What is Estrogen?

A hormone called estrogen plays a prominent role in the reproduction and sexual development of women. Estrogen is a crucial part of the female reproductive system. Our bodies naturally regulate the levels of estrogen and other reproductive hormones to maintain a healthy balance. However, sometimes this balance can be disrupted by biological and environmental factors. An excessive amount of estrogen is created by the body, resulting in a condition called estrogen dominance. It can result in various types of health problems.

What Are the Symptoms of High Estrogen in Men and Women?

Symptoms of Men:

Estrogen, although it’s called the female hormone, estrogen is also produced by the man’s body. For sexual growth and development, a healthy balance of estrogen and testosterone hormones is important. Sexual growth and functional development may be affected when these hormones become imbalanced. In women, possible symptoms include:

• Infertility
• Depression
• Erectile dysfunction
• Enlargement of breast tissue
• Short stature
• Delayed puberty

Symptoms of Women:

When estrogen and testosterone levels aren’t stable in your body, it may lead to causing certain symptoms. In women, possible symptoms include:

• Headaches
• Mood swings
• Weight gain
• Hair loss
• Bloating
• Decreased sex drive
• Irregular menstrual periods
• Anxiety and panic attacks
• Sleeping issues

 

Causes of High Estrogen in Men and Women:

There are several reasons why you may have a high estrogen level:

• The medicine that you’re taking contains a lot of estrogens.
• There’s an issue with your body processing estrogen and removing it from your body adequately.

Many causes can affect estrogen levels, such as:

• Medications
• Alcohol
• Liver problems
• Stress
• Body fact
• Synthetic xenoestrogens

Effects of High Estrogen in Men and Women:

Effects of High Estrogen in Men:

Fertility

One of the most well-known and obvious effects of high estrogen in men is a reduction in fertility. Many men with high estrogen levels will have difficulty with fertility due to a lack of testosterone, which plays a role in sperm production. In addition, Men with low estrogen can suffer from impotence and decreased sex drive. Sperm quality may also be affected by excess estrogen, and sperm count may decrease as well. A combination of high levels of estrogen and low testosterone can reduce sperm quality to the point where a man can’t conceive naturally.

Gynecomastia

Men with gynecomastia develop breast tissue higher than normal. Gynecomastia is generally caused by hormonal imbalances, most commonly by high estrogen. When the estrogen levels are high in men it leads to gynecomastia

Erectile Dysfunction

Erection becomes difficult if you have high estrogen levels in your body, which in turn can reduce a man’s libido and lead to erectile dysfunction.

Effects of High Estrogen in Women:

Weight Gain

Excessive estrogen can cause many health problems. This increases blood pressure and cholesterol, which can lead to heart disease and weight gain. This can lead to overeating and weight gain even when a person has a healthy diet.

Menstrual Problems

High estrogen levels often lead to irregular periods or no periods at all. In this case, you observe excess bleeding or very light bleeding due to high estrogen. It can also lead to experiencing painful periods, mood swings, and depression during menstruation.

Psychological Changes

High estrogen levels can also cause psychological changes, including anxiety, aggression, and decreased interest in sex. A person’s mood can also be affected, resulting in mood swings, depression, and a lack of motivation.

How Do I Know Estrogen Levels High or Low?

There are three types of estrogen are produced by the body. An estrogen test can measure all three: estrone (E1), estradiol (E2), and estriol (E3). Your clinician will take a blood sample and send it to a lab for testing.

• Estrone, also known as E1, is the key female hormone produced by women after menopause. Menopause is a time in a woman’s life when her menstrual periods have stopped and she can’t become pregnant anymore. It habitually starts when a woman is around 50 years old.
• Estradiol, also known as E2, is the primary female hormone made by nonpregnant women.
• Estriol, also known as E3, is a hormone that develops during pregnancy.

Women’s Normal Estrogen Level

	Estrone	Estradiol
Prepubescent female	Undetectable–29 pg/mL	Undetectable–20 pg/ml
Pubescent female	10–200 pg/mL	Undetectable–350 pg/ml
Premenopausal adult female	17–200 pg/mL	15–350 pg/ml
Postmenopausal adult female	7–40 pg/mL	<10 pg/ml

Men’s Normal Estrogen Level

	Estrone	Estradiol
Prepubescent male	Undetectable–16 pg/ml	Undetectable–13 pg/ml
Pubescent male	Undetectable–60 pg/ml	Undetectable–40 pg/ml
Adult male	10–60 pg/ml	10–40 pg/ml

What Happens When Fertility Effects by Estrogen?

Estrogen has been required in our body for reproductive, cardiovascular, and bone health. However, too much estrogen can lead to irregular periods and hormonal imbalances. When fertility effects by high estrogen levels causing unpleasant symptoms and increasing your risk of developing certain diseases. Your specialist can help you figure out what’s causing your excessive estrogen levels and suggest treatments.

What Are the Treatments for High Estrogen?

Surgery:

If you have a type of cancer that is complex to estrogen, your surgeon may recommend an oophorectomy as well. This is a surgery that removes ovaries. Since ovaries produce a maximum of estrogen in women’s bodies, this will lower estrogen levels and cause surgical menopause.

Diet:

Your doctor may recommend changes to your diet to help lower your estrogen levels, such as eating a low-fat, high-fiber diet or losing excess weight.