High Estrogen and How to Detect It

Updated: Jun 18, 2020

What Exactly Is Estrogen?

The early role of estrogen:

Estrogen controls why men and women look noticeably different. Men have estrogen in their bodies but not in comparison to the high estrogen levels women hold. In addition to reproductive differences such as breasts, estrogen is also the reason that women have smoother skin and less facial hair then men.

Estrogen is a vital chemical compound in women's bodies and controls a number of important reproductive functions. Estrogen is the means by which the body differentiates and gives gender specific definition to a woman's body. Estrogen controls a woman's reproductive development by initiating the growth of breasts and allowing for more body fat on the buttocks and thighs. Wider hips are also a result of estrogen. Estrogen is of critical importance for women's reproductive function and when women reach such a stage of life the body produces a considerable amount of the chemical.

When Does High Estrogen Occur?

estrogen high

High estrogen is usually identified in women during either ovulation or pregnancy although vastly different amounts of estrogen can be identified between these two states of fertility. During ovulation it is noted that high estrogen is noted at an average of 400pg/ml for the average women. When a women is pregnant however high estrogen can be up to 100 times more than this level. As linked to reproduction high estrogen levels occur when women are at their most fertile, or when pregnancy occurs.

What Are the Consequences of High Estrogen?

If women's bodies are experiencing a level of high estrogen some symptoms can present themselves. This can range from simple symptoms such as headaches but can also lead to more dangerous symptoms such as breast tenderness, which is one of the indicators of breast cancer.

What Can Be Done to Identify High Estrogen?

Similar tests which are enacted in order to detect levels of low estrogen can be used to detect the presence of high estrogen in women's bodies. Such tests have to be weighed against what is considered a normal level of estrogen for a women's body however. High estrogen can only be identified when the normal level of estrogen has first been noted. Testing for high estrogen involves a sample of urine, blood or saliva.

Conclusions about high Estrogen

estrogen pregnancy

High estrogen is a normal state for many women as they either ovulate or become pregnant. It is linked with estrogen being fundamental to the reproduction process. Despite the normal nature of high estrogen it can bring with it a number of problems. The most prominent of these is breast tenderness, which if left unattended could lead to breast cancer. For this reason early detection of high estrogen is important.

What else can women try? Pregnancy can be a difficult transition for women and states of being such as high estrogen, can present a number of problems. For this reason however alternate treatments exist to ease women through this transition period with limited pain and discomfort. A medical practitioner should always be consulted before embarking on any form of alternative treatment.