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How
to
Keep
Estrogen
Under
Control
If
your
estrogen
levels
are
out
of
whack,
it
can
ruin
your
body
composition
and
maybe
even
your
life.
Here’s
what
you
need
to
know.
Every
adult
male
needs
to
know
what
his
estrogen
levels
are.
His
health
may
depend
on
it,
his
appearance
may
depend
on
it,
his
emotional
well-being
may
depend
on
it,
and
his
ability
to
procreate
may
depend
on
it.
In
fact,
his
very
life
may
depend
on
knowing
whether
his
estrogen
levels
are
too
low
or
too
high.
Estrogen
and
Testosterone:
The
Facts
Testosterone
gets
most
of
the
male
press
and
estrogen
gets
most
of
the
female
press,
but
estrogen
is,
in
many
ways,
just
as
important
to
men
as
testosterone.
And,
even
though
the
two
hormones
are
regarded
as
the
yin
and
yang
of
human
sexual
behavior
and
development,
molecularly
they’re
very
similar.
You
could
even
merge
the
two
molecules
into
one
three-dimensional
figure
and
they’d
look
identical
except
that
testosterone
would
have
one
little
extra
carbon
atom
sticking
straight
up
from
its
molecular
bridgework.
And
in
this
similarity
lies
one
reason
why
some
men
have
high
estrogen
levels.
Since
the
testosterone
molecule
is
so
molecularly
similar
to
estrogen,
it’s
very
easy
for
aromatase
enzymes
to
slice
that
one
extra
carbon
atom
off
and
convert
testosterone
to
estrogen.
That’s
a
good
thing
because
you
need
a
certain
level
of
estrogen.
Not
only
does
estrogen
have
innumerable
effects
on
one’s
health,
but
it’s
also
part
of
an
elegant
feedback
system
where
overly
high
estrogen
levels
alert
the
testicles,
via
the
pituitary,
to
send
some
testicular
workers
home
and
cut
back
on
testosterone
production
for
that
day.
In
this
way,
the
system
keeps
a
perfect
amount
of
testosterone
and
estrogen
flowing
through
the
body.
Sometimes,
though,
too
much
testosterone
is
converted
into
estrogen.
That
amount,
combined
with
the
small
amounts
of
estrogen
being
produced
in
the
testes,
adrenals,
brain,
and
fat,
can
create
hormonal
trouble.
The
feedback
loop
gets
a
kink
in
it.
Estrogen
levels
stay
perpetually
high
and
thus
keep
barking
the
order
to
back
off
on
the
manufacture
of
testosterone.
But
there
are
plenty
of
other
ways
estrogen
levels
can
get
too
high,
too,
and
low
estrogen
can
sometimes
be
even
more
of
a
problem
than
high
estrogen.
Either
way,
estrogen
levels
need
to
be
in
the
hormonal
Goldilocks
zone
–
not
too
high,
not
too
low,
but
just
right.
What
Problems
Can
Whacked-Out
Estrogen
Levels
Cause?
Once
estrogen
levels
rise
unchecked,
the
risk
of
degenerative
disease
skyrockets.
Atherosclerosis
rates
go
up.
Stroke
increase.
The
risk
of
developing
Type
II
diabetes
and
prostate
cancer
goes
up.
Emotional
disturbances
become
more
prevalent.
Erectile
function
suffers.
Waistlines
grow
thicker.
It
gets
harder
to
put
on
muscle.
And,
most
seriously,
high
estrogen
significantly
increases
the
risk
of
dying.
When
researchers
monitored
the
estrogen
levels
of
501
men
with
chronic
heart
failure,
men
with
estradiol
(the
most
“potent”
form
of
estrogen)
in
the
normal
range
(between
21.80
pg/ml
and
30.11
pg/ml)
had
the
fewest
deaths
during
three
years.
Men
with
the
highest
levels
(above
37.99)
had
133%
more
deaths
during
the
same
period.
