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What is Estradiol?

Adam Hill
Adam Hill

Estradiol is a sex hormone that is present in both males and females, and is the most important form of estrogen in humans. In women, it plays a key role in the development and functioning of the reproductive system, as well as in the growth of certain bones. It also governs the distribution of body fat in women and is the main hormone responsible for the fact that women are shorter than men, on average. Both the ovaries and the adrenal glands produce it.

The menstrual cycle in women involves predictable variations in the levels of several hormones, with estradiol being one of them. It is involved in the ovulation process and prepares the inner lining of the uterus for implantation, should the egg be fertilized. Certain tests done on baboons and other primates have indicated that his hormone also plays a continual role in maintaining a pregnancy, helping it to last for the full gestation period.

The sex hormone estradiol is the main reason men are taller than women.
The sex hormone estradiol is the main reason men are taller than women.

As a sex hormone, it also triggers many of the developments of the reproductive system that begin in puberty. It is present throughout the reproductive years, and declines during and after menopause. This decline is precisely what causes many of the symptoms of menopause, such as hot flashes and night sweats, vaginal dryness, and the loss of bone mass that may lead to osteoporosis.

A diagram of the female reproductive system, including the ovaries, which produce estradiol.
A diagram of the female reproductive system, including the ovaries, which produce estradiol.

Injections of estradiol are sometimes given to treat symptoms like these. They can also be used to compensate for ovary failure or similar conditions in women, and some forms of it can treat symptoms caused by prostate cancer in men. When given to women, it is necessary for them to use an effective form of birth control, due to the high risk of complications and birth defects that would exist in the event of a pregnancy.

Elevated levels of estradiol may cause a lowered sperm count in men.
Elevated levels of estradiol may cause a lowered sperm count in men.

Despite a common belief to the contrary, estrogens are important for male reproductive health and development as well. Estradiol is produced by a certain type of cell in the testes, and evidence suggests that it may be responsible for preventing the spontaneous death of sperm cells. Elevated levels can have negative effects, including a lowered sperm count. Males who have genetic conditions involving the sex chromosomes, such as Klinefelter's Syndrome, often have higher-than-normal levels. While it is primarily a sex hormone, estradiol also has complex interactions with the liver, governing the production of certain proteins, including those responsible for blood clotting.

Discussion Comments

anon948417

I have been on Estradiol 1 gram for three years and am very happy with the results. I've not had any side effects. I was having very severe night sweats. I was given a hysterectomy when I was 32 years old, leaving the ovaries, due to cancer. I started getting hot flashes in my late 40s and it went on into my early 50s.

I was so tired of dealing with it, that I finally asked my doctor about an option of taking hormones. I have a different doctor than when I had cervical cancer, he said that it is actually better to take it than not since I had the cervical cancer. I'm pleased to report no hot flashes for three years. It's been a huge relief. I also don't have vaginal dryness and sex is like it was when I was younger. We don't have to use a lubricant anymore. That's refreshing also.

ddljohn

@burcidi-- That's right!

There are medications that block estradiol in the body but it's not right to use them to grow taller. These medications are usually used for breast cancer patients to try and stop the cancer from spreading. High estrogen levels can make cancer spread faster in women.

SarahGen

@seag47-- I don't think estradiol increases the risk pregnancy, it increases the risk of giving birth to a child who has health problems. Medications and hormones affect the growth of the embryo and that is why it is dangerous to take it during pregnancy.

It is not possible to get pregnant in menopause. There may be some exceptions for women who still have their ovaries or who take hormone therapy. But for women who are in complete menopause, it's impossible to get pregnant because the ovaries don't produce eggs any more. Even if fertilization took place, the hormone levels are too low to maintain pregnancy.

burcidi

Is it the higher levels of estradiol that causes women to be shorter than men?

If a girl's estradiol levels were changed with medication, will it make her taller?

cloudel

@seag47 – I think it depends on the stage of menopause that a person is undergoing. I know it's possible to get pregnant during perimenopause, because my grandmother did.

However, I've always heard that once you go a year without a period, you can't get pregnant. Since most women take estradiol hormone therapy to replace what they lost during menopause, they are not likely to get pregnant, because they have already reached the stage past which this is impossible.

seag47

Could women who receive estradiol during menopause become pregnant? I know that the article says women who are taking it should take birth control, but does it increase the risk of getting pregnant so much that even a menopausal woman could have a baby?

golf07

Reading the possible estradiol side effects (just like taking any medication) can give you a lot to think about. I know some women who have complained of headache and some dizziness. Another friend I know also had some shortness of breath.

You just need to work closely with your doctor to determine what is going to work best with you. Sometimes you may start out with one thing, but have to switch to something else or monitor your dosage closely.

Mykol

I have been recommended to start using estradiol and have not made the decision whether I want to start or not. If I begin taking it, I would either go with the estradiol pills or the patch. I just am concerned about the long term side effects of taking this kind of hormone.

I wonder if the symptoms of hot flashes and night sweats are better or worse than any side effects from taking the estradiol. I have heard both pros and cons and suppose everybody reacts differently.

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    • The sex hormone estradiol is the main reason men are taller than women.
      By: Stephen Orsillo
      The sex hormone estradiol is the main reason men are taller than women.
    • A diagram of the female reproductive system, including the ovaries, which produce estradiol.
      By: chart
      A diagram of the female reproductive system, including the ovaries, which produce estradiol.
    • Elevated levels of estradiol may cause a lowered sperm count in men.
      By: Joshua Resnick
      Elevated levels of estradiol may cause a lowered sperm count in men.
    • Declining estriadol levels during menopause may cause hot flashes.
      By: Ana Blazic Pavlovic
      Declining estriadol levels during menopause may cause hot flashes.
    • Estradiol is sometimes used to treat the symptoms of prostate cancer.
      By: rob3000
      Estradiol is sometimes used to treat the symptoms of prostate cancer.
    • Estradiol may be used as a treatment for osteoporosis.
      By: peterjunaidy
      Estradiol may be used as a treatment for osteoporosis.