Female sex hormones: how they control your life
I know that hormone levels change significantly during puberty, pregnancy and menopause. But how exactly does this affect a woman? What about her sex life?
Contents of the article:
Hormones and their functions
Hormones are special substances produced by endocrine glands and released into the blood. They regulate many processes in the body and are responsible for sleep, appetite and growth.
Sex hormones play a special role in sexual development and reproduction. In men they are produced by the testicular circle, in women — by the ovaries. Sex hormones in the human body perform a number of functions and are responsible for:
- Puberty;
- Childbirth;
- Sexual desire;
- Regulating bone and muscle growth;
- Inflammatory reactions;
- Regulation of cholesterol levels;
The level of sex hormones fluctuates throughout a person’s life. Factors that can affect the level of sex hormones in a woman”s body include:
- Age;
- Menstruation;
- Pregnancy;
- Menopause;
- Stress;
- Taking medications;
- Environment.
Lack of sexual desire, hair loss, problems with childbirth, etc. — this may indicate an imbalance of sex hormones in the body.
Types of female sex hormones
Female sex hormones include estrogen, progesterone and testosterone. Yes, it”s testosterone. It is still present in the female body, albeit in small quantities.
Now we will look at each of the above types in more detail.
Probably one of the most famous female sex hormones. Most estrogen is produced in the ovaries, but the adrenal glands and fat cells also produce small amounts. This hormone plays a crucial role in female reproductive and sexual development, which begins upon reaching puberty.
This hormone is produced by the ovaries, adrenal glands and placenta. Progesterone levels rise during ovulation and increase sharply during pregnancy.
Progesterone helps stabilize the menstrual cycle and prepares the body for pregnancy. Low levels of this hormone can lead to cycle irregularities, difficulty conceiving, and a high risk of complications during pregnancy.
Testosterone is the main sex hormone in men, but is also present in small quantities in women.
In women, testosterone affects fertility, sexual desire, the menstrual cycle, bone tissue and red blood cell levels.
Puberty
In women, puberty usually begins between 8 and 13 years of age. During this period, the pituitary gland begins to produce large amounts of luteinizing hormone and follicle-stimulating hormone, which stimulate the production of estrogen and progesterone.
Read also: Labia majora — how this feature can affect your life
It”s amazing how much time people spend worrying about whether they are too big or too small. Men worry about whether it”s too much.
Elevated levels of these hormones initiate the development of secondary sexual characteristics, which include: a) the production of the body”s own hormones, including estrogen and progesterone, and b) the production of the body”s own hormones.
Thus, during puberty, a girl’s body undergoes certain changes.
Menstruation
Novitiate is a girl’s first menstruation. On average, they begin at the age of 12-13 years. However, the first period can occur at any time between the ages of 8 and 15 years.
After this, the duration of menstruation gradually becomes regular. The menstrual cycle usually lasts about 28 days, but variations (24-38 days) are possible.
It is customary to distinguish three phases in the menstrual cycle.
The first day of menstruation marks the beginning of a new menstrual cycle. During menstruation, blood and uterine tissue leave the body through the vagina. Estrogen and progesterone levels are very low during this period and can cause irritability and mood swings.
The pituitary gland also secretes FSH and LH, which increase estrogen levels and signal the growth of follicles in the ovary. Each follicle contains one egg. After a few days, one dominant follicle appears in each ovary. The ovary absorbs the remaining follicle.
Female sex hormones
Estrogen also enriches the endometrium lining the uterus in preparation for possible pregnancy.
During ovulation, estrogen and LH levels in the body reach their peak, which leads to the rupture of follicles and the release of eggs from the ovaries.
Once released from the ovary, the egg can remain viable for approximately 12-24 hours. Fertilization of the egg can only occur during this period.
During the luteal phase, the oocyte moves from the ovary through the fallopian tubes to the uterus. The ruptured follicle releases progesterone, which thickens the endometrium and prepares it to receive a fertilized egg. When the egg reaches the end of the fallopian tube, it attaches to the wall of the uterus.
Unfertilized eggs reduce estrogen and progesterone levels. This is the beginning of the premenstrual week.
Finally, the unfertilized egg and endometrium are released from the body, ending the current menstrual cycle and beginning the next one.
Pregnancy, menopause and sex
Pregnancy begins from the moment a fertilized egg implants into the wall of the uterus. After implantation, the placenta begins to develop and a number of hormones are produced, including progesterone, relaxin and human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG).
After pregnancy, everything returns to normal, but during lactation, the level of estrogen in the body may decrease.
When menopause occurs, women stop menstruating and are no longer able to conceive. During this period, hormone levels begin to fluctuate again, which can lead to sleep disturbances, mood swings and vaginal dryness.
Decreased estrogen levels can lead to decreased sexual desire, decreased skin tissue density, and osteoporosis. Elevated progesterone levels can also reduce sexual desire.
Low testosterone levels can lead to decreased sexual desire in some women. However, testosterone therapy is ineffective in this case.
In other words, everything depends on hormones. Their imbalance can lead to various health problems, lack of sexual desire, weight gain and even depression. Therefore, it is very important to be attentive to suspicious symptoms and not try certain medications without a doctor”s prescription.
