Estrone does the same work that estradiol does, but it is considered weaker in it s effects. Estriol, the weakest of the estrogens, is produced in large amounts in pregnant women. Women who are not pregnant have small amounts of estriol in their bodies. For many years, scientists have known that estrogens are powerful and important for health and in the aging process, but as research continues, more and more benefits of estrogen are coming to light all the time. For example, researchers recently discovered that estrogen is a powerful antioxidant, able to protect the body from damage by free radicals.
Free radicals are unstable compounds that can attack and damage healthy cells and tissues.
Antioxidants prevent them from doing this. In matters of the heart, estrogen is a major factor in a number of ways. Because of its antioxidant action, estrogen helps protect the linings of the arteries from free-radical damage, which helps to keep them healthy, flexible and relaxed so blood can flow freely through them. This means less plaque formation and clogging of the arteries. Estrogen has also been shown to reduce the levels of clot-forming substances in the blood, making it less likely that blockage in a major artery will develop and result in a heart attack.