The Function of Estrogen

Estrogen is actually a word for a group of hormones including estrone, estradiol, and estriol. Estrogen has many different functions in the human body, some very well known and some that may surprise you.

Estrogen

• Estrogen is essentially the hormone that creates sexual feelings and urges in females, both human and animal alike. Estrogen is also responsible for stimulating the characteristics that make a woman a female.

Puberty

• Estrogen plays a large role in a female's puberty, promoting the development of breasts, the uterus and other tissues.

Ovulation

• When an egg follicle matures, it creates estrogen, signaling the uterus to thicken its lining to prepare for pregnancy. Estrogen also keeps the body from ovulating while a woman is pregnant, along with progesterone, another female hormone.

Growth Stimulation

• Estrogen also stimulates the growth of pubic and underarm hair and helps the skeleton complete maturation. It also stimulates the growth of the breast tissue and coloration of the aureole and nipples.

Metabolic Processes

• Estrogen also controls some of the metabolic processes of the human body, such as exactly how fast bones grow. It also helps lower cholesterol levels.