Estrogen is a natural hormone in the female body. Not only women, this hormone is also present in men although the amount is small. Estrogen levels need to be kept in balance because if the amount is in excess, this hormone can cause health problems.
In the medical world, excess estrogen is known as hyperestrogenism or hyperestrogenism estrogen dominance. This condition can be caused by several things, such as side effects of certain medications, obesity, hormone therapy, or certain diseases, such as PCOS.
The Impact of Excess Estrogen on Women
The female hormone estrogen functions to help the development of sex organs, regulate the menstrual cycle, and support the function of the female reproductive system. In the female body, the hormone estrogen is produced naturally in the ovaries or ovaries.
Under normal conditions, the amount of the hormone estrogen in a woman's body will increase at puberty, ovulation or the fertile period, and during pregnancy. However, the amount of these hormones will decrease back to normal levels.
When the level of the hormone estrogen in the body is too high, a woman may experience the following symptoms:
- Headaches and hair loss
- Body feels weak and difficult to sleep
- Irregular menstruation
- Mood or mood fickle
- Cold hands and feet
- Insomnia
- Stomach feels bloated
- Breasts feel tight and painful
- Decreased sex drive
The appearance of symptoms due to excess estrogen is sometimes difficult to predict. Women who experience this condition often become very emotional, especially before the fertile period.
According to several studies, excess estrogen can also cause women to be more at risk of certain diseases, such as breast cancer, endometrial cancer, and heart disease.
Impact of Excess Estrogen on Men
Estrogen is also naturally found in the male body, but the amount is less than the level of estrogen in the female body. This is because the main sex hormone in men is testosterone.
Although the hormone estrogen is not dominant, men still have the potential to experience health problems if the levels of the hormone estrogen in their bodies are excessive. Men who have excess estrogen can experience the following conditions:
Enlargement of the chest (gynecomastia)
Excess estrogen can make fat tissue accumulate in the male chest. As a result, men with high levels of estrogen may experience breast enlargement or gynecomastia.
Erectile dysfunction
Male sexual health is influenced by the balance of the hormones estrogen and testosterone. If levels of the hormone estrogen are too high, a man may have difficulty getting an erection or maintaining it. This can make the performance and sexual satisfaction of men disturbed.
infertility
The hormone estrogen affects sperm production. If this estrogen level is too high, the sperm content in the semen will decrease and cause infertility.
Diagnosis and Treatment of Excess Estrogen Hormone
Excess estrogen in men and women can be detected through a medical examination by a doctor. To diagnose this condition, the doctor can perform a physical examination and supporting examinations which consist of blood tests to evaluate the level of the hormone estrogen in the patient's body.
When confirming the diagnosis, the doctor will treat according to the cause. For example, if the excess estrogen hormone in the body is caused by a side effect of hormone replacement therapy, the doctor may stop the therapy or reduce the dose of the estrogen hormone given.
In addition, doctors can also treat excess estrogen hormone with several treatment steps, such as:
Administration of drugs
To reduce levels of the hormone estrogen and make the amount back to normal, doctors may prescribe the following medicines:
- Exemestane (Aromasin)
- Letrozole (Femara)
- Anastrozole (Arimidex)
- Goserelin (Zoladex)
- Leuprolide (Lupron)
Operation
In women, if estrogen levels cannot be normalized with medication or if it is caused by cancer, the doctor may suggest surgery to treat excess estrogen. Surgery that can be done is surgical removal of the ovaries or oophorectomy.
In addition, doctors can also provide certain treatments, such as radiation therapy to the ovaries to make the ovaries stop producing excessive estrogen.
To help reduce the amount of estrogen to return to normal, you can also increase the consumption of certain foods, such as broccoli, bok choy, turnips, cauliflower, and cabbage.
In addition, consumption of green tea and a variety of grains, including sesame and flaxseed, is also thought to lower levels of the hormone estrogen. However, the effectiveness of these foods to normalize excessive estrogen levels still needs to be studied further.
So that the condition of excess estrogen hormone can be treated properly, you need to consult an endocrinologist. After conducting a medical examination and determining the cause, the doctor will provide the right treatment according to your condition.