When people hear the word estrogen, most immediately think about fertility, menstrual cycles or menopause.

But I think it's time we started looking at estrogen differently.

Estrogen is not simply a reproductive hormone. It is a whole-body hormone that influences many systems throughout the body, including our bones, muscles, heart, blood vessels, brain, metabolism and connective tissues.

This is why the decline in estrogen during perimenopause and menopause can have effects that reach far beyond the reproductive system.

As estrogen levels decline, we see increased risks of conditions such as osteoporosis, cardiovascular disease and metabolic changes. Researchers are also investigating its role in cognitive health and other aspects of healthy ageing.

This tells us something important.

Estrogen isn't just involved in fertility, it plays a role in maintaining the health of many different tissues throughout the body.

 

We need to change the conversation

For many years, menopause and estrogen have largely been discussed under the heading of "women's health."

Of course they are part of women's health, but they are also much more than that.

When we think of estrogen only as a reproductive hormone, we risk overlooking its importance for the rest of the body.

Instead, I believe we should think of estrogen as one of the body's important regulatory hormones.

That shift in perspective matters because it changes the kinds of questions researchers ask and the areas they investigate.

 

Better research benefits everyone

More research into estrogen isn't only about helping women manage menopausal symptoms.

It is about understanding how one important hormone influences healthy ageing.

If we better understand how declining estrogen affects the body, we may improve prevention, treatment and long-term health strategies for millions of women.

That has benefits far beyond the individual.

Healthier women mean healthier families, stronger workplaces and less pressure on healthcare systems.

For example, studies from Norway have shown that women over the age of 40 have higher levels of sick leave than both younger women and men. This is also the period of life when many women enter perimenopause and estrogen levels begin to fluctuate and decline.

Many factors contribute to sick leave, but these observations highlight why this stage of life deserves greater attention and more research.

 

This is a public health issue

Half of the population will experience menopause.

Improving our understanding of estrogen is therefore not simply a women's issue, it is a public health issue.

The more we learn about how this hormone affects the body, the better equipped we are to support healthy ageing, maintain quality of life and potentially reduce the burden of age-related disease.

That benefits individuals, families, employers and society as a whole.

 

My take

I completely agree with those who argue that estrogen should no longer be viewed only as a women's or fertility hormone.

It should be recognised for what it really is: a hormone that plays an important role throughout the body.

Changing the way we think about estrogen changes the way we prioritise research.

And better research leads to better understanding.

Better understanding leads to better healthcare.

And ultimately, that benefits all of us, not just women.

Astrid