How to Lower Estrogen Levels For Men

Testosterone is the primary hormone that gives men their "male" characteristics. Once a boy hits puberty his body gets flooded with testosterone and he becomes a man. Testosterone is responsible for the proper development of male sexual characteristics. It is also important for maintaining muscle bulk, adequate levels of red blood cells, bone density, sense of well-being, and sexual and reproductive function. On the flip side, women have estrogen, which is the female "equivalent" of testosterone. In women, estrogen is what is responsible for the proper development of female sexual characteristics.
So men have testosterone and women have estrogen, right? Wrong. Men actually have testosterone and estrogen-women have both too. The difference is that men produce about ten times more testosterone than women do (and vice versa). So though our bodies are dominant in testosterone, we also produce low levels of estrogen.
In fact, a certain amount of estrogen in men is necessary for proper body function. Too little estrogen and we run the risk of developing osteoporosis and other conditions. Too much though and we start developing female characteristics, which is not a good a thing-for health or the ego.
As men age their testosterone levels will naturally start to drop (by about one percent per year). Similarly, their estrogen levels will start to increase.
When estrogen levels start getting high in men, health problems start to arise. Elevated estrogen levels in men have been shown to contribute to prostate cancer and heart disease, along with gynecomastia-also known as "man boobs." Since higher levels of estrogen are typically accompanied by lower levels of testosterone, other changes occur including loss of muscle mass, fatigue, low libido, erectile dysfunction. Lastly, excessive estrogen in men raises body fat and can contribute to diabetes and high lipids.
But it's not just older guys who experience higher levels of estrogen-it happens to young guys too. Guys who don't take care of themselves are far more likely to show elevated estrogen levels than men who are in good shape. For example, testosterone begins to convert to estrogen in men as they age due to the aromatase reaction.
Aromatase is an enzyme that plays a role in converting testosterone to estrogen and is found most prevalently in fat cells. Therefore, the more body fat a man has the more aromatase and the more estrogen he is likely to have. So you see, a younger guy who is overweight with excess fat-especially around the middle-will likely see a spike in estrogen levels accompanied by a drop in testosterone levels.
Rule number one to avoid excessive estrogen levels: maintain a healthy body weight-build and maintain lean muscle mass. In particular, pay close attention to the fat around the middle of your body. These fat cells are known to produce aromatase, which can lead to higher estrogen levels in men, thus changing the hormonal balance.
There are plenty of other things that can lead to higher estrogen levels in men too so guys of any age should be aware of the following:
• Medications: Some medications can cause estrogen levels to rise so be on the lookout for estrogen-containing drugs, steroids, ulcer medications such as cimetidine, some antibiotics (tetracycline, ampicillin, etc.), anti-fungal medications and antidepressants. Since there are more medications that can cause this effect, you should check with your doctor or pharmacist.
• Illness: Certain illnesses also cause spikes in estrogen levels including some tumors of the testes, adrenal and pituitary glands, liver and lung, cirrhosis (liver disease). Kidney and thyroid disease may elevate estrogen levels as well.
• Drugs: Using illicit drugs is another sure-fire way to cause a jump in estrogen so stay away from anabolic steroids, marijuana, cocaine and other drugs that can affect hormone levels.
• Alcohol: Moderate drinking generally doesn't cause problems but frequent benders can. Drinking excessively can increase the body's conversion of testosterone into estrogen, especially in fat cells. It can also block the liver from effectively eliminating excess estrogen.
• Environmental exposure: Things that we run across in our daily lives can also contribute to elevated estrogen levels in men. The list of pesticides, chemicals and herbicides that have the potential to cause estrogen-like effects in the body is lengthy so do yourself a favor and avoid them as much as possible.
A number of experts have also begun to believe that there is a link between the ingestion of hormone-enhanced food and elevated estrogen levels. More research is sure to be done on the subject so stay tuned. In any case, hormone- and pesticide-free, unprocessed foods are best for your body so stick with those.
I'll write that article for you next. In the mean time if you'd like further information on losing man boobs click here for a trusted resource.

