3 Major Types of Womens Hormone and The Empowering Facts You Need to Know

Get to know the 3 main types of womens hormone and how they are influencing your body.

Female’s 3 main sex hormones are estrogen, progesterone and testosterone. This post will help you learn the basics of female sex hormones, and understand how they hugely influence our health, mood, and relationships.

I have been fortunate to have a healthy body & mind so far, but now I’m facing the major life transition called menopause. This brought me to finding out more about my hormones and their functions. I greatly regret that I didn’t educate myself in womens hormone health when I was much younger! It would have made my life so much easier.

So, whatever age you are, or even if you are a male, read on to better understand yourself and the women in your life. If we could plan our activities around these hormonal changes (to some degree), we should be able to optimise our personal and professional life.

This post is all about womens hormone and how our entire life can be influenced by them.

Note:
Sex and gender exist on spectrums. I will use the terms “male”, “female/woman” or both to refer to sex assigned at birth.

Introduction

3 Major Female Sex Hormones

Estrogen
Progesteron
Testosteron

It’s absolutely fascinating how the levels of 3 types of womens hormone change throughout a menstrual cycle, accommodating the female reproduction system. This is why our menstrual cycle has 4 phases. A menstrual cycle typically lasts for 28 days, but each person’s cycle may be different. The time between ovulation and the start of a period can also be different month to month.

4 Phases of a Menstrual Cycle

Menstruation (starts at Day 1* and lasts for 2 to 7 days): The uterus sheds its lining, and menstruation (bleeding) occurs.
The follicular phase (lasts for average 16 days): Hormone levels rise, helping the egg mature inside a follicle in the ovary.
Ovulation (12 to 24 hours): The matured egg is released from the ovary.
The luteal phase (lasts for 12 to 14 days): Progesterone levels rise to prepare the body for a possible pregnancy.

*Day 1 is the first day of your period (day 1 of full flow).

When you connect the hormonal changes during cycle and the 4 phases of menstrual cycle, it’s much easier to understand what is actually happening inside of our body. It should also help us better navigate our menstrual cycle.

So, let’s take a look at each hormone. Where are they produced? How do their levels change during a cycle? What kind of effects do we see in our body and mind?

Estrogen

Key Points

Produced by: Ovaries (mainly), adrenal glands, and fat cells.

Role: Regulates the menstrual cycle, supports reproductive health, affects skin, bones, and the brain, and promotes overall vitality. It gives us resistance to stress. According to Dr. Mindy Pelz, estrogen is the “extrovert” hormone. It’s responsible for energy, mental clarity, and verbal expression. It’s also important to note that the estrogen levels tends to go down after childbirth, during breastfeeding and when we age, which can cause Vaginal Atrophy.

When it peaks: Right before ovulation.

When it’s low: During menstruation and late luteal phase.

Menstruation

What happens: This is when you start your period. The uterus sheds its lining because you didn’t get pregnant. Estrogen levels are at their lowest during these days.

Physical sign: You might feel tired, and you skin could be dull or dry.

Emotional state: You might feel low energy or moodier than usual.

The Follicular Phase

What happens: Follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) signals your ovaries to mature eggs. In the ovary, the growing follicles produce estrogen. The estrogen level starts to increase, preparing to release an egg.

Physical impact: You might notice glowing skin, more energy, and an increased sex drive.

Emotional state: Rising estrogen boosts serotonin (the “feel-good” hormone), so you feel happier, more confident, and mentally sharper.

Ovulation

What happens: Just before ovulation, your estrogen level peaks. It triggers the release of luteinizing hormone (LH), making the ovary release a mature egg.

Physical impact: You might feel your best during ovulation—your skin glows, your energy levels are high, and you might feel more physically attractive. Some women feel mild pain called “mittelschmerz” (ovulation pain).

Emotional state: High estrogen keeps your mood elevated, and you may feel more social and outgoing.

The Luteal Phase

What happens: After ovulation, the follicle that released the egg turns into the corpus luteum, which produces progesterone. Estrogen decreases but doesn’t disappear entirely.

If you don’t get pregnant, both estrogen and progesterone drop at the end of this phase, triggering your next period.

Physical impact: At the beginning of the luteal phase, you feel fine because progesterone and estrogen balance each other. But, in the late luteal phase (just before your next period), lower estrogen might cause bloating, breast tenderness, and acne.

Emotional state: At the beginning of the luteal phase, you feel calm because of progesterone’s soothing effect. But, in the late luteal phase, low estrogen can make you irritable, emotional, or fatigued (Premenstrual Syndrome, PMS)

Takeaway

Estrogen works like a wave, rising and falling to help the body prepare for pregnancy every month. Its effects aren’t just physical; it also influences mood, energy, and emotions. When we understand these changes of estrogen and other types of womens hormone, it helps us better manage our physical and emotional health throughout the cycle.

Progesterone

Key Points

Produced by: Ovaries (mainly), specifically by a structure called the corpus luteum which forms after ovulation (when an egg is released).

