A new study investigating estrogen receptors provides further evidence of beneficial role of estradiol in COVID-19 infection. Sex differences in response to coronaviruses have been well reported for many years after the SARS and MERS outbreaks. Early in the COVID-19 pandemic, it was known that men were at higher risk of having more severe infection and of hospitalisation. This was initially thought to be linked to poorer lifestyle and health conditions, but further research suggests a link to sex hormones, especially estradiol, in improving protection in premenopausal women and menopausal women taking HRT by inhibiting inflammation and regulating immune responses. It has been known for decades that estradiol improves the immune response - it has the ability to increase the number of our immune cells and also to genetically reprogramme them so they are more efficient and work more effectively. In this study, a team of scientists from Sao Paolo, Brazil, focused on the involvement of estrogen receptors in modulating or replicating virus infection. I am very proud to be a co-author on this paper. Read more about this study following the link in my bio to the @nhmenosociety website. #covid19research #estrogenresearch #hormonesresearch #hormones #evidencebasedresearch #worldmenopausemonth #menopausemonth #menopauseawarenessmonth