The Estrogen Controversy

Estrogen is a hormone that is essential for the normal growth and development of the breasts and organs significant for childbearing. It assists control a woman's menstrual cycles and is necessary for reproduction. Estrogen assists maintain the heart and healthy bones as well.
No one understands what causes breast cancer, and no one could obviously state why we are observing an increase in breast cancer cases. More women grow breast cancer than men - approximately 100 cases in females for every one in a man. Women's bodies make more estrogen than men's. Hence, the conventional wisdom has been that estrogen causes breast cancer.
What we don't comprehend, but researchers are studying, is how estrogen runs in the breast tissue. We currently understand that estrogen is most likely secreted or produced directly from breast tissue - a number of from the fat of the breast, some from the ducts themselves. How and why this production persists all through life is unidentified. We at the present comprehend as well that the body has many self-regulating or balancing mechanisms - that one hormone is typically balanced by another.
Estrogen might be implicated in breast cancer risk due to:
1) its role in stimulating breast cell division;
2) its work as long as the critical periods of breast development and growth;
3) its outcome on other hormones that rouse breast cell division, and
4) its support of the development of estrogen-responsive tumors.
Estrogen is powerfully related with the early growth of a lot of breast cancers, but few studies have looked at the connection between high estrogen levels and cancer recurrence, particularly in women who are taking anti-estrogen drugs such as tamoxifen.
Estrogen therapy is regarding the last thing you'd wait for a doctor to set down for a woman with breast cancer: The hormone is well-known for coaxing tumors to develop, not get smaller. But in a latest study, one out of three postmenopausal women with advanced cancer who were set a daily dose of estrogen saw their tumors slow to a stop, and in a number of cases, even shrink.
However, a woman's risk for breast cancer is linked with lifetime exposure to estrogen. knowing how estrogen runs in the body, understanding in relation to how chemicals in the environment could have an effect on body estrogen levels, and how diet and lifestyle factors influence estrogen exposure over a lifetime, might assist women make more informed decisions concerning their bodies and their environment.

Estrogen Link to Obesity

Obesity continues to rise in the United States and throughout the world. Both leptin from fat cells and insulin from pancreatic B cells are created in direct proportion to body fat. Obese persons have higher levels of these two hormones than lean individuals. Recent studies show that another hormone, estrogen, also has a similar affect.
When estrogen receptors in the hypothalamus of rats were destroyed, female rats ate more food, burnt less energy and became obese. Research suggests a link between estrogen and obesity, especially the dangerous accumulation of abdominal fat linked to cardiovascular disease, type-2 diabetes mellitus, and certain cancers. The abstract was submitted by Deborah J. Clegg, PhD, Assistant Professor of Psychiatry, Obesity Research Center, at the University of Cincinnati Academic Health Center, to the 234th national meeting of the American Chemical Society on August 20, 2007. Her findings will assist scientists in developing new hormone replacement therapies.
Dr. Clegg Estrogen wanted to determine the effect of reduced estrogen levels in the brain. She investigated estrogen receptor alphas (ERa) in the hypothalamus, where the brain regulates body temperature, hunger and thirst. She learned that the ventromedial nucleus (VMN) and the arcuate nucleus respond to hormones and other signals to control energy intake and expenditure. A gene-silencing technique called RNA interference allowed Dr. Clegg to shut down the alpha receptors in the VMN of female rats. The estrogen receptors in other regions of the brain were not affected. As estrogen levels decreased, so did the metabolic rate and energy levels. The rats quickly became glucose intolerant. While their caloric intake did not change, they gained considerable abdominal weight.
Dr. Clegg feels that deactivating ERa in the arcuate nucleus region of the hypothalamus may have the same effect. There are two groups of neurons in this region. One reduces food intake and the other stimulates it. Estrogen loss in this region may increase both appetite and weight.
In humans, the accumulation of abdominal fat in men and women increases their risk of cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and insulin resistance. Young women are protected from these risks while they carry their weight in their hips and saddlebags. With the onset of menopause, however, body fat is stored in the abdomen, increasing the risk of medical complications. By identifying the critical brain regions and estrogen receptors associated with weight gain and energy expenditure, scientists will one day be able to design hormone replacement therapies that will help women avoid many of the risks associated with the onset of menopause.

Wayne Mcgregor has trained as a dietitian in the UK. He also has a diploma in fitness training, and a wealth of experience in teaching different people to burn fat and build muscle. His website provides hundreds of free weight loss articles, sample diets, tools and charts of the nutritional content of common foods.

