This article is part of our comprehensive Pine Pollen overview. A personal account from a user can be found in Pine Pollen for Women: A Personal Account.
Sex hormones – ménage à trois
Hormones —from the Ancient Greek to set in motion, excite, drive—are messenger substances produced by the body and secreted endocrinely. They circulate throughout the body via the bloodstream and exert their effects on specific target organs that have the corresponding hormone receptors [3, 8.9, 15.3, 23.1].
Together, they control various mechanisms, regulatory circuits, and activities in the body, such as metabolism, energy balance, growth, the female cycle, sexual development, circadian rhythms such as sleep and food intake, adaptation to fear and stress, and much more [3, 8.9, 19, 23.1].
The simplest way to differentiate hormones is by their solubility. There are water-soluble and fat-soluble hormones. An important class of fat-soluble hormones is the steroid hormones, which include the sex hormones. [23.1, 23.4-6]
Sex hormones have a considerable influence on human life, human appearance, individual character, and interpersonal encounters. Viewed from the perspective of sex hormones, life revolves around finding a partner, fertility, pregnancy, and offspring. To this end, they make people beautiful, intelligent, sexy, vital, and happy. Whether people are free to transform and use this potential for their growth, vitality or liveliness, and an “expanded” sexuality is another matter. [8.1, 23.3, 20.7, 26]
Starting from their precursor, cholesterol, sex hormones are initially converted into androgens via various pathways, including through a form of progesterone.
The androgens are then either available to the body
or metabolized into dihydrotestosterone (DHT) via 5-alpha reductase
or transformed into estrogens by aromatase. [23.2, 23.3, 23.5-7, 23.9]
The production of sex hormones is controlled by the hypothalamic–pituitary regulatory circuit via the gonadotropins LH, luteinizing hormone, and FSH, follicle-stimulating hormone. They are produced, among other places, by the gonads, the adrenal cortex (NNR), the brain, adipose tissue, and blood vessels. Their production is also integrated with or dependent on the function of the thyroid gland, fat and energy metabolism, glucose metabolism, receptor sensitivity and activity, as well as nutrition and physical activity. [8.9, 13.3, 18, 19, 23.8]
There are three types of sex hormones in humans: estrogens, progestogens, and androgens. All of them are produced by both the female and male body. The decisive factor for the respective physiology and individual well-being is the balance between these three hormones. [8.9, 19, 20.6, 20.7]
In principle, each hormone has the same mode of action and the same functions in both the female and male body. Only the level and duration of each hormone level produce typically female or male characteristics, some of which are reversible and some of which are not. However, all three hormones are essential in both sexes! [8.9, 9, 14, 15.1,19]
Androgens, for example, promote fat breakdown, presence and vitality, as well as sexual desire, sensation, and readiness, the ability to orgasm, and orgasmic satiety in both men and women.
In both sexes, progesterone is the precursor to androgens and estrogens.
Estrogens, in turn, promote the female phenotype and tissue water balance in both sexes. [15.1, 16, 23.13, 20.1, 20.7, 18, 19]
While estrogen is considered the hormone of beauty, progesterone represents wisdom and androgens strength [20.6, 25].
Sex hormones follow circadian and seasonal rhythms; they adapt to the respective circumstances of life, such as stress or vacation, surrounding attractiveness factors, and the particular phase of life, and also influence these factors. Women also have a pronounced, approximately monthly rhythm in their sex hormone balance. [19]
Dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) is the most abundant steroid hormone in the human body. It can act as both an estrogen and an androgen and is the precursor to both. In women, 70% is produced in the adrenal cortex and 30% in the ovaries; in men, 100% is produced in the adrenal cortex. Normal levels in women are approximately 50% lower than in men.
In the USA, Switzerland, and Austria, DHEA has attracted attention both therapeutically and as a dietary supplement with anti-aging effects. [15.1, 15.2, 20.7]
Estrogens, or oestrogens, play the most significant role in the development of femininity and its rhythms.
