Did you know that a woman’s body depends on testosterone, and your body highly depends on estrogen?
Apparently, claims that say testosterone is for men, while estrogen is for women are not true.
In fact, a man and a woman’s body both needs these hormones – and more.
The truth is, your body contains the right amount of estrogen to maintain balance in your body.
It may not be as abundant as testosterone, but you still have it in there.
Then here comes aging, where your hormones decline and go haywire.
As a result, you will experience a loss of muscle mass, weight gain and even a decrease in your sex drive.
When this happens, your initial reaction is the give your T levels a boost.
Sure, low T contributes to the changes in your body.
However, new studies show that it’s estrogen, not testosterone that is responsible for those troubling age-related changes.
Estrogen In A Man’s Body
Every time you experience fatigue, loss of muscle mass or decline in libido, you probably always blame your low levels of testosterone.
The fact of the matter is, it’s not just your T level’s fault.
Estrogen, although it comes in small amounts in your body, is at fault, too.
According to new studies, we tend to ignore the function of estrogen in men.
However, the mechanism of estrogen and testosterone are the same.
In fact, these two hormones are closely related.
This means you make estrogen from producing testosterone, and estrogen needs enough T to function well inside your body.
Therefore, a decline in your T levels also means a decline in your estrogen levels, too.
What happens when you have low or high estrogen? Here’s what happens:
1. Weight Gain
Weight gain may not be a big issue among men compared to women.
In fact, dad bods are making raves, thanks to Leo Di Caprio.
However, any changes in your hormone levels could lead to more fat, especially in the midsection area.
In fact, a study published in the New England Journal of Medicine showed that a reduction in testosterone, estrogen or both resulted in an increase in fat accumulation.
That’s not all.
Aside from the accumulation of fat, the fat cells produce an enzyme that converts your remaining testosterone into estrogen.
This could lead to a beer belly, which is something you don’t want to have, since it’s associated with heart disease risks.
2. Sexual Function Declines
Testosterone is responsible for your overall sexual function, including your libido.
Surprisingly, even the hormone, estrogen,plays a major role in the way you will perform in bed.
New studies show that when the levels of estrogen drop, men can also experience menopausal symptoms, including a decline in your sex drive.
How Does That Work?
Aromatase is a type of enzyme that converts testosterone into estrogen.
This means the higher the testosterone levels, the more estrogen is converted.
At the same time, a drop in your T levels means lower estrogen will be converted.
Therefore, it follows that lower testosterone leads to lower estrogen.
This could affect your sex life in a not-so-good way.
In fact, every drop of testosterone lost also leads to a decline in your sexual function.
3. Cholesterol Level Rise
High cholesterol can lead to many unwanted results.
There is a clog in the arteries, which means there will be a restriction in the blood flow.
This makes you more prone to heart attacks and other cardiovascular diseases.
Poor diet, lack of exercise and other unhealthy lifestyle choices are among the major culprits for high cholesterol.
Did you know that estrogen levels in your body could also be a culprit for high cholesterol?
According to a study from Leicester University, researchers found out that men with slightly higher levels of estrogen also have the highest levels of cholesterol.
This is because higher estrogen levels encourage the production of bad cholesterol and reduces good cholesterol, a major component in preventing clogged arteries.
Aside from the high cholesterol triggers, don’t forget to ask your doctor to check your estrogen levels and make sure it is normal.
4. Man Boobs
Did you know that men can breastfeed?
It turns out that breastfeeding is not just a woman thing.
In fact, even you could do it too.
However, this could happen only in extreme circumstances such as starvation or surgical issues.
If men can breastfeed, then this means men could have man boobs or moobs, as well.
Endocrinologists agree that male breasts are common, especially during the puberty stage.
This is because at 13, you start to produce sex hormones in large quantities.
As you get older, hormones start to maintain a balance and the man boobs will start to vanish, sans the breast reduction surgery.
However, things are different for men with unbalanced hormones.
