Estrogen is a very important hormone that has different functions in the human body. It is one of the most important female hormones in the female reproductive system and helps develop secondary female characteristics like breasts and female hair distribution.
Estrogen plays a role in the musculoskeletal system and cardiovascular system and other vital bodily processes.
The three organs involved in the production of estrogen are the ovaries, the adrenal glands and the skin's fatty tissue. This hormone is made in males and females but more so in females.
This post explains estrogen's function in the body.
The ovaries are important for the supportive cell of the egg to grow. In the vagina, it produces fluid that acts as a lubricant. In the uterus, the hormone aids in the menstrual cycle and helps with the regular balance between hormones.
The hormone is involved with the initial stages of breast development and helps stop milk secretion when breastfeeding the child ends.
There are different levels of estrogen in individuals There are also different levels at different points during the normal menstrual cycle. These varying levels can cause changes in mood and it is the cause of hot flashes in menopausal women.
Yesterday we discussed Testosterone as the male hormone but we must look into the behaviour of estrogen in the male body as this has more interesting literature. Typically the testosterone and Estrogen levels should be balanced out depending on the individual.
Estrogen is key to the development of sexual functions and characteristics in women during adolescence. This includes menstruation and the reproductive cycle. It helps maintain that function throughout life.
The particular type of estrogen seen in men is estradiol and it helps in male sexual development also. Estrogen helps balance out sex drive in males for sperm production and erectile function.
As men reach their 30s they tend to have a reduction in their testosterone levels usually this is not an issue unless there are very high levels of estrogen. If this is the case the person is at risk of different forms of diabetes.
Gynecomastia. Increased estrogen can cause more breast tissue to develop than normal. High levels can lead to the development of a condition called gynecomastia. This happens when the amount of breast fat tissue is abnormally high.
High estrogen levels in men have characteristic features. One of the main features is infertility because estrogen helps balance out the effects of testosterone. When estrogen is in excess reduces sperm production and causes the sperm cells to be unhealthy.
Estrogen can cause problems in achieving and maintaining an erection. It is similar to what happens when testosterone levels are low.
Estrogen can lead to shorter height in men because of the effects on the bone. The reason this happens is that the bone plates close.
When estrogen is high in addition to the sex changes seen in individuals there are also hair changes, hair loss, reduction in muscle size and difficulty paying attention.
Men can have high estrogen levels because of some conditions like obesity or masses growing in the body. Certain drugs can cause increased levels also. It may be a genetic thing too with a familial level of high estrogen.
A doctor will have you take a laboratory blood test if they believe you may have either high or low levels of estrogen.
For this, you’ll go to a laboratory that collects samples, and someone who’s trained to take samples will use a needle and vial to collect the blood for testing.
If they’re normal, you won’t necessarily need to do anything. But if your levels or high or low, your doctor will recommend the next steps to help get your estrogen levels balanced.
How to control estrogen levels in men
Here are some of the possible treatments a doctor may recommend to help control your estrogen levels.
Usually, when the clinical features are seen, a test to assess the level of estrogen in the blood is done. If the levels are higher than normal the patient may be placed on medication like aromatic inhibitors. This drug prevents the peripheral creation of estrogen. Anastrozole is also prescribed as an alternative. SERM are other alternatives that are being studied for their use.
Estrogen is a female hormone that is made only in small quantities in males. High levels of this hormone can lead to adverse effects like cancer and diabetes Mellitus.
