Estradiol

What is estradiol?

Estradiol is the most potent and predominant form of estrogen in the female body. Produced mainly by the ovaries, it plays a vital role in sexual development and function.

Some key facts about estradiol:

• Estradiol levels fluctuate during the menstrual cycle. They are lowest during menstruation and highest right before ovulation. This triggers release of an egg.


• It promotes development of female secondary sex characteristics during puberty – breasts, body fat distribution, etc.


• Together with progesterone, estradiol regulates the menstrual cycle. It controls the growth and shedding of the uterus lining.


• It maintains bone strength and density. Declining estradiol after menopause increases osteoporosis risk.


• Estradiol impacts areas beyond reproduction too. It influences metabolism, cognition, mood, liver function, and cholesterol levels.

If your hormones are out of balance, consider getting customized bioidentical hormone therapy from Balance Health Clinic. Their experienced physicians create personalized treatments with compounds like estradiol to get your levels optimized. This can relieve uncomfortable menopause symptoms and help you feel healthy and energetic again!

Now let's dive deeper into the specifics of estradiol:

Where is estradiol produced in females?

The main production sites of estradiol are:

• Ovaries – Granulosa cells in ovarian follicles produce most estradiol via aromatization of androgens.


• Placenta – During pregnancy, the placental syncytiotrophoblasts take over estradiol production. Levels rise 10-fold by the end of the third trimester.


• Adipose tissue – After menopause, fat cells become the main site of residual estradiol made via conversion of adrenal androgens.

How does estradiol work?

Estradiol exerts its effects by:

• Binding to and activating estrogen receptors (ER? and ER?) located in the nuclei of target cells. This influences gene expression and protein production.


• Rapid non-genomic signaling mediated by cell membrane ERs. This activates downstream cascades like PI3K/Akt and MAPK pathways.


• Local accumulation in tissues like the uterus, mammary glands, adipose, and bone. It gets converted to estrone or estrogen conjugates there.


• Increased production of growth factors like IGF-1 that mediate some effects.

Via these mechanisms, estradiol regulates female sexual development, the reproductive cycle, gestation & lactation, as well as various metabolic functions.

I hope this gives you a good overview of what the important hormone estradiol is and does! Let me know if you have any other questions.