Aside from fatty deposits in the belly area, extra fat could settle on your chest area, thereby giving you those infamous man boobs.
5. Prostate Issues Arise
An enlarged prostate is a type of condition where the gland surrounding the urethra grows.
This could affect your urine flow and cause you to go to the bathroom more often.
This happens when there is too much estrogen in your body.
On the other hand, too little estrogen is not good for your body, either.
A lack of estrogen is linked to prostate cancer, a type of cancer that is killing millions of men around the world.
According to a study published in the Journal of Endocrinology, researchers suggested that boosting one’s estrogen levels could help reduce the development of prostate cancer.
There is no assurance at this time, but it won’t hurt if you pay attention to this hormone.
6. Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder Develops
Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is a type of anxiety disorder that comes with uncontrollable thoughts and repetitive or ritualized behavior.
In fact, any changes in the pattern could tick you off.
This includes obsessive cleanliness or endlessly checking things, like locked doors, for example.
Using rats, Australian researchers found out that there is a possible link between low levels of estrogen and OCD in men.
They learned that when male mice had estrogen replacement, the obsessive behavior ceased.
7. Mortality Rates Rise
How long do you want to live?
Most of us want to live as long as possible to see our children grow up and have families of their own.
But, if you don’t take care of yourself, this won’t happen.
Researchers from Poland discovered that men with heart conditions who have either low or high levels of estrogen are at a higher risk of dying early.
However, there is a higher risk in men with low estrogen levels.
According to the experiment, men who have higher estrogen were twice as likely to die early.
Blame it on clogged arteries, being overweight and the higher risk of stroke.
On the other hand, those who belonged in the low estrogen group were four times more likely to die young.
Experts have yet to discover the reason men with lower levels of estrogen have higher death rates and are more likely to experience heart failure.
In other words, you will experience menopause-like symptoms because of too much or too little estrogen, so it’s important to keep those levels in check.
Your doctor can help you with that by doing a simple blood test.
Tips On How To Give Your Estrogen A Boost
Given the effects of estrogen in your body, the good news is there are ways to give this hormone a boost.
Here are tips on how to increase your estrogen levels and get that manly feeling back.
Increase Your Soy Intake
There is a reason why soy is recommended for women.
It is one of the best and natural ways to boost the hormone, estrogen.
Swap your fresh milk with soymilk or consider adding soy products in your daily diet.
Add Herbs To Your Daily Diet
Aside from soy, herbs such as oregano and parsley are also excellent in giving your estrogen levels a boost.
Sprinkle them on your favorite dishes or salads, or add them to your favorite vegetable drinks.
The important thing is you include them in your foods as often as possible.
Be careful With Your Veggies
Vegetables are a must in your diet.
In case you are looking for ways to give your estrogen levels a boost, then you need to choose your veggies wisely.
Believe it or not, there are veggies that reduce estrogen levels in your body.
Examples of these are broccoli, cabbage, Brussels sprouts and cauliflower, among others.
Consider Hormone Replacement Medications
This type of medication provides a balance in your hormone levels.
However, take it easy on this one.
Make sure to consult a doctor before taking anything.
Take note of the recommended dosage to avoid causing an imbalance.
Exercise More
Diet plays an important role in increasing your estrogen levels.
Aside from what you eat, regular exercise is also needed to achieve balance in your body.
This is where exercise comes in.
However, don’t be too fanatical.
Take it easy on your exercise and keep it under an hour.
Watch Your Weight
Here’s the truth: obesity is a major hindrance when it comes to maintaining a healthy hormone balance.
It decreases testosterone and boosts your estrogen levels, which is something you don’t want to happen.
Maintain a healthy weight and your body will surely reward you.
In other words, the hormones estrogen and testosterone will always go together.
The next time you experience changes in your body, libido and overall health, you know it’s not just testosterone’s fault.
You need to ask your doctor to take a look at your estrogen levels, too.
Then, follow these tips to get your manliness back, both in and out of the bed.
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