Role: Helps prepare and maintain the uterus for pregnancy. It also affects other parts of the body and brain.

When it peaks: After ovulation.

Before Ovulation

Progesterone levels are low because estrogen is the dominant hormone during this time, helping the egg mature.

After Ovulation

Progesterone rises sharply as the corpus luteum produces it. This increase thickens the uterine lining (endometrium) to make it ready for a fertilised egg.

No Pregnancy

If you don’t get pregnant, the corpus luteum breaks down, progesterone levels drop, and the uterine lining sheds (your period starts).

Pregnancy

If you get pregnant, the body continues to produce progesterone to maintain the pregnancy, initially through the corpus luteum and later by the placenta.

Effects on Your Body and Emotions

Physical Effects

Thickens the uterine lining: Creates a nutrient-rich environment for a fertilised egg to implant.
Increases body temperature: You might notice a slight rise in temperature during the luteal phase.
Breast tenderness: Due to fluid retention and changes in breast tissue.
Reduced bloating: Progesterone has a diuretic effect, which can counteract bloating caused by estrogen.
Relaxation of muscles: Progesterone relaxes smooth muscle, which can reduce cramping but may slow digestion, sometimes causing constipation.

Emotional Effects

Progesterone has a calming effect because it interacts with brain receptors that promote relaxation and reduce anxiety.
Some women feel more stable or mellow during the luteal phase when progesterone is high.
However, as progesterone drops sharply just before menstruation, this can contribute to mood swings, irritability, or anxiety associated with premenstrual syndrome (PMS).

Takeaway

Progesterone isn’t just about pregnancy—it helps regulate the menstrual cycle, supports emotional stability, and balances estrogen’s effects. Without enough progesterone, periods may become irregular, and symptoms like PMS or anxiety can worsen.
Understanding how progesterone works and changes during the menstrual cycle is a game changer. It allows us recognise how physical and emotional states are interconnected with these shifts of womens hormone.

Testosterone

Key Points

Produced by: Ovaries and adrenal glands.

Role: Plays a key role in energy, mood, sexual health, and overall vitality. It fluctuates throughout the cycle and interacts with estrogen and progesterone. Testosterone is often called a “male hormone,” but it’s an absolute essential womens hormone.

When it peaks: Just before and during ovulation.

Menstruation

What’s happening: This is when your period starts. Testosterone levels are at the lowest, as well as estrogen and progesterone levels.

Effects: Fatigue, low energy, and a possible dip in mood due to the drop in hormones.

The Follicular Phase

What’s happening: The body prepares for ovulation. Estrogen begins to rise. Testosterone levels also start to increase gradually, but they are still moderate.

Effects: Increased energy, improved mood, and a slight boost in libido as testosterone starts rising.

Ovulation

What’s happening: The ovary releases an egg. Testosterone levels reach their highest point just before and during ovulation. Estrogen also peaks around the same time.

Effects of high testosterone

Increased libido: Testosterone boosts sexual desire, which aligns with the body’s biological drive to reproduce.
Improved confidence and assertiveness: Many women feel more outgoing, motivated, and socially confident.
Physical changes: Skin may appear more radiant, and some women notice an increase in muscle strength and endurance during exercise.
Emotional state: Positive, energetic, and driven.

Luteal Phase

What’s happening: After ovulation, testosterone levels start to decrease steadily. It remains slightly elevated in the first half of the phase and then dips further toward the end. Estrogen also gradually decline, but progesterone rises to maintain the uterine lining, preparing your body for a potential pregnancy.

Effects

Mid-luteal phase: Some women maintain good energy and mood while testosterone is still moderately high.
Late-luteal phase: As testosterone and other hormones drop, some women may feel fatigued, irritable, or experience mood swings.

Takeaway

Testosterone isn’t just about libido—it’s a multitasking hormone that’s essential to women. It influences;
Physical health: Muscle tone, bone density, and energy.
Mental well-being: Confidence, mood stability, and motivation.
Reproductive health: Supports ovulation and sexual arousal.

By understanding how testosterone fluctuates, women can better tune into their bodies. We can even align activities -such as physical exercises, career goals, or sex life- with the times when they feel most confident and energetic.

Wrap-up

Today, we learned the 3 main female sex hormones;

Estrogen
Progesteron
Testosteron

Under the influence of these important womans hormone, at each phase of the menstrual cycle, our body is basically saying;

Beginning of the cycle
“Hormone levels are low, but don’t worry, we are building them back up!”

Middle of the cycle
“We are ovulating! All hormones are at their glory! Nothing is impossible, girl!”

Last week of the cycle
“Warning, warning, hormone levels are going down! It’s time to go easy and nurture the body!“

Whether we like it or not, our body is designed to reproduce. Understanding womens hormone is empowering and liberating. For many of us, this is also important in identifying when to slow down and stop beating ourselves up.

So, remember, listen to your body and have compassion with yourself and all the women in your life.

This post was all about womens hormone and how our entire life can be influenced by them.