How to Raise Estrogen Levels through Diet, Lifestyle, & More

Estrogen is a natural hormone found in both sexes. Keeping estrogen at a healthy level is important for everyone, but cisgender women need more estrogen to maintain fertility and menstrual cycles. Estrogen naturally fluctuates in your child-bearing years and decreases during menopause, which can negatively affect your mood, sexual desire, bone health, and more. In this article, we'll explore natural ways you can boost your estrogen to help reduce menopause symptoms or boost fertility. We'll also discuss the medical treatment options available for women with low estrogen.

Things You Should Know

Eat a healthy, balanced diet and include foods that are high in phytoestrogens like flax seeds, soy products, cranberries, and broccoli.
Exercise regularly to maintain a healthy weight and always exercise in moderation. Too much exercise can negatively affect estrogen levels.
Consider trying supplements like chasteberry, dong quai, black cohosh, and red clover, which have been linked to increased estrogen levels.

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Food & Lifestyle Changes

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1
Choose foods that are high in phytoestrogens. Phytoestrogens act like an estrogen substitute in the body and occur naturally in several plants and herbs. Consider using phytoestrogens in moderation to alleviate symptoms of low estrogen levels, or menopause. Avoid phytoestrogens if you're trying to conceive; they've been linked to infertility and developmental problems.^{[1]
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Research source} Foods and herbs that contain phytoestrogens include:
- Legumes: soybeans, peas, pinto and lima beans
- Fruits: cranberries, prunes, apricots
- Veggies: broccoli and cauliflower
- Herbs: oregano, sage, licorice
- Whole grains
- Black and green tea
2
Maintain a healthy and balanced diet. Your endocrine system needs nutritious fuel in order to work properly and produce normal levels of estrogen. Eating a variety of healthy foods gives your endocrine system the best chance to naturally produce estrogen.^{[2]
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- Since sugar can lead to a hormone imbalance in the body, try to reduce your overall sugar intake. Switching from simple carbs to a lower-carb, whole-grain diet is a great place to start! For example, instead of white flour, opt for whole grain flour. Use whole grain pasta or brown rice.^{[3]
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3
Eat soy and drink soy milk. Soybean products, especially tofu, contain genistein, which is a plant product that mimics the effects of estrogen. In large quantities, these may be able to lessen menopausal symptoms, but soy may not make a significant difference in hormone levels.^{[4]
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Journal archive from the U.S. National Institutes of Health

Go to source} If you want to try incorporating soy products into your diet, you may try the following:
- Edamame
- Miso, in small amounts
- Soy nuts
- Tempeh
- Textured Soy Product (TSP), or foods made from textured soy flour^{[5]
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4
Incorporate flax seeds into your diet. Flax seeds have one of the highest concentrations of phytoestrogens, so try to find ways to work them into your daily meals. Adding flax seed to your breakfast cereal or in healthy smoothies is a good way to easily eat the seed.^{[6]
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- Flax seeds are also high in omega-3 fatty acids, which may reduce your risk of heart disease, cancer, stroke, and diabetes.
5
Drink more coffee. Women who drink more than 2 cups of coffee (200 mg of caffeine) per day may have higher estrogen levels than women who don't. While caffeine may increase estrogen levels, it does not seem to increase fertility. If you're trying to increase estrogen in order to ovulate, coffee and caffeine may not help much.
- The link between caffeine and estrogen is still unclear, but there's no harm in trying this.^{[7]
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  Go to source} Avoid consuming more than 400mg of caffeine per day.^{[8]
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- Go with organic coffee to reduce your exposure to herbicides, pesticides, and fertilizers. Many white coffee filters contain bleach that can leach out into the final product, so try to find unbleached coffee filters for a safer brew.
6
Exercise regularly and in moderation. Regular exercise is great for you and helps you maintain a healthy weight (which can boost estrogen), but too much exercise has been linked to a drop in estrogen levels. Avoid excessive exercising, but get regular exercise in!^{[9]
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- Women athletes may experience a drop in estrogen levels due to low levels of body fat. If you're an athlete or have low body fat levels, see your doctor for a good way to replenish your estrogen.
- Not only is moderate exercise healthy, it may also decrease the risk of breast cancer in women and increase overall longevity.
Quit smoking. Smoking may have negative effects on the endocrine system, limiting the body's ability to produce estrogen effectively. Smoking in pre-menopausal women has been linked with menstrual dysfunction, infertility, and earlier menopause.^{[10]
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8
Consume vitamins and minerals that boost estrogen production and absorption. Snack on foods that are rich in boron, like legumes and fruit, as this nutrient helps hormones like estrogen function in your body.^{[11]
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Research source} Load up on foods rich in vitamin E, too, like peanut butter, sunflower seeds, and red bell pepper.^{[12]
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Research source} According to some research, vitamin E can help with some postmenopausal symptoms, like hot flashes.^{[13]
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PubMed Central
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- Some studies indicate that vitamin D can help increase estrogen production.^{[14]
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  PubMed Central
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  Go to source} Proteins like cod, tuna, salmon, and sardines are all great sources of this nutrient.^{[15]
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Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Natural Supplements

