Estrogen is a hormone "messenger" molecule that has receptor sites in many locations of the body: uterus, vagina, breasts, bones and brain are the major sites. Estrogen stimulates the growth of the uterine lining each month to prepare it for implantation of a fertilized egg. Estrogen is produced by the ovaries, by egg follicles, by the adrenal glands and in fat cells. More than 30 different forms of estrogen have been identified; the most common forms tested are estrone [E1], estradiol [estradiol-17 beta, E2], and estriol [E3].

This female hormone, actually men have estrogen also, is quite controversial when it comes to hormone therapy or replacement in menopause. Estrogen is used primarily to prevent or reduce the risk of osteoporosis and to reduce symptoms of hot flashes. Excess estrogen can lead to blood clots and increased risk of breast cancer. Reduction in the use of estrogen hormone (such as Premarin)  by post menopausal women could potentially reduce the risk of breast cancer. There are several estrogen hormones including estradiol, estrone, and estriol. Estrogen is called the female hormone even though men have estrogen in their bodies, too.

Types of natural estrogen
These include Estrogen: estrone (E1), estradiol (E2), estriol (E3) and estetrol (E4). Estradiol is mostly secreted by the ovaries, and estriol is mostly secreted by the placenta).

Q. I would like to know how natural estrogens often found in herbs, for instance Pfaffia and Fo-Ti or soy, effect men. Evidently the very same components helps women in menopause. Do natural estrogens have any effect on men?
   A. This issue is very complicated. Much depends on one's diet, body metabolism, liver function, age, other supplements taken, dosage of the herbs, how often they are used, etc. No clear answers can be given. Natural estrogens, or phytoestrogens, have a variety of functions. Plus, there are many types of natural estrogen like compounds in the diet and herbs, and each may work in different ways. See Phytoestrogens for more information.

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Estrogen and breast cancer
High levels of estrogen in the body increases the risk of breast cancer recurrence. Women who have had breast cancer should take extra steps -- such as regular exercise and weight management -- to reduce their estrogen levels and minimize the risk that the breast cancer will return. Estrogen is strongly linked with the initial development of many breast cancers.

Estrogen and Skin
Estrogen loss at menopause has a profound influence on skin. Estrogen treatment in postmenopausal women has been repeatedly shown to increase collagen content, dermal thickness and elasticity, and data on the effect of estrogen on skin water content are also promising. Further, physiologic studies on estrogen and wound healing suggest that hormone replacement therapy (HRT) may play a beneficial role in cutaneous injury repair. Results on the effect of HRT on other physiologic characteristics of skin, such as elastin content, sebaceous secretions, wrinkling and blood flow, are discordant.

Estrogen and Hair
Estrogens (1 beta-estradiol, E2) are mainly involved in skin physiology and operate as potent hair growth modulators. Knowledge about the estrogen target cells in skin and exact signaling pathways is still very limited. Estrogen effects hair follicle cycling.

Estrogen and vaginal dryness
Tablets containing low-dose estrogen reduce vaginal discomfort that often comes with menopause. After women go through menopause, declining estrogen levels cause a gradual thinning in the tissue of the vagina which can lead to atrophic vaginitis. This causes symptoms such as dryness, irritation and pain during sex. Estrogen replacement is one therapy for the condition, but because of the health risks of oral hormone replacement, many women want an alternative. One alternative is estrogen-containing tablets that are inserted directly into the vagina, which limits the risk of side effects. Vaginal tablets containing low-dose estrogen such as 10 micrograms of a form of the hormone called estradiol can be helpful. Side effects related to the estrogen treatment include headache, back pain and abdominal pain.

Estrogen cream
Topical - estrogen cream or estrogen patch - and oral estrogens are beneficial in maintaining skin firmness and elasticity in postmenopausal women. Obstetrics & Gynecology, January 2008.

Estrogen side effects
Estrogen side effects include changes in vaginal bleeding pattern and abnormal withdrawal bleeding or flow. Breakthrough bleeding, spotting. Increase in size of uterine fibromyoma. Breast tenderness or enlargement. Nausea, vomiting, abdominal cramps, bloating; headache, migraine, dizziness; mental depression; increase or decrease in weight; reduced carbohydrate tolerance; aggravation of porphyria; edema; changes in libido.

