Estrogens and Progesterone And Its Effects On The Human Body

Progesterone is a hormone secreted by the ovaries, or specifically, by the corpus

luteum, that stimulates the uterus to prepare for pregnancy. Too much or too little of

progesterone results in abnormal periods and menopause-like symptoms. Progesterone is

also needed for implementation of a prepared egg in the uterus and for sustaining the

pregnancy. It is a endogenous steroid and a sex hormone that is involved with the

embryogenesis of humans and other species.

Progesterone is produced by three organs. It is produced by the ovaries, placenta,

and the adrenal glands. It helps balance out the effect of estrogen, especially in the uterus

lining. Progesterone is like the trusty sidekick of the superhero sex hormone, estrogen.

Progesterone is a hormone dominant in the luteal phase of the menstrual cycles.

The target of the hormone is to control the conditions of the endometrium of the

uterus. Progesterone has many functions in the reproductive system. It is used as a

progestational agent in the treatment of dysfunctional uterine bleeding and unusual

menstrual cycles.

It is also used as hormone replacement therapy and as an adjunct in infertility therapy.

Hypersecretion of the hormone progesterone causes many different symptoms. It

causes acne, fluid retention, mood swings, and headaches. It also causes nausea and

even vomiting. A long term effect of the hypersecretion of progesterone is osteoporosis.

 In the event of hyposecretion, symptoms include weight gain, fatigue, breast

tenderness, bloating, vaginal dryness, and loss of libido. They also include hot flashes,

fibroids, endometriosis, and thyroid dysfunction.

The disorders of progesterone include Premenopause, Miscarriage, Abnormal

Uterine Bleeding, Endometrial Hyperplasia, Recurrent Miscarriage, Autoimmune

Progesterone Dermatitis, and Catamenial Epilepsy. Premenopause has symptoms like hot

flashes, breast tenderness, worse premenstrual syndrome, lower sex drive, fatigue,

irregular periods, vaginal dryness and discomfort during intercourse, and leakage during

sneezing, coughing, or laughing. Abnormal Uterine Bleeding has a couple of symptoms.

These symptoms are bleeding between periods and having very heavy bleeding during

your period. The symptoms of Autoimmune Progesterone Dermatitis are Hives, Erythema

Multiforme (Symptoms include skin or mouth lesions that have a pink-red center

surrounded by a pale ring border and an outer pink-red ring.), Angioedema (Swelling

beneath the surface), Eczema-like rash, Annular Erythema, and mouth sores. And last but

not least, the symptoms of Catamenial Epilepsy are convulsions, crying out or making a

sudden noise, stiffness, falling down, jerking or twitching, loss of consciousness, not

breathing, and confusion.

To sum up the body's need of progesterone and the effects of hyper and

hyposecretion of this hormone on the human body, without progesterone, women wouldn’t

be able to balance out the effects of estrogen and to be able to have their bodies fertilize the

eggs and work with the sperm. Progesterone is indeed a very important hormone in the

body of women and in any female in other different types of species.

Estrogen is a hormone that plays various roles in the body. 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.

However, most people know it for its role alongside progesterone in female sexual and
reproductive health.

The ovaries, adrenal glands, and fat tissues produce estrogen. Both female and male bodies
have this hormone, but females create more of it.

In this article, we look at estrogen in more detail, including how it works, what happens
when the levels fluctuate, and medical uses.

Types of estrogen
Estrogen plays an important role in many bodily functions.
There are different types of estrogen:

Estrone
This type of estrogen is present in the body after menopause. It is a weaker form of
estrogen and one that the body can convert to other forms of estrogen, as necessary.

Estradiol
Both males and females produce estradiol, and it is the most common type of estrogen in
females during their reproductive years.

Too much estradiol may result in acne, loss of sex drive, osteoporosis, and depression. Very
high levels can increase the risk of uterine and breast cancer. However, low levels can
result in weight gain and cardiovascular disease.

Estriol
Levels of estriol rise during pregnancy, as it helps the uterus grow and prepares the body
for delivery. Estriol levels peak just before birth.

Function
Estrogen enables the following organs to function:

Ovaries: Estrogen helps stimulate the growth of the egg follicle.

Vagina: In the vagina, estrogen maintains the thickness of the vaginal wall and promotes
lubrication.
Uterus: Estrogen enhances and maintains the mucous membrane that lines the uterus. It
also regulates the flow and thickness of uterine mucus secretions.

Breasts: The body uses estrogen in the formation of breast tissue. This hormone also helps
stop the flow of milk after weaning.

Levels of estrogen
Estrogen levels vary among individuals. They also fluctuate during the menstrual cycle and
over a female’s lifetime. This fluctuation can sometimes produce effects such as mood
changes before menstruation or hot flashes in menopause.

