The ability of your body to produce the right levels of testosterone, and for that testosterone to work effectively, depends on lots of factors, from your diet and sleeping habits to whether you are getting enough essential vitamins and minerals.
We’re going beyond testosterone alone to take a closer look at the other elements you need to know about, alongside your testosterone levels, if you want to improve your health, increase your fitness, and build muscle more effectively.
Men are often surprised to learn that oestrogen, also known as oestradiol, actually plays an important role in their day-to-day health. In men, oestrogen is found in small but critical concentrations, and it needs to be in balance with the rest of your hormones, particularly testosterone, for you to feel well.
What is Oestradiol and why is it important?
Converting some testosterone into oestradiol is a natural hormonal process for men. It’s important for maintaining bone mass and sexual function. But too much oestradiol can cause an unbalance, and this can lead to the formation of female characteristics.
Oestrogen levels and testosterone levels are closely related. Interestingly, one of the main causes of low oestrogen is low testosterone.
Men’s bodies produce oestradiol, a form of oestrogen, as a by-product of the breakdown of testosterone through an enzyme called aromatase, which is found in oestrogen-producing tissue such as the adrenal glands, testicles, brain, and fatty tissue.
The production of oestrogen in a male body is a completely normal process and is needed for the healthy function of the brain and other important organs, including:
- Erectile function and libido
- Lipid metabolism
- Maintenance of bone health
- Regulation of fat mass vs. lean mass
- Skin metabolism
What are the signs of an Oestradiol deficiency?
Symptoms of low oestrogen in men can include:
- Anxiety
- Bone loss
- Depression
- Fat gain
- Fatigue
- Forgetfulness
- Irritability
- Sexual dysfunction
- Sleeping too much or too little
- Water retention
Most of these symptoms could relate to either low testosterone or low oestrogen. You can have low testosterone by itself, or low oestrogen by itself, but often, they go hand in hand.
How does Oestradiol impact testosterone?
Since the level of oestradiol men need to be healthy originates from testosterone, there is a link. If your testosterone is low, your body doesn’t have what it needs to create more oestradiol. If you have low testosterone, you may have low oestrogen too, leading to the symptoms of hormone imbalance.
That’s why low testosterone symptoms and low oestrogen symptoms often look so similar - they’re happening at the same time and it’s hard to know what the root cause is. This is why it’s a good idea to go beyond testosterone testing alone.
Taking a look at your testosterone – look a little deeper
When looking indicators of your health and fitness, it’s always a good idea to get as much of a holistic view as you can, as there are so many elements which can influence how effectively our body is functioning.
And this is certainly the case when it comes to testosterone. Understanding the crucial elements linked to your testosterone levels can help you make the right dietary, supplement, and exercise-based choices for you.