The word estrogen comes from the Greek oĩstros, passion or sting, and -gen, causing arousal, and could be rendered as that which arouses passion or that which passionately stimulates.
Estrogens occur in the human body in three different natural principal forms: estradiol (E2), estrone (E1), and estriol (E3).
Estradiol is the dominant hormone during a woman's fertile years. Its potency is ten times that of estrone and eighty times that of estriol. While estrone predominates during menopause, estriol is present primarily during pregnancy. [20.1, 23.11-13]
Progestogens are also called corpus luteum hormones or pregnancy hormones.
When progestogen is described as a natural human hormone, this refers exclusively to progesterone. When the term progestogens is not further differentiated, it usually also refers to synthesized hormones that resemble progesterone and are used as contraceptives or in hormone replacement therapy (HRT). Other names for synthetically produced progestogens are progestins, progestatives, and progestogens. [6.2, 9, 13.1, 16]
Although the progesterone obtained from the yam root and described as natural is also produced in the laboratory, it is identical to the body's own hormone identical. This makes it better studied and presumably better tolerated than many synthetic progestogens—but no administered hormone is free of side effects. This progesterone, which is identical to the hormone produced by the human body, is also described as natural, bioidentical, body-identical, or micronized. [6.2, 8.8, 9, 13.1, 24, 25]
Progesterone, from the Latin progestum, derived from pro-gerere, to carry forward, to carry out, could be translated as carrying forward or supporting pregnancy.
Progesterone prepares the uterine lining for the implantation of a fertilized egg, ensures during pregnancy that the embryo is supplied with nutrients, and prevents another follicle from maturing or ovulating. It counterbalances estrogen, prepares the body for pregnancy together with estrogen, and causes body temperature to rise by 0.4 to 0.6 degrees Celsius at the end of the cycle. [9, 23.1]
As a prohormone, progesterone is the precursor of several other hormones, such as cortisol, aldosterone, and androgens. It stimulates the production of sex hormones. [16, 23.2, 23.14, 23.19]
As the final stage, progesterone is produced in the female body primarily by the egg cell originating from the ovary, the so-called corpus luteum, and during pregnancy by the placenta.
Progesterone stimulates the formation of sex hormones.
Androgens, from andros, man, and -gen, making, stimulating, that is, making into a man, are sex hormones that play the most significant role in the development of masculinity.
Interestingly, androgens are formed from the so-called female hormone progesterone or from DHEA, whose function is not defined in a sex-specific manner, and are simultaneously the precursors of all hormones designated as female.
In the human body, androgens occur as DHEA, testosterone, androstenedione, androstenediol, androsterone, and dihydrotestosterone (DHT), with DHT considered the most potent of them all. [23.9, 23.20]
Androgens represent vitality, activity, creativity, presence, potency, clear thinking, desire for sex, and fat loss and muscle building [20.7, 18, 19].
Increased androgen production does not necessarily lead to androgenization; due to aromatase, it can equally cause hyperestrogenization [1, 17, 18].
Artificial contraceptives that induce anovulation reduce the production of sex hormones, especially progesterone; the ovaries are nearly shut down.
In addition, with the increased presence of xenoestrogens or endocrine disruptors (ED/EDC) in groundwater, food, consumer products, and everyday goods, more estrogen-active substances are entering the human body.
There are two approaches in the literature regarding the effects of these two occurrences:
On the one hand, it is assumed that they first lead to generally reduced sex hormone production in women and, second, in both sexes, more frequently to progesterone deficiency or estrogen dominance accompanied by reduced androgen production. [6.2, 8.9]
On the other hand, there is the view that suppressing sex hormone production in the female body creates an excess of androgens, which tends to produce masculinization in women. In men, by contrast, there is said to be a tendency toward estrogenization, or feminization. This phenomenon is referred to as gender diffusion. [14]
In summary, it could be stated:
- A deficiency of one of the sex hormones initially causes the effects of at least one of the others to become more pronounced. A pattern of symptoms therefore emerges that results both from the dominance of one hormone and from the deficiency of the other.
