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Signs and Symptoms of High Estrogen Diagnosis, Treatment, and More

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Signs and Symptoms of High Estrogen Diagnosis, Treatment, and More

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ziazeeshan022
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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4 Benefits of Estrogen

SUBSCRIBE
Therapy
Medically reviewed by Alana Biggers, M.D.,
MPH — By Kimberly Holland — Updated on
April 11, 2022

Menopause symptoms Vaginal health


Ovarian health Bone health Risks
Outlook Tips

Who can benefit from estrogen


treatment?
Estrogen is a hormone that’s naturally
produced by your body. It’s found in both
people assigned male at birth and people
assigned female at birth. Estrogen plays an
important role in managing your reproductive
system, but it also protects your bones and
helps your skin heal from bruises and injury.

Sometimes, your body doesn’t make enough


estrogen. This can happen for various reasons.
For example, in people assigned female at
birth, estrogen production slows down as they
get older. Some conditions can also affect your
estrogen levels.

If your estrogen levels are low, a doctor or


healthcare professional may prescribe
hormone therapy to help replace your
estrogen levels and ease symptoms.

According to a 2015 American Cancer Society


article ! , some research suggests that long-
term hormone therapy may increase your risk
of developing other conditions, including
severe conditions such as cancer. Talk with a
doctor about this before you begin using
hormone therapy.

Learn more about the symptoms of low


estrogen.

Keep reading to learn more about the benefits


and risks of estrogen and which conditions
may be treated with hormone therapy.
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1. Relieves menopause
symptoms
Your natural estrogen production changes
over time. As you begin puberty, you’ll create
more estrogen. If you are a person with
ovaries, you’ll continue to have higher levels
throughout the period between puberty and
menopause. As menopause approaches, your
estrogen levels will begin falling.

As your estrogen levels fall, you’ll start having


symptoms of menopause. Most commonly,
these symptoms include:

hot flashes

vaginal dryness

chills

difficulty sleeping

excessive sweating

For menopause symptoms, many doctors will


prescribe an estrogen-containing medication.
Replacing the declining estrogen with
hormone therapy may help ease menopause
symptoms.

2. Improves vaginal conditions


Estrogen can help support your vaginal health.
When estrogen levels decline, you may
experience changes to the tissue, lining, and
pH balance of your vagina. These changes can
cause several vaginal health conditions,
including:

vaginal dryness

vulvar atrophy, a condition that causes


dryness, soreness, and urinary
incontinence

atrophic vaginitis, or inflammation of


vaginal tissues that’s frequently caused
by dryness and irritation

Estrogen may be able to help treat these


conditions.
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3. Helps ovary conditions


Your ovaries are responsible for producing
estrogen. If they fail to produce the hormone
or if they’re affected by any other condition,
hormone therapy may be necessary.

These conditions may require supplemental


estrogen:

female hypogonadism, or decreased


function of your ovaries

failure of both of your ovaries

an oophorectomy, or the removal of both


of your ovaries

If you’ve had your ovaries removed, hormone


therapy may be used to help ease symptoms
of premature menopause. Sometimes, both
your uterus and ovaries are removed. This is
called a total hysterectomy.

4. Protects your bones


Estrogen may help ! decrease bone loss after
menopause. However, new medications are
better able to stop and reverse bone loss, so
most doctors rely on those now.

Those medications aren’t always effective, and


their side effects may be too severe. In those
cases, a doctor may recommend using
estrogen to treat osteoporosis, or bone loss.

Learn more about osteoporosis treatments.

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Estrogen side effects and risks


Hormone therapy isn’t without its risks. In fact,
hormone therapy isn’t used as widely as it
once was because research began revealing
risks with long-term use, such as cancer and
heart risks.

However, thanks to these studies, doctors and


medical researchers have a better
understanding of who will benefit most from
estrogen therapy and who should try other
treatments.

The risk factors and side effects associated


with estrogen use include:

Blood clots. Estrogen increases your risk


of blood clots, which can cause a stroke,
a heart attack, and even death.

Cancer. Estrogen may increase your risk


of certain cancers, specifically breast
cancer. Talk with a doctor about your
personal health history, your family
history, and your risk of breast cancer.

