Understanding Your Hormones
This entry synthesizes insights from 68 articles in the Library
"Your hormones aren't mysterious forces acting upon you. They're messengers, part of your own system. Understanding them returns some power to you."
— Christine Mason
Chemical Messengers
Hormones are chemical messengers produced by glands throughout your body. They travel through your bloodstream, delivering instructions that affect virtually every system—metabolism, mood, growth, sleep, reproduction, and yes, sexuality.
When people say “it’s just hormones,” they’re minimizing something profound. Hormones shape experience. They’re not the whole picture, but they’re a significant part of it.
Understanding your hormonal system helps you understand yourself.
The Key Players
Estrogen
The primary female sex hormone, though men have it too. Actually a family of hormones (estradiol, estrone, estriol).
What it does:
- Develops and maintains female reproductive organs
- Affects vaginal lubrication, tissue health
- Influences mood via serotonin
- Supports bone density
- Affects skin, hair, and collagen
- Influences body fat distribution
- Impacts cognitive function
In sexuality: Supports vaginal health, lubrication, and arousal response. Also influences desire through mood effects.
Progesterone
The “calming” hormone, dominant in the second half of the menstrual cycle and during pregnancy.
What it does:
- Prepares uterus for pregnancy
- Has sedating, calming effects
- Affects sleep
- Counterbalances estrogen’s effects on uterine lining
In sexuality: Generally dampens desire (highest during luteal phase when libido often decreases). Its metabolites have calming effects that may support relaxation.
Testosterone
Yes, women have testosterone—produced by ovaries and adrenal glands.
What it does:
- Contributes to libido
- Affects energy and assertiveness
- Maintains muscle and bone
- Influences mood
In sexuality: Most directly linked to libido of all hormones. Low testosterone is associated with reduced desire.
DHEA
A precursor hormone from the adrenal glands, converted into estrogen and testosterone.
What it does:
- Raw material for sex hormones
- May have direct effects on energy and wellbeing
- Declines steadily with age
Cortisol
The stress hormone, from adrenal glands.
What it does:
- Manages stress response
- Affects metabolism, immune function, sleep
- When chronically elevated: disrupts other hormones, affects mood, sleep, weight
In sexuality: Chronic stress (high cortisol) suppresses desire and sexual function. Acute stress can either inhibit or occasionally enhance arousal.
Thyroid Hormones
From the thyroid gland; regulate metabolism.
What they do:
- Control metabolic rate
- Affect energy, weight, mood, temperature regulation
In sexuality: Thyroid problems can cause fatigue, mood issues, and sexual dysfunction. Worth checking if you have unexplained symptoms.
Oxytocin
The “bonding” hormone, released during intimacy, childbirth, breastfeeding.
What it does:
- Promotes bonding and trust
- Released during orgasm
- Creates feelings of closeness
In sexuality: Released with touch and orgasm, deepening feelings of connection.
How They Interact
Hormones don’t work in isolation—they’re a system.
Estrogen and progesterone dance together through the menstrual cycle. Their ratio matters as much as absolute levels.
Estrogen and testosterone both influence desire, working through different mechanisms.
Cortisol can suppress sex hormones when chronically elevated—the body prioritizes survival over reproduction.
Thyroid affects how other hormones are metabolized and experienced.
This interconnection is why symptoms can be complex and why optimizing one hormone without considering others may not help.
Through the Lifespan
Reproductive Years
Cyclic patterns of estrogen and progesterone, with testosterone relatively stable. Monthly rhythm affects mood, energy, desire.
Perimenopause
Estrogen begins to fluctuate wildly—sometimes higher than ever, sometimes crashing. Progesterone declines. Cycles become irregular. This hormonal chaos underlies many symptoms.
Menopause
Estrogen and progesterone settle at much lower levels. Testosterone continues gradual decline. The wild fluctuations end, replaced by a new baseline.
Post-Menopause
Stable but low hormones. The body adapts to this new state. Some estrogen continues to be made in fat tissue and adrenal glands.
Testing Hormones
Hormone testing can provide information, but has limitations:
Blood tests measure hormones at one moment. Since hormones fluctuate (especially in perimenopause), a single test may not capture the full picture.
Saliva and urine tests have pros and cons; interpretation is debated.
Timing matters. Testing should be done at appropriate cycle phases when relevant.
Symptoms matter more than numbers. Two women with identical hormone levels may feel completely different. Treatment should address symptoms, not just numbers.
A knowledgeable provider interprets hormone tests in context, not as standalone diagnostics.
What You Can Influence
While you can’t fully control your hormones, you can influence them:
Sleep: Affects cortisol, growth hormone, and hormone regulation overall.
Stress management: Reduces cortisol, which affects all other hormones.
Exercise: Influences insulin, cortisol, endorphins, and can support healthy hormone levels.
Nutrition: Provides building blocks for hormones. Extreme dieting disrupts hormonal function.
Weight: Very low and very high body fat both affect hormone levels.
Alcohol: Affects estrogen metabolism and can worsen hormonal symptoms.
These lifestyle factors don’t replace medical intervention when needed, but they’re the foundation on which everything else rests.
Go Deeper
These are the original writings this entry draws from: