10 High Estrogen Symptoms
Estrogen is a hormone that is found predominantly in women. It is responsible for giving feminine physical characteristics, such as breasts and wide hips. It is also responsible for controlling the female reproductive organs, helping to ensure that women are able to procreate.
Our hormones need to be in the right balance, though, and estrogen is no exception. It is possible for there to be too much estrogen in the body and this can cause a wide range of unwelcome symptoms.
This article looks at just a few of the symptoms that high estrogen levels can cause.
Symptom #1: Headache
Tell somebody that you have a headache and they will likely just recommend a couple of painkillers. Headaches are very common, and usually harmless, although they can be agonizing for some people. While they are not generally something to be alarmed by, they can sometimes be a sign of an underlying problem.
If you are experiencing headaches more often than usual, or they are more severe than usual, it could be a sign of high estrogen levels. While you may be reluctant to go and see a doctor just for a headache, you still should do so if you feel as though something is not right.
Symptom #2: Mood Swings
Life has its ups and downs. Events take place that are sometimes out of control and some people seem intent on making life more difficult than it needs to be. This can have an effect on our moods and news that can change everything could be just around the corner.
Despite this, we are still usually quite steady where our moods are concerned. In women that have high estrogen levels, however, changes in mood can be far more erratic. The patient can be happy one minute and sad the next, with nothing significant happening to cause the change. If you are experiencing mood swings for no particular reason then you should make an appoint to see your doctor.
Symptom #3: Lumps in Breasts
Women are encouraged to check their breasts regularly for signs of breast cancer. One of the most telling signs is finding lumps in the breasts. If such lumps are discovered then the patient should make sure that they get it checked out as soon as they can. The good news is that breast cancer survival rates are high, provided the cancer is treated early enough.
Lumps in the breasts are not always cancer. They can often be benign, meaning they are completely safe and they can be caused by high estrogen levels. Regardless, it is always best to get any lumps checked out to be on the safe side.
Symptom #4: Weight Gain
Eat too much of the wrong type of food and you will gain weight. This also depends on how much exercise you do, of course. While it is advised to keep your weight down to healthy levels, it is not always easy to do. It can also become a lot harder to do if your hormone levels are out of balance.
One symptom of high estrogen levels is that the patient is likely to start gaining weight. This can happen regardless of how much they eat, or exercise, and efforts to lose weight can be harder than usual. If you are suddenly putting on weight for no apparent reason, you should try to find out why.
Symptom #5: Heightened PMS
Approximately every 30 days or so, women will undergo a process that is known as menstruation. This process involves the shedding of old blood that lines the uterus walls. It allows for fresh blood to replace it, and it is a very important part of the reproduction cycle. During this process, women’s hormones are likely to be out of balance.
This hormone imbalance can leave women experiencing mood swings and other unwelcome symptoms, and the severity of the symptoms varies from individual to individual. It is a condition known as premenstrual syndrome, and the symptoms can become worse in people that have high estrogen levels.
Symptom #6: Irregular Menstruation
While menstruation usually occurs every 30 days or so, it is not a timetable that is set in stone. Menstruation can sometimes arrive a little sooner or later than expected and the heaviness of the flow can also vary. If menstruation is particularly irregular, however, then it could be a sign that something is wrong.
Menstruation is controlled largely by estrogen. This means that if estrogen levels are higher than usual then it can become irregular. Women can find that they have their period considerably earlier or later than usual. They can also sometimes find that their periods will not arrive at all.
Symptom #7: Sleeping Difficulties
Sleeping is easy. Just go to bed when you are tired, lie down, close your eyes, and let yourself drift away. Or at least it is that easy for most, but not all. A lot of people can have considerable difficulty sleeping and it can play havoc with their personal lives and professional lives. There are numerous potential causes, and high estrogen levels are one of them.
Our hormones will often play a big part in our sleep cycle, and an imbalance can make sleeping very difficult indeed. It can lead to a considerable drop in the quality of life for some people. It is something that should be taken seriously and you should go to see a doctor.
Symptom #8: Bloating
Eat a large enough meal and you are likely to feel bloated afterward. This is to be expected, after all our stomachs can only hold so much. In addition, digestion produces gases which can fill the stomach, causing it to expand further. It will not usually last long as the food is digested and gas is passed out of the body.
Patients with high estrogen levels can also experience bloating. This can be down to changes in the digestive system and it can also be down to the fact that high estrogen levels cause water retention. Some remedies available on the market may be able to help relieve the patient of their symptoms.
Symptom #9: Decreased Libido
Sex is one of the most enjoyable physical pleasures that we can experience. In addition to being very physical, sex is also very psychological. For somebody to really enjoy sex, they really need to be in the mood. Our hormones play a big part in this and a hormone imbalance can impact our sex lives considerably.
Women with high estrogen levels can find that they are just not in the mood for sex. They can still take part, but they are less likely to enjoy it. It is something that can have quite an impact on relationships and the patient’s partner will often need to be understanding.
Symptom #10: Anxiety
Whenever there is an urgent matter, our body will release hormones that help ensure we are alert. This helps to make sure that we are ready for whatever comes our way. It is an important survival tool and is still very important to us today even in the modern world.
Too much anxiety can be very bad for us, however. Experiencing some levels of stress is fine, even good, but we should be able to relax afterward. Prolonged anxiety can be a result of high estrogen levels, and this can be very bad for us both physically and mentally.
