Estrogens are considered the primary female sex hormone. They are classified as steroid compounds and they are import in the estrous cycle.
There are many types of estrogens that are produced in the female body, they are;
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Estradiol - Estradiol is considered the most powerful of the estrogen hormones. It is the hormone responsible for breast growth as well as reproductive epithelia and other female characteristics.
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Estriol - Estriol is weakest of the estrogen hormones and is considered the "pregnancy hormone", because it is almost exclusively produced during pregnancy. It is the major estrogen produced in the normal human fetus.
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Estrone -Estrone produced primarily from androstenedione originating from the gonads or the adrenal cortex.
In humans they are all produced from androgens.
Estrogen hormones are found in much higher levels in woman at reproductive age and they help regulate the menstrual cycle and promote the development of female characteristics, such as breasts. In males they help regluate certain functions of the reproductive system and may be necessary for a healthy libido