Factors that can affect estrogen levels include:

pregnancy, the end of pregnancy, and breastfeeding

puberty
menopause
older age
overweight and obesity
extreme dieting or anorexia nervosa
strenuous exercise or training
the use of certain medications, including steroids, ampicillin, estrogen-containing drugs,
phenothiazines, and tetracyclines
some congenital conditions, such as Turner’s syndrome
high blood pressure
diabetes
primary ovarian insufficiency
an underactive pituitary gland
polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS)
tumors of the ovaries or adrenal glands
Learn more about high estrogen levels and low estrogen levels here.

Estrogen imbalance
An imbalance of estrogen leads to:

irregular or no menstruation
light or heavy bleeding during menstruation
more severe premenstrual or menopausal symptoms
hot flashes, night sweats, or both
noncancerous lumps in the breast and uterus
mood changes and sleeping problems
weight gain, mainly in the hips, thighs, and waist
low sexual desire
vaginal dryness and vaginal atrophy
fatigue
mood swings
feelings of depression and anxiety
dry skin
Some of these effects are common during menopause.

Some hereditary and other conditions can lead to high levels of estrogen in males, which
can result in:

infertility
erectile dysfunction
larger breasts, known as gynecomastia
Males with low estrogen levels may have excess belly fat and low libido.

Estrogen sources and uses

If a person has low levels of estrogen, a doctor may prescribe supplements or medication.

Estrogen products include:

synthetic estrogen
bioidentical estrogen
Premarin, which contains estrogens from the urine of pregnant mares
Estrogen therapy
Estrogen therapy can help manage menopause symptoms as part of hormone therapy,
which people usually refer to as hormone replacement therapy.

The treatment may consist solely of estrogen (estrogen replacement therapy, or ERT), or it
may involve a combination of estrogen and progestin, a synthetic form of progesterone.

Hormone treatment is available as a pill, nasal spray, patch, skin gel, injection, vaginal
cream, or ring.

It can help manage:

hot flashes
vaginal dryness
painful intercourse
mood changes
sleep disorders
anxiety
decreased sexual desire
It may also help reduce the risk of osteoporosis, which increases when people enter
menopause.

Side effects include:

bloating
breast soreness
headaches
leg cramps
indigestion
nausea
vaginal bleeding
fluid retention, leading to swelling
Some types of hormone therapy can also increase the risk of a stroke, blood clots, and
uterine and breast cancer. A doctor can advise a person on whether estrogen therapy is
suitable for them.

In addition to menopause, estrogen therapy can also help resolve:

primary ovarian insufficiency

other ovarian issues
some types of acne
some cases of prostate cancer
delayed puberty, for example, in Turner’s syndrome
High levels of estrogen can increase the risk and progression of some types of breast
cancer. Some hormone treatments block the action of estrogen as a way of slowing or
stopping cancer development.

Hormonal therapy is not for everyone. A family history of breast cancer or thyroid issues
may contradict using hormones. People who are unsure can speak to a doctor.

Transitioning to female
A doctor can prescribe estrogen as part of the therapy for a person assigned male at birth
who wishes to transition to female. The person may also need anti-androgenic treatment.

Estrogen can help a person develop female secondary sexual characteristics, such as
breasts, and reduce male pattern hair formation.

Estrogen therapy will be part of a broader treatment approach. A healthcare professional

can advise the individual on the best course of treatment.

Birth control
Birth control pills contain either synthetic estrogen and progestin or progestin only.

Some types prevent pregnancy by stopping ovulation, and they do this by ensuring that
hormone levels do not fluctuate throughout the month.

They also make the mucus in the cervix thick so that any sperm cannot reach the egg.

Other uses include decreasing premenstrual symptoms and reducing the severity of
hormone-related acne.

Birth control pills may increase the risk of:

heart attack
stroke
blood clots
pulmonary embolism
nausea and vomiting
headaches
irregular bleeding
weight changes
breast tenderness and swelling
Oral birth control presents more risk for women who smoke or are over the age of 35
years. Long-term use may also lead to a higher risk of breast cancer.

Food sources of estrogen

Some foods contain phytoestrogens, which are plant-based substances that resemble
estrogen.

Some studies suggest that these may affect levels of estrogen in the body. However, there is
not enough evidence to confirm this.

Foods that contain phytoestrogens include:

cruciferous vegetables
soy and some foods containing soy protein
berries
seeds and grains
nuts
fruit
wine
Some people believe that foods containing phytoestrogens can help manage hot flashes and
other effects of menopause, but this does not have scientific backing.

In addition, eating whole soy foods, for example, is unlikely to have the same effect as
taking extracts from soy as a supplement.