What are Estrogen Blockers and how to use them

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Estrogen blockers have been gaining more and more popularity.

Over the years, we have seen as more and more men have started believing in their supposed health effects and included them in their daily diet.

Although we still have women who are relying on estrogen blockers for help, there is also a fair share of men as well.

But what exactly do these estrogen blockers do?

What beneficial effects can you gain by using them?

What are estrogen blockers?

As you may know, estrogen is the main female sex hormone, along with progesterone. Estrogen is responsible for and included in maintaining multiple bodily functions.

Among the most important ones is the development and regulation of the female reproductive system as well as of the secondary sex characteristics. Although estrogen is mainly found in women, men also produce small, yet meaningful amounts of this hormone as well.

Antiestrogens, estrogen antagonists, and estrogen blockers are all referring to the same class of drugs or natural compounds. These drugs are used in order to prevent estrogens such as estradiol from leading up to their normal biological effects in the body.

In order to do that, the estrogen blockers block the estrogen receptor in addition to either inhibiting or suppressing[i] the production of estrogens in the body.

There are two more sex hormone antagonist groups, including antiprogestogens and antiandrogens.

Types of estrogen blockers

When it comes to using estrogen blockers, you have the option to choose from using pharmaceuticals or using certain natural compounds that have been found helpful in terms of lowering the high estrogen levels in the past. In the following, we will go on to explain the difference between these two groups as well as share some of the best antiestrogens that you can rely on.

Pharmaceutical estrogen blockers

Over the years, there have been many versions of quality pharmaceutical estrogen blockers offered to us. Different brands offer different estrogen blockers to be used for purposes that we will discuss in a little while.

These pharmaceutical estrogen blockers can come in the form of prescription-only or over-the-counter estrogen blockers. Most individuals order their bottle of quality estrogen blockers over the internet. If you, too, decide on this option, we advise you to consult your doctor about your chosen product first.

And if you want to stay safe, you can always consult your doctor about the possibility of getting a prescription for quality pharmaceutical estrogen blockers as well. There are the so-called selective estrogen receptor modulators (SERMs), which are commonly used as estrogen blockers, especially in male patients.

They are also commonly used as a part of breast cancer treatment among women as well. Some examples of this group of the drug include tamoxifen, letrozole, anastrozole, and raloxifene. Your doctor can recommend the most suitable according to your age, gender, health status, physical activity, etc.

Natural estrogen blockers

For those of you who are more interested in relying on Mother Nature for help, you sure would like to hear about the following natural estrogen blockers. The following natural products have been considered helpful, trying to lower the high estrogen levels.

  • Maca Root – The Maca Root has become quite a popular natural supplement these days. It is actually the maca plant, a cruciferous vegetable that has a long list of both culinary and medicinal use in Peru. Among its many health benefits, the maca root has been scientifically proven[ii] to be able to restore the hormonal balance, thus helping lower the high estrogen levels and improve the fertility within men.
  • Grape seed extract – Grape seed extract is mainly popular for its antioxidant abilities. It can be easily found as a dietary supplement, recommended to take part in everyone’s diet, because of the many health benefits that it easily leads to. One of those health benefits is its ability to act as an estrogen blocker. Science has shown that when used, the grape seed extract has efficiently lowered the risk of breast cancer in postmenopausal women.[iii] It is considered that men would benefit from its use in the same matter as well.
  • Wild nettle root – For as long as anyone could remember, wild nettle root and wild nettle leaves have been used for the purposes of producing a natural prostate medication. Over the years, it has been discovered that its use can be broadened. Taking supplements that have included wild nettle root in their formula is suggested to help regulate the hormone levels since it is considered to contain compounds that act as natural estrogen blockers.
  • Chrysin – Chrysin, a flavonoid found in honey, passionfruit, and bee propolis, is yet another strong natural estrogen blocker. Although, unfortunately, we still lack proper scientific evidence to prove its supposed estrogen blocker abilities, chrysin is still believed to be able to lower estrogen and increase testosterone, which is mainly the effect that men are interested in when it comes to using estrogen blockers.

Of course, other estrogen blockers can be found as well. These are just the ones that seem most reliable to us and that have certain scientific proof to back up their supposed estrogen blocker abilities.

Whichever estrogen blocker you end up choosing, pharmaceutical or natural, please do consult your doctor first, especially if you are struggling with any kind of health issue at the moment.

Why are estrogen blockers being used?

Now, you may wonder why anyone would be interested in inhibiting and/or suppressing the production of such an important hormone, such as estrogen? Everything in our bodies is meant to have a certain balance.

Once that balance has been disturbed, for any reason whatsoever, you are bound to deal with some negative effects.

Higher than normal estrogen levels, in both men and women, is known as estrogen dominance.[iv] In women, this condition causes symptoms such as bloating, irregular menstrual periods, anxiety, weight gain, hair loss, low libido, etc.

In men, when there is too much estrogen in their bodies, their testosterone levels are affected. When this hormone balance has been disrupted, men struggle with symptoms such as infertility, erectile dysfunction, and a condition that leads to enlarged breasts called gynecomastia.

Too much estrogen can also increase the risk of stroke and heart disease, potentially causing a life-threatening condition. At times such as these, using a proper estrogen blocker is of vital importance. Not only will it help eliminate the symptoms, but it will also restore the hormone balance once again.

But the common use of estrogen blockers also includes them being used as a way to enhance the physical performance in men. Many men refer to the estrogen blockers, which are mainly sold online, which they then use as a part of their daily diet. By reducing the estrogen levels, they are increasing their testosterone production, which may otherwise be interrupted due to the high estrogen levels since testosterone tends to be converted into estrogen.