Estrogen - How It Effects Your Body

Among some of the most well known hormones in the human body is estrogen. Estrogen is commonly associated with women, but men also produce a small amount of estrogen as well. Often times, estrogen is referred to as if were a single hormone. However, the name actually refers to a group of three different hormones that work together to produce the effect attributable to 'estrogen.' These hormones are estrone, estradiol, and estriol.
All three are produced by the ovaries and, to some extent, by the adrenal glands. They are not present in the blood in the same amounts and do not have the same degree of biological activity.
The exact ratio of each hormone varies, depending on the time of the menstrual cycle, but the level of estriol is usually eight to nine times higher than that of either estrone or estradiol. Of the three, estradiol is the most potent and potentially harmful. It is also primarily responsible for the 'estrogenic' effect on the body. Estriol has the weakest estrogenic effect and is considered 'protective' and anti-cancerogenic, which is probably the reason why it is present in such high quantities. The function of the estrone is not quite clear. It can serve as a precursor of estradiol and may have other functions as well.
The estrogen level is quite low before puberty, but it starts going up rapidly around age 11 to 13. For young females, this leads to the appearance and growth of breasts, pubic and underarm hair, and eventually the first menstrual period, which is also known as menarche. Ovaries continue to produce estrogen in increasing amounts, reaching a peak about the age of 25 to 30. After age 30 to 35, the production of estrogen gradually slows down, eventually becoming too low to sustain continued menstrual cycles. This is known as menopause.
The effect of estrogen is not limited to just reproductive organs. Practically every cell of the body has estrogen receptors, from brain cells to muscle cells. That is why abnormal changes in estrogen production or imbalance with other hormones can lead to great changes in the body.
It may be easier to understand some of the effects of estrogen if you keep in mind the main purpose of estrogen, which is to prepare the body for pregnancy. Some of the effects of estrogen include thickening of the lining of the uterus (endometrium) to prepare it for pregnancy, stimulating breast tissue growth in preparation for making milk, and reducing the activity of thyroid hormone to reduce fat burning and conserve calories and nutrients to help the fetus grow. Two unfortunate effects of estrogen for the woman, but a benefit to the fetus, is the increased fat production and reduced overall metabolism. The estrogen also helps the body retain fluid and salt to assure sufficient liquid reserves in the body, which can make a woman feel heavy and bloated.
Estrogen is also responsible for keeping bones stronger by reducing the activity of bone-destroying cells (osteoclasts), reducing total cholesterol level and improving HDL ('good' cholesterol), which reduces the risk of heart disease and strokes. This hormone is also responsible for relaxing the muscles of arteries, reducing blood pressure and the work load of the heart, growth of underarm and pubic hair, pigmentation of the nipples, and protection of brain cells from age-related deterioration.
This powerful group of hormones can be a great help to the woman's body throughout her growing and child-bearing years. The body functions at optimum performance when estrogen is present in the right amount. Without too little or too much of it, the body is susceptible to harm or injury.

Estrogen Infertility

I'm sure you know by now that there are loads of things that can cause infertility, estrogen lack being one of them. Every one of the many hormones involved in reproduction also plays an essential role. Estrogen is the key female reproductive hormone, sort of like what testosterone is for men. If you have headaches, night sweats, hot flashes and vaginal dryness you might have a lack of estrogen. Low quantities of estrogen can also cause infertility in various ways:

• Estrogen directs the uterus to make a lining to receive the zygote so even if every other process has gone well before that moment, if there is not enough of a lining the fertilized egg won't implant itself in the uterus wall.
• Furthermore, estrogen stimulates the mucus produced at the cervix to become less viscous so that the sperm can swim through it to reach the ovum.
• Low estrogen levels could prevent you from ovulating at all.

Estrogen lack can be caused by a number of factors:

• LH (Luteinizing Hormone) regulates the manufacture of estrogen - too little LH causes inadequate estrogen.
• If you are too skinny, or if you have an eating disorder (like bulimia or anorexia) or if you work out excessively then the pituitary gland doesn't function correctly and the signals that tell the ovaries to make estrogen get mixed up.
• If you don't have any eggs at all then your body won't make estrogen.

Treatment options:

• Estrogen quantities in the body may be raised through medication.
• It seems that some foodstuffs, like tofu, can benefit you as well.

You might also have difficulties if you have high levels of estrogen relative to progesterone in your body. You are at a risk for estrogen dominance if you are not eating properly, under stress, obese or exposed to other sources of estrogen, either by means of HRT (hormone replacement therapy) or by environmental sources. Excessive estrogen will cause the following warning signs:

• Heart palpitations
• Excessive weight gain
• Depression
• Irregular periods
• Swelling
• Cyclical headaches
• Nervousness
• Digestive problems

But these symptoms could also signify low estrogen levels, so it's vital to get yourself checked if you're worried. If you have PCOS (Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome) or endometriosis elevated levels of estrogen can make them worse. Elevated levels of estrogen may also diminish your libido.
Having the correct estrogen concentrations is essential to your fertility. There are issues connected with both high and low levels of estrogen. Abnormal concentrations of estrogen could be prevented with medication so it shouldn't be a massive hurdle in your quest to get pregnant.