Birth irregularities. If you’re using


estrogen or hormone therapy and
become pregnant, your pregnancy may
end prematurely. If you’re able to carry a
pregnancy to full term, birth irregularities
are common for babies born to people
using estrogen.

Dense breast tissue. People who take


estrogen may develop dense breast
tissue. Dense tissue makes reading
mammograms harder, so identifying
breast cancer in its early stages may be
difficult.

Doctors typically prescribe estrogen-only


medication if you’ve had a hysterectomy but
still have your ovaries.

If you haven’t had a hysterectomy, you’ll


usually receive a combination estrogen-
progesterone medication. That’s because
estrogen-only treatments increase your risk of
endometrial cancer.

The endometrium is the lining of the uterus.


Removing the uterus during a hysterectomy
removes the risk of endometrial cancer.

What’s been approved by the Food


and Drug Administration (FDA)?

The FDA approves all estrogen therapy


medications. Some hormones are sold as “bio-
identical hormones” and aren’t FDA approved.

They’re available without a prescription, and


they’re not held to the same safety standards
as prescription medications. Despite marketing
claims, these hormones are also not more
natural than the FDA-approved treatments.

Outlook
The short-term benefits of estrogen therapy
can help ease symptoms of several conditions
and lower your risk of developing other
conditions. However, there are health
concerns related to hormone therapy.

Before you begin using estrogen, weigh the


pros and cons of the treatment with a doctor.
Use estrogen at the lowest dose you can and
use it for as short a time as possible to reduce
risks.

" Pros
may improve your vaginal health
can help reduce your symptoms
of menopause
may promote your bone and
heart health

# Cons
may increase your risk of certain
cancers
may increase your risk of blood
clots, which can lead to heart
disease or a stroke
if taken while you’re pregnant, it
may lead to a miscarriage or
cause birth irregularities

Tips for managing estrogen


levels
While you can’t prevent your body’s natural
hormone fluctuations, you can help ease the
symptoms of estrogen loss. You can also take
measures to prevent some of the
complications of estrogen loss.

These strategies for managing estrogen loss


include:

Eating a balanced diet. Foods rich in


calcium and vitamin D can boost bone
health and help prevent osteoporosis.

Considering a calcium supplement.


Estrogen and calcium need each other to
help build bone strength. Eat plenty of
calcium-rich foods to give your body
natural building blocks for your bones.

Lifting weights. Strength training is a


highly effective way to build bone
strength and lower your risk of
osteoporosis. If you’ve never done
strength training, work with a certified
physical trainer to create a routine.

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Last medically reviewed on April 11, 2022

How we reviewed this article:


SOURCES HISTORY

Our experts continually monitor the health and


wellness space, and we update our articles
when new information becomes available.
Current Version

Apr 11, 2022

Medically Reviewed By
Alana Biggers, MD, MPH

Apr 18, 2017

Written By
Kimberly Holland

Edited By
John Bassham

Copy Edited By
Kristin Hitchcock

VIEW ALL HISTORY !

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$ % & '

Signs and Symptoms of


High Estrogen
Medically reviewed by Debra Rose Wilson,
Ph.D., MSN, R.N., IBCLC, AHN-BC, CHT — By
Kimberly Holland — Updated on April 18,
2018

Causes Symptoms in women


Symptoms in men Diagnosis Treatment
Complications Outlook

What is estrogen?
Your body’s hormones are like a seesaw.
When they’re perfectly balanced, your body
works as it should. But when they’re
unbalanced, you may begin experiencing
problems.

Estrogen is known as the “female” hormone.


Testosterone is known as the “male” hormone.
Although each hormone is identified with a
specific sex, both are found in women and
men. On average, women have higher levels
of estrogen and men have more testosterone.

In women, estrogen helps initiate sexual


development. Along with another female sex
hormone known as progesterone, it also
regulates a woman’s menstrual cycle and
affects her entire reproductive system. In
premenopausal women, estrogen and
progesterone levels vary from one stage of the
menstrual cycle to another.

