Understanding Oestrogen
Oestrogen affects far more than periods and pregnancy. This module has four chapters on what oestrogen does in the body, how its role changes through life, what high or low levels can mean for your mood, bones, skin and heart, and how to support healthy levels.
Understanding Oestrogen
4 Chapters remaining
14min left
Oestrogen affects far more than periods and pregnancy. This module has four chapters on what oestrogen does in the body, how its role changes through life, what high or low levels can mean for your mood, bones, skin and heart, and how to support healthy levels.
Chapter 1
Introduction to Oestrogen
A grounding in what oestrogen is and why it matters well beyond reproduction. The chapter explains how the hormone affects the menstrual cycle, mood, heart health, bone density, skin and hair. It sets out where oestrogen is made, mainly in the ovaries with smaller amounts from the adrenal glands and fat tissue, and by the placenta during pregnancy. Readers learn that oestrogen is a steroid hormone made from cholesterol with the help of the enzyme aromatase, and meet its three types, estradiol, estrone and estriol, each dominant at a different stage of life. The chapter ends by explaining that men produce oestrogen too.
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Chapter 2
Oestrogen in Different Life Stages
How oestrogen levels rise and fall across a lifetime, from before puberty to after menopause. The chapter explains why levels stay low in childhood while the hypothalamus is still developing, then how a surge at puberty triggers changes such as breast development and the start of periods. It follows oestrogen through the menstrual cycle, describing the signals between the hypothalamus, pituitary gland and ovaries, the peak before ovulation and how oestrogen works with progesterone afterwards. It also covers pregnancy, when oestrogen is higher than at any other time, and the decline at menopause that causes most menopausal symptoms and why hormone replacement may be used.
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Health Implications of Oestrogen Level
What happens when oestrogen is too low or too high, and the parts of the body most affected. The chapter describes how low levels can bring fatigue, mood swings and brittle bones, and why the risks of osteoporosis and heart problems may increase after menopause. It notes that some conditions, such as thyroid disorders, can raise oestrogen, and that prolonged high levels may be linked to conditions like endometriosis. Separate pages explain oestrogen's role in bone growth and turnover, in keeping cholesterol and blood vessels healthy, and in brain chemistry, including its connection with serotonin and the mood changes that fluctuations can cause.
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Managing and Supporting Healthy Oestrogen Levels
The final chapter looks at keeping oestrogen in balance and when to seek medical support. It explains how sleep, weight and stress can affect hormone levels, and the difference that balanced nutrition and simple lifestyle changes can make. Readers learn which persistent symptoms may point to an imbalance, including signs that someone over 40 may be entering perimenopause. The chapter covers the value of regular check-ups and blood tests during life changes such as puberty and menopause, and introduces treatment options such as hormone replacement therapy, which a healthcare provider can tailor to individual needs. It closes by recapping oestrogen's influence on wellbeing.
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