Estrogen is crucial for a woman’s health and happiness, responsible for a wide range of functions throughout the body. With about 400 known roles, it may be overwhelming to understand its significance. Let’s delve into the major functions of estrogen and its benefits.
Estrogen Functions
- Shapes a female’s breasts, hips, pelvis, and face
- Results in smooth, unwrinkled skin without excessive hair growth
- Enhances sexual desire and vaginal lubrication
- Increases physical stamina
- Affects mood and enthusiasm
- Reduces heart disease risk
- Prevents or slows down osteoporosis (bone thinning)
- Controls the menstrual cycle and ovulation
- Supports brain, joint, and immune system health
Menstrual Complications
Women nearing menopause commonly exhibit symptoms related to estrogen deficiency. Estrogen is essential for managing menstrual-related issues such as irregular periods and severe cramps. When estrogen levels decline, other symptoms can arise, although many women may not link these to a lack of estrogen:
- Hot flashes
- Painful intercourse
- Hair loss on the head
- Night sweats
- Panic attacks
- Frequent urination
- Anxiety
- Strange dreams
- Snoring
- Mood swings
- Urinary tract infections
- Sore breasts
- Irritability
- Vaginal itching
- Palpitations
- Insomnia
- Lower back pain
- Varicose veins
- Depression
- Bloating and flatulence
- Urinary leakage
- Loss of sexual interest
- Osteoporosis
- Dizzy spells
- Hair growth on the face
- Aching joints
- Skin feeling crawly
- Migraine headaches
- Memory lapses
- Weight gain
- Wrinkles around eyes
- Vertical lines above the mouth
- Dry or irritated eyes
- Tiredness
- Loss of shapeliness at the waist
- Vaginal dryness
- Feelings of depression or discouragement
- Breasts that shrink, sag, or lose plumpness
- Indigestion
Estrogen cream is often used to manage symptoms and has been shown to provide long-term health benefits. When considering hormone replacement therapy (HRT), many sources advise against using estrogen plus progestin. However, they often don’t mention the alternative option of combining estrogen cream with progesterone.
Studies that incorporate estrogen cream plus progesterone reveal positive effects, such as lowering breast cancer risk, reducing bone thinning, supporting heart health, and decreasing memory loss if started during the perimenopausal years or before.
Estrogen Can Lower Breast Cancer Risk
Estrogen has three main components: estrone, estradiol, and estriol. The estrone component can either be metabolized into a breast cancer-producing form or a form that protects against cancer. You can promote the metabolism of the cancer-protecting estrone through hormonal balancing, eating a diet rich in broccoli, soy isoflavones, flaxseed lignans, and omega-3 oils, and taking supplements like B vitamins, vitamin D, SAMe (methionine), magnesium, N-aceytyl cysteine (NAC), glutamine, and glycine. Additionally, regular exercise, weight control, and not smoking play important roles in reducing breast cancer risk.
Multiple studies found that estriol offers protection against breast cancer, especially when combined with estradiol or progestin.
Estrogen Treats And Prevents Osteoporosis
Postmenopausal women who receive transdermal estrogen supplementation experience reduced bone fracture rates. Studies found that patients administered low doses of estrogen stopped losing bone density and significantly lowered their fracture rates.
Estrogen Can Decrease Cardiovascular Disease Risk
Estrogen positively impacts cholesterol levels, lowering bad cholesterol (LDL) and boosting good cholesterol (HDL). If used with progesterone, estrogen decreases coronary artery spasm, which can precipitate heart attacks. Moreover, estrogen lowers anti-thrombin III levels, reducing recurrent venous thrombosis (vein clotting).
Estrogen For Better Memory
Research on both animals and humans has shown that estrogen replacement therapy, when initiated before menopause, can decrease memory loss in older age. One study found that the rate of Alzheimer’s disease in estrogen users was only one-fourth as much compared to the general female population of the same age.
Experts recommend a dose of 0.25 mg to 1.0 mg per day of the estrogen cream “Biest” (a combination of estradiol and estriol in a 1:4 or 1:1 ratio) to manage menopausal symptoms. Incorporated with progesterone, estrogen cream delivers long-term health benefits without the risks associated with the estrogen-plus-progestin combination seen in the media. In addition to symptom control, it provides benefits of strong bones, improved memory, and a healthier heart for women throughout their lives.
