High estrogen levels can affect your reproductive health and overall wellness. Here are symptoms to look out for.
Estrogen, along with other hormones, fluctuates and works to maintain balance in our reproductive system. Estrogen also supports cardiovascular health, proper blood flow, bone and muscle growth, boosts mood, and facilitates sexual pleasure. Yet when estrogen levels are too high, it can lead to hormonal imbalances that may cause serious health conditions. Recognizing what high estrogen symptoms to look for can help determine if you have this hormonal imbalance.
What does high estrogen mean? When estrogen levels are too high compared to other hormones, it can cause a hormonal imbalance. In the reproductive system, estrogen and progesterone work in balance to prepare the body for pregnancy. However, if the body doesn’t produce enough progesterone to counteract estrogen, it can lead to estrogen dominance . As a result, high levels of estrogen can produce cell overgrowth and tumors in your uterine lining, among other health effects.
>>MORE: What Are Estrogen Dominance Symptoms?
While estrogen is classified as a female sex hormone, people assigned male at birth also have estrogen to support their sexual and reproductive health. High levels of estrogen for these individuals can result in infertility, erectile dysfunction, and gynecomastia, where breasts become enlarged.
High estrogen symptoms Symptoms of high estrogen include:
Irregular periods : Periods may be longer or shorter, have a heavier or lighter flow, or happen unpredictably.Breast changes: High estrogen can cause breast tenderness, pain, or dense breast tissue. It may also lead to the growth of breast tissue, which can cause noncancerous lumps to form, also known as fibrocystic breast disease . While these breast lumps are benign, they should be checked by your doctor.Fertility issues: Estrogen and progesterone work together to release the egg and thicken the uterine lining during ovulation to prepare for pregnancy. This hormone imbalance can cause anovulation , where you aren’t ovulating or releasing an egg. Severe premenstrual syndrome (PMS): High estrogen can intensify your PMS symptoms, including cramps, nausea, headaches, mood swings, anxiety, and depression. Uterine fibroids and polyps: Without progesterone regulating estrogen production in the thickening of the uterine lining (endometrium), uterine polyps and fibroids can develop. Both are usually benign, but it’s important to monitor them with your doctor.Other symptoms of high estrogen may include:
Weight gain Low sex drive Fatigue Low mood or anxiety Bloating Sleep problems If you recognize these symptoms, it’s important to contact your healthcare professional for a proper diagnosis.
>>MORE: High Estrogen vs. Low Estrogen Symptoms: What’s the Difference?
What causes high estrogen? It’s rare for your body to naturally produce high estrogen. Typically, estrogen levels get too high as a consequence of medications or health conditions. Conditions like PCOS and certain medications like hormone replacement therapy (HRT) can cause the body to overproduce estrogen, prevent the body from breaking down estrogen, or change how the body excretes it.
Lifestyle factors and behaviors can also contribute to high estrogen, including:
Obesity: Fat tissue secretes estrogen. A high percentage of body fat can lead to high estrogen levels. Stress: The body produces cortisol in response to stress. Since the body uses progesterone to make cortisol, prolonged stress can impair your body’s ability to produce progesterone. This can cause estrogen dominance as estrogen is left without progesterone to balance it out. Alcohol: Excessive alcohol consumption can increase estrogen by impacting the liver, which metabolizes estrogen. Your liver has a harder time breaking down estrogen. Liver problems: Your liver metabolizes estrogen and eliminates it from the body. If the liver isn’t functioning properly, estrogen can accumulate. Synthetic xenoestrogens: These are chemicals found in the environment that mimic estrogen once inside the body and can increase your estrogen levels. Xenoestrogens include bisphenol A (BPA) and phthalates, which are found in plastics, pesticides, household cleaning products, and some soaps and shampoos. High estrogen levels are linked to various health conditions, including estrogen-dependent cancers (such as breast, ovarian, and uterine cancers), PCOS, endometriosis, and tumors on the ovaries.
How to relieve high estrogen symptoms Treatment options for high estrogen depend on the severity and the root cause. Lifestyle changes such as reducing body fat, managing stress, maintaining a healthy diet, limiting alcohol consumption, and avoiding synthetic xenoestrogens can help reduce estrogen levels. If high estrogen worsens a current health condition or increases cancer risk, your doctor may suggest more aggressive treatments.
Depending on the underlying causes of high estrogen, your doctor may recommend medications like hormonal birth control. In rare cases, surgery may be necessary to remove the ovaries (oophorectomy) to lower the risk of ovarian or breast cancer.
If high levels of estrogen are causing physical changes you’d like to address, there are treatment options such as masculinizing hormone therapy, estrogen blockers, and testosterone replacement therapy. It’s important to talk to your healthcare professional about what option is best for you.
Hormone tests like Oova can help monitor hormone fluctuations throughout your menstrual cycle. Oova can share your individual data with your doctor, measuring LH, estrogen, and progesterone levels and analyzing them against your hormonal baseline to provide accurate results. Using hormone tests and tracking your menstrual cycle and symptoms can be helpful in identifying changes to your health.
High estrogen symptoms: the bottom line High estrogen can interfere with your reproductive health and increase the risk of more serious health conditions. While high estrogen levels may require medical treatment, lifestyle changes such as maintaining a healthy diet and exercise can also help alleviate its symptoms. If you recognize symptoms of high estrogen, it’s crucial to consult your healthcare professional. Hormone balance is essential not only for your reproductive health but also for your overall well-being.
