Oestrogen in men: functions, symptoms, and testing

If you have ever wondered if men have oestrogen, the answer is yes.

Oestrogen is not just a female hormone. Men make it too, usually in smaller amounts, and it plays an important role in sexual function, fertility, bone health, and overall hormone balance. The issue is not oestrogen itself, but what happens when levels are out of balance or when the balance between oestrogen and testosterone shifts in the wrong direction.

This guide explains what oestrogen in men does, the symptoms that may suggest an imbalance, what can raise it, and when a blood test may help.

• Do men have oestrogen?
• What does oestrogen do in men?
• What is a normal oestrogen level in men?
• Symptoms of high oestrogen in men
• What can raise oestrogen in men?
• External oestrogens and endocrine disruptors
• Can men have low oestrogen?
• Oestrogen in men and gynaecomastia
• When should men test oestrogen?
• Which blood test helps?
• When a broader hormone test is useful

Do men have oestrogen?
 

Yes, men do have oestrogen.

Men mainly produce oestrogen by converting some testosterone into estradiol through an enzyme called aromatase. This happens in several tissues, including body fat. So, while testosterone tends to get most of the attention, oestrogen is a normal and important part of male hormone health.

In healthy men, oestrogen helps support sexual function, sperm production, bone health, and hormone regulation. It is not something the body is trying to avoid. The aim is not to have as little oestrogen as possible, but to have the right balance.

What does oestrogen do in men?
 

Oestrogen in men helps with more than many people realise.

It plays a part in:

• Sexual function
• Libido
• Fertility
• Bone health
• Hormone balance

 Research increasingly shows that estradiol contributes to several aspects of male health, including sexual function, bone health, and reproductive physiology. While testosterone often gets most of the attention, oestrogen can also affect sexual function, metabolism, and fertility. This means symptoms are not always explained by testosterone alone [1].

What is a normal oestrogen level in men?
 

Reference ranges vary between laboratories and testing methods, so results should always be interpreted against the range provided with your result. Oestrogen is measured in pmol/L, or picomoles per litre, and the normal range for men is between 41.4 and 159 pmol/L.

Symptoms of high oestrogen in men
 

High oestrogen is not usually the first thing men think about, but it can become relevant when hormone balance starts to shift.

Symptoms that may occur alongside elevated oestrogen or a disrupted testosterone-to-oestrogen balance can include:

• Low libido
• Erectile dysfunction
• Fertility problems
• Breast tenderness
• Enlarged breast tissue
• Changes in mood

These symptoms can overlap with low testosterone and other hormone issues, which is why testing makes more sense than guessing.

What can raise oestrogen in men?
 

There is not just one cause for raised oestrogen levels in men.

Body fat

One of the most common reasons is higher body fat. Fat tissue contains aromatase, which means it can convert more testosterone into oestrogen, and this is one reason body composition can affect the balance between the two hormones.

Alcohol

Alcohol can also play a part. It may lower testosterone, encourage weight gain, and increase the conversion of testosterone into oestrogen.

Medications and hormone treatment

Some medicines and hormone-related treatments can affect the balance, too. Testosterone can be converted into estradiol through aromatisation. As a result, some men on TRT may experience a rise in oestrogen levels, although this does not happen in every case and is not always problematic. 

What about soy?

Soy often gets blamed more than it deserves. Current evidence does not show that normal soy intake raises oestrogen or lowers testosterone in men in any meaningful way. Problems have mainly been described in unusual cases involving very high intake and unbalanced diets.

External oestrogens and endocrine disruptors
 

There is also growing interest in endocrine-disrupting chemicals, which are substances found in some plastics, pesticides, personal care products, and other everyday materials that may interfere with the body’s hormone system. Some of these chemicals can act in a hormone-like way or affect how hormones are produced, broken down, or used in the body.

In men’s health, the main concern is that repeated exposure may contribute to broader hormonal imbalances, including changes linked to fertility, metabolism, and reproductive health [2]. 

However, this is still best thought of as one possible influence among many, rather than the most likely explanation for symptoms on its own. So, while endocrine disruptors are worth being aware of, they are not something most men need to panic about in isolation. It makes more sense to see them as part of the bigger hormone picture, especially when symptoms are persistent, and there may be several contributing factors at play.

Can men have low oestrogen?
 

Low oestrogen in men can sometimes contribute to symptoms such as: 

• Reduced libido
• Erectile difficulties
• Low mood
• Fatigue
• Hot flushes
• Difficulty concentrating
• Reduced bone density

These symptoms can also have other causes, including low testosterone, stress, poor sleep, medication, or long-term health conditions, so a blood test can help give more context.

If you have ongoing symptoms, it’s worth speaking to a healthcare professional rather than trying to interpret hormone levels on your own.

Oestrogen in men and gynaecomastia
 

One of the clearest ways oestrogen becomes relevant is through gynaecomastia, which is the enlargement of male breast tissue.

Gynaecomastia is usually linked to an imbalance between oestrogen and androgens, particularly testosterone, rather than an increase in oestrogen alone. That is why looking at oestrogen without testosterone, or testosterone without oestrogen, does not always tell the full story.

If breast tissue changes are part of the picture, a broader male hormone test is often more useful than checking one marker in isolation.

When should men test oestrogen?
 

Testing is usually most useful when symptoms suggest a possible hormone imbalance, rather than out of general curiosity.

It may be worth looking at oestrogen if you have:

• Low libido
• Erectile dysfunction
• Fertility concerns
• Breast tenderness or swelling
• Symptoms while on TRT
• Symptoms after steroid use
• Mixed hormone symptoms that do not fully make sense from testosterone alone

Which blood test helps?
 

If the question is specifically about oestrogen, the most useful answer is usually not an oestrogen-only test.

A broader male hormone panel is often preferable because it helps show how oestrogen coexists with testosterone and other related markers. Our Male Hormone Blood Test can provide a clearer picture of whether symptoms are associated with raised oestrogen, low testosterone, or a wider hormone imbalance.

When a broader hormone test is useful
 

A wider hormone test can be especially helpful if:

• Symptoms are mixed
• You want testosterone, and oestrogen looked at together
• You are monitoring hormone treatment
• You want more context around libido, fertility, or body composition changes

 

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References

1. Fujita, N. et al. (2024) ‘Association between sex hormones and erectile dysfunction in men without hypoandrogenism’, Scientific Reports.
2. Gore AC, Chappell VA, Fenton SE, Flaws JA, Nadal A, Prins GS, Toppari J, Zoeller RT. EDC-2: The Endocrine Society's Second Scientific Statement on Endocrine-Disrupting Chemicals. Endocr Rev. 2015 Dec;36(6):E1-E150. doi: 10.1210/er.2015-1010. Epub 2015 Nov 6. PMID: 26544531; PMCID: PMC4702494.