The Role and Importance of Estrogen in Women

Most of us have heard of estrogen, but we don’t always understand just how important it is to be normal functioning within our bodies. Estrogen is an important hormone that exists in both men and women. The difference is that whilst it has not yet been established what role estrogen plays in a man’s body, it is certainly one of the primary group of hormones in a woman’s body.

Hormones are a vital part of our make-up and actually carry chemical messages from one cell to another. Without them, our bodies would simply fail to work at all. In women, the role estrogen plays in both development and daily functioning is vitally important and governs the following:

• Sexual characteristics: Estrogen is responsible for the development of female sexual characteristics. The growth and development of breasts, reproductive organs, and other expressly female body structures and forms are produced by e
• Libido: Estrogen is also responsible for a woman’s libido and sexual desire.

The Symptoms of Low Estrogen Levels

Given the vital role that estrogen plays, it is no surprise to learn that when levels are low, women suffer a wide range of symptoms that can be tiresome, unnerving, and devastating. Common symptoms of low estrogen levels in older women include the following:

• Though low estrogen can occur at any age, many perimenopausal and menopausal women experience many of the most common problems associated with it. As their levels of estrogen suddenly drop, women in this group can suffer irregular periods, vaginal dryness, hot flashes, breast tenderness, moodiness, night sweats, as well as migraines and headaches.

We normally associate low estrogen levels with older women who are undergoing menopause, but surprisingly, it can certainly affect younger women as well. In this group, the symptoms tend to be a little different, and include the following:

• Delayed development: Estrogen is so powerful, that any irregularity can produce dramatic problems. When very young women suffer low estrogen, they may not develop physically at a normal or expected rate.
• Menstruation: Perhaps one of the most common signs of trouble with low estrogen is the lack of a menstrual cycle in young women.
• Menopausal symptoms: In fact, due to the important role that estrogen plays in a woman’s development and bodily function, the lack of it in young women can produce early menopause symptoms, including hot flashes, fatigue, lack of libido, insomnia, headaches, bladder infections, and painful intercourse.

Addressing the Problem

Low estrogen is actually a problem that is more common than most people assume. Though it occurs mainly in older women who are transitioning into menopause, it certainly affects younger women as well. Though treatment is typically different across the age spectrum, a normal treatment usually includes a natural estrogen supplement. Taking a supplement like this is certainly nothing to be ashamed of. In fact, women of all ages suffer low estrogen levels for a wide variety of reasons, including anorexia, too much exercise, some medications, menopause, and breastfeeding.

By increasing the natural estrogen levels in a woman’s body through a quality supplement, it is possible to remedy many of the symptoms.