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What Is Estrogen? What is estrogen and how does it affect your health? If you're interested in lowering your risk of breast cancer,or if you want to understand how to prevent recurrence after treatment, it's important to understand the role that estrogen, and other hormones, play in your health. Get started by reading about estrogen. Estrogen is a female sex hormone produced by the ovaries, the adrenal glands, and body fat. It is responsible for the development and maintenance of female secondary sexual characteristics, such as the breasts. It also helps to maintain health in other parts of the body, including the heart, brain, bone, and liver. Estrogen Definition and FunctionsEstrogen is a type of female hormone. Hormones are vital chemical substances in humans and animals. Often referred to as "chemical messengers," hormones carry information and instructions from one group of cells to another. In the human body, hormones influence almost every cell, organ and function. They regulate human growth, development, tissue function, sexual function, the way the body uses food, the body's response to emergencies, and even moods. The estrogenic hormones are uniquely responsible for the growth and development of female sexual characteristics and reproduction. The term "estrogen" includes a group of chemically similar hormones: estrone, estradiol (the most abundant) and estriol. Estrogen is produced in the ovaries, adrenal glands and fat tissues. More specifically, the estradiol and estrone forms are produced in the ovaries, while estriol is produced by the placenta during pregnancy.  In women, estrogen circulates in the bloodstream and binds to estrogen receptors on cells in targeted tissues, affecting not only the breast and uterus, but also the brain, bone, liver, heart and other tissues. Estrogen controls growth of the uterine lining during the first part of the menstrual cycle, causes changes in the breasts during adolescence and pregnancy, and regulates various other metabolic processes, including bone growth and cholesterol levels. Estrogen Replacement Therapy or HRT: Low levels of estrogen can be caused by natural, surgical, or chemical menopause, and by estrogen suppression medications. Some side effects of low estrogen may include: hot flashes, headaches, night sweats and vaginal dryness. Some women may be able to take HRT (hormone replacement therapy) to help counteract these effects. Long-term Use of Estrogen is Safe Within LimitsEstrogen and Breast Cancer: Some kinds of breast cancer are fueled by high amounts of estrogen. That's the reason that estrogen suppression medications are an important part of treatment that prevents recurrence. Here is an overview of the main types of breast cancer: ductal, lobular, inflammatory, and Paget's disease. For more information visit: http://www.breastactives.com/?aid=538961 2010-03-04
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