Common Symptoms Of High Estrogen in Men & What Causes it

Common Symptoms Of High Estrogen in Men & What Causes it

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Estrogen, along with testosterone, may be one of the most important hormones to monitor in men. 

High estrogen can cause symptoms ranging from weight gain to nipple tenderness to water retention. 

Learn the most common symptoms of high estrogen in men and how to deal with it in this guide

The Importance of Testosterone & Estrogen Balance in Men

Traditionally, we tend to think of estrogen as a female hormone and testosterone as a male hormone. 

What you may not realize is that both women and men have both testosterone and estrogen. 

Not only do both sexes have both hormones, but each hormone plays an integral role in hormone balance. 

For example:

Estrogen in men is required in optimal amounts for men to have an optimal libido (1).

We know for a fact that low testosterone reduces libido, but did you also know that both high and low estrogen can also cause libido issues?

role of estrogen in erectile dysfunction in men

High estrogen is also responsible for issues such as erectile dysfunction. 

Estrogen receptors exist in important places such as the brain (important for libido), penis (important for erections), the testis, and other organs in your body. 

The fact that there are estrogen receptors in these places is evidence that estrogen is serving some (important) purpose in the male body! 

When it comes to hormone balance you need to shift your thinking to include both testosterone and estrogen

Gone are the days of focusing only on testosterone as a marker of youth or aging, and now are the days of integrating multiple hormone systems together. 

But why are these hormones so important to your overall health?

It turns out that estrogen has an indirect impact on testosterone levels. 

Estrogen is one of two hormones total that influence a binding protein known as sex hormone binding globulin. 

Sex hormone binding globulin, or SHBG for short, binds to and reduces the activity of sex hormones (which includes testosterone). 

So high estrogen may stimulate SHBG release from the liver which may then bind to and inactivate testosterone. 

role of estradiol in men

Estrogen also plays another more sinister role in reducing testosterone through something known as feedback loops in the brain. 

Estrogen (estradiol) in your bloodstream circles back to an important organ in your brain, known as the pituitary gland, where it reduces the secretion of FSH and LH (both pituitary hormones) (2).

These hormones help stimulate the production of testosterone from the testes, so inhibition of these prohormones may result in further decreased testosterone (3).

Through at least 2 pathways, estrogen can inhibit or further reduce testosterone in the male body. 

Does that mean we should block estrogen altogether?

Not really. 

It’s best to think of Estrogen as a “Goldilocks” hormone in that you need just enough but not too much to function optimally. 

So you can’t just take an estrogen blocker and push your estrogen to zero without suffering symptoms. 

Symptoms of High Estrogen in Men

There are really two ways that you can experience the symptoms of high estrogen. 

The first is through high estrogen which causes issues from overstimulation of estrogen receptors in your body. 

The second is through the inhibition of testosterone production. 

In this way, high estrogen can cause the symptoms of low testosterone while also causing problems by itself. 

So men with high estrogen may suffer from multiple sets of symptoms related to high estrogen. 

When it comes to identifying and diagnosing high estrogen, your symptoms are just as important (if not more important) than your lab results. 

This means you need to have a solid understanding of how estrogen may present in your body. 

#1. Symptoms associated with high estrogen in men:

#2. Symptoms associated with low testosterone in men

  • Fatigue or low energy (9), inability to sustain workouts in the gym
  • Weight gain, especially abdominal fat
  • Loss of muscle mass
  • Inability to sustain erections or erectile dysfunction
  • Increased irritability
  • Hair loss
  • Inability to sleep

If you suffer from high estrogen you may experience some of the symptoms associated with high estrogen but also low testosterone. 

Distinguishing these symptoms is particularly important if you are taking testosterone as part of a TRT program. 

In this case, it’s possible to have normal serum testosterone but still experience the symptoms associated with high estrogen (due to conversion). 

Couple these symptoms with your lab tests for optimal results. 

Causes of High Estrogen

If you know or suspect, that you have high estrogen what are you supposed to do about it?

Treating your estrogen is incredibly important and the best way to treat it is to identify the cause. 

endogenous and exogenous sources of estrogen in men

Even if you have trouble identifying the cause there are still some therapies that you can use to reduce it in a “shotgun approach”, but it’s best to know where it’s coming from if possible.  

If you understand the cause then it will help you with treatment. 

