ESTRADIOL is an estrogen steroid hormone regulating female reproductive cycles and responsible for female secondary characteristics such as breasts, widening hips and female fat distribution.

• Major roles in development / maintenance of female reproductive tissues – E.g. mammary glands, uterus, vagina
• Important effects in other tissues – including bone, fat, skin, liver
• ESTRADIOL is present in males at much lower levels than females – but still has important roles in males
• Produced in follicles of the ovaries – also in other tissues including testicles, adrenal glands , fat, liver, breasts and brain
• Synthesized from cholesterol – via enzymes and pathways as shown in above schematic
• Other main estrogen hormones are: ESTRONE (the pregnancy hormone) and ESTRIOL (the weak estrogen)