Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsWhere They’re ProducedFunction of EachFluctuationRelated DisordersBalance
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Where They’re Produced
Function of Each
Fluctuation
Related Disorders
Balance
Sex hormones are chemicals responsible for reproduction and sexual desire. Common female sex hormones includeestrogenandprogesterone, whiletestosteroneis abundant in most males.
This article will review sex hormone production, function, and ways to achieve hormonal balance.
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Sex vs. GenderThis article uses the terms “male” and “female” as labels referring to a person’s chromosomal, anatomical, or biological makeup without regard to whichgender or gendersthey identify with.
Sex vs. Gender
This article uses the terms “male” and “female” as labels referring to a person’s chromosomal, anatomical, or biological makeup without regard to whichgender or gendersthey identify with.
Where Are Sex Hormones Produced?
Females and males have different sex hormones. However, they do share some of the same ones but each with different functions.
18 Natural and Medicinal Ways to Balance Hormones
Females
The main hormones that contribute to sexual health and desire in females are estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone. Although the ovaries are responsible for most female sex hormones, other tissues can also produce them. These include:
Males
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Function of Each Sex Hormone
Sex hormones are not only responsible for sexuality andfertilitybut also are crucial for the growth and development of muscles and organs.Additionally, sex hormones help prevent medical conditions such as cardiovascular disease and bone deterioration.
Growth and Development
Progesterone contributes to a healthy uterine lining for the implantation and growth of a fertilized egg.Progesterone is also essential for maintaining pregnancy and reducing bleeding andmiscarriage.
Testosterone and DHT initiate puberty in young males.These hormones are responsible for penile and testicular growth, growth in height, and facial hair growth.
Arousal
Estrogen and testosterone are the main hormones affecting arousal and sexual desire. In females, the menstrual cycle causes fluctuations in sex hormones, resulting in feeling more aroused just beforeovulation, when estrogen levels are at their highest.
High levels of progesterone, however, can cause a decrease in sexual desire. Although testosterone may increaselibidoin some females, estrogen is the primary sex hormone linked to female sexual desire.
Organ Health
Estrogen and testosterone are important in preserving muscle strength as you age. In the first year ofmenopause, for example, about 80% of a female’s estrogen is lost, resulting in significant muscle loss and frailty.
Immune System
One study showcased how sex hormones influence immune system cells. Androgens (testosterone and DHT) and progesterone boost an immunosuppressive response (improvingautoimmune disorders), while estrogen strengthenshumoral immunity(the body’s ability to fight infection). However, more research is needed.
Mood and Brain Function
Research continues to prove that sex hormones affect the entire brain.Depression, memory loss, brain plasticity, and mood disorders result from decreasing estrogen levels. Cognitive impairment during menopause has been shown to improve with estrogen treatment and may protect against stroke damage,Alzheimer’s diseaseandParkinson’s disease.
How Sex Hormones Fluctuate
Hormone fluctuation is normal in both sexes.Premenopausalfemales will experience hormonal changes throughout the menstrual cycle. Estrogen and progesterone levels are low just before the start of menstruation but are higher around ovulation. As females age, sex hormone levels drop, leading tomenopause.
In males, testosterone levels are highest in the morning and decrease throughout the day. Testosterone decreases at 1% to 3% yearly between 35 and 40.
Sex Hormone Disorders
Sex hormone disorders can affect physical and mental quality of life. In some instances, they can even be deadly. Types of sex hormone disorders include:
Can You Balance Sex Hormones?
Understanding the cause of sex hormone imbalances is essential to creating a treatment plan. If the sex hormone imbalance is due to a medical condition, then treating that condition should be considered. If the hormonal imbalance is due to aging or there is no treatment for the cause, then the following options could help improve sex hormone imbalances.
If you’re experiencing symptoms of sex hormone imbalances, talk to a healthcare provider about having a sexhormone blood testdone to help identify potential imbalances.
Summary
Estrogen, progesterone, testosterone, and dihydrotestosterone (DHT) are sex hormones in males and females. Sex hormones are important in reproduction, fertility, sexual desire, and overall health. Sex hormones fluctuate with the menstrual cycle and with age.