- A dominance or deficiency of a sex hormone should primarily be assessed relative to the levels of the other two sex hormones.
- If no synthetic hormones are administered, estrogen deficiency tends to be rare, particularly during the fertile or non-menopausal years in both women and men, because both androgens and progesterone can and are converted into estrogens.
- In this context, progesterone dominance is rather unlikely to occur, especially since progesterone reaches higher levels only during the second half of the cycle in a woman’s reproductive years (provided she is not using hormonal contraception) and during pregnancy. In men, most progesterone is converted into androgens.
- Most of the symptoms experienced by women currently indicate progesterone deficiency, which is often accompanied by a relative dominance of estrogens.
- Androgen dominance (in women) very likely coincides with additional functional disorders, for example of the ovaries or the adrenal cortex, which may be caused by stress, tumors, or cysts. It exists “only” as androgen dominance relative to estrogen and may be promoted by hormonal contraceptives or HET/HRT.
[4.1, 4.2, 6.2, 8.5, 8.9, 15.1, 17, 18, 19, 20.1, 24]
The following table provides an overview of how the sex hormones work. The information refers to a balanced sex hormone level. Unless explicitly specified for women or men, it applies to both sexes.
Since many of the complex natural and synthetic hormonal mechanisms of action have not yet been fully clarified, the literature reviewed does not provide a clear answer for some symptoms; at times, it gives contradictory information as to whether they are attributable to a deficiency or dominance, or to which hormone the symptoms are specifically related.
Abbreviations:
T-IMP: inhibits MMP, regenerates collagen [8.2]
MMP: matrix metalloproteinase: breaks down collagen, among other things during wound healing,
tumor growth, skin aging [8.2, 8.10, 23.2]
NFB: Nuclear Factor-kappaB: anti-inflammatory [8.2]
PC, EPC: progenitor cells, endothelial progenitor cells: vascular wall repair cells
[18]
NO: nitric oxide, vaginal blood flow to the erectile tissue and
Lubrication [20.1]
VIP: vasoactive intestinal polypeptide, vaginal blood flow for lubrication
erectile tissue and lubrication [20.1]
|
Estrogen |
Progesterone |
Androgen |
| CONNECTIVE TISSUE | ||
|
smooth skin through water and protein retention in the skin and tissues |
beneficial influence on skin regeneration via T-IMP, MMP, and NFB diuretic: reduces congestion and removes water from tissues |
skin oiliness, skin thickness beard and body hair (≠ scalp hair!) |
|
well-perfused, vital, moist mucous membranes |
prepares the uterine lining for implantation |
beneficial influence on the uterine lining |
|
inhibits bone breakdown (osteoclast inhibition) unfavorable influence on cartilage tissue |
promotes bone formation and bone density (osteoblast activation) |
inhibition of osteoclasts and activation of osteoblasts beneficial influence on cartilage tissue |
| APPEARANCE | ||
|
development and maintenance of primary and secondary female sexual characteristics female fat distribution pattern around the hips, buttocks, and thighs, the so-called pear shape development of depot fat, e.g. as reserve stores for breastfeeding |
|
development and maintenance of primary and secondary male sexual characteristics male fat distribution pattern around the abdomen and waist, the so-called apple shape
|
| METABOLISM | ||
|
beneficial influence on hunger, food intake, and energy metabolism via the leptin–estrogen cycle favorable blood sugar level through cellular insulin sensitivity and glucose tolerance balances HDL and LDL/lipid metabolism |
helps convert fat into energy and reduces adipose tissue regulates blood sugar and blood clotting and influences thyroid hormones nutrient supply to the embryo |