In men, estrogen also plays an important role


in sexual function.
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Causes of high estrogen


High levels of estrogen can develop naturally,
but too much estrogen can also result from
taking certain medications. For example,
estrogen replacement therapy, a popular
treatment for symptoms of menopause, may
cause estrogen to reach problematic levels.

Your body may also develop low testosterone


or low progesterone levels, which can upset
your hormonal balance. If you have estrogen
levels that are abnormally high relative to your
progesterone levels, it’s known as estrogen
dominance.

Symptoms of high estrogen in


women
When your body’s estrogen and testosterone
levels aren’t balanced, you may begin
developing certain symptoms. In women,
potential symptoms include:

bloating

swelling and tenderness in your breasts

fibrocystic lumps in your breasts

decreased sex drive

irregular menstrual periods

increased symptoms of premenstrual


syndrome (PMS)

mood swings

headaches

anxiety and panic attacks

weight gain

hair loss

cold hands or feet

trouble sleeping

sleepiness or fatigue

memory problems
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Symptoms of high estrogen in


men
Although it’s called the female hormone, a
man’s body also makes estrogen. A healthy
balance of estrogen and testosterone is
important for sexual growth and development.
When these hormones become imbalanced,
your sexual development and function may be
affected.

Symptoms of high estrogen in men include:

Infertility. Estrogen is partly responsible


for creating healthy sperm. When
estrogen levels are high, sperm levels
may fall and lead to fertility issues.

Gynecomastia. Estrogen may stimulate


breast tissue growth. Men with too much
estrogen may develop gynecomastia, a
condition which leads to larger breasts.

Erectile dysfunction (ED). Men with high


levels of estrogen may have difficulty
getting or maintaining an erection.

Diagnosing high estrogen


If your doctor suspects that you might have
high estrogen, they’ll likely order a blood test
to check your hormone levels. A trained
professional will collect a sample of your blood
to be tested in a laboratory. The results will
indicate if your estrogen levels are too low or
too high. Blood estrogen levels are measured
in pictograms per milliliter (pg/mL).

There are three types of estrogen: estradiol,


estriol, and estrone. Estradiol is the primary
female sex hormone. Estriol and estrone are
minor female sex hormones. Estriol is nearly
undetectable in women who aren’t pregnant.

Normal estrogen levels in women

According to Mayo Medical Laboratories, the


following estrone and estradiol levels are
considered normal for women:

Estrone Estr

Prepubescent Undetectable–29 Undetec


female pg/mL pg/ml

Undetec
Pubescent female 10–200 pg/mL
350 pg/m

Premenopausal
17–200 pg/mL 15–350 p
adult female

Postmenopausal
7–40 pg/mL <10 pg/m
adult female

In premenopausal girls and women, estradiol


levels vary widely throughout the menstrual
cycle.

Normal estrogen levels in men

According to Mayo Medical Laboratories, the


following estrone and estradiol levels are
considered normal for men:

Estrone Estr

Prepubescent Undetectable–16 Undetec


male pg/ml pg/ml

Undetectable–60 Undetec
Pubescent male
pg/ml pg/ml

Adult male 10–60 pg/ml 10–40 pg

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Treatment for high estrogen


To manage high estrogen or estrogen
dominance, your doctor might prescribe
medications, recommend surgery, or
encourage you to adjust your diet.

Medication

If you develop high estrogen while undergoing


hormone therapy, your doctor might change
your hormone therapy plan. This might help
your body achieve a healthier hormone
balance.

If you have a type of cancer that’s sensitive to


estrogen, high estrogen levels can make the
cancer worse. Your doctor might prescribe
medications to block cancer cells from binding
to estrogen. For example, they might prescribe
tamoxifen.

Alternatively, they might prescribe an


aromatase inhibitor. This type of medication
stops the enzyme aromatase from converting
androgens into estrogen. This class of drug
includes:

anastrozole (Arimidex)

exemestane (Aromasin)

letrozole (Femara)

In other cases, they might prescribe a


medication that stops your ovaries from
producing estrogen. For example, they might
prescribe:

goserelin (Zoladex)

leuprolide (Lupron)

Surgery

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