While both men and women produ
While both men and women produce estrogen to regulate variousbody systems, women experience a profound decrease in estrogenproduction later in life. The sudden decrease triggers a host ofphysiological changes that are collectively referred to asmenopause.
What organ is responsible for this loss of estrogen in women?What effect does this have on the body? One effect has to do withbone regulation and women can experience osteoporosis. What can bedone to minimize the impacts of a sudden reduction in estrogen?What dangers does this therapy involve?
Grading Rubric:
3 points – Identified organ involved and described physiologicalchanges
2 points – Identified therapy used to combat effects ofmenopause
3 points – Discussed the dangers of possible therapies
Answer:
Estrogen is a steroid hormoneproduced primarily in the ovaries of females. Other locations ofgeneration of estrogen are adrenal glands or supra-renal glands andthe fat tissue. These tissues do not generate estrogen indefinitelyin the body and stop the release after a certain period of time.This induces menopause in women.
Estrogen removal has many effects onthe body such as decrease in bone density, increase in body weight,increase in blood pressure, high fatty acid content of the blood,lowered metabolism, cessation of menstruation etc.
Generally, hormone replacementtherapy is given in women where estrogen secretion is lowered orstopped before time. Exogenous supply of estrogen in provided inthese cases.
As a possible drawback of thistherapy, a person can experience following disturbances:
- Weight gain and metabolicerrors
- Mood-swings and feeling ofunhappiness
- Nauseous feelings anduneasiness
- Hyper-activation of sweat and oilglands of the body
Hence, hormone replacement therapiesmust be conducted under expert supervision only.