Estrogen levels
In normal reproductive age women, during the menstrual cycle, estradiol levels range from 50-170 pg/ml, and as high as 400 during the periovulatory stage. PG/ml stands for picogram per milliliter. The level of estrogen changes during different parts of the menstrual cycle. Estrogen levels below 50 to 80 pg/ml may be associated with hot flashes, and may signal perimenopause. After menopause, estrogen levels are usually less than 35 pg/ml.
    In men, the normal estrogen level range is between 12-34 picograms per ml of blood.

Estrogen and Breast Cancer - research is contradictory
Exposure to high estrogen may promote breast cancer. The mechanisms of cancer formation in the breast caused by estrogen include the metabolism of estrogen to genotoxic, mutagenic metabolites and the stimulation of tissue growth. Together, these processes cause initiation, promotion, and progression of carcinogenesis.
     Among women not using hormone therapy, obesity and the byproducts of estrogen breakdown appear to raise the risk of breast cancer. Researchers compared levels of two estrogen metabolic chemicals, 2-OHE1 and 16-alpha-OHE1, in 200 women who developed breast cancer and in 200 who did not. In women who used hormone therapy, there was a modest but significant increase in 16-alpha-OHE1 and significantly higher 2-OHE1 levels in both groups. For these subjects, there was no association among BMI, estrogen metabolism and breast cancer risk. For women who did not use hormone therapy, however, greater BMI and higher 16-alpha-OHE1 were individually and jointly associated with increased cancer risk. Compared with women with low BMI and low estrogen metabolite levels, those with a high BMI and high 16-alpha-OHE1 were 3.5-times more likely to develop breast cancer. Estrogen metabolism is affected by both BMI and hormone therapy potentially explaining the interaction between BMI and hormone therapy in relation to breast cancer risk. Source: International Journal of Cancer, March 2006.

Estrogen and Breast Cancer - study published April 2006
Seven years of treatment with estrogen in postmenopausal women with prior hysterectomy does not apear raise the risk of breast cancer, according to analysis of data from the Women's Health Initiative (WHI) Estrogen-Alone trial. The WHI revealed that women treated with estrogen plus progestin had a higher incidence of breast cancers diagnosed at more advanced stages. However, preliminary examination of the WHI Estrogen-Alone trial found fewer breast cancers among subjects in the estrogen arm of the study. The research team therefore more closely analyzed data from the 10,739 postmenopausal women with prior hysterectomy, who were 50 to 79 years of age when enrolled between 1993 and 1998. The subjects were randomly assigned to 0.625 mg/d of conjugated equine estrogen (Premarin) or placebo. During an average follow-up of 7.1 years, 237 cases of invasive breast cancer and 55 cases of less invasive "in situ" cancers were diagnosed. But, 54 percent of subjects were no longer adherent to estrogen medication at the end of follow-up. Journal of the American Medical Association, April 12, 2006.

Low Estrogen Symptom
Low estrogen levels can cause several symptoms including raised LDL, the bad cholesterol, and lowered HDL, the good cholesterol. Women with a low estrogen level also tend to have low blood pressure. Women with a low estrogen level can have depression, thin hair, poor memory and other low estrogen level deficiency symptoms. Women with low estrogen levels are also at risk of bone loss that leads to osteoporosis.

Estrogen replacement therapy
Concerns about estrogen replacement therapy stem from the results of both the combined estrogen-progestin and the estrogen-alone arms of the Women's Health Initiative (WHI) clinical trial. The study population consisted of older postmenopausal women — the average age was 63 at the start of the trial. For women taking the combination estrogen-progestin used in the study (Prempro), researchers found an increased risk of heart disease, breast cancer, stroke, blood clots, and dementia. In addition, not only did hormone therapy increase the women's risk of breast cancer, it also made tumors harder to detect, leading to potentially dangerous delays in diagnosis. For women taking estrogen alone (Premarin), preliminary results showed no increased risk of breast cancer or heart disease but did find a slightly increased risk of stroke. Taking either estrogen-progestin or estrogen alone also didn’t prevent dementia or mild cognitive impairment, as was previously believed. Rather, the new data show a trend toward the development of cognitive impairment. Using estrogen replacement therapy to prevent dementia or MCI is no longer recommended for women 65 years of age or older.

Estrogen and Stroke
Estrogen replacement therapy with Premarin increases the risk for stroke.

