Estrogen is one of the female hormones that help regulate a woman’s passage through menstruation, fertility and menopause. Estrogen is one of the most powerful hormones in the human body. Estrogen levels in the body can affect a wide range of tissues and organs, from the brain to the liver and to the bones themselves.

Estrogen therapy is a popular choice for prevention and treatment of osteoporosis. Although supplemental calcium, diet, and exercise are also beneficial, they don’t seem to be as effective as estrogen. The most important benefit of estrogen replacement therapy is the reported reduction in coronary artery disease- the leading cause of death in post-menopausal women. Apparently, the high pre menopausal levels of estrogen tend to protect women from heart disease, partly by keeping levels of HDL cholesterol high and LDL cholesterol low.

Without estrogen replacement therapy, w woman’s risk of heart attack becomes equal to a man’s within fifteen years after menopause. Simply being postmenopausal puts a woman at a higher risk for heart disease, and having just one additional risk factor-smoking, high blood pressure, diabetes or family history of heart disease- puts her at an even higher risk, with estrogen, however, the blood vessels dilate slightly, cholesterol balance is maintained, and the risk of heart disease vastly decreases.