Is estrogen good? Is estrogen bad? Do I need it? These are just
some of the questions I seem to be getting daily in my practice
as the “story” about hormones gets increasingly confusing. Let’s
take a deeper look at an not so simple category: estrogen!
Estrogen is among the most powerful class of hormones. Although
we commonly think of estrogen as one substance or one type of
hormone in our bodies, it is actually a class of naturally
occurring sex hormones produced by the ovaries and the adrenal
glands. There are at least two dozen known estrogens, all with
various functions; every organ, including the brain, heart,
ovaries, and liver, has estrogen-sensitive receptor sites. The
most commonly discussed estrogens are estrone, estradiol, and
estriol, produced in our bodies. But, estrogens produced in the
body are not the only ones we are exposed to. Many women take
estrogen replacement or supplementation and believe it or not,
there are estrogens in the air we breathe, the water we drink,
and the foods we eat. Un