Soy, Estrogen, Isoflavones, and Phytoestrogens
Research in monkeys suggests that the natural plant estrogens found in soy do not increase markers of breast cancer risk in postmenopausal women. In fact, they may provide a protective effect in some women. Even at high doses, there was no evidence that the estrogen -like compounds in soy, called isoflavones, stimulate cell growth or other markers for cancer risk in breast tissue. Women who have higher levels of estrogen hormone may actually gain a protective effect from higher doses of soy isoflavones. There has been much debate about whether higher levels of dietary soy are safe or beneficial for postmenopausal women. Some evidence has suggested that isoflavones may protect against the more powerful estrogen produced by the body, which is an important risk factor for breast cancer in postmenopausal women. For example, population studies show that women who consume diets high in soy generally have lower rates of breast cancer. Researchers evaluated the effects of dietary isoflavones in the presence of different levels of estrogen by rotating 31 postmenopausal cynomolgus monkeys through eight different diets. Each diet contained one of four different isoflavone doses along with either a low or a high dose of estrogen. Isoflavone doses were equivalent to the following human levels: no isoflavones, 60 milligrams (comparable to the typical Asian diet), 120 milligrams (the highest levels that can be consumed through diet alone), or 240 milligrams (levels obtained through supplements). Estrogen doses were designed to mimic either a low or high-estrogen environment found in postmenopausal women. Estrogen levels in postmenopausal women can vary depending on their amounts of body fat, which produces estrogen, and whether they are taking hormone therapy. The researchers measured how the diets affected markers for breast cancer risk, including breast cell proliferation. In the low estrogen environment, no evidence of increased proliferation was seen at any level of isoflavone exposure, even at doses almost several times higher than in a typical Asian diet. In the high estrogen environment, there was higher breast cell proliferation both when isoflavones weren't in the diet and when they were present in lower doses. However, the addition of high levels of dietary soy isoflavones tended to block estrogen effects in breast tissue. This finding suggests that postmenopausal women with too much estrogen may derive the greatest benefit from soy.

Estrogen dominance
Young women who have estrogen dominance begin menarche with difficult and painful periods, and doctors sometimes give these teenage girls birth control pills to help regulate the frequency and severity of their periods. Some women will develop the estrogen dominance syndrome much later in life, sometimes as a result of diet, liver impairment, or environmental factors or also as a result of anovulatory cycles before menopause -- that is, menstrual cycles in which no ovulation has occurred.

Estrogen and pregnancy
The pregnant woman at term produces more estrogen in one day, than a nonpregnant woman produces in 3 years! Estrogen is responsible for enormous changes during pregnancy. During pregnancy, there is a large increase in the amount of estriol in relationship to estrone and estradiol. Increased levels of estrogen that occur during pregnancy may be associated with improvement in psoriasis.

Estrogen and fertility
Women who stop ovulating before reaching the age menopause would normally begin, a condition referred to as "premature ovarian failure," and who want to become pregnant may consider pretreatment with estrogen to improve the likelihood of ovulation,

Estrogen for man
Men normally have some estrogen, albeit at levels usually much lower than in women. Within the body, there is an enzyme called aromatase. It converts certain amounts of testosterone into estradiol (an estrogen). With aging, a man's body will produce larger amounts of aromatase. Larger amounts of aromatase mean more conversion of testosterone to estradiol. This will change the ratio of testosterone to estrogen.
     Higher levels of estrogen are associated with an increased risk of cognitive decline and Alzheimer's disease in older men. Dr. Mirjam Geerlings, from the University Medical Center Utrecht, and colleagues evaluated hormone levels and cognitive function in 2974 older men who were followed, on average, for 6 years as part of the Honolulu-Asia Aging Study. During follow-up, 134 men developed Alzheimer's disease and 44 men developed another type of dementia. With increasing levels of estrogen, the risk of Alzheimer's disease rose. In addition, men with higher estrogen levels scored a few points lower on a standard cognitive function test than those with the lowest levels. By contrast, testosterone levels seemed to have no impact on mental functioning. Overall, the results suggest that contrary to other reports, androgen replacement therapy would not help prevent cognitive decline in healthy men. SOURCE: Annals of Neurology, July 24, 2006.

Low estrogen level
Estrogen replacement therapy is commonly prescribed for women as their natural estrogen levels decline due to a hysterectomy or after menopause.

Estrogen progesterone
Within a few months of starting estrogen plus progesterone hormone replacement therapy (HRT), there is an elevated risk of urge and stress incontinence in postmenopausal women.

