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Estriol vs. Estradiol (A David & Goliath Story!)
01/09/2023

Estrogen is estrogen is estrogen.... right? ❌ Nope, not all estrogens are created equal, and it is crucial that you know how different estrogens play a role in our bodies. Read on to find out...

Stay Local, Baby!

Both estradiol and estriol are two estrogen hormones used to optimize women's health after menopause. Estradiol can be administered in a pill, a pellet, in an oral troche, or in a cream. Estriol is typically used in a cream. Studies have shown that in creams estradiol and estriol are absorbed through the skin in different amounts. About 80% of estradiol will be used close to the place it's applied whereas 97% of estriol will be used close to the application site. Women's bodies and brains have many uses for estrogen after menopause and estradiol, the most powerful estrogen is often prescribed to provide health and wellness support throughout the whole body. Because estradiol is a powerful hormone a practitioner should be checking hormone levels every year to make sure levels are not too high and are balance by adequate amounts of progesterone.

Weak .v. Gentle

Estriol is a less powerful hormone with 1/7th to 1/8th of the strength of estradiol. Estriol can be used safely by most women for years with only periodic checks of hormone levels. Because so much of the estriol is used in the area it is applied, it is an ideal hormone to use to replace levels of estrogen in the vagina, vulva, urethra, and around the bladder. There are estrogen receptors (tiny docking stations) in the cells in all of these areas and these cells need a steady supply of estrogen to remain healthy. You can read more about how hormone receptors work here. After menopause when the body no longer makes enough estrogen...that lack can result in vaginal atrophy, thinning skin, incontinence, and an increase in urinary tract infections and interstitial cystitis. Daily application of a small amount of estriol which will be used in that area is an excellent way to supply estrogen for these important cells.

Blood Stream Taxi Service

Some practitioners will prescribe a vaginal cream or suppository containing estradiol as a form of estrogen supplementation. Some of that estradiol will be used in the tissue of the vagina. The estradiol will also pass through all the layers of the skin into the blood stream. Estradiol, like all the steroid hormones, will move around the body by hitching a ride on a red blood cell. It's this red blood cell taxi system that distributes hormone supplementation all around the body to waiting receptors.

Estriol + Vaginal Atrophy = Winning Combo!

Scientists have not yet discovered why - but they have established that the gentler estriol seems to have a greater impact in helping vaginal dryness and incontinence than estradiol. We hear from many customers who are using an estradiol suppository who still experience dryness. The addition of Silky Peach estriol cream seems to do the trick for many of these ladies. We do want to be clear, this does not mean that someone would stop using the estradiol suppository, there are MANY benefits to adding back in some estradiol post menopause. We always want you to check with your doctor before making any changes as they will have your full medical history.

If you want to learn more about the three types of estrogen, and the role that they play in YOUR body, check out this blog!

Interested in Silky Peach estriol cream? You can buy yours here!