FREE ESSAY ON SEX HORMONES IN WOMEN

SEX HORMONES IN WOMEN

SEX HORMONES IN WOMEN
The main issue I m going to discuss is Premenstrual Syndrome, or PMS. It is a
constellation of symptoms that directly precedes menstruation. These symptoms vary from
woman to woman. PMS is a hormonal disorder characterized by a regularly recurring group
of symptoms. These symptoms may occur from two to fourteen days before a woman's
menstrual period, usually disappearing after the period begins and directly followed by a
symptom-free time each month. PMS symptoms can be both emotional and physical, affecting
almost every system of the body.
Some symptoms of other medical conditions can resemble PMS. Some of these conditions
include allergies, depression, diabetes, dysmenorrhea, endometriosis, fibrocystic breast
disease, and thyroid problems. To help determine whether you suffer from PMS, use symptom
charting, as PMS symptoms usually come and go each month and at the same time. PMS
symptoms occur in the second half of the menstrual cycle. During this time, production of
the hormone Progesterone should increase and peak. About seven days before the menstrual
period, Estrogen and Progesterone levels decrease dramatically, causing menstruation to
occur. PMS symptoms occur as a result of low levels of progesterone, excessive levels of
estrogen and/or fluctuations in both levels. Many women find that PMS worsens with age.
This also suggests a correlation with hormone levels being out of balance.
There are many treatments for PMS. Some of these treatments are exersize, having a
balanced diet, the best way to have a balance diet and to reduce PMS is to have 6 small
meals everyday instead of three large meals. Both of these techniques can help women
reduce the symptoms of PMS.
Recent studies are indicating that girls are going through puberty at earlier ages. The
question that arises on many peoples minds is: What's causing it? and what are the
pychological effects? Melissa Carter could not believe that her daughter started
developing breast buds at the young age of four. A few weeks later they disappeared but
three yeas later at the age of seven they stared coming back and began to develop further
along with growing pubic hair she thought that her daughter was way to young for this
growth. They put her on pill lupron but it made there daughter have terrible mood swings
so at the age of nine they took her off it and she started her period and had full grown
breasts. Why is this happening? Could it be the water? that is a definite possibility.
Others feel that it could be linked to milk or beef, also obesity. Among Caucasians today
1 out of every seven girls are developing breasts and pubic hair by the age of 8. Among
African Americans 1 out of every 2 are developing at that age. Studies show that many
girls are losing there childhood's by growing through puberty at such an early age. 
The most common instance of this are in obese children, however this is not a definite
cause. Some of the cause are:
* PCB's- these long lived chemicals, once used in electric power industry, may jump start
reproductive development.
phthalates- a study speculates that they may have caused two year olds in Puerto Rico to
grow breasts. But the link is far from proved.
* HORMONES IN MILK AND MEAT- there given to help cattle grow bigger, produce more. Some
think hormones linger in food and wreck havoc.
* FAT CELLS- lepitin, a protein secreted by these cells, is involved in the progression
of puberty. The nations obesity epidemic makes lepitin a prime suspect.
*DDE- though the US banned the pesticide DDT in 1972, this breakdown product persists in
the environment.
These are just some of the things people suspect could be causing early development in
children at such young ages but no one is for sure on why or what is causing this strange
phenomenon.