Estrogen pill
Premarin, made from a combination of estrogens, including conjugated estrogens derived from pregnant mare’s urine, has been the most commonly prescribed estrogen supplement in the U.S. for the past 50 years and is the estrogen used in many well-publicized studies, including the Women’s Health Initiative study (where Premarin and Prempro were used.). It is important to note that the conjugated estrogens in Premarin are not bioidentical (natural) hormones, but must be converted by the body into active estrogens. Therefore, the results of studies using Premarin can not necessarily be applied to bioidentical estrogens.
     Women using the Ortho Evra birth-control patch have double the risk of developing blood clots than those who take the pill.

Symptom of estrogen dominance - High estrogen level
Symptoms of estrogen dominance include swollen breasts, bloating, food cravings, mood swings, cyclical migraine headaches, lack of sexual desire, short cycles, heavy bleeding cycles, and fibroids growing.

Estrogen and the Immune System
Estrogen has important impact on the immune system and on bone. The effects of estrogen on bone to a large extent are mediated via its action on immune cells. Estrogen has a dichotomous impact on the immune system by downregulation of inflammatory immune responses but simultaneous upregulation of immunoglobulin production. Consequently, immune-mediated diseases in humans and in animal models are modulated by estrogen. Estrogen deficiency after ovariectomy in mice and after menopause in women is associated with significant bone loss. In rheumatic diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis (RA), osteoporosis is frequent, and in patients with postmenopausal RA, the degree of bone loss is dramatically increased. Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) in murine and human arthritis has beneficial effects on bone loss, as expected, but it also ameliorates inflammation and inflammation-triggered joint destruction.

Estrogen blocker
There are many compounds in soy and other plants that act as estrogen blockers. Some of these compounds are called phytoestrogens. It is thought that by blocking these estrogen receptors with milder forms of phytoestrogens could reduce the risk of certain cancers that are stimulated by estrogen dominance or high estrogen levels.

Estrogen receptor
Estrogen receptors (ERalpha and ERbeta) mediate the effects of 17beta-estradiol (E2) and account for E2 role on growth, development, and homeostasis maintenance in different tissues and organs. ERalpha and ERbeta function as ligand-dependent transcription factors which directly bind to specific estrogen responsive element (ERE) present into DNA and, in turn, regulate the transcription of E2-sensitive genes. In addition, ERalpha and ERbeta, without direct binding to DNA, regulate transcription indirectly by binding to other transcription factors activating or inactivating the transcription of E2-dependent-ERE-devoid genes. Along with these two E2 mechanisms, it has been recently uncovered that a third signalling pathway, involving cytoplasmic proteins and rapid membrane-initiated responses, serves largely for mitogenic E2-induced effects.

Estrogen and weight gain
Menopause tends to be associated with an increased risk of obesity and a shift to an abdominal fat distribution with associated increase in health risks. Changes in body composition at menopause may be caused by the decrease in circulating estrogen, and, for fat distribution shifts, the relative increase in the androgen-estrogen ratio is likely to be important. Clinicians need to be aware of the likelihood of weight gain during the perimenopausal and postmenopausal years because behavioral strategies for weight loss can be effectively used in this population. Weight loss or prevention of weight gain is likely to have significant health benefits for older women.

Estrogen in the Environment and Water
Septic systems may not remove natural hormone-disrupting chemicals -- like estrogen excreted in women's urine -- from wastewater before it gets into groundwater, which feeds many drinking water supplies.

Natural Herbs and Estrogen
Extracts from Schizandra chinensis fruit activate estrogen receptors: a possible clue to its effects on nitric oxide -mediated vasorelaxation.
Biol Pharm Bull. 2004 Jul;27(7):1066-9.
Schizandra chinensis fruit has long been used for the treatment of cardiovascular symptoms associated especially with menopausal symptoms in Korea. To provide a scientific rationale for such uses, we have investigated the vasorelaxant effects of Schizandra chinensis fruit on the vasomotor tone of the rat thoracic aorta in an organ bath. The crude extracts of Schizandra chinensis fruit elicited a transient relaxing response in the endothelium-intact rat aorta contracted with norepinephrine. This relaxant effect was abolished by removal of the endothelium, and also by pretreatment with nitric oxide synthase inhibitor. We then examined whether this vasodilatory effect occurs through estrogen receptor by reporter assays. Schizandra chinensis activated the estrogen -responsive luciferase gene in COS cells transiently transfected with estrogen receptor and reporter plasmids. The activation was maintained in the butanol-soluble fraction and further increased in the successively fractionated C(18) cartridge-adsorbed fraction (Schizandra chinensis -ADF). Reporter gene activation by Schizandra chinensis-ADF was inhibited by the specific estrogen receptor antagonist ICI 182,780, indicating that the effect is estrogen receptor dependent. However, Schizandra chinensis-ADF failed to activate the androgen receptor in COS cells transfected with the corresponding receptor and reporter plasmids. These data show that extracts of Schizandra chinensis fruit act as a weak phytoestrogen.

estrogen antibody
estrogen deficiency.