The Relationship Between Soy and Estrogen Dominance

With the growing changes in lifestyle based on the daily activities, many people are too busy to prepare the fresh family food that families used to enjoy. Instead, many parents rely heavily on quick snacks to keep their families going. These trends have led to the excessive exposure to high levels of cholesterol further leading to other hormonal imbalance problems such as estrogen dominance among others. Amidst the panic, soy product marketers have capitalized on the situation by trying to lead a spirited campaign aimed at depicting soy as the wonderful seed that will save the world as they strive to change the society's perception against beef and other animal proteins in the pretext of promoting better health.
Does soy reduce estrogen dominance?
Contrary to what many people have been led to believe, consumption of soy is not in any way going to reduce estrogen dominance as the leading producers of soy related products would want you to believe. The indicators point to the exact opposite. Perhaps the most sensible question to ask is about the true composition of soy. By answering this question correctly, we should be able to clear any misunderstanding that has been created by the paid advertisements that dominate our media in praise of the soy products.
What are the bad components in soy?
Soy Contains (Isoflavones) (Genistein) and (Daidzein). The (Isoflavones) from soy is used in the manufacture of insecticides. This should leave us wondering whether it can be very healthy to the human body when it does the exact opposite to bugs and insects. Cancer comes from having too much estrogen, a condition medically referred to as estrogen dominance. Estrogen dominance is associated to Irritability and mood swings, fat gain from the waist down, fibrocystic breast disease and uterine (fibromas). (Isoflavones) are estrogen like substances, which have the same effect as the body's estrogen. Instead of helping, prevent the bad effects of environmental or natural estrogen dominance, soy (Isoflavones) very influential to the increase of the bad effect of (estradiol) and (estrone) that are the two major bad components of the estrogen family
What is the effect of soy consumption to the human body?
(Isoflavones) found in soy decreases the production of Thyroid hormone. This may result to development of excess fats in adults; in children, the effects may cause stunted growth. Studies also indicate that Female children fed with the estrogens in soy formula and other related products hit puberty at unusually very early ages, this clearly indicates that the consumption of soy directly leads to hormonal imbalance in human beings.
This can further be substantiated by the fact that research has shown that pregnant women eating soy products may end up giving birth to children with sexual differentiation problems. Studies show malformations of the reproductive tract or offsprings born with both male and female sexual organs. Looking at all the existing facts and extensive research together with studies already conducted regarding this subject, It is therefore very advisable for people with estrogen dominance problems to steer clear of soy products.

Cellulite and Estrogen

Cellulite is every woman's worst nightmare. It is that disgusting lumpy, dimpled, irregular fat that that suddenly just seems to appear on the hips, thighs and buttocks of 85% of women. Cellulite does not discriminate - it attacks skinny women, obese women, young women, and old women - as well as a small percentage of men. Cellulite can occur at any time from puberty through old age, and many believe is attributed to an estrogen imbalance. Cellulite is composed of fat, and so many women believe that getting rid of that fat is the only way to make the ugly dimples disappear. Unfortunately, in many cases losing weight won't do a thing to help you to help you eliminate cellulite.
Cellulite begins to become visible when two forces within your body find themselves working against each other. First, weakened connective tissue pulls down on the fat layers everyone has on their body, then excess fat and fluids push up. This causes the uneven, dimpled texture the fat beneath your skin begins to take on. However, the connective tissues should not be weakened, even with age, in a normal, healthy woman. So to really understand the causes of cellulite, we must understand how estrogen can effect the tissue.
Many believe that the weakened connective tissues and excess fats and fluids occur when there is an estrogen imbalance in the body. Estrogen plays many rolls for a woman, including softening the fibrous tissues of the womb right before birth. Unfortunately for many women's things, it has the same effect on the connective tissue that anchors the skin to the muscle. When the skin and muscle begin to separate, compartments are formed between them and the connective tissues where ugly fat deposits begin to form. The connective tissue, weakened by the excess estrogen production, pulls down on the skin and causes the stored fat to push up, resulting in the sudden appearance of those scary, dimply cellulite bumps. For some woman it is normal to have a little excess estrogen floating around in the body, but if this estrogen imbalance is complicated by bad circulation, the result is an increased appearance of cellulite.
Some women are so frustrated with having cellulite that they consider hormone therapy to combat the effects of having excess estrogen. However, playing with estrogen levels for the purpose of eliminating cellulite can be is very tricky because it can have a lot of complicated side effects. If a woman were to adjust the balance of the estrogen hormone in order to treat one symptom, imbalances in other hormones might suddenly occur causing problems in another area. Estrogen plays hundreds of different roles in the body and thus affects hundreds of different functions. A skilled endocrinologist or gynecologist should be consulted when considering estrogen hormone therapy.