Which hormone is primarily responsible for regulating the menstrual cycle?

The hormone primarily responsible for regulating the menstrual cycle is estrogen. Estrogen plays a key role in the development and regulation of the female reproductive system and secondary sexual characteristics. It is involved in the thickening of the endometrial lining during the follicular phase of the cycle, which prepares the uterus for potential pregnancy.

Estrogen also regulates the release of other hormones, including luteinizing hormone (LH) and follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), which are critical for the ovulation process. As estrogen levels rise during the menstrual cycle, they trigger the surge of LH that leads to ovulation. Following ovulation, the balance of hormones, including estrogen and progesterone, works together to maintain the menstrual cycle, but estrogen is essential in the initial phases of regulating this cycle.

Having other hormones like progesterone and testosterone play roles in the menstrual cycle, their primary functions differ from that of estrogen. Progesterone is essential in the luteal phase, supporting the uterine lining for potential implantation after ovulation, while testosterone has a less direct role in the menstrual cycle but is important for other functions in the body. Insulin, on the other hand, is primarily involved in glucose metabolism and does not have a significant direct impact