E1), estradiol (E2), and estriol (E3). Estradiol, an estrane, is the most potent and prevalent. Another estrogen called estetrol (E…
Types and examples
The four major naturally occurring estrogens in women are estrone (E1), estradiol (E2), estriol (E3), and estetrol (E4). Estradiol(E2) is the predominant estrogen during reproductive years both in terms of absolute serum levels as well as in terms of estrogenic activity. During menopause, estrone is the predominant circulating estrogen and during pregnancy estriol is the predominant circulating estrogen in terms of serum levels. Given by subcutaneous injection in mice, estradiol i…
Biological function
The actions of estrogen are mediated by the estrogen receptor (ER), a dimeric nuclear protein that binds to DNA and controls gene expression. Like other steroid hormones, estrogen enters passively into the cell where it binds to and activates the estrogen receptor. The estrogen:ER complex binds to specific DNA sequences called a hormone response element to activate the transcription of t…
Biochemistry
Estrogens, in females, are produced primarily by the ovaries, and during pregnancy, the placenta. Follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) stimulates the ovarian production of estrogens by the granulosa cells of the ovarian follicles and corpora lutea. Some estrogens are also produced in smaller amounts by other tissues such as the liver, pancreas, bone, adrenal glands, skin, brain, adipose tissue, …
Medical use
Estrogens are used as medications, mainly in hormonal contraception, hormone replacement therapy, and to treat gender dysphoria in transgender women and other transfeminine individuals as part of feminizing hormone therapy.
Chemistry
The estrogen steroid hormones are estrane steroids.
History
In 1929, Adolf Butenandt and Edward Adelbert Doisy independently isolated and purified estrone, the first estrogen to be discovered. Then, estriol and estradiol were discovered in 1930 and 1933, respectively. Shortly following their discovery, estrogens, both natural and synthetic, were introduced for medical use. Examples include estriol glucuronide (Emmenin, Progynon), estradiol benzoate, conjugated estrogens (Premarin), diethylstilbestrol, and ethinylestradiol.
Society and culture
The name estrogen is derived from the Greek οἶστρος (oistros), literally meaning "verve or inspiration" but figuratively sexual passion or desire, and the suffix -gen, meaning "producer of".
A range of synthetic and natural substances that possess estrogenic activity have been identified in the environment and are referred to xenoestrogens.
• Synthetic substances such as bisphenol A as well as metalloestrogens (e.g., cadmium).