Moreover, it has a huge impact on men's health. Among the many things affected by estrogen, some of the most important ones include libido, sexual function, and sperm production.
Low levels of testosterone lead to low libido but can be corrected by taking estradiol. It’s quite interesting that, according to a case report involving aromatase deficiency and hypogonadism, both hormones are needed to increase libido.
Estrogen can inhibit normal penile development. This means it can decrease the bulbospongiosus muscle’s size, reduce space in the corpus cavernosum, and accumulate fat in the said spaces.
Estradiol can be found in the male reproductive tract where it's produced in the Leydig cells from testosterone. Increased estrogen levels lead to a decrease in testicular size and impairment of sperm production.
Estradiol is the primary form of active estrogen in males, produced via the aromatization of testosterone. As men age, testosterone levels drop because more of the hormone is transformed into estrogen in the body's fatty tissue—along with the decreased production of testosterone in the testes.
An imbalance between testosterone and estrogen in men leads to the following dangers:
Whenever there’s an abundance of estrogen in your system, your thyroid finds it harder to function optimally. A poorly performing thyroid fails to produce the hormones that keep your metabolism running at a sufficiently fast pace.
High estrogen levels can also make you look more feminine. In fact, it’s among the main causes of gynecomastia, a condition in which the male breast tissue starts to grow, which is why it’s more commonly called "man boobs".
What’s worse is that having too much of the female hormone forces your body to store fat. That begins a destructive cycle since fat itself (specifically those in the abdominal area) triggers an increase in estrogen production.
Those with too much estrogen should consider trying any of these convenient and straightforward solutions:
On the other hand, men suffering from the rare condition of having excessively low aromatase activity (and thus low estrogen levels) may try the following to get the right hormonal boost for their estrogen: