High Estrogen in Men: Signs, Symptoms, and Effects on Men

High Estrogen in Men 

When there is high estrogen in men there will always be negative changes going on in the body and mind. Guaranteed!

But let’s make one thing straight before we continue.

In the same way that testosterone can benefit women, there’s also an important role that estrogen plays in men. Men need small amounts of estrogen to be healthy.

However, when estrogen levels become very high there are some changes that take place in the body that no man wants to experience.

Signs of High Estrogen in Men Include….

• Low Sex Drive and Libido
• Low levels of free testosterone
• Extra weight and fat around the hips, waist, and thighs
• Man boobs aka moobs
• Lack of muscle mass

As estrogen levels rise, men begin to lose muscle mass and gain body fat.  And as body fat increases, the Aromatase enzyme becomes very active in the body. And it’s this particular enzyme that converts testosterone into estrogen.

This is why lowering body fat is very important for boosting testosterone levels and reducing estrogen.

The bad news is that high estrogen in men can cause other physical issues such as…

• Increased risk of heart attack
• Increased risk of strokes
• Increased risk of hormonal cancers
• Prostate problems

As well as causing these physical issues, the effects of high estrogen can impact a man’s mental state and mood. 

As the estrogen begins to take dominance, T levels are going to go into hibernation. When this happens you see men going from being confident and assertive to insecure and anxious.

Let’s now look at some of the causes of high estrogen so that we can regain control of our body and hormones.

1) High Levels of Body Fat

As discussed above the most important thing a man can do to lower estrogen levels is to lose some body fat.

As you lose body fat your estrogen levels will begin to lower because estrogen loves to live nice and comfortably in fat cells.

There is a large pool of evidence that shows that the higher the body fat percentage a man carries, the lower his testosterone will be.

Also, remember that we want to lower body fat and not necessarily weight.

2) Plastic Products

A lot of people are not aware of the effects that plastic products can have on estrogen levels and plastic is everywhere these days.

It is believed that the rise in the use of plastic products is a contributing factor to the lowering of testosterone in young men.

The reasons plastics can increase estrogen and lower testosterone is because they contain a chemical called phthalates which are known to mimic estrogen.

So throw away that plastic water bottle right away and use a glass bottle instead.

3) Limit Alcohol and Beer

Some people don’t like to hear this but alcohol and beer have been proven to lower testosterone and increase estrogen in the body.

Years ago, german beer makers made the surprising discovery that the women who harvested the hops would enter puberty much quicker and sometimes even 2 to 3 years earlier than normal.

It has been found that 3.5 ounces or 100 grams of hops can contain up to 30,000 to 300,000 IUs of estrogen so you can see how beer in high amounts can be bad for testosterone.

Obviously having a moderate amount of alcohol will not harm testosterone but try to limit the amount you consume and if possible try to stay clear of hoppy beers.

4) Zinc Deficiency 

Zinc is an extremely important mineral for estrogen regulation and for increasing testosterone levels.

Firstly, zinc is a powerful estrogen blocker. The way it blocks estrogen is by inhibiting the aromatase enzyme that changes testosterone into estrogen.

In a study which looked at the effects of zinc levels on estrogen receptors, researchers discovered that having a zinc deficiency leads to higher levels of estrogen receptors in the body.

This research highlights the role zinc plays at lowering these estrogen receptors.

Also, zinc deficiency is very common these days and men can also lose zinc through sweating. It also has been found that men lose some zinc when they ejaculate.

With all the benefits Zinc can have for men it makes a lot of sense to get a good quality zinc supplement.

To read an article on the benefits of zinc for men click here.

Foods to Avoid

• Soy products – As soy contains a good amount of plant estrogens called phytoestrogen, we should stay clear of it while we are lowering our estrogen levels.

• Licorice – again licorice is a known phytoestrogen and contains isoflavones with a notable one being glabrene which in a study here showed estrogen promoting activity.

• Meat – meat that is not grass fed and organic can often be filled with synthetic hormones and other unnatural injections to make the animal grow faster and bigger, definitely not something you want in your body.

• Grapefruit – your liver helps to clear out excess estrogen in the body but when you eat grapefruit this process stops which leads to higher estrogen levels in the body.

Foods to Encourage

• Organic foods that don’t contain pesticides are best.

• Eat cruciferous vegetables regularly including broccoli, brussels sprouts, cabbage and cauliflower as they contain a compound named DIM (3’3 diindolylmethane) that helps remove estrogen through the liver.

• Citrus Fruits containing flavonoids which are known to inhibit aromatization.

• Avocados contain plant sterols that block estrogen.

• Nuts are also very rich in natural plant sterols.

• Green Tea contains a mixture of polyphenols, catechins, and flavonoids which all help to lower and inhibit aromatization.

• Arimistane is a great option for men wanting to lower estrogen because it’s one of the most powerful non-prescription anti-estrogen supplements out there.

Lastly

There are many other ways to help lower estrogen such as estrogen blocker supplements and other methods that we might go over in another post.

But for right now the best plan of attack is to follow the advice above and avoid the things that compound the problem and take action on the things that improve it. You will be pleasantly surprised with how you look and feel.

If you liked this article share with someone you know using the icons below.

[simple-author-box]