Estrogen in Men

Males also possess estrogen receptors and estrogen to some extent and levels in the male blood are
higher than post-menopausal women. Estradiol has been found to be responsible for initiating
spermatogenesis or formation and maturation of sperms in men. It helps in bone strength, sexual
maturation and cholesterol metabolism.
Production
Estrogen and testosterone are two closely related chemicals called steroids. They differ only slightly in
their chemical structure. An enzyme called aromatase helps convert testosterone into estrogen.
Research indicates that certain cells in the testis, including those destined to become sperm, contain the
aromatase enzyme and produce estrogen. Other cells that make testosterone in the testis, called Leydig
cells, are also believed to make some estrogen. Although the amount of circulating estrogen in males is
low compared to females, the testis itself contains a relatively high concentration of the hormone
because it is made in that organ.
Estrogen Levels in Men
As teenagers, men have high levels of testosterone and low levels of estrogen. As they age, testosterone
levels in men decrease while their estrogen levels increase. Not surprisingly, high levels of estrogen in
men usually correspond to low levels of testosterone. High estrogen levels in men contribute to prostate
cancer and heart disease as well as gynecomastia (enlarged breasts). As the testosterone is transformed
into estrogen the low levels of testosterone can cause many unpleasant symptoms including loss of
muscle mass, fatigue, low libido, erectile dysfunction. Furthermore, excessive estrogen in men raises
body fat and can contribute to diabetes and high lipids.
Testosterone will begin to convert to estrogen in men as they age due to the aromatase reaction.
Aromatase is found most prevalently in fat cells, so the more body fat a man has, especially in the
midsection, the more aromatase and hence the more estrogen.
Functions
Estrogen made in the testis has an important role in the efferent ductules, which are tiny ducts attached
to the testis that transport sperm to another duct, the epididymis, where they are stored until
ejaculation. These ductules also absorb fluid that accompanies the sperm, an important function that
helps keep pressure in the testis at a proper level. Specialized cells lining the ductules respond to
estrogen by taking up fluid and transferring it into blood vessels in the ductule walls. The estrogen-
unresponsive animals studied in the "Endocrinology" paper had extremely dilated efferent ductules, one
of the problems believed to have caused their infertility.
Estrogen may have other functions in the male reproductive tract, although these are not as well
understood as its role in the efferent ductules. Some research studies with laboratory animals suggest
estrogen may be important for early events that occur in the testis before puberty and set the stage for
normal sperm production. Estrogen may also act directly on developing sperm cells to ensure their
maturation. These possibilities need further confirmation with additional human studies.
Role in Male Brain Development
Not testosterone, but rather estrogen, the female hormone, is most directly responsible for the
development of brain circuits in males that guide aggressive and territorial behaviors at least in mice.
The public may be largely unaware of the importance of estrogen for males, but in recent years
scientists who study brain differences between sexes have identified a special role for estrogen in
governing certain behaviors in male rodents. The researchers found that a naturally occurring, brief
spike in testosterone secretion from the testes of a male mouse shortly after birth was sufficient to drive
development of male brain circuits. Females do not secrete hormones after birth. Without the
conversion of this testosterone burst into estrogen, much of male mouse brain circuitry develops
similarly to normal female mice. Female mice provided with a shot of either testosterone or estrogen
shortly after birth became masculinized. In humans, boys similarly secrete testosterone shortly after
birth.
Research with laboratory animals suggests that estrogen helps establish patterns of brain function
during fetal development that are important for normal male reproductive function after puberty.
During a specific time in development, the fetal testis makes testosterone that is converted to estrogen,
probably by cells in the fetal brain that contain the aromatase enzyme. Brain estrogen is thought to
cause changes in development that are collectively called sexual differentiation of the brain. The
presence of estrogen during this fetal period is thought to set the stage for male hormonal and
behavioral patterns that appear after puberty, at least in animals. Whether similar mechanisms involving
estrogen exist in humans is somewhat controversial and remains under study.
Role in Male Reproduction
Estrogen is important for normal function of male reproductive organs. Because exposure of the male
reproductive tract to high levels of estrogen can cause reproductive problems, estrogen was considered
for many years to be important for only for normal female reproductive function. A landmark study
published in 1996 in the journal "Endocrinology" revealed the importance of estrogen for normal male
reproduction. Researchers produced genetically engineered male laboratory animals that were
incapable of responding to estrogen. Although these animals had normal levels of testosterone and
other hormones required for reproductive function, their sperm were abnormal and unable to move
correctly. The animals were unable to produce live offspring. This research provided the first clear
indication that estrogen produced by males is important for normal fertility.