I’ve included a list of the most common causes of high estrogen in men below: 

#1. Obesity or Weight Gain

The first, and probably most common, cause of high estrogen in men is due to obesity (10).

Even a small amount of adipose tissue can cause this issue in men. 

But how does it work?

Your fat cells contain an enzyme known as aromatase. 

This enzyme is responsible for taking testosterone and turning it into estrogen. 

So the more fat cells that you have in your body the more likely you are to take testosterone and turn it straight into estrogen. 

The more estrogen you have the lower your testosterone is and the more likely you are to gain weight. 

This vicious cycle tends to continue until it is broken, usually with weight loss or testosterone replacement therapy

If you don’t want to explore TRT, or you aren’t able to due to your location, then the next best step is to lose weight. 

Losing weight may be enough to normalize your testosterone for your age. 

#2. Excessive Testosterone (from TRT)

Another increasingly important cause of high testosterone is from the use of Testosterone Replacement Therapy (11).

The idea here is that putting excessive testosterone into the body may act as a reservoir for aromatase which then leads to high estrogen. 

Through this pathway, it is possible to have both high estrogen and high testosterone in the serum. 

The problem?

High estrogen may block any benefit to TRT by manipulating SHBG which then acts to bind to free testosterone in the body

With this in mind, it’s important to monitor BOTH your estrogen and your testosterone. 

You can go reducing estrogen secondary to TRT by taking an estrogen blocker, increasing the metabolism of estrogen through the use of supplements, or by reducing your testosterone dose. 

#3. Exposure to Endocrine Disruptors

Whether you realize it or not you are coming into contact with chemicals known as endocrine disruptors on a daily basis. 

These chemicals are known as endocrine disruptors because they may stimulate hormonal receptors once ingested or absorbed. 

Specific to our discussion is the idea of xeno-estrogens or chemical compounds which act to stimulate the estrogen receptor (12).

These EDCs are not usually a problem for most people, but certain people may be very sensitive to them or have a hard time metabolizing them. 

You can reduce your exposure to these chemicals by drinking out of glass containers, reducing the number of plastics and receipts that you come into contact with, and purchasing BPA-free products. 

#4. Diet (Dairy and Soy products)

If you are a man and you are having trouble with estrogen or testosterone then it may be time to take a look at your diet. 

Dairy, especially milk products, may contain hormones that can act to disrupt your HPA axis. 

Ingesting milk and soy, in certain studies, has been shown to activate estrogen receptors (13). 

When in doubt ditch the dairy and soy products and monitor how you feel. 

The problem with dairy is that not ALL men will be sensitive or experience problems with it. 

Because of this, you may see a polarized response from the male community in which some people are convinced that dairy plays a role, and others who insist that it doesn’t. 

If you aren’t sure, just give yourself a 60-day trial and monitor how you feel. 

Estrogen Testing

If you have identified that you have the symptoms of high estrogen then your next step should be to evaluate your serum estrogen levels. 

Believe it or not, assessing estrogen is not usually at the forefront of physicians’ minds. 

This means you may have to ask for it. 

The best way to test for estrogen is to order a high-sensitivity estradiol serum level

You can find the tests which you should order below (based on the lab company): 

  • Ultrasensitive Estradiol (Quest)
  • Sensitive Estradiol (LabCorp)

These high-sensitivity tests are superior to the standard estrogen tests which are primarily used for women, who have much higher baseline levels of estrogen and are less sensitive in men. 

There are more estrogens in the body than just estradiol, but estradiol is the most biologically active of these estrogens and therefore the one to check. 

More advanced tests, such as 24-hour urinary tests, can give you more insight into how your body is metabolizing estrogens, but starting with a serum estrogen may be sufficient for most men. 

When assessing for estradiol look for a level that is less than 25 pg/mL. 

But always remember to treat the estradiol level only if you are experiencing the symptoms of high estrogen. 

Never treat the labs without looking at the patient (you) as you may cause more harm than good.

Treatments & Therapies to Reduce Estrogen

If you have high estrogen there are several therapies that you can use to block or help metabolize estrogen. 

I’ve listed the most common below: 

#1. Aromatase Inhibitors (Estrogen blocking medication)

Aromatase inhibitors are prescription medications that block the enzyme aromatase (14).

Remember this is the enzyme that takes testosterone and turns it into estrogen, so blocking this enzyme usually helps drop estradiol levels in the serum. 

