At the end of last month's article I discussed the interaction between opposites: male and female, light and dark, etc. Here, I will continue down that road by observing how hormonal balance affects the reproductive system in women — specifically sex hormones.

Every day, more than 200 hormones are produced in a woman's body. Just as our diet affects our mental and physical health, each of these hormones influences specific functions in our bodies. Hormone levels also fluctuate throughout the day. The most commonly known hormones are sex hormones: testosterone, estrogen, and progesterone.

Because hormones have staggering effects on the body, there are still several hormones that scientists do not completely understand. Estrogen is the most researched female hormone. It is produced in the ovaries and circulates through the body via the bloodstream. Apart from initiating a girl's transition into womanhood, estrogen is also responsible for the development of ideal conditions for the implantation and nourishment of an early embryo within the womb.

While this hormone is key for growth and development of ovarian, uterine, and breast tissue, it also plays a major role in the production of collagen in skin, which is responsible for elasticity and prevention of wrinkles. Estrogen also regulates psychological health and is known to work several other health-improving wonders.

The dominant sex hormones in women help in lubricating, nourishing, and building us. They are the Yin. Even though there are various sex hormones produced by the body, we'll focus on estrogen and progesterone mainly. Estrogen can be defined as the more Yin of the two. In TCM, estrogen is often referred to as, "the Yin within Yin," whereas progesterone is, "the Yang within Yin."

Yin within Yin

Estrogen is the dominant hormone produced during the menstrual cycle's follicular phase. This hormone is produced by the ovaries, fat cells, and various other tissues in our bodies. Reproductive tissues flourish under estrogen's Yin influence. This hormone helps in the production of healthy uterine lining, brings about changes to the cervix, and also leads to ovulation and the production of fertile cervical mucus.

Estrogen also prepares the uterus' "cave" to accept and nurture the fertilized egg. As women reach menopausal age, our estrogen levels decrease — causing hot flashes, night sweats, and vaginal dryness. Due to the dip in estrogen levels, our Yin becomes deficient and Yang levels increase, leading to the production of these symptoms. To prevent the deficiency of Yin and its symptoms, menopausal women consume synthetic estrogen supplements. However, the treatment has side effects, which include a predisposition to uterus and breast cancers.

TCM reports that pathological increase in Yin due to the lack of Yang Qi causes these cancers. These synthetic supplements are meant to replenish deficient Yin energy, leading to an excess which results in these diseases. The development of sexual characteristics in women like breasts, as well as the growth of uterine lining is caused by estrogen. However, the effects of estrogen are not restricted to just reproductive organs.

Types of Estrogen

It has been shown that every tissue in a woman's body contains estrogen. Although there are several different kinds of estrogen, the three major ones found in a female body are estradiol, estrone and estriol.

The Potent Hormone

Estradiol is a hormone produced by the adrenal glands and ovaries. Of the three main kinds of estrogen, this is considered to be the most potent. When a woman reaches fifty years of age, or has her ovaries surgically removed, the adrenal glands in her body have to produce either the required amounts of estrogen or biochemical precursors from which estrogen can be synthesized.

Your adrenal glands produce estradiol your entire life. It is responsible for the growth of your sex organs and breasts, aids in the maturation of your body's long bones, and also in the occurrence of secondary sexual characteristics. An imbalance in estrogen levels can lead to urinary incontinence, especially in premenopausal women, menopause, or sometimes even extreme endocrine system breakdown.

The Menopause Hormone

Estrone is secreted by the placenta during a pregnancy by fatty tissues, and even muscle tissues in lesser extents. It is the major kind of estrogen for women who have gone through menopause. Although they cannot grow placenta, their liver helps transform estradiol to estrone and vice versa.

This hormone is primarily produced from androstenedione, which originates in the adrenal cortex and ovaries. More than half of the estrone in premenopausal women is produced by their ovaries. In these women, the levels of estrone and estradiol are generally parallel. Once they hit menopause, their estrone levels go up, perhaps due to an increase in the conversion of androstenedione. Along with the placenta, estriol is also produced by the liver in smaller doses. This hormone is sometimes referred to as the "pregnancy estrogen," and does not play a major role after menopause.

The Pregnancy Hormone

Estriol is most beneficial to cervical tissue and the vagina. During pregnancy, it is produced in high doses along with progesterone. Research shows that women who suffer from breast cancer have decreased levels of estriol compared to healthy women. Decreased levels of estrogen can cause dry skin, vaginal dryness, night sweats, and hot flashes. Although estrogen plays a major role in maintaining a healthy Yin, an excess can prove to be problematic too. An excess of estrogen can cause weight gain, lethargy, depression, lack of libido, uterine fibroids and more. There is also an increased chance of endometrial or breast cancer.

Yang within Yin

Yang energy is associated with the production of progesterone as well as testosterone. Progesterone is responsible for the preparation of the uterus for the fertilized egg and pregnancy, but its major role involves keeping estrogen levels in check. It is secreted by the ovaries in women until post menopause; by the adrenal glands in both women and men; and by the testes in men.

Progesterone is secreted by the ovary's corpus luteum after ovulation. Its nature is Yang, as it transforms, heats, and invigorates. The luteal phase defect, one of the subfertility's common causes, is seen when the corpus luteum fails to produce sufficient progesterone levels required to transform endometrial tissue so it can house a fertilized egg.

Most kinds of hormonal stimulation methods used by Western reproductive medicine involves the stimulation of Yang functions. As mentioned above, progesterone is, in several ways, more Yang in nature than estrogen. The basal temperature in a woman (the temperature of the woman's body upon waking) is higher during the phase of her monthly cycle dominated by progesterone (a Yang trait) compared to the phase dominated by estrogen (Yin).

Here, Yang can be seen representing the male counterpart, which is why synthetic progesterone can have masculinizing effects on female infants. Testosterone is also vital to a woman's hormonal and sexual health, it affects her moods and energy levels. When a woman's ovaries stop functioning at menopause, the testosterone levels are cut down by half.

In many women, this can result in decreased libido, thinning of pubic hair, dry skin, reduced mental sharpness, and flat moods among various other symptoms. Apart from involved in female libido, sexual arousal, and orgasms, this hormone also helps in the promotion of general wellbeing. Until a specific period in perimenopause, testosterone levels are fine in most women.

Perimenopause can strike between the ages of forty and late fifties. Different women exhibit various symptoms. Some common symptoms of perimenopause are irregular menstrual periods, scanty or heavy bleeding, missed periods, insomnia, and anxiety. These symptoms sometimes overlap with common symptoms of PMS, which results in confusion and sometimes misdiagnosis by medical professionals.

My next article will discuss the effects of stress hormones.

Resources

• Dale T. Revitalize your hormones: Dr.Dale's 7 steps to a happier, healthier and sexier you. Hoboken: John Wiley & Sons, 2005.
• Lee J. Dr. John Lee's hormone balance made simple: The essential how-to guide to symptoms, dosage, timing, and more. New York: Wellness Central, 2006.
• Lewis RA. The infertility cure: The ancient Chinese wellness program for getting pregnant and having healthy babies. Boston: Little, Brown, 2004.
• Lu N, Schaplowsky E. Traditional Chinese medicine: A woman's guide to a trouble-free menopause. New York: Harpers Collins, 2000.
• Welch C. Balance your hormones, balance your life: Achieving optimal health and wellness through ayurveda, Chinese medicine, and western science. Cambridge: Da Capo Lifelong, 2011.

Click here for more information about Nadiya Melnyk, DAOM, LAc.