Estrogen Therapy: Side Effects of Estrogen Hormone Therapy

The estrogen hormone is a group of compounds called steroids. The name estrogen is derived from the important role it plays in the estrus cycle. Although estrogen is a female sex hormone it is found in both men and women, but it is especially prevalent in women who are of the reproductive age. Estrogen helps women to develop breasts, thicken the endometrial, regulate the discharge of hormones from the pituitary gland and regulate the menstrual cycle.

There are six estrogenic substances in a woman's body, but three of them, estrone, estratiol and estriol, do most of the work. Estrone is the most powerful estrogen and is produced by the ovary. Estratiol is the most common estrogen and is produced by the ovary before the menopausal stage. It is adapted to estrone. Estriol is the least powerful of the main three estrogenic substances.

When estrogen hormones are taken they have the same effects and side effects that naturally produced estrogen causes. Women who are pregnant should not take estrogen because this can lead to a miscarriage or can severely harm the developing fetus. Many senior women take the estrogen hormone after menopause. However, the risks and negative side effects of taking estrogen increase with age. The list of side effects is quite long and can provide some negative consequences.

Some of the most common side effects of taking estrogen include:

Softness of the breast, in both men and women
Inflammation of the ankles and legs
Lesser cravings for food
Sudden changes in weight
Nausea
Vomiting
Abdominal pains
Skin Irritation

Other side effects that are not as common include;

Bleeding gums
Vaginal bleeding and spotting
Changes in menstrual flow
Painful menstruation
PMS or the pre-menstrual syndrome
Vaginal infection such as Candida
Diarrhea
Loss of scalp hair
Migraines
Faintness
Despair
Increased sexual desires
Decreased sexual desires

Rare but serious side effects include:

Blood clotting
Sudden feeling to urinate
Unclear speech
Changes in vision
Breathlessness

When taking estrogen hormones it is important to realize what the negative consequences could be. Then you need to decide if the benefits outweigh the risks or if you are simply not willing to take the risks.

Women who have an estrogen imbalance generally have an irregular menstrual cycle. This is very worrisome to many women so they often take estrogen hormones simply to balance out their hormones. It is important for women to maintain this balance in order to prevent some more serious consequences later in life. However, balancing out these hormones may bring about negative side effects that many women simply do not want to experience. Balancing hormones is always a tricky situation that needs to be carefully assessed.