There are several ways you can balance sex hormones, including lifestyle changes and medications. Talk to a healthcare provider if you believe you’re experiencing symptoms of a sex hormone imbalance.
14 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Endocrine Society.Reproductive hormones.Schulster M, Bernie AM, Ramasamy R.The role of estradiol in male reproductive function.Asian J Androl. 2016;18(3):435-440. doi:10.4103/1008-682X.173932Johns Hopkins Medicine.Hormones during pregnancy.Cappelletti M, Wallen K.Increasing women’s sexual desire: The comparative effectiveness of estrogens and androgens.Horm Behav. 2016;78:178-193. doi:10.1016/j.yhbeh.2015.11.003Horstman AM, Dillon EL, Urban RJ, Sheffield-Moore M.The role of androgens and estrogens on healthy aging and longevity.J Gerontol A Biol Sci Med Sci. 2012;67(11):1140-1152. doi:10.1093/gerona/gls068Sciarra F, Campolo F, Franceschini E, Carlomagno F, Venneri MA.Gender-specific impact of sex hormones on the immune system.Int J Mol Sci. 2023;24(7):6302. doi:10.3390/ijms24076302Marrocco J, McEwen BS.Sex in the brain: hormones and sex differences.Dialogues Clin Neurosci. 2016;18(4):373-383. doi:10.31887/DCNS.2016.18.4/jmarroccoYen JY, Lin HC, Lin PC, Liu TL, Long CY, Ko CH.Early- and late-luteal-phase estrogen and progesterone levels of women with premenstrual dysphoric disorder.Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2019;16(22):4352. doi:10.3390/ijerph16224352Office on Women’s Health.Premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD).National Institute on Aging.What is menopause?Urology Care Foundation.What is erectile dysfunction?Kim TW, Jeong JH, Hong SC.The impact of sleep and circadian disturbance on hormones and metabolism.Int J Endocrinol. 2015;2015:591729. doi:10.1155/2015/591729Parhizkar S, Latiff LA, Parsa A.Effect of Nigella sativa on reproductive system in experimental menopause rat model.Avicenna J Phytomed. 2016;6(1):95-103.Association of American Medical Colleges.What is gender-affirming care?.
14 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Endocrine Society.Reproductive hormones.Schulster M, Bernie AM, Ramasamy R.The role of estradiol in male reproductive function.Asian J Androl. 2016;18(3):435-440. doi:10.4103/1008-682X.173932Johns Hopkins Medicine.Hormones during pregnancy.Cappelletti M, Wallen K.Increasing women’s sexual desire: The comparative effectiveness of estrogens and androgens.Horm Behav. 2016;78:178-193. doi:10.1016/j.yhbeh.2015.11.003Horstman AM, Dillon EL, Urban RJ, Sheffield-Moore M.The role of androgens and estrogens on healthy aging and longevity.J Gerontol A Biol Sci Med Sci. 2012;67(11):1140-1152. doi:10.1093/gerona/gls068Sciarra F, Campolo F, Franceschini E, Carlomagno F, Venneri MA.Gender-specific impact of sex hormones on the immune system.Int J Mol Sci. 2023;24(7):6302. doi:10.3390/ijms24076302Marrocco J, McEwen BS.Sex in the brain: hormones and sex differences.Dialogues Clin Neurosci. 2016;18(4):373-383. doi:10.31887/DCNS.2016.18.4/jmarroccoYen JY, Lin HC, Lin PC, Liu TL, Long CY, Ko CH.Early- and late-luteal-phase estrogen and progesterone levels of women with premenstrual dysphoric disorder.Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2019;16(22):4352. doi:10.3390/ijerph16224352Office on Women’s Health.Premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD).National Institute on Aging.What is menopause?Urology Care Foundation.What is erectile dysfunction?Kim TW, Jeong JH, Hong SC.The impact of sleep and circadian disturbance on hormones and metabolism.Int J Endocrinol. 2015;2015:591729. doi:10.1155/2015/591729Parhizkar S, Latiff LA, Parsa A.Effect of Nigella sativa on reproductive system in experimental menopause rat model.Avicenna J Phytomed. 2016;6(1):95-103.Association of American Medical Colleges.What is gender-affirming care?.