However,
the
men
with
the
lowest
estrogen
levels
(below
12.90)
fared
the
worst
–
they
experienced
317%
more
deaths.
Clearly,
estrogen
levels
play
a
big
part
in
the
health
of
your
heart,
in
addition
to
the
health
of
other
body
parts,
systems,
and
functions.
Noticeable
Symptoms
of
High
Estrogen:
Increased
abdominal
fat
Loss
of
muscle
mass
Low
libido,
decreased
erectile
function
Tiredness
Increased
fatty
tissue
around
nipples
Depression,
emotional
disturbances
Lower
urinary
tract
symptoms
associated
with
benign
prostatic
hypertrophy
(BPH)
Noticeable
Symptoms
of
Low
Estrogen:
Decent
erections
but
ho-hum
orgasms
Joint
cracking
or
soreness
Fatigue
and
depression
Blunted
emotions
Possible
weakening
of
adrenal
glands
Anxiety
Excessive
jealousy
Low
blood
pressure
Excessive
urination
Testing
Estrogen
Levels
Make
sure
estrogen
is
the
sweet
spot,
regardless
of
age.
Establish
an
estrogen
baseline
to
which
he
can
refer
and
compare.
Here’s
a
list
of
the
median
estradiol
levels
by
age:
Age
2-29:
28.0
pg/ml
Age
30-39:
25.7
pg/ml
Age
40-49:
24.7
pg/ml
Age
50-59:
22.1
pg/ml
Age
60-69:
21.5
pg/ml
Age
70-80:
21.9
pg/ml
There
are
pretty
much
only
two
ways
to
accurately
test
estrogen
levels
–
via
a
24-hour
urine
test
or
a
blood
test.
The
blood
test
is
easier
of
course,
but
make
sure
you
insist
that
your
doctor
order
a
“sensitive”
assay.
(By
default,
most
labs
use
the
standard
assay,
which
is
designed
for
women.)
Furthermore,
most
labs
use
immunoassay
techniques
to
test
blood
samples,
which,
when
compared
to
other
methods,
show
a
variability
rate
of
up
to
53%.
That
kind
of
inaccuracy
could
lead
to
a
physician
treating
a
problem
that
doesn’t
even
exist,
e.g.,
treating
a
man
for
high
estrogen
levels
when
he’s
actually
well
within
normal
ranges,
which
could
lead
to
disastrous
consequences.
Labs
should
instead
use
Liquid
Chromatography/Mass
Spectroscopy,
which
is
much
more
accurate
when
measuring
hormone
levels.
There
are
specific
lab
codes
that
your
ordering
doctor
should
use.
Tell
him
what
they
are:
LabCorp
“Sensitive
Estradiol”
Code
140244,
500108
Quest
Diagnostics
“Ultrasensitive
Estradiol”
Code
30289
ARUP
TMX
Code
93247
Mayo
Clinic
“Enhanced
Estradiol”
Code
EEST
To
further
complicate
issues,
steroid
hormone
binding
globulin
(SHBG)
also
plays
a
role
in
estrogen
levels.
SHBG,
as
the
name
suggests,
literally
binds
up
a
certain
percentage
of
hormones,
including
both
testosterone
and
estrogen,
making
them
inaccessible
to
the
body.
Furthermore,
as
you
get
older,
SHBG
levels
rise
and
bind
up
more
hormones.
So
while
estrogen
levels
might
appear
“normal,”
your
amount
of
“free”
estrogen
might
be
too
low.
Ideally,
both
SHBG
and
estrogen
blood
levels
should
fall
in
the
mid-range
of
normal
values
so
that
you
can
get
an
actual
snapshot
of
your
estrogen
situation.
What
Causes
High
Estrogen?
1.
Too
Much
Body
Fat
Fat
contains
the
testosterone-to-estrogen
changing
aromatase
enzyme,
so
as
you
get
fatter
you
convert
more
testosterone
to
estrogen,
which
makes
you
even
fatter.
