How Do You Know If Your Estrogen Levels Are High? Learn About Symptoms of High Estrogen

The hormones in our body, when they are completely happy and balanced, help in keeping your body and mind also happy and balanced. The hormones tend to go up and down and when there is any imbalance in the body, then that is when we start experiencing various kinds of problems.⁽¹⁾

One such kind of hormone is “female” hormone known as Estrogen and many might have heard about this particular hormone. Any type of imbalance in the estrogen levels can cause thyroid problems.⁽¹⁾ The male hormone is Testosterone; however, both these hormones estrogen and testosterone, are present in men as well as women despite them being specific to one sex.⁽⁶⁾ Women will have more levels of estrogen in their body and men will have increased levels of testosterone.

Estrogen helps in starting the sexual development in women with the help of progesterone, which is another female sex hormone.⁽⁵⁾ This hormone also helps in regulating the menstrual cycle in females and also affects the reproductive system in women. Women who are in the premenopausal phase will have varying levels of estrogen and progesterone from one menstrual cycle to another. Estrogen also plays a part in the sexual function of men.

Women can have fluctuating levels of estrogen in their body and increased levels can be a part of the natural process. However, excessive estrogen levels can occur from taking certain type of medications, such as estrogen replacement therapy, which is a treatment taken to relieve the menopause symptoms and can lead to dramatic increase in the estrogen to cause problems in the body.⁽⁸⁾

Estrogen Dominance:⁽⁹⁾ On the flip side, there can also occur very low levels of progesterone or testosterone, which further upset the hormonal balance in the female body. If a woman has excessively high estrogen levels when compared to the levels of progesterone, then it is known as estrogen dominance.

Other Causes for High Estrogen Levels:⁽⁹⁾ Some of the other causes for increased levels of estrogen in the body are: synthetic xenoestrogen; liver problem; excessive alcohol consumption; stress and increased percentage of body fat.

Some of the symptoms of high estrogen in women and an imbalance in estrogen and testosterone levels are:

• Feeling of tenderness and swelling in the breasts.
• Bloating is present.
• Decreased libido or sex drive.
• Presence of fibrocystic lumps in the breasts.
• Irregular menstrual cycle.
• Weight gain.
• Increased premenstrual syndrome symptoms.
• Anxiety, mood swings and panic attacks.
• Headaches.
• Hair fall or hair loss.
• Cold hands or feet.
• Tiredness, fatigue or sleepiness.
• Difficulty in sleeping.
• Concentration and memory problems.

Estrogen is referred to as a female hormone; however, a man’s body also makes estrogen.⁽⁶⁾ Both men and women need a healthy balance of testosterone and estrogen for sexual development and growth.⁽⁵⁾ Any type of imbalance in these hormones affects the sexual function and development. Some of the symptoms of high estrogen in men are:

• Gynecomastia: Estrogen stimulates the growth of breast tissue. Men suffering from high levels of estrogen in their body can develop gynecomastia, which is a condition where men have bigger breasts.
• Erectile Dysfunction (ED):⁽¹²⁾ Increased levels of estrogen in men can cause difficulty in achieving or maintaining an erection.
• Infertility in Men: A part of the function of estrogen in men is helping in development of healthy sperm. Increased levels of estrogen lead to decreased levels of sperm in men and cause infertility issues.

If high estrogen is suspected, then a blood test can be done to check the hormone levels. A blood test helps in indentifying which particular hormone is imbalanced or if there is excessive estrogen or very less estrogen in the body. The measurement of the blood estrogen levels are done in pictograms per milliliter (pg/mL).

There are three types of estrogen produced in the body: 1. Estradiol. 2. Estriol. 3. Estrone. The Primary female sex hormone is Estradiol. Whereas Estrone and Estriol are minor female sex hormones. In women who aren’t pregnant, Estriol is almost undetectable.

To manage or treat estrogen dominance or high estrogen, the doctor can recommend dietary modifications, can prescribe medications or can also recommend surgery if needed.

Medications for High Estrogen: If a woman is undergoing hormone therapy and as a result develops high estrogen, then it is time to change the hormone therapy plan to achieve a healthier balance of hormones in the body.

If a woman has a type of cancer which is sensitive to estrogen, then increased estrogen levels can worsen the cancer. For this, certain medications, such as tamoxifen, are prescribed to block or prevent the cancer cells from adhering to estrogen. Other than this, an aromatase inhibitor can also be prescribed which prevents the aromatase enzyme from transforming androgens into estrogen. This type of drug consists of the following medicines: Letrozole, exemestane and anastrozole.

For some patients, a particular medicine is prescribed which stops the production of estrogen from the ovaries such as: Leuprolide and goserelin.

Surgery such as oophorectomy is done for patients suffering from a form of cancer which is sensitive to estrogen. Ovaries are responsible for producing the majority of the estrogen in the body and removing the ovaries surgically and automatically will lead to decrease in the estrogen levels and causes what is termed as surgical menopause. Oophorectomy is also recommended if a patient is at high risk of developing ovarian or breast cancer.⁽³⁾ A patient having the following are at very high risk for developing these cancers if:⁽³⁾

• There is a strong family/personal history of ovarian or breast cancer.
• If the patient has tested positive for a particular mutation in other genes linked with the risk of cancer.
• You test positive for a specific mutation in the BRCA2 or BRCA1 gene.

The National Cancer Institute says the removal of both the ovaries can help in reducing risk of breast cancer by about 50% in patients are at extremely high-risk for cancer. Radiation therapy can also be used by the doctor to make the ovaries nonfunctional.

Diet: Diet also plays an important role in lowering the estrogen levels. Consuming a high-fiber and low-fat diet helps and losing excessive weight also helps.

Having increased levels of estrogen increases the risk of some medical conditions, such as ovarian cancer and breast cancer. The American Cancer Society says that the risk of endometrial cancer also is increased with estrogen dominance. Increased levels of estrogen also increase the risk of blood clots and stroke. Estrogen dominance increases the risk of thyroid problems and produce symptoms, such as weight changes and fatigue.

If experiencing any type of unusual symptoms, then it is important to consult your doctor who will test to see if these are occurring as a result of high estrogen. Finding the cause of high estrogen and treating it is extremely important to prevent complications and alleviate the symptoms.

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