In women, estrogen is produced by the adrenal glands, ovaries, and fat tissues throughout the body. Estrogen is group of hormones which includes: estrone, estriol, and estradiol. This group of hormones is involved in the development and preservation of female reproductive tissues. In addition, estrogen affects bone mass and other body tissues.

Estrone is produced mostly in the ovaries before menopause. However estrone is present all over the body and remains present in a woman’s body even after menopause. Estriol is produced from the placenta during pregnancy. On the other hand, estradiol is the main sex hormone of women during childbearing age. Estradiol is mostly produced by the ovaries and it can be one of the causing factors of complications with the female reproductive system.

Estrogen levels can decrease for a variety of reasons including childbirth, breastfeeding, perimenopause, menopause, excessive exercising, and PCOS (polycystic ovary syndrome). The symptoms of low estrogen can also vary greatly depending on the person. They can include: fatigue, depression, anxiety, headaches, joint pain, weight gain, bloating, vaginal dryness, loss in libido, thinning hair, hot flashes, night sweats, and more. High estrogen levels may be attributed to pregnancy, stress, poor diet, and lack of exercise. Many of the symptoms of high estrogen are similar to the symptoms of low estrogen. Therefore it is important to contact a trained hormone replacement therapist to determine any hormone level imbalances.