2.
Getting
Old
The
older
you
are,
the
more
aromatase
you
produce
and
the
higher
your
estrogen
levels.
Of
course,
the
age
and
estrogen
thing
isn’t
so
cut
and
dried.
Since
SHBG
levels
also
rise
with
age,
presumably
binding
up
some
of
the
increased
estrogen,
you’d
think
geezers
would
have
less
estrogen.
Similarly,
aging
also
generally
brings
a
reduction
in
testosterone,
which
would
mean
there’s
less
estrogen
because
there
are
fewer
raw
materials
to
convert
to
estrogen.
These
phenomena
might
explain,
partly,
why
so
many
men
with
cardiac
conditions
have
estrogen
levels
that
are
too
low
or
too
high.
3.
Faulty
Feedback
Mechanisms
When
estrogen
levels
are
too
high,
they
signal
the
testicles,
via
the
pituitary,
to
temporarily
stop
making
testosterone.
But
if
estrogen
levels
are
perpetually
high,
it
can
short-circuit
the
system,
sending
the
mistaken
message
to
the
testicles
to
go
on
a
long
vacation.
This
can
lead
to
even
higher
estrogen
levels.
4.
Testosterone
Replacement
Therapy
(TRT)
Millions
of
men
are
on
TRT
to
revitalize
their
bodies
and
shore
up
their
flagging
libidos.
Unfortunately,
a
lot
of
doctors
haven’t
done
their
homework.
Injecting
too
much
testosterone,
or
injecting
too
much
testosterone
into
obese
men,
can
cause
an
undesired
amount
of
T
to
be
converted
into
estrogen.
These
elevated
levels
need
to
be
addressed
by
either
adjusting
the
dosage
or
by
prescribing
an
anti-aromatase.
5.
Impairment
of
Cytochrome
P450
Enzyme
System
The
vast
majority
of
drugs,
chemicals,
or
supplements
you
ingest
are
processed
and
eliminated
by
the
P450
system.
The
system
is
like
a
chemical
recycling
station
where
drugs
are
torn
down,
repackaged,
and
either
reused
or
excreted.
This
same
system
eliminates
excess
estrogen
from
the
body,
too.
However,
certain
things
can
impair
this
system.
Drinking
too
much
might
be
a
problem,
as
might
being
obese,
or
having
a
zinc
deficiency.
You
might
also
be
eating
foods
or
taking
drugs
or
supplements
that
impede
the
P450
enzyme
system’s
efficiency,
like
grapefruit
juice
or
ginkgo
biloba.
6.
Xenoestrogens
These
are
chemicals
in
the
environment
that
mimic
estrogen.
These
chemicals,
mainly
heavy
metals,
synthetic
chemicals
like
DES
and
DDT,
and
industrial
chemicals
like
phthalates,
grow
in
number,
and
accumulate
in
more
tissue,
with
each
passing
year.
These
chemicals
are
found
in
foods,
adhesives,
fire
retardants,
detergents,
drinking
water,
perfumes,
waxes,
household
cleaning
products,
lubricants…
virtually
everywhere.
Although
we
don’t
know
the
exact
scope
of
damage
caused
by
these
chemicals,
we
have
seen
widespread
reports
of
biological
anomalies
in
both
animals
and
humans
in
the
last
couple
of
decades
(mutations,
indeterminate
sex
organs,
lessened
fertility,
etc.).
Case
in
point,
in
1992
a
team
of
reproductive
specialists
from
Copenhagen
announced
that
the
sperm
counts
in
the
industrialized
world
had
dropped
50%
since
1938.
Furthermore,
there’s
plenty
of
evidence
that
these
chemicals
are
a
part
of
all
of
us.
