It is known that in the human body there is a so-called hormonal background. It is the balance of all the hormones in our body, and hormonal bursts are physiological, that is, a normal reaction of the body, such as a sharp release of adrenaline into the blood with a strong fright. For women and men, this balance is naturally different, which is associated with different reproductive systems. The mood, health and even appearance depend on hormonal balance. In the female body, this role is played by estrogens, gestagens and androgens. What are these hormones? And how do they affect a woman’s body?
Estrogens
This is the most female hormone. It is produced by the ovaries and at the stage of puberty has a “maturing” function: in girls, the mammary glands increase, hair appears in the armpits, on the pubis, and the pelvis expands, acquiring a feminine form for further delivery. It is these moments that prepare the future girl for sexual life and future conception. In addition, estrogen affects the appearance and well-being of a woman. At his norm, a woman feels great and looks much better and fresher than her peers who have problems with the hormonal background.
Androgens and estrogens are also jointly produced by the adrenal glands. This hormone is synthesized from fat cells, but not any, namely from those located on the hips, the so-called "ears". For this reason, a healthy woman always has a fat layer in this area. But here is an interesting fact that not many know: a woman’s adipose tissue should only be where the hormone is produced, so there shouldn’t be normal body fat on the stomach. The norm is considered to be 1 cm of fat, which carries only one simple function: depreciation during sexual intercourse.
Androgens
These are the precursors of estrogen. The ratio of androgens to estrogens affects the success of egg maturation. Androgens are considered male sex hormones. The most famous of all is testosterone. We learn about its manifestations on the example of women who use it for sporting events: a coarse, low voice, increased hair growth and male-type hair growth on the pubis, increased sweating, and a highly developed muscular system.
The reasons for the low level of androgen production are:
- The adrenal glands and ovaries produce too many hormones due to benign tumors of these organs. May occur, for example, with polycystic ovary. In this case, the level of androgens may be the same as the level of a young sexually mature man.
- The hormone is produced in the proper amount, but not enough protein compounds that carry it.
- Hypersensitivity to androgens.
Gestagens
Also known as progesterone or the "pregnancy hormone". They are formed in the corpus luteum of the ovaries from cholesterol and in the adrenal glands. The level of estrogens and progestogens in a woman’s body depends on the phase of the menstrual cycle: in the first half, estrogens predominate, by the time of ovulation they are replaced by progestogens, and the latter begin to prevail in the second phase of the cycle. Progesterone is responsible for the duration of the menstrual cycle: if it is longer than normal (the cycle is more than 35 days), then it indicates progesterone deficiency.
Other functions of progesterone:
- promotes the conception and bearing of the fetus;
- stimulates lactation after childbirth;
- menstrual cycle regulator;
- inhibits the immune system during pregnancy to prevent rejection of the fetus as a “foreign object”;
- preparing the pelvic muscles for childbirth.
Nevertheless, it is not in vain that he is called the “pregnancy hormone”. But this is not all of its functions: it regulates mood, hair growth, sebum production and so on.
Climax
This is a condition that has developed due to a decrease or absence of female sex hormones due to age-related ovarian dysfunction or forced (for example, when they are removed). During this period, women suffer from sensations of heat, irritability, impaired memory and weight, the development of hypertension and coronary heart disease.
Menopause treatment
It can be produced in two ways: medication and non-medication. The last option is adherence to sleep and rest, diet, physical activity according to individual capabilities or physiotherapy exercises, physiotherapy courses, rest in sanatoriums. Drug therapy is a replacement for what is missing. That is, hormones are prescribed.
Estrogens and androgens: proportion
As mentioned earlier: androgens are the precursors of estrogen. The hormones we are most interested in are representatives of these two groups: estradiol and testosterone. The functions of androgens and estrogens are completely opposite. Therefore, when diagnosing the hormonal background of a woman, the gynecologist pays special attention to this ratio. Normally, estradiol should be 10 times more testosterone, although androgens and estrogens are produced by one organ. The ratio 7: 1 is the limit. A 5: 1 ratio is already considered an increased level of testosterone and is called hyperandrogenism.
Because of this condition, vegetation increases on the face, and on the head, on the contrary, alopecia. The menstrual cycle is broken, the voice changes, the shoulder girdle enlarges and the clitoris enlarges.
With a shift in the ratio of hormones in the opposite direction, hyperestrogenism occurs. The development of this condition becomes the starting point of various female diseases, one of which is endometriosis. The development mechanism is that under the influence of an increased amount of estrogen, the uterine endometrium grows. If you ignore this disease and its treatment, it can lead to infertility.