What Are the Effects of High Estrogen?

There are many negative effects of high estrogen that can affect both the mind and body. Some of the common symptoms include headaches, fatigue, hot flashes, menstrual problems, and cancer. It can also result in mood swings, memory loss, anxiety, and depression. Although it is a female hormone, it is also present in men and can lead to gynecomastia and heart problems.

There are three predominate estrogens, known as estrone, estradiol, and estriol, which are balanced by another female hormone known as progesterone. Both of these hormones are essential in preparing the womb for pregnancy. Estrogen is also very important for good bone health and can help to prevent osteoporosis by helping to maintain a healthy level of calcium in the bones. In some cases, however, the body manufactures excess amounts of estrogen and not enough progesterone to balance it. As a result, it creates high estrogen levels, also known as estrogen dominance.

High estrogen levels generally occur during a woman's menstrual cycle, which is often the reason for mood swings, irritability, and emotional instability during this time. During menstruation, many women tend to suffer from headaches, fatigue, bloating, abdominal cramps, and sore breasts. Irregular, skipped, or heavy cycles are also effects of an estrogen imbalance. Birth control pills are often used to help regulate irregular menstrual cycles; however, they may be high in estrogen, which can result in elevated estrogen levels and infertility.

Anxiety, depression, memory loss, and low self-confidence are common signs of an estrogen imbalance. Women who go through menopause can also suffer symptoms such as hot flashes and mood swings. During or after menopause, women often resort to estrogen replacement therapy to help them deal with the symptoms. In some cases, this therapy can cause the estradiol levels to rise, putting these women at risk for other health problems such as a stroke and cancer.

There is evidence to suggest that breast cancer cells can feed off of estrogen and promote its spread once it has begun. As a result, drugs are often prescribed to halt or reduce the production of estrogen in order to prevent the cancer from spreading. Other cancers that have been linked to high estrogen levels include uterine, endometrial, and ovarian cancers.

Excess estrogen in men is also common and can lead to heart attacks and atherosclerosis, which is the thickening of the arteries. Studies show that it can double the risk of a stroke as it promotes blood clotting. Male estrogen can also contribute to gynecomastia, which is an enlargement of the breast, and puts men with high estrogen at risk for developing breast cancer.