Estrogen: Understanding Its Role in Women's Health

Estrogen is one of the most important hormones in the female body. Increased estrogen levels can cause dangerous and life-threatening conditions women.

Significance

• Estrogen controls menstruation and influences the urinary tract, reproductive organs, blood vessels, brain, pelvic muscles, bones, skin and hair.

Function

• Because estrogen is the primary hormone responsible for regulating reproduction, it is the key to maintaining the human race.

Sources

• Estrogen is primarily secreted by the ovaries, but smaller amounts are produced by the adrenal glands.

Benefits

• Moderate estrogen levels regulate a woman's mood, menstrual cycle, mental clarity and other health-related processes.

Warning

• Ovarian cancer, breast cancer and heart disease have been linked to abnormally high levels of estrogen. Some estrogen-containing foods can contribute to the body's natural stores of the hormone.

Prevention/Solution

• To prevent estrogen-related cancers, consult your physician, especially if you have a history of breast, ovarian or cervical cancer in your family.