So many women I meet — at events, online, and in the Thrive for Longevity community — tell me the same thing:
“No one ever explained what hormones actually do.”
We hear terms like estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone all our lives, yet most women were never given a clear, simple understanding of how these hormones work, why they change, and how they influence our energy, mood, metabolism, libido, and overall wellbeing.
I wrote this guide to make hormone basics easy to understand — because when women understand their biology, they gain power.
I am not a doctor, and this is not medical advice.
This is an educational overview, fully referenced, to help you understand how your hormones work so you can have more informed conversations with your healthcare provider.
A link to certified menopause practitioners is provided at the end.
What Are Hormones?
Hormones are chemical messages your body sends from one place to another.¹ They coordinate nearly every major function in your body, including:
- energy
- mood
- sleep
- metabolism
- sexual function
- cognition
- bone strength
- menstrual cycles
Although this article focuses on women, men also produce estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone — just in different amounts and with different functions (see note below).
You produce many hormones, but three are especially important for women’s health:
estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone.
Estrogen — The Builder & Balancer
Estrogen supports growth, metabolism, and stability.
What Estrogen Does
Estrogen helps regulate:
- menstrual cycles
- brain function and memory²
- mood and neurotransmitters³
- bone strength and turnover⁴
- cardiovascular protection
- collagen, hair, and skin health
- metabolism and body composition
Where It’s Made
- ovaries
- adrenal glands
- fat tissue (after menopause)
Types of Estrogen
- Estradiol (E2) — primary form before menopause
- Estrone (E1) — primary form after menopause
- Estriol (E3) — pregnancy estrogen
Progesterone — The Calming Coordinator
What Progesterone Does
Progesterone helps:
- balance estrogen
- regulate menstrual cycles
- protect the uterine lining
- calm the nervous system⁵
- improve sleep
- reduce anxiety
- reduce heavy or irregular bleeding
Progesterone begins declining first, often triggering early perimenopause symptoms.
Testosterone — The Strength, Desire & Confidence Hormone
Women produce testosterone too — and it is essential for wellbeing.
What Testosterone Does
- supports libido
- maintains muscle mass and strength⁶
- supports bone density
- improves mood and motivation
- enhances cognitive performance
- supports metabolic health
How These Hormones Work Together
These three hormones function as a team. When one changes, the others react.
Imbalances may cause:
- fatigue
- weight changes
- mood instability
- insomnia
- low libido
- brain fog
- cycle irregularities
Understanding these relationships helps women advocate for themselves with clarity and confidence.
Side Note: What These Hormones Do in Men
Men also produce estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone — just in different ratios.
In Men:
- Testosterone supports libido, muscle mass, bone density, red blood cell production, and metabolic health.⁷
- Estrogen (converted from testosterone) supports bone density, sexual function, and brain health.⁸
- Progesterone contributes to sperm development and testosterone synthesis.⁹
This reinforces that hormones are essential for human health, not just women’s health.
Next Step
Continue with Part Two in this series:
“Hormones Through Every Stage of a Woman’s Life: Puberty to Menopause.”
Find a Certified Menopause Practitioner
The Menopause Society offers a public directory of certified menopause experts:
