It’s no secret that as we age our bodies change. As women when we approach menopause we can anticipate many subsequent adjustments in our sex life. To better understand what we will go through and how to navigate it, we need to first understand the biological queen in charge: Estrogen.
what is estrogen and how does it work?
Estrogen is responsible for many of your body’s functions, regulating a woman’s journey through puberty, fertility and menopause. According to https://www.hormone.org/, estrogen is “...produced primarily in your ovaries [and] regulates your menstrual cycle, maintains pregnancy and keeps bones strong”. Estrogen is additionally responsible for the growth of our breasts, pubic and underarm hair as well as non-sexual functions such as maintaining our cholesterol and brain (yes, it can be an influencer when it comes to our moods). While estrogen is primarily produced in our ovaries, it is also located in our adrenal glands and fat tissue. It moves through our blood and “acts everywhere in your body” (https://www.hormone.org/your-health-and-hormones/glands-and-hormones-a-to-z/hormones/estrogen).
the three types of estrogen:
• Estrone (E1)
• Estradiol (E2) • most potent
responsible for breast development,
reproductive health, other female
characteristics
• Estriol (E3) • least potent
most beneficial for for vaginal health, which makes it the most effective for vaginal dryness and thinning
Tip: To find out what your estrogen levels are, make an appointment with your medical
provider to get a blood or urine test to analyze
your hormone panel.
what happens if our estrogen levels are low?
Estrogens are responsible for many of your body’s functions, regulating a woman’s journey through puberty, fertility and menopause. The effects of lowered estrogen can include but are not limited to:
● Hot flashes and/or night sweats
● Vaginal dryness
● Infrequent or stopping of menstrual periods
● Mood swings/ depression/ fatigue/ mental fogginess
● Dry skin/ wrinkles/acne
● Lowered sex drive
● Sleep difficulty
● Headaches
experiencing some of these symptoms?
There are ways we can help. If after visiting your doctor and low estrogen is confirmed, they are likely to recommend hormone replacement therapy. Our estriol body cream is a topical cream that is bioidentical to the hormone in your body. Women use the estriol body cream to supplement their bodies estrogen levels and bring their levels back to normal.
Written by : Angelik Karapetian, Founder of mother•s dose, PharmD.