Estrogen is a hormone that’s naturally produced by your body. It’s found in both men and women. Estrogen plays an important role in managing your reproductive system, but it also protects your bones and helps your skin heal from bruises and injury.
Sometimes, your body doesn’t make enough estrogen. This can happen for various reasons. For example, your estrogen production slows down as you get older. Some conditions can also affect your estrogen levels.
If your estrogen levels are low, your doctor may prescribe hormone therapy to help replace your estrogen levels and ease symptoms. Some researchTrusted Source suggests that long-term hormone therapy use may increase your risk for complications, however, including severe ones like cancer. Talk with your doctor about this before you begin using hormone therapy.
Keep reading to learn more about the benefits and risks of estrogen, and which conditions may be treated with hormone therapy.
1. Relieves menopause symptoms
Your natural estrogen production changes over time. As you begin puberty, you will create more estrogen. You’ll continue to have higher levels through your childbearing years. As menopause approaches, your estrogen levels will begin falling.
As estrogen levels fall, you will start having symptoms of menopause. Most commonly, these symptoms include:
hot flashes
vaginal dryness
chills
difficulty sleeping
excessive sweating
For menopause, many doctors will prescribe an estrogen-containing medication. Replacing the declining estrogen with hormone therapy may help ease menopause symptoms.
