Your body needs estrogen to keep your bones, heart, and sexual health in good shape. But having too much estrogen can make your periods not come on time and may make diseases that affect your reproductive health worse. Your doctor can help you figure out what’s causing your high estrogen levels and suggest treatments that may help.
What does it mean to have high estrogen?
Because it controls your reproductive system, estrogen is a very important hormone. It’s also very important for other parts of the body. As you age, your estrogen levels go up and down, and these changes often happen at the same time as other hormones that control important body functions.
As you hit puberty, your body makes more estrogen, which helps your sexual growth. Together with the hormone progesterone, estrogen gets your body ready for birth.
If your estrogen levels are too high or throw off your hormone balance, it can lead to problems. High estrogen levels can make it harder to get pregnant, give you bad symptoms, and raise your risk of getting some diseases.
What is estrogen?
Although estrogen is an important hormone for your body, there are times when it can build up too much and cause diseases like breast cancer. It is very important to know how to drop estrogen levels naturally, since many anti-estrogen drugs have major side effects. Read this to learn more.
As well as being spelled as “oestrogen,” estrogen is a sex hormone that affects a woman’s ability to reproduce and be sexual. Estrogen is mostly found in women, but it can also be found in men.
Estrogen is very important during puberty, menstruation, and pregnancy, among other things. This hormone also has an impact on your bones, heart, and brain, among other parts of your body.
Estrone, estradiol, and estriol are the three kinds of estrogen. Estradiol is the main one, and your body already has it before menopause. Estrone starts to show up after menopause, and estriol is the least common because it’s mostly linked to pregnancy.
It is possible for your body to make too much estrogen, even though all three types are necessary for health. This is sometimes called “estrogen dominance,” and it can cause cancer, blood clots, and strokes, among other nasty things. Along the same lines, low estrogen levels can also cause early menopause signs and osteoporosis.
Ask your doctor about the tests that can be used to check your estrogen levels. Most of the time, these will include blood tests and a process known as liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS). But some places don’t have the right equipment to do these specific tests, so the steps may be different.
What is estrogen dominance?
It is good for you that estrogen and progesterone work together to keep your uterus from getting too thick. When people don’t make enough progesterone, estrogen can build up without any competition.
In some medical texts, estrogen that is not being fought is called estrogen dominance. Without the balance effect of progesterone, estrogen can work too hard in your body and cause cell growths that are too big, like tumors in the lining of your uterus.
How does high estrogen affect the body of a woman or AFAB person?
A lot of the time, your levels will be low because you’re making estrogen. It’s more likely that the medicines you’re taking are making your estrogen levels rise. On the other hand, if you have low sex drive, it may be because your estrogen levels are too high. This is most likely due to your birth control pills, not your body’s natural estrogen.
Most likely, PCOS before menopause is to blame for high estrogen levels that aren’t caused by medicine. If you are overweight or obese, you are more likely to have high amounts after menopause.
If you have a vagina and are a trans guy or nonbinary person, high estrogen levels may stop your body from looking the way you want it to. If this sounds like you, masculinizing hormone treatment might be a good choice for you. As part of this treatment, testosterone is given to build secondary sex traits like more muscle mass and hair on the face and body.
How does high estrogen affect the body of a man or AMAB person?
If you were born male (AMAB), you need estrogen for good sexual and reproductive health. But having too much estrogen can lead to:
- Infertility.
- Erectile dysfunction.
- A condition called gynecomastia, where the breasts become enlarged.
If you were born male and are worried about your estrogen levels, you should talk to an endocrinologist or a trained functional medicine expert.
What causes high estrogen levels?
If your estrogen levels are high, it could be because:
- Your body is making too much estrogen.
- The medicine you’re taking gives you too much estrogen.
- Your body isn’t getting rid of estrogen the way it should by breaking it down.
- High estrogen can be caused by a number of things, such as
Medications
If you are taking hormone therapy to raise your estrogen levels, they may get too high at first. It might take a while to find the right dose. (birth control pills or high-dose oral contraceptives)
Body fat
Fat tissue (adipose tissue) which is fat in the body, releases estrogen. High estrogen levels can happen if you have a lot of body fat.
Stress
When you’re stressed, your body makes the hormone cortisol. When you’re stressed, your body makes a lot of cortisol, which can stop it from making progesterone. Progesterone doesn’t stop the estrogen in your body.
Alcohol
Too much alcohol can raise your estrogen levels and make it harder for your body to break down estrogen.
Liver problems
Your liver breaks down estrogen and gets rid of it from your body. Too much estrogen can build up in your body if your liver isn’t working right. If you don’t eat enough fiber, too few stomach enzymes, or too many bad gut bacteria (dysbiosis), your liver may not be able to get rid of extra estrogen.
