High Estrogen Symptoms and Treatment

July 1, 2022

Typically, when testosterone increases in your body, so does estrogen. That happens because these two hormones are symbiotic and work together in a natural system of checks and balances. Clinicians often see this in the beginning stages of treating testosterone deficiency.

As estrogen increases, it is common for people to experience mood imbalances such as depression. Later stages of elevated estrogen can cause erectile dysfunction, and as levels continue to climb, other symptoms such as gynecomastia or swollen male breast tissue may appear. The most common side effects of increased estradiol, one type of estrogen, are water retention, bloating, and weight gain. Luckily, the treatment for increased estrogen is simple and has few side effects. Different mechanisms are used to increase testosterone based on a patient’s estradiol and estrogen numbers and tolerance of the recommended medications. One effective estrogen blocker called Anastrozole is widely prescribed. This family of medications inhibits enzymatic androgen conversion to estrogen, begins working immediately, provides full effects in two weeks, and quickly reduces estrogen levels. There are also over-the-counter supplements such as DIM that can decrease estrogen.