This medication is primarily used in women who have breast cancer, but it works very well in men. 

The dose of this medication that you need will depend on your body, your genetics, and how much estradiol you need. 

A starting dose may be anywhere from 0.25 to 0.5mg every 2-3 days. 

Start at a low dose and monitor both your symptoms and your serum estradiol levels while taking this medication. 

#2. Supplements that promote Estrogen Metabolism

In addition to using medications, you can also utilize certain supplements which help to metabolize estrogen. 

Supplements such as DIM (15), Indole-3-Carbinol (16), and Calcium D Glucarate (17) help your body metabolize estradiol in the liver into more manageable estrogen byproducts. 

Some of these estrogen metabolites may actually be beneficial in the body. 

Alternatively, you can also naturally increase estrogen conversion by consuming loads of brassica vegetables such as broccoli, Brussels sprouts, and cabbage. 

Brassica vegetables contain Indole-3-carbinol naturally and this is a way to help metabolize your estrogen through your diet. 

How to use estrogen supplements:

#3. Weight Loss

Weight loss is another very important factor when considering hormone regulation. 

Losing weight is often enough to both reduce estrogen and increase testosterone in the most natural way possible (18).

The only issue with weight loss is that it will bring your testosterone to a more normal level for your AGE, but that may not be the optimal level for you. 

For instance:

If you are a 50-year-old male with low testosterone from obesity, losing weight will only bring you to whatever is normal for your age (which is less than optimal when compared to your younger years). 

In some cases, starting TRT may actually make weight loss easier as well. 

TRT helps increase muscle mass, promotes energy, improves endurance at the gym, and normalizes hormone levels, all of which can help with weight loss. 

The way you approach weight loss is up to you but focus on your diet, exercise routine, and hormone balance for the best results. 

#4. Altering Testosterone Dose (if using TRT)

If your estrogen is high due to excessive testosterone replacement therapy then altering your dose may be sufficient to normalize your hormone. 

This should ALWAYS be the first step that you consider (if you fit into this category). 

It’s never a good idea to oversaturate your body with hormones (even testosterone) if it isn’t necessary. 

So brute forcing your way to “high testosterone” will not lead to optimal results. 

Try to find a balance between testosterone and aromatization without the use of estrogen supplements or aromatase inhibitors. 

If this isn’t possible THEN try to use supplements or medications to help curb estrogen. 

Remember that your diet plays a role in how active your aromatase enzymes are, foods such as alcohol and caffeine may increase aromatase activity and increase estrogen levels (19).

#5. Stress Reduction

Stress is another factor, which is often ignored, that may increase estrogen in men. 

Stress, even low levels of stress, from work life, family life, or other places, may be causing both low testosterone and high estrogen in certain men. 

Your ability to tolerate stress is known as your “stress resilience” and this resilience may fade over time and with hormone dysregulation. 

Some stress, small stable amounts, is a good thing. 

Consider the case of exercise and strength training:

Stress on your musculature is enough to promote an increase in muscle mass if it is consistent and controlled. 

Overtraining your muscle groups will not allow for optimal growth. 

This same concept applies, but to your entire body. 

High levels of stress, beyond what would be considered normal for you, can impact your sleep, increase your risk of insulin resistance, lower testosterone and increase estrogen (20).

Manage your stress with meditation or other mindfulness techniques. 

Final Thoughts

High estrogen is a sinister and relatively unknown issue that many men may be suffering from. 

If you are experiencing abnormal symptoms such as fat accumulation in abnormal places, increased mood lability, urinary issues, and water retention make sure to have your serum estradiol levels assessed

Likewise, if you are currently on testosterone replacement therapy and not feeling “optimal” make sure to assess your estrogen!

Whenever possible your goal should be to optimize your hormones without causing negative downstream effects, this means you may need to alter your dosing or add in estrogen metabolizers. 

Now I want to hear from you:

Do you suspect you have high estrogen?

Are you experiencing the symptoms associated with high estrogen?

Are you taking TRT and still dealing with these issues?

Leave your comments below! 

