When you hear ‘sex hormones’ you probably connect them to sex-related functions, like sex drive, sexual function, sexual development, reproduction and gender. However, your sex hormones, for women – estrogen and progesterone, and a small amount of testosterone, and for men – testosterone – all play a role in multiple different functions in the body, not just pertaining to sex.
We’re going to be focusing on the female sex hormones during this blog post as we examine how they interact and affect other processes in the body. Let’s get started!
What are your sex hormones?
Hormones are natural substances produced in the body. They help to relay messages between cells and organs and affect many bodily functions. As mentioned above, for women the sex hormones are estrogen, progesterone and in a small amount, testosterone.
In terms of how they relate to sex-related functions, estrogen is predominantly produced in the ovaries (and a minor amount in the adrenal glands and fat cells) and is responsible for facilitating the release of the egg for the inception of life. Estrogen is also connected to a number of other sex-related functions aside from reproduction, including:
- Sexual desire
- Vaginal lubrication
- Puberty
- Physically female development (breasts, wider hips, pubic hair)
Progesterone helps you regulate your cycle. It’s main job is to prepare the endometrium for the potential of pregnancy after ovulation. It triggers the lining to thicken to accept a fertilized egg, and it inhibits muscular contractions in the uterus that would cause the body to reject an egg.
What are the other functions of your sex hormones?
Aside from the sex-related functions of our sex hormones, estrogen and progesterone affect us more than you may think.
As you can see in the diagram below, estrogen affects nearly all aspects of the body including:
- The reproductive tract
- The urinary tract
- The heart
- Blood vessels
- Bones
- Breasts
- Skin
- Hair
- Mucous membranes
- Pelvic muscles
- The brain
When your levels of estrogen are low, your body and mind start to suffer. Not only will your sex drive and menstrual cycle be affected, you will start to feel the effects elsewhere in the body. For example, estrogen regulates glucose (carbohydrate) and lipid (fat) metabolism, and when estrogen levels are low, an individual is likely to experience weight gain. This is partially why women gain weight leading up to menopause, because their levels of estrogen have decreased.
Estrogen also affects the brain. It helps to increase serotonin and the number of serotonin receptors in the brain, serotonin is a feel good hormone and neurotransmitter that greatly affects your mood and general wellbeing.
This is why throughout your menstrual cycle you are likely to experience a fluctuation in your mood. A mild fluctuation is normal as levels of estrogen rise and fall throughout the menstrual cycle, however any serious mood dips may be indicative of an imbalance.
Similarly, progesterone is considered by many a neurosteroid because of the crucial role it plays in many vital functions of the brain including:
- Neurogenesis (the growth and development of nervous system tissue)
- Regeneration (repairing damaged brain cells)
- Cognitive function
- Mood
- Inflammation
- Central nervous system function
For example, a 2017 study found that progesterone is neuroprotective, when examined in the case of central nervous system injuries, including stroke victims. When levels of progesterone are low, all of these functions are affected.
As you can see, your sex hormones affect more than just reproduction and sex. In fact, they affect pretty much everything in the body! That’s why it’s essential to monitor your symptoms and get your hormones checked regularly.
Meet Emilina
Emilina is a clinically trained nutritionist turned health writer who has worked with top health and wellness brands including the National Football League (NFL), Muscle & Strength, Breaking Muscle as well as manages written content for many professional athletes. She currently lives in Orange County, California.
More about Emilina