Estrogen is important for:
1) Youthful Genital Tissues
2) Optimal Sexual Arousal
Estrogen and testosterone are very similar in composition and can both effect target tissue similarly. In fact, estrogen is produced from testosterone. Within the ovaries a reaction occurs in which the testosterone (with 19 carbon atoms) interacts with an enzyme that acts to remove a single carbon atom from the compound, producing estrogen (with 18 carbon atoms).
We have also described the absolute importance of estrogen on genital tissues to prevent genital atrophy. Both systemic estrogen (oral pills, transdermal patches, transdermal creams) and topical vaginal creams can supply adequate replacement estrogen to the genital tissues if needed. However, for these you need the assistance of your gynecologist.
Estrogen is also necessary for the adequate clitoral blood flow needed to establish sexual arousal and a clitoral erection. Since an orgasm can only be achieved from the continued stimulation of a completely erect clitoris, estrogen is necessary for optimal sexual arousal of the clitoris. Further, estrogen is also necessary for the lubrication of the vagina, which is a significant component of a woman’s sexual arousal.
Estrogen is important to establish a maximum clitoral erection not only by improving blood flow, but also by optimizing the nitric oxide synthase (NOS) pathway to dilate the corpus cavernosa . The all important NOS pathway that establishes a clitoral erection is dependant upon both estrogen and testosterone. Testosterone is probably more important than the estrogen, but remember they are both very similar and related to one another. In fact, in every clinical study to test the ability of testosterone to increase a woman’s sexual desire and sexual arousal, researchers first make sure the participants are on estrogen replacement therapy. This is done so that they can study the effects of the testosterone medication with the assurance that every participant had similar estrogen levels. Remember, every woman is unique and complex!