Estrogen has gotten a bad rap somehow in the press and in the public eye. This misunderstood hormone plays many important roles in both females and males. Typically, younger women who are experiencing regular cycles, are not deficient in this hormone. But as we age and the stressed of life and the environment interfere with its synthesis, our estrogen levels begin to drop.
Bio-identical and very closely monitored estrogen optimization can be accomplished with the help of a trained practitioner. Synthetic estrogens are no longer used and have become obsolete due to the evidence of the harm they caused. The Women's Health Initiative Studies proved that synthetic estrogens and progestins (derived from urine of mares) were detrimental to women's health. The molecules that formed these synthetic hormones were very different from the molecules that form within the human body.
There are much safer ways to optimized estrogen levels. A future blog will discuss various approaches and also differentiate between the three individual hormones that make up estrogen (i.e. estradiol, estriol, estrone) and their metabolites (by-products). For now, understand that there is now bio-identical estrogen which looks molecularly just like ours.
Estrogen has about 400 functions in the body - below are the 10 most important you should know about.
10 Things You Should Know About Estrogen:
1) Stimulates production of an enzyme which prevents Alzheimer's
2) Helps maintain muscle
3) Improves sleep
4) Increases metabolic rate
5) Helps insulin work better in the body
6) Regulates body temperature
7) Helps maintain the elasticity of arteries
8) Decreases blood pressure
9) Increases blood flow
10) Decreases the accumulation of plaque on
arteries