January 11th, 2017
Females have two main sex hormones; estrogen and progesterone. Men have estrogen too, but the serum levels are generally very low. This hormone is responsible for the female sexual traits such as, feminine appearance, sexual development and reproductive activities.
It helps a girl transition into a woman at the time of puberty. Normal serum levels of this hormone are needed to facilitate the physical changes, such as:
The monthly ovarian (or menstrual) cycle is also controlled by this hormone, that plays a vital role in the conception or reproduction. Besides reproductive functions, estrogen also helps in:
Ovaries are the main source of this hormone production. Besides ovaries, fat tissues and adrenal glands also secrete estrogen, but in very little amount. The secreted estrogen enters into the blood stream from where it acts on different areas of your body.
There are mainly three types of estrogen:
The level of this hormone fluctuates throughout the menstrual cycle. During monthly ovarian cycle, these levels are at its lowest while it peaks during the middle of menstrual cycle. At the time of menopause, this level drops permanently.
Sometimes, estrogen levels increase or decrease significantly in your serum for many reasons. Sometimes receiving estrogen replacement therapy or using birth control pills can increase the serum of this hormone way too much.
A urine or blood sample is taken to check estrogen levels. One should keep a check on their symptoms and if something unusual is experienced, note it down and consult your doctor at earliest convenience.
Symptoms of low estrogen are experienced after surgical removal of ovaries or at menopause. These are;
In men, low level of this hormone reduce the sexual drive and increase the belly fat.
High level of this hormone can:
In men if this hormone gets increased it may lead to:
For right treatment, it is necessary to provide complete medical history including, surgeries and child births to your physician. Your doctor may also ask about sexual history, don’t feel embarrassed and do not hide anything. A complete pelvic examination is usually to look for the signs of infection, irritation, skin disease or any congenital abnormality. To locate the site of pain, a gentle pressure may be applied to pelvis and genitals. Sometimes, visual inspection is done via speculum, an instrument that separates the walls of vagina. For some women, pelvic examination can be too painful to handle especially if there are any cystic or non-cystic masses; in all such cases, you may ask the doctor to stop anytime. Depending upon condition, pelvic ultrasound may be suggested.
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