How Estrogen Works

Can I be honest about estrogen? It does NOT get the attention it deserves. We talk about estrogen when it comes to periods and baby-making and that’s it. Shameful, if I do say so myself.

Estrogen has a myriad of different functions in the body, and they are all equally as important as the menstrual cycle. Not to mention the critical nature of estrogen when a period stops, both during the fertile years and in menopause.

There are actually three different forms of estrogen. Estrone (E1) is a weaker form of estrogen, primarily produced in menopause; it can be converted to other types of estrogen if necessary. It’s thought to be more inflammatory and a contributing factor to estrogen-sensitive conditions such as endometriosis, but the validity of that classification isn’t completely confirmed. Estradiol (E2) is the most dominant and strongest form of estrogen in the body, and it is primarily produced during the reproductive years – the “fertility” estrogen. And finally, we have estriol (E3), another weak form of estrogen that is primarily produced during pregnancy to help grow and sustain uterine tissues prior to delivery.

Estrogen is produced by the ovaries and adrenal glands as well as fat tissue. The body uses cholesterol to produce all of the sex hormones, and fats can be used to make cholesterol. To get this part out of the way: estrogen does play a significant role in the reproductive system!

Estrogen stimulates follicular growth prior to ovulation and breast/chest tissue growth over a cycle. It also helps to maintain the vaginal wall thickness and support the mucus membranes of the uterus – estrogen impacts cervical mucus appearance as well, which may or may not indicate fertility when paired with basal body temperature tracking.

Now, on to the things that aren’t related to uteruses.

The urinary tract is one place where estrogen has a function. It’s been shown that estrogen can encourage production of anti-microbial substances in the bladder and close gaps between cells. This would explain why young individuals pre-puberty may experience more UTIs and GSM is more prominent in menopause – both conditions of less or fluctuating estrogen.

Within the skeletal system, estrogen functions to support growth spurts during puberty and the closure of the epiphyseal plates. This allows long bones to grow over the pubertal years and finally cease as a means of achieving adulthood height and length of limbs. Growth via estrogen increase occurs in all bodies during puberty. Estrogens are also responsible for bone mineral density processes. During menopause, estrogen drops and as a result increases the risk of low bone mass and osteoporosis – this is particularly critical for those who may have experienced long-term poor calcium and vitamin D intake, significant fractures or injuries, and individuals struggling with eating disorders.

Muscles are also influenced by estrogen (yes, even though we really only ever hear about testosterone and muscle mass). Estrogen increases collagen content of connective tissues, which can be identified as relevant in the joint and in the skin! Higher estrogen levels might, however, increase the risk of injury in active folks as reduced joint and tendon stiffness can occur. Our bodies need some tendon stiffness to maintain structure and function!

Cardiovascular health can benefit from estrogen as it has protective properties for the blood vessels – this is of benefit in reducing the risk of atherosclerosis and heart disease. Women in menopause are at a higher risk of heart attack and stroke as estrogen is less available to exert this effect on tissues.

Estrogen also supports brain health by promoting memory and cognition. It may mediate different processes involved in inflammation and working tasks, partially explaining the change in dementia risk with low estrogen. Estrogen also promotes increased mood and supports mental health and well-being – the postpartum period, pre-menstrual phase and into menopause are all situations of fluctuating or low estrogen that are also associated with significant mood changes. Folks who struggle with pre-menstrual dysphoric disorder may be more sensitive to estrogen fluctuations, making the condition much more severe than PMS.

DNA even gets a perk from estrogen, regulating repair mechanisms and protecting DNA transcription from damage or malfunctions.

So, the next time you hear about estrogen, you can confidently be assured that periods are not the only role this awesome hormone has in the body.

Want to learn more? My course, Intuitive Fertility: Master Your Cycle is an all-inclusive guide to hormones, birth control and period-focused nutrition – you can find more information on my website. And if you liked this article, leave a tip! It supports my research and writing work in my practice.