# oestrogen & progesterone affect the whole body > In addition to reproductive function, ovarian steroids have been shown to target a number of tissues (e.g., epithelial, connective, muscle and nervous; [2–4]) and influence an array of biological processes (e.g., metabolism, ventilation, immunity, cognition, gastrointestinal, cardiovascular, autonomic regulation, and genitourinary function; [5–13])[[(Elliott-Sale et al., 2021)#^rpxip]] - [[the menstrual cycle affects the diurnal rhythm]] - [[oestrogen affects metabolism]] - [[oestrogen affects muscle tissue]] - [[oestrogen affects neuromuscular funtion]]