#1. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4854098/

#2. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/3083691

#3. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2266963/

#4. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3987263/

#5. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2849969/

#6. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3753111/

#7. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26908066

#8. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3179830/

#9. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4255853/

#10. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/429508

#11. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24928451

#12. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4046332/

#13. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4524299/

#14. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3143915/

#15. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25048790

#16. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12840226

#17. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12197785

#18. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/7197284

#19. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/1535737

#20. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/1535737

causes and symptoms of high estrogen in men

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About Dr. Westin Childs

Hey! I'm Westin Childs D.O. (former Osteopathic Physician). I don't practice medicine anymore and instead specialize in helping people like YOU who have thyroid problems, hormone imbalances, and weight loss resistance. I love to write and share what I've learned over the years. I also happen to formulate the best supplements on the market (well, at least in my opinion!) and I'm proud to say that over 80,000+ people have used them over the last 7 years. You can read more about my own personal health journey and why I am so passionate about what I do.

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17 thoughts on “Common Symptoms Of High Estrogen in Men & What Causes it”

  1. Hi, I recently have been having terrible symptoms of low t . I got blood work that would reveal that my estrogen total serum is 931.1 pg/ml .

    I’m 28 fairly decent shape, I’ve lost a ton of muscle mass most likely as a result.

    I haven’t seen anything in the internet and I have a few days until my next visit .

    I’m just kind of lost as this seems extremely high!!!

    Reply
    • Hi Chris,

      You’ll need to look at estradiol and SHBG in conjunction with testosterone to get a better idea as to what is going on.

      Reply
    • Hey buddy I’m in the same situation as you wrote about here. Were you able to figure anything out? Mines super high like yours and my docs are scratching their heads. I’m also having lots of emotional and physical symptoms like you. Any info you found out would help me greatly. Thanks.

      Reply
    • I’m a 58 year old male and my saliva test for estradiol was 87.5 pg/ml and my testosterone was 22 pg/ml. I think that is free testosterone. The main symptom I have is almost a non-existent sex drive, fatigue and a lot of muscle wasting especially in my legs over the years.

      Reply
  2. Thanks for the detailed info.

    I’ve recently been suffering with symptoms such as those listed under the elevated estrogen levels heading. After some research I asked my doctor for a testosterone test. When it came back in the normal range I literally cried. I so wanted that to be the answer and finally be able to fix my problems. In hindsight the crying was indicative of high estrogen but I didn’t realise it was a possibility then. I will be going back first thing in the morning and requesting a full hormone panel.

    Maybe this will finally fix it. I will update after I get my results just in case anyone is interested.

    Thank you again.

    Reply
  3. Hey, I started trt and the only symptoms I have are actually extreme fatigue and a little bit lower libido. I also feel on the verge of getting sick. Could this be high estrogen or could this be my body just getting used to the try?

    Reply
    • Hi Tim,

      Yes, it could be estrogen related. Your best bet would be to test both your testosterone and estrogen to see what is happening.

      Reply
  4. Hi, Dr. I’m a 61yo male on test replacement for 12 years now, taking 100mg per week injectable. I am 5’7″, 230 lbs. I keep on getting high estradiol symptoms: bloated stomach, retaining water, foggy brain, no energy, emotional feelings, some ED issues, and sometimes hot flashes. My Endo doctor is telling me because of the low test I take I shouldn’t be having issues with estrogen, but I keep on getting these symptoms. My last test E2 was 24 (range 11-44) and he is telling me it is good, my Test was at 460 (221-716 range)but yet I get the symptoms which are very concerning. I am trying to lose the weight, but doesn’t come off, in the meantime would you recommend starting an AI like Arimidex and if so whats the starting dose would you recommend. Any other recommendations are really appreciated.

    Reply
  5. Hi Dr., Thanks for posting. I’ve been on trt for three months and noticing I don’t feel as good as when I first started. Lower libido, hard to lose weight, erections not as strong or ability to maintain. I got my labs
    Total t: 883 ng/dl
    Shbg: 19
    Free T: 26
    Estradiol: 29 pg/ml

    Current protocol: 75mg test 2 x per week. 1/2 tab of a Astrozole on day of injection. 1mg per week.

    When I started my total t was 250 and my E2 was 20. Could I be experiencing high estrogen symptoms when it rose by 10 pg/ml?

    Do I need more Anastrozole to get down closer to 20 to feel good again?

    Thank you!!!!!

    Reply
    • your shbg is too low. estridol is a little high. I’d do bi-weekly injections to bring up the shbg. your body is absorbing the testosterone too quickly hence the low shbg number. this will stabilize both by taking two shots per week vs one. hope this finds you.

