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What Hormones Have Crucial Impact on an Aging Woman’s Body

November 9, 2020

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What Hormones Have Crucial Impact on an Aging Woman’s Body : There is a multitude of things that make women nothing short of amazing, everything from their soft, radiant skin to their ability to bring life into the world via childbirth. And all of these things are possible thanks to hormones.

While the female and male body both secrete and circulate about 50 different types of hormones that support and maintain good overall health, there are quite a few that are especially beneficial, if not essential, to women.

What Are Hormones?

Before detailing some of the hormones that are both beneficial and essential to women’s health, let’s first take a moment to familiarize ourselves with hormones in general. Scientifically speaking, hormones are chemical messengers, which are secreted by eight main glands in the endocrine system. These hormone-secreting glands include the hypothalamus, pituitary, thyroid, parathyroid, adrenals, and pineal body glands. The testes in men and ovaries in women are also among the hormone-secreting glands that make up the endocrine system. Once secreted by their respective glands, these hormones then enter the bloodstream and begin the process of communicating with cells in various parts of the body.

Hormones and cells work collectively to facilitate numerous functions in the body, some of which include the following:

Muscle and bone growth
Metabolism
Immune system function
Sleep
Fertility
Sexual function
Regulating blood glucose levels

What Are the Most Important Hormones in a Woman’s Body?

Now that we are a bit more familiar with hormones and the role they play in terms of the male and female body, let’s take a look at the hormones that are essential to the health and overall well-being of women, specifically:

Estrogen

Primarily secreted by the ovaries, estrogen plays a critical role in women’s health from puberty to menopause. It not only regulates libido but also helps women become pregnant due to the role it plays in menstruation, which occurs during ovulation. This same hormone also contributes to the following in women:
- Brain health
- Cardiovascular health
- Healthy hair growth
- Skin health
- The urinary tract
- The musculoskeletal system
Progesterone

Along with estrogen, progesterone is also secreted by the ovaries and plays a valuable role when it comes to libido and enabling women to become pregnant. However, unlike estrogen, progesterone is secreted by the ovaries after a woman ovulates. The role of progesterone is to help line a woman’s uterus in preparation for a fertilized egg and also to suppresses estrogen production, both of which go a long way toward enabling a woman to become pregnant.
Human growth hormones

Similar to men, a woman’s body also needs an adequate amount of HGH, otherwise known as human growth hormones, to function optimally. These hormones, which are secreted by the pituitary gland, work hand-in-hand with estrogen to afford women many of the same health benefits as men, including cellular reproduction, cellular regeneration, and growth stimulation. Here you may find detailed information about hgh for women.
Cortisol

Primarily secreted by the adrenal and pituitary glands, with a little help from the hypothalamus, helps the developing fetus after a woman becomes pregnant. It also plays a crucial role when it comes to regulating blood glucose levels and metabolism. And the benefits of this hormone does not end there as it also regulates fluid levels in the body, which can reduce inflammation. Lastly, cortisol can also help with memory.
Melatonin

Secreted by the pineal gland, melatonin is a hormone that works with a woman’s circadian rhythm, the body’s internal 24-hour clock, to regulate sleep and promote good overall health.

Aging and the Hormones in a Woman’s Body

One of the unfortunate maxims when it comes to womanhood is that many women will develop hormone deficiencies as they get older. And this is especially true for perimenopause and postmenopausal women. To put this into perspective, let’s take a look at how aging affects the following hormones in women:

Estrogen

Few things denote aging as much as fine lines, wrinkles, and sagging skin, all of which are a byproduct of low estrogen levels. After women enter and ultimately settle into menopause, estrogen production declines significantly. An estrogen deficiency can make it harder for women to get pregnant and may also increase their chances of developing recurrent urinary tract infections.
Progesterone

Women produce less progesterone as they get older, which, much like estrogen, contributes to fine lines, wrinkles, and sagging skin while lowering their chances of becoming pregnant. Several studies also show that a progesterone deficiency can interfere with a woman’s sleep and her ability to maintain focus. Low progesterone levels can even give way to mood swings, according to the same studies.
Human growth hormones

When it comes to low human growth hormone (HGH) production in women, the effects are not too dissimilar from that of low HGH production in men. Studies show that a growth hormone deficiency in women can lead to dry skin and weight gain. And it does not end there as the same deficiency has been linked to low libido and low energy levels as well.
Cortisol

Because cortisol is a steroid hormone that regulates multiple functions in the body, too little of this hormone can trigger a plurality of ill-effects. Some of the more notable ones include weakening the immune system and lowering a woman’s metabolism. The opposite is also true in that women are more likely to have higher than normal cortisol levels when they get older. When this happens, most women notice changes in their skin, and they will also be at a higher risk of developing the following:
- Osteoporosis
- Muscle weakness
- Hypertension
- Weight gain
Melatonin

For many women, a decline in melatonin production is yet another side effect of getting older. Studies show that a deficiency in this hormone often leads to insomnia, which can result in daytime fatigue.

Conclusion

For most women, getting older often means having to contend with low hormone levels, which invariably takes a toll on their appearance, health and overall well-being. Fortunately, hormone replacement therapy (HRT), dietary supplements, and even lifestyle changes can help prevent most hormone levels in the body from falling too low.