Synthetic xenoestrogens
These are drugs that you can find in nature that work like estrogen when they get into your body. They can raise the amount of estrogen in your body. Bisphenol A (BPA) and phthalates are two types of xenoestrogens. These two chemicals are used to make different kinds of plastics. Bug sprays, some shampoos and soaps, and some cleaning items can also contain xenoestrogens.
What conditions are associated with high estrogen?
A number of health problems are linked to having high amounts of estrogen. These problems aren’t always caused by estrogen. Instead, estrogen may make a problem or sign you already have worse, such as
- Breast cancer.
- Ovarian cancer.
- Endometriosis pain.
- Insulin resistance.
- Polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS)
- Uterine cancer (endometrial cancer).
- Tumors on your ovaries and adrenal glands.
How to Naturally Decrease Estrogen Levels
When estrogen levels in the blood are higher than progesterone levels, this is called “excess estrogen.” Some of the signs that can come from this are low sex drive and periods that don’t come on time.
There are a lot of things that can change estrogen levels. So, your estrogen levels may be high because you’re taking certain drugs, going through hormone therapy, or your body is making too much estrogen. Other things, like weight, stress, and alcohol, can also affect estrogen levels.
Remember that the best way to treat your high estrogen levels will depend on what’s causing them in the first place. However, there are some changes you can make to your daily life that may help lower and keep your estrogen levels normal.
#1 Nutrition
It is important for the body to have magnesium and B vitamins in order to break down estrogen. You can get these minerals every day by eating a lot of dark leafy greens and veggies. They will help your body process estrogen and your estrogen receptors. Cruciferous veggies, collard greens, bok choy, and mushrooms are some vegetables to think about.
Fresh, organic fruits and veggies should be a part of your diet. Natural sources of protein, like eggs and nuts, are better for you than processed soy products or lab proteins when it comes to slow-releasing energy. If you don’t eat meat, aim for lean cuts of meat.
A special note should be made for eating more fiber. You can get rid of estrogen in two ways: through pee and bowel movements. The estrogen will be taken back up by your body if it takes a long time for stool to move through your intestines. Getting a lot of dietary fiber in your food is the best way to avoid this.
#2: Sleep
Studies have shown that sleep affects how hormones are controlled and how they are used. Not getting enough or good quality sleep can mess with your hormones and metabolism, which can lead to diabetes, obesity, and, you got it, hormonal imbalance.
Melatonin helps keep hormones in balance and lets the body know when it’s time to sleep. Getting enough melatonin helps keep the balance of sex hormones in women. Adults should try to get between 7 and 9 hours of sleep each night.
#3 Stick to a healthy weight
Since estrogen is made by adipose tissue, having a lot of body fat can change your estrogen levels and can even cause them to be high.
You should try to get your body fat ratio below 28%. By following a healthy diet and working out, you can lose extra weight. This will also stop your body from storing and making too much estrogen.
This happens through a process called aromatization, in which your body’s fat cells make more estrogen than it needs for healthy operation.
#4 Decrease stress in your life
It’s also called the “fight or flight hormone” or the “stress hormone.” Cortisol is made when our bodies sense that they are in danger.
Cortisol is made by our bodies from progesterone. The more of your life you spend in “fight or flight” mode, the more progesterone your body will use. This means that estrogen levels will rise compared to progesterone.
Believe in yourself enough to say “no” when you’re feeling drained, spend time on things that make you happy, and make time for more activities that help you feel better and less stressed.
#5 Ditch the caffeine
Many studies have been done on the relationship between caffeine and estrogen, and they have shown that the way caffeine affects your estrogen levels relies a lot on your genes.
What part of your menstrual cycle you are in and how much coffee you drink can change how much estrogen you have in your body. It’s clear that caffeine does change estrogen levels. If you want to keep your hormones in order, you might want to stay away from caffeine.
What can I drink to lower estrogen?
There are studies that say drinking sugary drinks like sodas can raise hormone levels and studies that say caffeine can raise estrogen levels. Some studies say that caffeine can change estrogen levels and others say that sugary drinks like sodas can raise hormone levels.
There isn’t strong proof that any one drink can help women balance or lower their hormone levels when it comes to estrogen. Also, study from the U.S. National Institutes of Health suggests that postmenopausal women who drink green tea every day may have lower levels of estrogen.
It’s important to remember that everyone’s hormone levels are different, and your estrogen levels can be affected by many things, such as what you eat and how much you move.
Can I check my hormone levels at home?
The most accurate way to find out about your hormone levels is to get a blood test. There are a number of Female Hormone testing choices on LetsGetChecked that you can use at home or with your doctor.
Balance is Key
Balance is important in life in general. If you want to get your estrogen levels back in balance, you should eat better, work out, get enough sleep, and basically take care of your mental health and well-being.
A big part of the puzzle is also taking supplements to help your gut stay healthy and keep your hormones in balance, especially as you get closer to menopause and past it. Hormonal birth control or taking progesterone by itself won’t fix the problem at its source, and it might even make things worse.