• Menu
  • Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Miguel Gonzalez, MD, FACP, FCCP

Delivering powerful, effective integrative therapies to those seeking a healthier, happier life.

  • Services
    • Lyme Disease Treatment
    • Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy
    • Intravenous Vitamin Therapy
    • Exosomes
    • Peptide Therapy
    • PRP Therapy
    • Neurofeedback Therapy
    • View All Our Services
  • Team
    • Dr. G
    • Meet Our Team
  • Patients
    • Extended Care Plan
    • New Patients
    • Patient Testimonials
  • Blog
    • Archived Blogs by Category
      • Cancer
      • Lyme Disease
      • Herpes
      • Testosterone
  • Contact
  • Search
  • Services
    • Lyme Disease Treatment
    • Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy
    • Intravenous Vitamin Therapy
    • Exosomes
    • Peptide Therapy
    • PRP Therapy
    • Neurofeedback Therapy
    • View All Our Services
  • Team
    • Dr. G
    • Meet Our Team
  • Patients
    • Extended Care Plan
    • New Patients
    • Patient Testimonials
  • Blog
    • Archived Blogs by Category
      • Cancer
      • Lyme Disease
      • Herpes
      • Testosterone
  • Contact
  • Search

Estrogen Monitoring is Crucial in Testosterone Therapy

You are here: Home / Archived Blogs by Category / Estrogen Monitoring is Crucial in Testosterone Therapy
Reading Time: 3 minutes

It is an undeniable fact that testosterone levels decline naturally as a man ages. While aging is certainly at the top of the list of the causes of low testosterone, other factors such as inflammatory, genetic or endocrine conditions, excessive body weight, a western type diet, alcohol, drugs, physical and emotional stress and lack of sleep also have an impact on testosterone production. Testosterone deficiency is a common condition and many people are now considering testosterone replacement therapy.

Signs and symptoms of testosterone deficiency include anemia, depressed mood, reduced bone density with increased osteoporosis risk, reduced energy and well-being, decreased muscle mass and strength, impaired cognition and fatigue. The sexual symptoms include reduced libido, erectile dysfunction, difficulty achieving orgasm, reduced intensity of the experience of orgasm and decreased sexual penile sensation.

To ensure safety, testosterone replacement therapy should be monitored by a physician. On a regular basis, the physician will evaluate testosterone blood levels, liver functions, lipid levels, hematocrit and prostate-specific antigen (PSA) levels as well as perform a physical examination including digital rectal examination. This close monitoring is important to make sure that your testosterone levels stay within the acceptable range.

However, estrogen monitoring should also be performed, considering the connection between these two hormones.

Testosterone converts in the body into other hormones and metabolites. For example, testosterone converts into estrogen through a process called aromatization (an enzyme called aromatase is involved in this conversion). During testosterone replacement therapy, there is more testosterone in the body and therefore higher amounts of this hormone can be converted into estrogen. Therefore estrogen levels can be increased during testosterone replacement therapy, and therefore should be monitored and maintained within reference ranges to avoid side effects caused by excessive estrogen.

Estrogen, the female hormone, is a very important hormone for men. It plays an essential role in bone, hair, skin, and brain health. Too much estrogen may cause mood swings, enlarged breasts, fat gain particularly in the lower half of the body, and excessive water retention. Estrogen levels are usually evaluated based on blood estradiol levels. Scientists believe that the optimal level of estrogen (measured as estradiol) for aging men is between 20 and 30pg/mL. The estrogen/testosterone ratio is also important and therefore should also be taken into consideration because most side effects of a male hormone imbalance are, in fact, due to an increased level of estrogen relative to low levels of testosterone.

If a man has an increased level of estradiol (higher than 30 pg/mL) before staring the testosterone replacement therapy, two causes should be suspected. First, increased aromatase activity usually due to increased abdominal fat. Or secondly, the liver is damaged (usually due to chronic excessive alcohol consumption) and can’t eliminate the excess estrogen. In both cases, testosterone replacement should be postponed and excess estrogen should be corrected by using aromatase inhibiting drugs (such as Arimidex) or natural supplements such as chrysin, zinc, muira puama or quercetin. Of course, lifestyle modifications such as a healthy diet, eliminating excess weight and limiting alcohol consumption are always recommended.

