You may think that the reproductive hormones (oestrogen, progesterone and testosterone) only affect reproduction, but ladies, they impact so much more, including your mood, brain, heart and bone health. Here’s a brief guide to what’s going on during the different stages of a woman’s life.
YOUR BODY’S journey
REPRODUCTIVE YEARS
This is when you’ve got good levels of oestrogen, which protects against heart disease and helps build and maintain bone mass. You’re also producing testosterone (yes, women have it too), which contributes to a healthy brain and strong muscles, plus progesterone, which helps your body prepare for, and maintain, a pregnancy. The average menstrual cycle is 28-29 days, with each cycle calculated from the first day
