What Is Estrogen?

Cristina Mutchler
·7 min read
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<p>SVPhilon / Getty Images</p>

SVPhilon / Getty Images

Medically reviewed by Soma Mandal, MD

Estrogen is a group of sex hormones primarily known for their role in regulating female reproduction. Estrogen plays a part in male sexual function, too. But estrogen doesn't just impact sexual health—it's also key for other bodily functions, like bone, heart, and brain health, along with mood regulation.

Estrogen is sometimes taken as a prescription medication for medical reasons, including birth control, bone loss, or as part of hormone replacement therapy during menopause. It's also commonly utilized in gender-affirming care for trans women.

What Does Estrogen Do?

In addition to promoting reproductive development, estrogen supports several areas of overall health in people of all sexes. Produced by the ovaries, testes, fat tissue, and adrenal glands, estrogen is involved in:

  • Physical sexual development changes that happen during puberty, like the growth of the breasts and pubic hair

  • Menstruation, helping to start and regulate your cycle

  • Libido, impacting how much you desire sex

  • Erectile function, impacting your ability to have and keep an erection

  • Sperm production, controlling how much sperm your testes make and how long sperm lives

  • Brain function, helping to protect against cognitive decline disorders

  • Bone development, by regulating bone growth and maturity to help safeguard against osteoporosis

  • Skin function, improving elasticity, hydration, and thickness through the aging process

  • Mood management, increasing serotonin levels to help improve mood





Types of Estrogen

There are actually three different types of estrogen the body produces, which shift during different stages of life:


  • Estradiol (or E2) is the main form of estrogen, produced from the first menstrual cycle until menopause.

  • Estrone (or E1) is the only form of estrogen that continues to be created (though in small amounts) after menopause.

  • Estriol (or E3) is the type of estrogen that's mostly produced during pregnancy and is present in smaller amounts the rest of the time.




Estrogen Levels

Estrogen levels will naturally fluctuate throughout a person's lifetime, depending on age and reproductive stage. In males, estrogen levels change much less.

Estrogen levels can be measured with a blood test, which a healthcare provider will order to help diagnose an estrogen-related condition, monitor infertility treatments or hormone therapy, and test for certain birth defects. Estrogen levels can also be measured through a urine test or an at-home saliva test.

Test results that are too high or too low can be a sign of an underlying health issue. Typically, levels of estradiol—the main form of estrogen—will fall into the following ranges, measured in picograms per milliliter (pg/mL):

  • Before menopause: 30 to 400 pg/mL

  • After menopause: 0 to 30 pg/mL

  • In men: 10 to 50 pg/mL

Low Estrogen Levels

Estrogen levels naturally get lower with age, declining substantially after menopause. Estrogen levels that decrease before then could be the result of another factor, such as:

People with lower-than-average estrogen levels will often experience certain symptoms that are similar to typical menopause symptoms. These signs include:

Treatment for low estrogen levels can be offered in the form of prescription estrogen.

High Estrogen Levels

Estrogen levels that are higher than what's considered to be the normal range can signal a health issue.

When the body overproduces the hormone, it is known as estrogen dominance. It can happen in certain circumstances, such as when there is:

When estrogen levels are higher than normal, you might notice certain signs, such as:

  • Irregular periods

  • Weight gain

  • Decreased sex drive

  • Mood swings

  • Acne

The treatment for high estrogen depends on the underlying cause. In some cases, healthcare providers may prescribe a medication known as an aromatase inhibitor to help reduce the amount of estrogen the body is producing. In other, less severe cases, lifestyle modifications like stress reduction, weight management, and limited alcohol consumption may be recommended.

Among men, signs of high estrogen include:

Taking Estrogen

A healthcare provider may recommend taking a prescription estrogen medication if your levels are low. Estrogen is also often a main treatment used in hormone replacement therapy (or HRT) and birth control. It can be prescribed for:

  • Treating menopause symptoms

  • Preventing osteoporosis (bone loss)

  • Providing gender-affirming care

  • Initiating puberty in young adults with primary amenorrhea (failure to get a menstrual period by a certain age)

  • Treating certain types of cancers and their symptoms

  • Treating some types of infertility

How to Take Estrogen

There are a variety of different estrogen formulas that a healthcare provider can prescribe based on your health condition and individual situation.

For example, estrogen can be taken systemically, where it is taken into the bloodstream and dispersed throughout the body. This includes pill, injection, pellet, and skin patch formulas. Estrogen can also be taken locally, where it is placed on and released into a certain part of the body. This includes cream or vaginal suppository formulas.

When estrogen is prescribed as a medication, it's usually taken daily or meant to be released constantly (systemically) until the treatment period is over.

Safety

Estrogen as a medication isn't for everyone. There are some known risks that may potentially come with using estrogen in this way, such as the possibility of a higher likelihood of serious health conditions like endometrial cancer and gallbladder disease.

Your disease history and current health status play a pretty big part in these risks. Let your healthcare provider know if you have ever experienced:

  • Breast or endometrial cancer

  • Stroke

  • Heart attack

  • Blood clots

  • Liver disease

  • Unusual vaginal bleeding

  • A bleeding disorder

  • Reactions to estrogen medications

Estrogen may interact strongly with certain dietary supplements, including Ginkgo biloba and St. John's wort, and a variety of medications. Check with a healthcare provider about all vitamins and medications you're currently taking before starting an estrogen medication.

Check with your healthcare provider about the safety of taking estrogen if you are pregnant or breastfeeding.

Side Effects of Estrogen Medication

There are several common side effects that you can experience when taking estrogen. These include:

If you experience any of these symptoms, talk to a healthcare provider about tweaking your estrogen dosage or medication formula.

Be sure to seek immediate medical attention if you experience any side effects like:

  • Sudden headache

  • Severe vomiting

  • Vision loss

  • Dizziness

  • Limb weakness

  • Chest pain

  • Shortness of breath

  • Coughing up blood

Other Ways to Increase Estrogen

If you have lower estrogen levels, it's possible to boost your levels with certain diet and lifestyle modifications. A healthcare provider may recommend tactics like:

  • Maintaining a healthy body composition

  • Exercising in moderation

  • Incorporating soy and other herbal supplements that help promote estrogen

In addition, there are certain non-hormonal medications that can treat some of the specific symptoms related to estrogen levels being out of whack. For example, you might consider looking into over-the-counter vaginal lubricants for menopause-related vaginal dryness or antidepressants for relief from hot flash symptoms.

A Quick Review

Estrogen is a sex hormone that helps regulate a variety of key bodily functions, including brain, bone, and heart health. Levels of this hormone naturally fluctuate depending on a person's age and reproductive status—but sometimes, a health condition or other issue can cause estrogen levels to become too high or low. A healthcare provider may recommend estrogen medication to help bring your estrogen levels back into a normal range. Talk to them about the benefits, risks, and potential side effects of estrogen before starting any therapy.

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