Estrogen

Estrogens are a family of related molecules that stimulate the development and maintenance of female characteristics and sexual reproduction.

What is Estrogen?

Estrogens (also called Oestrogens) are steroid compounds that are important for development and functioning of females of the species. They are named so because they play an important role in the estrous cycle. Their name comes from estrus/oistros (period of fertility for female mammals) + gen/gonos = to generate.

The Role of Estrogen in Men’s Health

Estrogen in Medicine

Estrogen in Cosmetics

Estradiol and Estrogen Levels

Estrogen Types

Estrogen Function

Latest Estrogen News and Research

Powerlifting through breast cancer treatment shows new hope

LaShae Rolle, 27, is a competitive powerlifer who could squat 441 pounds, bench 292 pounds and deadlift 497 pounds. She is also a breast cancer survivor and researcher and the lead author on a first-of-its kind study documenting elite-level strength training during active breast cancer treatment.

23 Jul 2025

Dual cancer drugs restore memory and rewire brain cells in Alzheimer’s mouse models

Researchers identified a combination of two existing cancer drugs, letrozole and irinotecan, that reversed Alzheimer’s disease-related changes in brain cell networks and improved memory in mouse models. The study supports a multi-cell-type, network-correcting strategy as a promising path for future Alzheimer’s treatments.

22 Jul 2025

Common medications impact gut microbiome and promote pathogen growth

The human intestine is home to a dense network of microorganisms, known collectively as the gut microbiome, which actively helps to shape our health.

16 Jul 2025

Gut-brain axis in eating disorders offers new treatment potential

Understanding the gut-brain axis is key to addressing eating disorders. This study highlights microbiota's influence and emerging therapeutic approaches.

16 Jul 2025

New insights into depressive symptoms in premature ovarian insufficiency

Premature menopause has been described as a life-changing diagnosis with profound physical, psychological, and social consequences. Affected women not only experience the effects of estrogen deficiency, but they also experience the unanticipated loss of reproductive function.

16 Jul 2025

Targeting vasopressin neurons alleviates postpartum depression

Researchers at Nanjing University's School of Life Sciences, in collaboration with colleagues from Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, and the Peng Cheng Laboratory, have identified a specific brain circuit that eases depressive-like behaviors in a mouse model of postpartum depression, providing a promising target for future treatments. This work addresses how sudden drops in estrogen after childbirth can trigger mood disturbances.

15 Jul 2025

Oxytocin may protect mood during sleep disruption in women

Oxytocin, often called "the love hormone," may play a protective role in mood disturbances triggered by sleep loss and hormonal shifts during key reproductive transitions like postpartum and menopause, according to a study being presented Saturday at ENDO 2025, the Endocrine Society's annual meeting in San Francisco, Calif.

12 Jul 2025

Osteoblast estrogen receptor signaling found essential for bone integrity

Estrogen plays an important role in keeping bones healthy. Now, researchers investigated how membrane-initiated estrogen receptor alpha (mERα) signaling in specific cell types of female mice affects bone health.

12 Jul 2025

Intestinal microbiome and metabolite profiles linked to chemotherapy response in breast cancer

Announcing a new article publication for BIO Integration journal. Imbalances in the intestinal microbiome are closely associated with the occurrence and development of cancer, and can affect tumorigenesis by influencing the inflammatory response, regulating the immune system, producing specific metabolites, and participating in tumor signaling pathways.

11 Jul 2025

How a simple blood test can forecast future health risks

Plasma proteomics reveals that the biological ages of key organs, especially the brain and immune system, strongly predict the risk of future disease and early death. These organ-specific “clocks” provide a new tool for identifying those at highest risk and personalizing preventive care.

10 Jul 2025

HHS eliminates CDC staff who made sure birth control is safe for women at risk

For Brianna Henderson, birth control isn’t just about preventing pregnancy.

1 Jul 2025

Study links hormone therapy to breast cancer risk in younger women

Scientists at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) have found that two common types of hormone therapy may alter breast cancer risk in women before age 55.

1 Jul 2025

Vegetables and dairy may lower endometriosis risk

A major umbrella review shows that higher intake of vegetables and dairy products is linked to a lower risk of endometriosis, while butter and high caffeine intake appear to increase risk. However, the evidence remains weak due to limitations in existing observational studies.

30 Jun 2025

Regular sexual activity can reduce problematic menopause symptoms, study suggests

It's no secret that women often become less interested in sex with age. However, orgasm and satisfaction have been shown to not decline significantly with age.

25 Jun 2025

Scientists discover on/off gene switches that could revolutionize personalized medicine

Scientists identified 473 human genes that act as genetic “on/off switches,” shaping disease risk through tissue-specific or universal patterns regulated by DNA changes and hormones. These findings could pave the way for more precise diagnostics and personalized therapies across cancers, immune, skin, and metabolic diseases.

22 Jun 2025

Men lose more weight than women on the keto diet, new study reveals why

Men lose more weight than women on a ketogenic diet, according to a comprehensive review in Frontiers in Nutrition. Sex differences in hormones, metabolism, and fat distribution influence the effectiveness of the ketogenic diet for obesity.

22 Jun 2025

Body composition associated with pelvic floor disorder symptoms in middle-aged women

According to a recent study conducted at the University of Jyväskylä, Finland, body composition is associated with symptoms of pelvic floor disorders in middle-aged women.

19 Jun 2025

Chemical pairing of BPA and retinoic acid disrupts brain development

Synthetic chemicals and plastics are useful and indispensable in our lives. On the other hand, the world is grappling with plastic pollution-clogging oceans, threatening wildlife, and leaching into ecosystems.

19 Jun 2025

Estrogen-responsive cells found to heighten gut pain in females

Researchers uncovered how estrogen heightens gut sensitivity in females by activating PYY-secreting L-cells, which stimulate serotonin release from EC cells. This paracrine circuit intensifies pain signaling and may explain the sex bias in conditions like IBS.

16 Jun 2025

Mycotoxin exposure during pregnancy linked to lower birthweight

Exposure to mycotoxins – a broad group of harmful substances produced by mold – during pregnancy may impact placental function, which could result in lower birthweight in humans, according to Rutgers Health researchers.

16 Jun 2025