Increased physical strength, improved sleep, higher libido, increased stamina, improved mood and cognition, reduced fatigue, and increased muscle growth are many of the positive effects reported by satisfied estrogen blockers’ users all around the world. Men who have been using estrogen blockers have also reported on shorter recovery periods in between their gym sessions, especially when they have been performing weight lifting exercises.

Estrogen blockers are especially important for those of you out there who have been using testosterone boosters at the same time – natural or pharmaceutical. It is worth mentioning that at times like these, if a proper estrogen blocker has not to be used, too much of the testosterone that will be produced will still end up being converted into estrogen. With that, you will fail to experience the wanted effects once again.

How to use estrogen blockers?

How you use estrogen blockers depends on which form you use. Most of the natural estrogen blockers come in the form of dietary supplements. In that case, you will need to respect the recommended daily intake. Others may come in the form of powder, which you can add to your smoothies, for example, to gain all of the health benefits that it promises.

However, if you get a prescription for a certain pharmaceutical estrogen blocker, you will have to rely on your doctor’s instructions regarding its use. Most of the prescribed estrogen blockers some in the form of a pill or a capsule for oral use. Please consult your doctor about how to use the prescribed estrogen blocker properly.

Talk to your doctor about the possibility of using testosterone replacement therapy or choose from the wide variety of natural testosterone boosters that you have at your disposal.

The potential side-effects of estrogen blockers

If you remember, we mentioned the possibility of choosing between natural and pharmaceutical estrogen blockers. As you may know, informing yourself about at least the most common potential side-effects of any supplement and/or medication that you may be using is of vital importance. The same rule is implied in the case of using estrogen blockers – natural or pharmaceutical.

Unfortunately, the exact side-effects of the natural estrogen blockers are hard to be determined. We still lack the proper scientific proof on this topic to be making any firm statements.

As for some of the prescribed pharmaceutical estrogen blockers, such as anastrozole, letrozole, and exemestane, which we mentioned is used to treat postmenopausal women and as a part of the hormone-receptor-positive breast cancer, there are some side-effects that need to be taken into consideration. Let’s look into the most common side-effects caused by the previously mentioned pharmaceutical estrogen blockers.

Joint and muscle pain

Joint and muscle pain have been reported as quite the common side-effects of using pharmaceutical estrogen blockers. These side-effects usually affect areas such as the wrists, hands, feet, ankles, and knees. Studies show that around 46% of the women have experienced joint pain, while muscle pain seems to affect around 15% of the women who have been using estrogen blockers.[v] It is important to know that, nor the joint or muscle pain does not cause any permanent damage.

Menopause symptoms

It is not unlikely for women who are using estrogen blockers to struggling with the common menopause symptoms, including hot flashes, night sweats, vaginal dryness, and low libido, among many others.[vi] Some of these symptoms, such as vaginal dryness, tend to get worse over time, which does reflect negatively on the patient’s physical and mental state. These side-effects need to be properly managed as soon as possible.

Loss of bone mineral density

It is not uncommon for the use of estrogen blockers to lead to loss of bone mass density, thus causing osteoporosis with an increased risk of common fractures.[vii] It is very important to carefully monitor and measure the bone mass within patients who are receiving therapy with estrogen blockers to discover a problem of this kind while still in its early stages. Proper bone-strengthening therapy is usually in the order in cases where the bone mass has been affected.

Conclusion

Estrogen blockers, as the term suggests, work by inhibiting and/or suppressing the production of estrogen in the body.

Although estrogen is a vital hormone in both the female and male bodies, too much of it causes a series of health issues. This is where estrogen blockers come to help.

References

[i] Fabian, C. J. (2007). The what, why, and how of aromatase inhibitors: hormonal agents for treatment and prevention of breast cancer. International Journal of Clinical Practice61(12), 2051–2063. doi: 10.1111/j.1742-1241.2007.01587.x
Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2228389/

[ii] Gonzales, G. F. (2012). Ethnobiology and Ethnopharmacology of Lepidium meyenii(Maca), a Plant from the Peruvian Highlands. Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine2012, 1–10. doi: 10.1155/2012/193496
Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3184420/

[iii] Hill, C. (2019, November 5). 10 Benefits of Grape Seed Extract, Based on Science.
Retrieved from https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/grape-seed-extract-benefits#1

[iv] Patel, S., Homaei, A., Raju, A. B., & Meher, B. R. (2018). Estrogen: The necessary evil for human health, and ways to tame it. Biomedicine & Pharmacotherapy102, 403–411. doi: 10.1016/j.biopha.2018.03.078
Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29573619

[v] Beckwée, D., Leysen, L., Meuwis, K., & Adriaenssens, N. (2017). Prevalence of aromatase inhibitor-induced arthralgia in breast cancer: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Supportive Care in Cancer25(5), 1673–1686. doi: 10.1007/s00520-017-3613-z
Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28204994

[vi] Amir, E., Seruga, B., Niraula, S., Carlsson, L., & Ocaña, A. (2011). Toxicity of Adjuvant Endocrine Therapy in Postmenopausal Breast Cancer Patients: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis. JNCI: Journal of the National Cancer Institute103(17), 1299–1309. doi: 10.1093/jnci/djr242
Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21743022

[vii] Yildiz, I., & Saip, P. (2019). Adjuvant Systemic Therapy: Endocrine Therapy. Breast Disease, 103–127. doi: 10.1007/978-3-030-16792-9_7
Retrieved from https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-030-16792-9_7#citeas

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