Beside estrogen, DHT (dihydro testosterone, a metabolite of testosterone) should also be monitored because excessive DHT leads to acne, hair loss and inflammation of the prostate.

References:

http://www.lef.org/protocols/male_reproductive/male_hormone_restoration_01.htm
http://www.aafp.org/afp/2006/0501/p1591.html
http://www.lef.org/protocols/male_reproductive/male_hormone_restoration_02.htm

Share this:

  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window)
  • Click to print (Opens in new window)

Related

About Miguel Gonzalez, MD

Miguel Gonzalez, MD, FACP, FCCP is a Board Certified Internist & Pulmonologist who has done extensive training and research in all aspects of functional, integrative and holistic medicine such as hyperbaric oxygen therapy, mind-body medicine, bio-identical hormone therapy, bio-detoxification, chemical and heavy metal toxicity & sensitivity, Lyme disease, IV vitamin therapy and many others.

Previous Post: « Western Blot Lyme Test
Next Post: Defend Yourself Against Cancer with Salvestrols »

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. James

    August 20, 2014 at 2:49 pm

    I was diagnosed with low testosterone several years ago and was prescribed testosterone replacement therapy. Unfortunately, the doctor at the time didn’t think to order an estradiol test and I was too uneducated in the area to think to ask. Since then I have studied extensively and came to suspect that I might have higher than optimal estradiol levels. My current endrocrinologist didn’t, for some reason, feel it necessary to order the test so I went to a direct access lab to have it performed. I scored 50. While that is within what the lab uses as a reference range (12-56) it is almost double what all the articles I have read indicate are optimum and even safe levels. (Indications are that over 34.4 and you have 2.2 times the chance for strokes!) I don’t believe that simply lowering the T level to lower the estradiol level is a good and valid approach as you now have the low T problems. Should the estradiol level be “lower than 30” as it should be for those who have normal T? Or is the increased estradiol something I have to put up with if I want a more normal T level? Will self prescribing zinc or another over the counter aromatase inhibitor be uncalled for?

    Reply
  2. Jonathon Eckert

    June 19, 2015 at 5:03 am

    I have been suffering for the past 12 months with low t my levels was 2.6nmol/L I have gained 50kg and overall can’t work am tiered all the time have numerous other symptoms. I started testosterone replacement with he gel, so far my levels have risen but I don’t feel any better and the weight still hasn’t shifted even with diet and some exercise. I am hoping to get my dr to listen when I show him your article about estrogen as I did ask him and he had no idea about it.

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Primary Sidebar

Company Info

Hours:
Monday-Friday: 7:00 am – 4:00 pm
Closed Saturday & Sunday
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 1-805-497-7508
Fax: 1-805-495-6834
Address: 303 S Moorpark Rd
Thousand Oaks, CA 91361

To take control of your health and start living a full and healthy life schedule your appointment today.

Schedule your appointment today

Dr. G’s eBook

For impactful health & wellness information and to receive Dr. G’s eBook, subscribe below!

Services

  • Lyme Disease Treatment
  • Intravenous Vitamin Therapy
    • Artesunate
    • Chelation
    • Gold
    • IV Curcumin
    • IV Glutathione
    • IV Vitamin C
    • Myers
    • NAD IV Therapy
    • PK Protocol
    • Poly MVA
  • Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy
    • Hyperbaric Chamber Rental
  • Integrative Therapies
    • Ondamed (PEMF)
    • Cymatherapy
    • EVOX Therapy
    • Infrared Light Therapy
    • BEMER Physical Vascular Therapy
    • The Listening Program
    • BioPhoton
  • Regenerative Therapies
    • Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy
    • Intravenous Vitamin Therapy
    • NAD IV Therapy
  • Office Services
    • Laboratory Testing
    • Testosterone Replacement
    • BioIdentical Hormone Replacement Therapy
    • The Detox Diet
    • Supplements

DISCLAIMER: THIS WEBSITE DOES NOT PROVIDE MEDICAL ADVICE The information, including but not limited to, text, graphics, images and other material contained on this website are for informational purposes only. No material on this site is intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health care provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition or treatment and before undertaking a new health care regimen, and never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this website.


Copyright © 2021 Dr. Gonzalez MD · Privacy Policy · Terms & Conditions · Site By Chase Kaizen · Log in