reduces depot fat builds muscle strength and mass beneficial influence on breast gland tissue anabolic: fat loss and muscle building beneficial influence on energy, sugar, protein, and fat metabolism reduced feeling of hunger via leptin |
| PSYCHOLOGICAL EFFECTS | ||
|
mood-enhancing, euphoric activity stimulates, among others, dopamine, serotonin, glutamic acid, and noradrenaline female thinking and feeling empathy, social commitment language aptitude greater attractiveness and affairs protection against psychosis |
activity antidepressant calming, anxiolytic nest-building and brooding behavior prolongs relationships relaxation and confidence during pregnancy calming, sleep-inducing to narcotic nerve regeneration |
mood-enhancing vitality, activity, drive clear, focused thinking spatial awareness zest for life presence and decisiveness / so-called “aggressiveness” creativity association with healthy aging is being studied (evidence is inconsistent) |
| BLOOD & VESSELS | ||
|
dilates arteries, constricts veins lowers blood pressure, cardioprotective protects the arteries from arteriosclerosis
|
constricts arteries, dilates veins
reduces blood clotting |
formation of erythrocytes through erythropoietin and stimulation of the bone marrow stimulates PC and EPC, thereby providing cardioprotective and vasoprotective effects Men: testosterone levels are inversely correlated with the risk of cardiovascular disease |
| UROGENITAL TRACT | ||
|
fertility fluid retention in the tissues, especially when dominant over progesterone! Woman: egg maturation, ovulation, uterine blood flow, cycle |
fertility ovulation and implantation of the fertilized egg prevents the maturation and implantation of another egg during pregnancy |
fertility supplies and stimulates erectile tissue muscle cells in the clitoris and penis Man: spermiogenesis, potency |
| SEX | ||
|
stimulates NO, VIP, dopamine, and serotonin during sex increases libido blood flow and lubrication during sexual arousal increases sensitivity to sexual touch, receptiveness, and readiness |
low progesterone levels increase sexual desire, while high levels reduce it sense of reward, drowsiness, relaxation, and security after orgasm |
stimulates NO increases libido, sexual desire, and lust sexual fantasies the erectile tissues (clitoris, labia, and penis) fill and become more sensitive increases sexual arousal orgasmic capacity and intensity |
[7.1, 7.2, 8.1-8, 20.1, 20.7, 9, 18]
Sources, as of 23 July 2017 (individual sources replaced by more recent specialist literature in 2026):
1 https://www.aerzteblatt.de/nachrichten/55823/Oestrogenmangel-macht-
Men-thicker
2 http://www.bfr.bund.de/cm/343/bfr_bewertet_untersuchungen_
to_hormone-like_effects_of_in_natural_
mineralwaessern_vorkommenden_substanzen.pdf
3 http://www1.biologie.uni-hamburg.de/b-online/d31/31.htm
4 http://www.dr-neidert.de/texte/239-estradiol-oestradiol-das-hormon-fuer-
skin-hair-and-brain
5 http://www.endokrinologikum.com/fileadmin/user_upload/Labor/
Downloadcenter/Prof._Keck_
Hyperandrogenismus_Springer_Medizin.12.2012.pdf
6.1 Davis SR et al.: Global Consensus Position Statement on the Use of Testosterone Therapy for Women. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 2019. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31498871/
6.2 https://www.netzwerk-frauengesundheit.com/progesteron-das-hormon-
correctly apply the wisdom/
7.1 https://www.frauenaerzte-im-netz.de/de_koerperliche-veraenderungen-
effects on thekoerper_255.html
7.2 https://www.frauenaerzte-im-netz.de/de_koerperliche-veraenderungen-
the changes in-einzelnen_256.html
8.1 http://www.frauenaerztin-gruber.at/hormone_weibliche_vitalitaet.html
8.2 http://www.frauenaerztin-gruber.at/haut_hormone.html
8.3 http://www.frauenaerztin-gruber.at/haarausfall.html
8.4 http://www.frauenaerztin-gruber.at/progesteron_gestagen.html
8.5 http://www.frauenaerztin-gruber.at/koerpergwicht.html