      Reply
  6. Hello, Dr. , 68 y.o. male here with both a libido and ED problem. In Oct. 2018 I abruptly lost libido, and this was (strangely) right after several weeks of “amp’d up” libido. Paid for a Sonora Quest test for T-levels ( June ’19) on my own, with results: Free T — 41.0 pg/mL and total T as 414 ng/dL. Have some breast tenderness, and zero interest in sex; my partner cannot arouse me. About 4 years ago I had a T-level test because I felt that my arousal was gradually declining, but I was still “functional” back then. Those (old) test results had a total T reading very close to the June ’19 test. I am wondering if I have “estrogen imbalance” or if some thyroid or pituitary problem is indicated. Started DIM supplements yesterday as an experiment: 120mg 2X/day. Q: how should I approach my primary care doctor about all of this?

    Reply
  7. hello Dr. Childs, 51, yr old former professional level bodybuilder that just made the transition from heavy anabolic use going to TRT. my current protocol is 35mg test enanthate/35mg dihydrotest enanthate taken subq EOD, hCG 250iu MWF which I just began. these results were from only 2 shots per wk Monday and Thurs which I decided to go EOD for less peak and trough with a higher spike of e2. began without any estrogen control just to see labs first. I knew from my DHT it would get low SHBG and higher Free Test which it did but I also knew more Free T can aromatize which it did. results are from 2 shots per wk . will get labs done in 2wks while EOD injections to see the drop in E2 from subq with a natural estrogen control such as calcium d glucarate at 2500mg with hopes of cutting my E2 result by half.
    lab corps TT 692 (300-1,060)
    FT 177 (47-244)
    Estradiol 58.9 (7.6-42.6)
    SHBG 19.3 (19.3-76.4)
    My physician knows my bodybuilding history and how I still want to be on the upper end to maintain as much muscle as I can but on a much healthier scale. E2 should fall just from switch to microdose subq EOD, hCG 500iu M-Thurs to 250iu MWF and with the addition of 2500mg calcium d glucarate/zinc 100mg per day. If E2 can’t be cut in half naturally I suggested 6.25mg per wk of Aromasin. despite elevated E2 my sex drive is very high but erectile issues. I respect your forum and input Dr. Childs do you think I can achieve cutting E2 from what I’m doing naturally? Going for health and longevity nowadays! thanks for your input!

    Reply
    • Hi Steve,

      If you are disciplined (which it sounds like you are) and you can stick to a strict over the counter supplement regimen (with relatively high doses) then yes, I think you can significantly impact E2 levels. You may not see a huge drop but you should see a reduction in cellular activation from existing E2 in the serum.

      Reply
  8. Heads up, I followed supplement regiment that was suggested above and did not make any other changes in my dosages in TRT. No life changes and so on. Only difference that I took :
    DIM – 200 mg per day
    Calcium D Glucarate – 500-1,000mg per day
    Indole-3-carbinol – 200-400mg per day
    My estrogen went from 48 to 54 pg/ml

    Had opposed effect, increase of about %9….. Took supplement for 3 weeks..

    So be careful… If I had to do it all over again I would take one supplement at a time for a month and tested blood every month to see which supplement raises estrogen instead of lowering it.

    Reply
  9. Hi Dr, I hope you are still checking responses to this even though its been a year since you posted it. Both my son, 22yo, and me had thyroidectomies a year ago and are struggling with hormone levels. Specifically for my son, I finally got his dr to check testosterone which is low, and now he has symptoms like high estrogen. So, I appreciate the information here and it makes sense BUT, how does it tie into the thyroid hormone levels and where should we be looking for the true cause? His tsh and free T4 are “in range”, but free T3 is low. Hes on Synthroid – of course, the dr doesnt like T3 (of course!). Thank you!

    Reply
  10. Dr. Childs was wondering if I could your opinion. My most recent blood samples showed extremely high SHBG (85 nmol/L) and a relatively low free Testosterone of 56 pg/mL (it dropped from 117 in a month with SHBG @ 85). My Estradiol was normal at 30 pg/mL and Prolactin at 8.1 ng/mL. I’ve previously had issues with Estrogen Dominance and am carrying extra weight around the mid-section that will not go away no matter what I do. The deposits of fat are mimicking what it was like when was estrogen dominant. Any thoughts would be appreciated!

    Reply

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