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Endocrine Society.Reproductive hormones.Schulster M, Bernie AM, Ramasamy R.The role of estradiol in male reproductive function.Asian J Androl. 2016;18(3):435-440. doi:10.4103/1008-682X.173932Johns Hopkins Medicine.Hormones during pregnancy.Cappelletti M, Wallen K.Increasing women’s sexual desire: The comparative effectiveness of estrogens and androgens.Horm Behav. 2016;78:178-193. doi:10.1016/j.yhbeh.2015.11.003Horstman AM, Dillon EL, Urban RJ, Sheffield-Moore M.The role of androgens and estrogens on healthy aging and longevity.J Gerontol A Biol Sci Med Sci. 2012;67(11):1140-1152. doi:10.1093/gerona/gls068Sciarra F, Campolo F, Franceschini E, Carlomagno F, Venneri MA.Gender-specific impact of sex hormones on the immune system.Int J Mol Sci. 2023;24(7):6302. doi:10.3390/ijms24076302Marrocco J, McEwen BS.Sex in the brain: hormones and sex differences.Dialogues Clin Neurosci. 2016;18(4):373-383. doi:10.31887/DCNS.2016.18.4/jmarroccoYen JY, Lin HC, Lin PC, Liu TL, Long CY, Ko CH.Early- and late-luteal-phase estrogen and progesterone levels of women with premenstrual dysphoric disorder.Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2019;16(22):4352. doi:10.3390/ijerph16224352Office on Women’s Health.Premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD).National Institute on Aging.What is menopause?Urology Care Foundation.What is erectile dysfunction?Kim TW, Jeong JH, Hong SC.The impact of sleep and circadian disturbance on hormones and metabolism.Int J Endocrinol. 2015;2015:591729. doi:10.1155/2015/591729Parhizkar S, Latiff LA, Parsa A.Effect of Nigella sativa on reproductive system in experimental menopause rat model.Avicenna J Phytomed. 2016;6(1):95-103.Association of American Medical Colleges.What is gender-affirming care?.
Endocrine Society.Reproductive hormones.
Schulster M, Bernie AM, Ramasamy R.The role of estradiol in male reproductive function.Asian J Androl. 2016;18(3):435-440. doi:10.4103/1008-682X.173932
Johns Hopkins Medicine.Hormones during pregnancy.
Cappelletti M, Wallen K.Increasing women’s sexual desire: The comparative effectiveness of estrogens and androgens.Horm Behav. 2016;78:178-193. doi:10.1016/j.yhbeh.2015.11.003
Horstman AM, Dillon EL, Urban RJ, Sheffield-Moore M.The role of androgens and estrogens on healthy aging and longevity.J Gerontol A Biol Sci Med Sci. 2012;67(11):1140-1152. doi:10.1093/gerona/gls068
Sciarra F, Campolo F, Franceschini E, Carlomagno F, Venneri MA.Gender-specific impact of sex hormones on the immune system.Int J Mol Sci. 2023;24(7):6302. doi:10.3390/ijms24076302
Marrocco J, McEwen BS.Sex in the brain: hormones and sex differences.Dialogues Clin Neurosci. 2016;18(4):373-383. doi:10.31887/DCNS.2016.18.4/jmarrocco
Yen JY, Lin HC, Lin PC, Liu TL, Long CY, Ko CH.Early- and late-luteal-phase estrogen and progesterone levels of women with premenstrual dysphoric disorder.Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2019;16(22):4352. doi:10.3390/ijerph16224352
Office on Women’s Health.Premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD).
National Institute on Aging.What is menopause?
Urology Care Foundation.What is erectile dysfunction?
Kim TW, Jeong JH, Hong SC.The impact of sleep and circadian disturbance on hormones and metabolism.Int J Endocrinol. 2015;2015:591729. doi:10.1155/2015/591729
Parhizkar S, Latiff LA, Parsa A.Effect of Nigella sativa on reproductive system in experimental menopause rat model.Avicenna J Phytomed. 2016;6(1):95-103.
Association of American Medical Colleges.What is gender-affirming care?.
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