Estrogen Questions
Q. Have you heard of this product: 6-OXO conquers estrogen, the first effective all aatural aromatase inhibitor. (delta-4-10, 13-dimethyl-cyclopenta[a]phenantrene-3,6,17-trione).
     A. We have not heard of this " anti estrogen " product and have not seen any clinical trials of any significance in an established medical journal.

Q. Is estrogen found in food?
     A. Phytoestrogens, or plant estrogens, are found in food, but estrogen itself is not found in any significant amount in common foods that are normally consumed.

Q. I take estrogen hormone daily, I was wondering if it was okay to also take DHEA hormone, pregnenolone hormone, curcumin from turmeric, serrapeptase enzyme, nattokinase enzyme and lyprinol.
     A. Each person is unique in their response, but I would caution against using dhea, pregnenolone along with estrogen unless the estrogen dosage is reduced significantly. Research with Lyprinol, serrapeptase and nattokinase is very limited but I would guess low dosages with frequent breaks would be fine if your doctor approves.

Q. Whenever I read something that refers to estrogens, I'm amazed that it refers to "estrogen" instead of either conjugated estrogens, bioidentical estradiol, bioidentical estriol, bioidentical estrone ....or perhaps a form of estrogen I know nothing about. Since I take bioidentical estriol, which is quite common in Europe, combined with bioidentical progesterone and bioidentical testosterone, to keep my hormone levels normal post-hysterectomy / oophrectomy, I have to assume that the dangers talked about for "estrogen" refer to conjugated estrogens. It would be most helpful
if articles could be made more specific as to what kind(s) of estrogen the data refers to; somehow the assumption seems to be made that if a woman takes "estrogen," she is taking conjugated estrogens from horse urine. Not every woman takes that fake and dangerous estrogen, and those of us who don't have no idea whether to take the data presented as applying to us. I've read that estriol is actualy protective for breast cancer, and I'd personally appreciate more data associated with estriol. It would be most helpful if, instead of "estrogen" a more specific reference was mad as to the type of estrogen being discussed. Thank you for your newsletters; you seem to be one of the saner people out there doing this.
     A. The source of the estrogen can make a difference in how the body reacts to it. However, we cannot simply assume that bioidentical estrogen is inherently safer than synthetic or horse derived estrogen or whether one form of estrogen such as estriol is preferable to another form of estrogen. Hormones, no matter the source, can still be dangerous if misused. The problem is that there is so little research done comparing various forms of estrogen and the risks and benefits that it is difficult to make any statements with confidence. It takes decades to do such studies.

Q. On Estrogen and its effects, I was not able to find anything on the web site in regard to extremely high estrogen levels and their causes. My Estrogen blood level came back 837 and in three weeks again at 817. My doctor said this high estrogen level is unheard of and is mystified. I am 39 and all my hormones tested normal except for this. I had an mri and nothing showed up in terms of a tumor causing this. Just interested to know Dr. Sahelians opinion of possible causes that maybe could cause this high estrogen level. I stopped all vitamins and supplements and creams. It doesn't appear to be anything from the outside. But everything tested was normal on the inside. I do take progesterone from a compounding pharmacy and synthyroid.
     A.  Pregnancy is the most common reason for a high level of estrogen, mostly as estradiol (the predominant type of estrogen circulating in the body). During menstruation estradiol levels are around 40 pg/ml. By the time of ovulation, levels rise to around 400 pg/ml, then fall rapidly, then rise slowly to about 250 pg/ml before dropping again. During pregnancy, estradiol levels are about 100 times higher.
     Another cause for a high estrogen level is estrogen replacement. After menopause, in women not on hormones, estradiol levels are 10-20 pg/ml. In order to interpret a high estrogen level, it must be evaluated in the context of several of the above factors. It is difficult to know whether the progesterone you are taking is causing a high estrogen level, very unlikely but still something to consider especially if the progesterone made by the pharmacy has some estrogen in it by mistake. Some tumors may cause a high estrogen level. Lab analysis may be wrong, labs do make mistakes.

