What Role Do Hormonal Factors Play in Gender Differences in Disease?

Gender differences in disease incidence and outcomes often have a hormonal basis. For instance:

Breast Cancer: Women have a higher risk of breast cancer than men, largely due to the influence of female hormones like estrogen and progesterone.
Cardiovascular Disease: Premenopausal women have a lower risk of cardiovascular diseases than men of the same age, attributed to the protective effect of estrogen. However, this risk increases post-menopause.
Osteoporosis: Women are more prone to osteoporosis, especially after menopause, due to the decline in estrogen levels which affects bone density.