Sex Hormone Effects on Body Fluid Regulation

In Brief In young women, estradiol and progesterone primarily control reproduction, but they also affect fluid regulation. Estradiol lowers the operating point for osmoregulation of arginine vasopressin and thirst and increases plasma volume. Although total body water and sodium content are only mildly affected, data presented in this article suggest that reproductive hormones alter homeostatic set points for body fluid and tonicity. This paper outlines sex hormone effects on osmotic control of arginine vasopressin (AVP), thirst, and fluid regulation.