Oestrogen And How It Affects You

‘Blame it on the hormones’ is a common refrain we love to use but loathe hearing from someone else!

Unlike men, a woman is never the same from one day to the next, as hormonal levels fluctuate in a never ending cycle. Oestrogen is considered the primary female hormone, while testosterone is the main male hormone. If you look like a woman, feel like a woman and think like a woman, then chances are, you are loaded up on oestrogen!

What is Oestrogen?

Oestrogen is a hormone that is produced mainly by the ovaries and to a lesser extent, the adrenal glands, placenta, fat cells and breasts. It is responsible for many functions in the body, including growth and development, sex, ovulation among many others. It is actually found in men as well, albeit in smaller quantities. This probably explains why they are fortuitously spared the mood swings!

Oestrogen affects almost every facet of your life including:

1. Oestrogen makes you a woman

This is the hormone that turns girls into women as puberty progresses. When girls reach adolescence, their ovaries increase the production of oestrogen and life is never the same again. Their bodies acquire the jaw-dropping feminine features that get boys into trouble. These include full breasts and hips among others. It also causes a rapid growth in bones, resulting in height gain both in boys and girls. Oestrogen levels peak mid-cycle, which stimulates ovulation and prepares the body for pregnancy. Low levels of the hormone are also related to hair loss in women.

2. Oestrogen is the monkey behind PMS

That ‘time of the month’ can be a frustrating period for many women, thanks to the effects of oestrogen. Pre-Menstrual Syndrome was first termed ‘a state of unbearable tension,’ which aptly describes this most common complaint. Higher levels of oestrogen are blamed for the tender breasts, cramps, bloating, headaches and mood swings that come with menstrual periods. PMS seems to worsen when there are simultaneously low levels of progesterone.

3. Oestrogen affects your mood

Forget the irritating boss, traffic jams or tooth canals; fluctuating oestrogen levels can ruin your mood and totally mess your day. Women are more likely to develop depression, mood swings, anxiety and psychosis between puberty and menopause. These are the best oestrogen-producing ages, which shows a close relationship between emotions and oestrogen levels. Estrogen treatment can alleviate mood swings, although the mechanism is not well understood as yet.

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