Researchers
found
that
75%
of
the
samples
taken
from
400
adults
contained
significant
levels
of
industrial
xenoestrogens,
whereas
98%
of
samples
contained
DHT
and
its
derivatives.
To
make
matters
even
more
troubling,
different
xenoestrogens
appear
to
act
synergistically
so
that
their
effects
are
magnified.
7.
Phytoestrogens
While
xenoestrogens
are
man-made
monstrosities,
phytoestrogens
occur
in
plants.
Xenoestrogens
accumulate
in
adipose
tissue,
while
phytoestrogens
are
metabolized
and
booted
out
of
the
body
relatively
fast.
As
such,
they’re
not
nearly
the
problem
that
xenoestrogens
are.
Still,
you
don’t
want
too
many
of
them
around
as
they
resemble
estrogen
molecularly
and
can
act
like
the
real
deal.
Phytoestrogens
are
also
found
in
various
foods,
perhaps
most
notably
in
soy
and
soy
protein.
8.
Alcohol
and
Weed
Yeah,
recreational
drugs
can
cause
elevated
estrogen
levels.
Sorry.
What
Causes
Low
Estrogen?
There
aren’t
that
many
things
that
cause
low
estrogen
in
males.
One
is
old
age,
with
its
accompanying
low
testosterone
levels
and
increased
SHBG
levels.
This
might
be
remedied
by
simply
going
on
testosterone
replacement
therapy.
Another
reason
males
may
be
low
is
overuse
of
estrogen
blockers
or
anti-aromatases.
These
are
drugs
usually
prescribed
by
physicians
that
either
block
testosterone
from
being
converted
to
estrogen
(anti-aromatases)
or
block
estrogen
from
binding
to
receptors
on
the
cell
or
in
the
cell
(estrogen
blockers).
Of
course,
any
man
with
low
estrogen
levels
might
have
some
yet-to-be
diagnosed
condition
or
disease,
with
low
estrogen
being
one
of
many
consequences.
How
Can
You
Fix
High
Estrogen?
1.
Diet
Plenty
of
vegetables
contain
indole-3-carbinol,
which
ameliorates
the
effects
of
estrogen.
The
chemical
is
found
in
decent
amounts
in
broccoli,
cauliflower,
cabbage,
and
Brussels
sprouts.
Calcium
d-glutarate
is
also
a
capable
estrogen
fighter
in
that
it
helps
the
body
eliminate
estrogen
before
the
body
reabsorbs
it.
You
can
find
tangible
amounts
in
grapefruit,
apples,
oranges,
and
the
same
cruciferous
vegetables
that
are
also
rich
in
indoles.
However,
these
fruits
and
vegetables
can’t
singlehandedly
regulate
whacked-out
estrogen
levels.
At
best,
they
should
be
regarded
as
estrogen
“shifters”
that
can
affect
the
amount
of
estrogen
metabolites
in
your
favor.
You
should
avoid
foods
that
shift
the
amount
of
estrogen
metabolites
against
you,
like
soy
products.
2.
Supplements
Given
that
elevated
estrogen
is
such
a
problem,
the
supplement
industry
has
spent
a
lot
of
time
researching
it
and
thinking
about
it.
Here
are
the
vitamins,
nutrients,
or
compounds
that
seem
to
be
the
most
powerful
in
normalizing
estrogen
levels:
Boron
(decreases
free
estrogen
levels)
Curcumin
(reduces
the
effects
of
aromatase)
Fish
Oil
(specifically
DHA,
which
reduces
the
number
of
estrogen
receptors)
Green
Tea
(seems
to
inhibit
aromatase)
Resveratrol
(decreases
aromatase
activity)
Zinc
(reduces
activity
of
estrogen
receptors)
Always
use
the
micellar
form
of
curcumin
which
is
95
times
more
bioavailable.
Biotest’s
Micellar
Curcumin
(Buy
at
Amazon)
fits
the
bill.
For
fish
oil,
you
want
it
to
have
more
DHA
than
EPA,
like
Flameout
(Buy
at
Amazon).