8.6 http://www.frauenaerztin-gruber.at/empfngnisverhutung_pille.html
8.7 http://www.frauenaerztin-gruber.at/fettstoffwechsel_hormone.html
8.8 http://www.frauenaerztin-gruber.at/isoflavone.html
9 http://www.frauennaturheilkunde.de/upload/pdf/progesteron.pdf
10 https://idw-online.de/de/news356827
11 http://www.initiative.cc/Artikel/2010_08_27_antibabypille.htm
12 https://www.kade.de/indikationsgebiete/gynaekologie/hormonmangel/
13.1 http://www.kinderwunschhilfe.de/index.php?id=413
13.2 http://www.kinderwunschhilfe.de/index.php?id=165
13.3 http://www.kinderwunschhilfe.de/index.php?id=166
14 http://www.maennerarzt-linz.at/startseite_maennerarzt/der-mann-und-
his hormones/man-and-birth-control-pill/
15.1 http://www.mueller-tyl.at/hormone-und-ihre-wirkung/testosteron-bei-
of-women/index.html
15.2 http://www.mueller-tyl.at/hormone-und-ihre-wirkung/
dhea---dehydroepiandrosterone/index.html
15.3 http://www.mueller-tyl.at/hormone-und-ihre-wirkung/index.html
16 http://www.netdoktor.de/Diagnostik+Behandlungen/Laborwerte/
Progesterone-1429.html
17 http://www.pharmazeutische-zeitung.de/index.php?id=medizin1_20_2005
18 http://www.porst-hamburg.de/spezielle-andrologie/testosteron.html
19 Davis SR, Wahlin-Jacobsen S: Testosterone in women – the clinical significance. Lancet Diabetes Endocrinol 2015. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26358173/
20.1 http://www.sexmedpedia.com/hormone-im-weiblichen-koerper/
20.2 http://www.sexmedpedia.com/sexuelle-attraktivitaet/ attractiveness
20.3 http://www.sexmedpedia.com/sex-als-bindungsfaktor/
20.4 http://www.sexmedpedia.com/erektionsstoerungen-rezeptpflichtige-
PDE5 inhibitor therapy/
20.5 http://www.sexmedpedia.com/sexuelles-verlangen-bei-der-frau-
interfering-factors/
20.6 http://www.sexmedpedia.com/das-geheimarchiv-des-lebens/
20.7 http://www.sexmedpedia.com/beherrscht-von-hormonen/
21 http://www.spiegel.de/gesundheit/diagnose/bund-studie-viele-kosmetika-
hormonally contained-active-ingredients-a-912768.html
22 http://www.toxikologie.de/fileadmin/user_upload/GT/Wissenschaftliche_
Papers/2004/XENO-Oestrogene.pdf
23.1 https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hormon
23.2 https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Progesteron
23.3 https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aromatase
23.4 https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steroide
23.5 https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steroidhormon
23.6 https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cholesterin
23.7 https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fettstoffwechsel
23.8 https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steroid-5α-Reduktase
23.9 https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dehydroepiandrosteron
23.10 https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Estradiol
23.11 https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Estron
23.12 https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Estriol
23.13 https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Testosteron
23.14 https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Epitestosteron
23.15 https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Androsteron
23.16 https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Androstendion
23.17 https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dehydroepiandrosteron
23.18 https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gestagene
23.19 https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Matrix-Metalloproteasen
23.20 https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Androgene
24 https://www.netzwerk-frauengesundheit.com/progesteron-das-hormon-
correctly apply the wisdom-use/
25 http://www.phytohormone.ch/ph/aktuell/phytohormone.asp?navid=3
26 https://upvs.files.wordpress.com/2014/03/das-tao-der-sexualitaet.pdf