Q. Dear Dr. Sahelian / Research Staff, My organization specializes in the design of research Science projects for school students. The principal objective of our programme is the promotion of career path development, and we established Junior Medical School South Africa to facilitate that. I just received information that the levels of estrogen is very high in our drinking water [municipal water] where we live in Pretoria, South Africa. This is apparently due to the fact that our water resources is heavily polluted with human excrement. Although the water is put through a purification process, it is [apparently] not as "clean" as it should be. I have given this project to students to do. We have 3 questions: Is it possible that drinking water can contain high levels of estrogen, after being purified? If there is a high level of estrogen in our water, will it have a detrimental effect on us, or be dangerous for us, as consumers? Is it possible for estrogen to affect one's DNA, after a prolonged period of consumption? Thank you very much for your help.
   A. I am not an expert in this topic but based on my knowledge thus far, my answer to your 3 questions would be possibly, probably, possibly. That is the best I can say at this time.

Q. I heard a study reported in the New England of Medicine that estrogen use lowers the risk for hardening of the arteries, it that true?
   A. Yes, among women 50 to 59 years old treated with estrogen, the calcified-plaque burden in the coronary arteries was lower in women given estrogen than in those assigned to placebo. However, estrogen has a wide range of effect: It influences the cardiovascular system in different ways, both beneficial and harmful, and since it raises the risk for breast cancer, the overall mortality rate may not be higher with the use of estrogen replacement therapy.

Q. Last year, I had 2 estrogen producing - fibrothecoma tumors removed from the outside of each ovary. They were benign. My estrogen level was running at 850 at the time. Although it dropped in the first 6 months to about 190, it has now began to elevate again (at 450 as of October 16). I am a 49 year old who has never taken any type of birth control or estrogen supplements. My periods have been especially erratic since my surgery November 2006. I can't seem to find any information on the web regarding estrogen-producing tumors or fibrothecoma. Can you give me some information or direct me to a resource? I have thyroid cancer 14 years ago and had a complete thyroidectomy and some lymph nodes removed. I have been on Synthroid and Cytomel ever since.
   A. You can find more research on estrogen and fibrothecoma at http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?db=pubmed

Q. Can you tell me what natural products are available for men that will lower estrogen levels in men. I have been on hormone replacement therapy using testosterone and have been told that it will aromatise and create excess estrogen in the body causing hair loss and mood swings. Can you direct me towards a product for estrogen reduction not just a receptor blocker?
   A. We are not familiar with a specific natural product that lowers estrogen levels. Testosterone can convert into DHT and cause hair loss. The first thing to do is to make sure the testosterone dosage is not too high. Weight loss can lead to lower estrogen levels, at least in women, since fat cells make and release estrogen.

Q. Q. I am a young female that hasn't gone through menopause and is not close to the age when menopause usually occurs. I have a concern about low amounts of estrogen. I have severe pains during my cycle which are abdominal pains, migraine headaches, and vomiting. One weird symptom i have is breakouts on the face (like pimples) during my period. This has been going on since I first got my period. I'm wondering if it could be caused by low amounts of estrogen. I'm told supposedly that estrogen makes a woman more feminine. Is this true? Do increased levels of estrogen make hair grow all over? Does low levels of estrogen in women cause them to be more masculine? or grow hair on the back and arms like men? If I began to take estrogen pills, how do I know which ones to take? What are the side effects of estrogen pills?

Q. I have been taking Premarin estrogen for 2 years and i was wondering if Premarin estrogen can make me pregnant?! Because I have been having some pregnancy symptoms!
   A. Premarin or estrogen pills do not make a woman pregnant.

Q. I have breast cancer and I'm seeking the holistic path. I have an estrogen dominant cancer meaning I produce too much estrogen in my body. Will Pycnogenol elevate the estrogen.
   A. We have not seen specific research regarding the influence of Pycnogenol on estrogen levels.

Q. Are there any herbs or supplements that will act to reduce estrogen levels in men? I have a problem with high-ish estrogen, and I'm loathe to keep taking prescription drugs like Nolvadex on and off.
   A. Nolvadex is a SERM (Selective Estrogen Receptor Modulator). Selective estrogen receptor modulators (SERMs) act as either estrogen receptor agonists or antagonists in a tissue-selective manner. Rather than focusing on lowering a particular hormone in the body, one should rather treat the whole person and the actual medical condition. Having said this, it is possible that phytosterols could be helpful. Weight loss can also help since fat cells produce estrogen. Diet Rx is an excellent appetite suppressant.