If
you
don’t
drink
green
tea
often,
you
can
get
it
as
part
of
the
Superfood
(Buy
at
Amazon)
formula,
which
also
conveniently
bumps
up
your
fruit,
berry,
and
vegetable
intake.
For
resveratrol,
use
a
potent
formula
like
Rez-V
(Buy
at
Amazon).
For
zinc,
use
the
more
absorbable
chelated
form
as
found
in
Elitepro
Vital
Minerals
(Buy
at
Amazon).
3.
Pharmaceutical
Intervention
Aromatase
inhibitors
(AI)
interfere
with
the
aromatase
enzyme’s
ability
to
convert
testosterone
to
estrogen.
There
are
two
classes
of
AI.
The
first
consists
of
the
“suicide
inhibitors,”
such
as
the
drug
exemestane.
Avoid
them.
They’re
too
powerful
and
they
can
easily
bury
estrogen
levels
too
low.
The
second
class
of
AIs
is
the
“competitive
inhibitors”
like
anastrozole
and
letrozole.
You
should
probably
avoid
letrozole,
too,
as
it’s
also
quite
powerful.
Using
it
to
fix
modestly
elevated
estrogen
is
akin
to
using
a
C4
explosive
to
open
a
stubborn
peanut
butter
jar.
That
leaves
us
with
the
modestly
powerful
anastrozole,
aka
Arimidex.
Still,
it
too
can
cause
estrogen
levels
to
drop
precipitously.
Don’t
take
it
unless
1)
you
have
symptoms,
2)
dietary
and/or
supplemental
avenues
haven’t
worked,
and
3)
you
know
what
the
heck
you’re
doing.
Most
men,
however,
don’t
ever
use
a
drug
like
anastrozole
unless
they’re
concurrently
undergoing
TRT
and
too
much
of
their
testosterone
is
being
aromatized
into
estrogen.
The
general
protocol
is
to
start
with
0.25
mg
of
anastrozole
every
other
day
and
only
progress
to
.5
mg.
a
day
if
necessary.
4.
Purging
Your
Environment
of
Xenoestrogens
To
purge
your
environment
significantly,
you’d
probably
have
to
move
to
the
woods
and
live
off
organic
mung
bean
sprouts.
Short
of
that,
there
are
several
modest
things
you
can
do
to
make
your
life
less
estrogenic.
Do
the
following
things
whenever
possible:
Shop
organic
Store
your
food
in
glass
(not
plastic)
containers
Don’t
let
plastic
wrap
touch
your
food
when
microwaving
Use
“all-natural”
laundry
detergents
and
household
cleaners
Use
“all-natural”
skincare
and
personal
care
products
Avoid
most
plastics
when
possible,
and
don’t
drink
from
bottled
water
that’s
been
exposed
to
the
sun
for
any
length
of
time.
5.
Lifestyle
Adjustments
Your
problems
with
estrogen
might
stem
from
drinking
too
much,
too
often,
or
smoking
weed
too
much,
too
often.
The
simple
solution
is
to
practice
moderation.
Likewise,
if
you’re
overweight
(which
is
itself
an
estrogenic
progenitor),
do
the
obvious.
Take
Charge
of
Your
Estrogen
Levels
Get
tested
using
a
“sensitive”
blood
assay.
If
your
reading
is
normal,
use
it
as
a
reference
point
in
the
following
years.
If
the
reading
is
too
high,
assess
whether
you
have
any
symptoms
of
high
estrogen.
Similarly,
if
the
reading
is
too
low,
check
to
see
if
you
have
any
symptoms
of
low
estrogen.
Attack
the
problem
by
using
any
estrogen-fighting
solution
or
combination
of
solutions
listed
above,
including
lifestyle
changes,
supplements,
drugs,
diet,
or
avoidance
of
xeno
and
phytoestrogens.
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