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Chasteberry: Chasteberry supplements may help relieve symptoms of premenstrual syndrome, although scientific evidence is currently limited.^{[16]
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American Academy of Family Physicians
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Go to source} However, it has not been proven to reduce menopausal symptoms, increase lactation, or increase fertility.
- Chasteberry has been shown to influence estrogen levels.^{[17]
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  Go to source} However, the exact nature and level of the effect has not been widely established.^{[18]
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- Follow the package instructions for the specific dosage.
- Avoid chasteberry if you use: birth control pills, antipsychotic drugs, medications used to treat Parkinson's disease, or Metoclopramide (a dopamine-affecting drug).
2
Dong quai: Dong quai has long been used in Chinese traditional medicine, and some report that it may reduce symptoms of premenstrual syndrome and menopausal symptoms. Studies on this are conflicted, but it is a safe supplement to take if you'd like to try it.^{[19]
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- Do not use it if you use blood-thinning drugs like warfarin.
Red clover supplements contain isoflavones, which may help reduce symptoms of menopause or premenstrual syndrome, such as hot flashes and night sweats. Studies are inconclusive, but it wouldn't hurt to try it out and see if it works for you.^{[20]
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Black cohosh supplements are used to treat menstrual cramps and pain, symptoms of menopause (like hot flashes), and premenstrual symptoms such as bloating, mood swings, and irritability. Studies on the viability of these benefits have been unclear, but the supplement is known to be fairly safe.^{[21]
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Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Medical Treatments

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Watch for symptoms that indicate your hormone levels are imbalanced. Remember that hormonal changes are quite common, particularly in women going through menopause. However, if you are not within the normal age range for menopause or perimenopause or if your symptoms are intense, you may want to visit the doctor.^{[22]
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Mayo Clinic
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Go to source} Symptoms may include:
- Hot flashes or trouble sleeping
- Changes in mood or moodiness
- Changes in sexual function or decreased fertility
- Altered cholesterol levels
2
Discuss estrogen treatments with your doctor. Before you start an estrogen treatment program, ask your doctor about the effects of estrogen on your body. While estrogen insufficiency can result in problems, estrogen levels that are too high (or prolonged exposure at the wrong times) can lead to menstrual disturbances, ovarian cysts, and breast cancer.
- There are many conditions that can cause symptoms such as hot flashes, loss of libido, and other symptoms associated with low estrogen levels. Always consult your doctor before starting any treatment to increase your estrogen, including taking natural or herbal supplements.
3
Ask your doctor to test your estrogen levels. There are a variety of tests available for determining hormone levels. Your doctor will likely have you take a blood test. Your blood may also be tested for FSH (Follicle-Stimulating Hormone), which is responsible for regulating estrogen and progesterone production in the ovaries.^{[23]
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- Tell your doctor about any medications and supplements you're taking, including hormonal contraceptive (which may affect your test results). Let your physician know about any existing medical conditions like thyroid disease, sex-dependent hormone tumors, ovarian cysts, and unusual vaginal bleeding.
- The FSH test is usually drawn on the second or third day of your period.
- There are 3 types of estrogen; estrone, estradiol, and estriol. Estradiol is the type of estrogen that is normally measured with testing, and a normal range is 30-400 pg/mL for premenopausal women (depending on where you are in your menstrual cycle) and 0-30 pg/mL for postmenopausal women.^{[24]
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  Research source} Levels lower than 20 pg/mL may cause hormonal symptoms such as hot flashes.
- The value of checking estrogen levels is controversial, as levels fluctuate widely throughout the day. However, it can be helpful in conjunction with a physical exam, history, and other testing.
There are a variety of estrogen therapies available, including pills, skin patches, and topical gels and creams. There are also vaginal estrogens available in the forms of tablets, rings, or creams that are inserted directly into the vagina.^{[25]
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Go to source} Talk to your doctor about the option that would be best for you.

Expert Q&A

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Question

Are ovulator prediction kits a good way to check estrogen levels?

Aimee Eyvazzadeh, MD, MA
OB/GYN & Fertility Specialist
Aimee Eyvazzadeh is a Fertility Specialist and the Founder of The Egg Whisperer Show, a fertility care program focusing on fertility education based in the San Francisco Bay Area. Her work has been featured in magazines such as People, Forbes, and Marie Claire, and she has been featured on the Today Show, Good Morning America, and CNN. She earned an MD from the University of California, Los Angeles in 2001, completed an OB/GYN residency at Harvard Medical School in 2005, and finished a fellowship in Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility at University of Michigan, where she also completed an MPH.

Aimee Eyvazzadeh, MD, MA

OB/GYN & Fertility Specialist

Expert Answer

No, and those kits aren't really accurate to begin with. They don't meaningfully reflect whether you're going to ovulate or not.

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What is the purpose of using estrogen in the vagina?

Zora Degrandpre, ND
Natural Health Doctor
Dr. Zora Degrandpre is a Natural Health Doctor and Licensed Naturopathic Physician in Vancouver, Washington. She is a grant reviewer for the National Institutes of Health and the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine. She received her ND from the National College of Natural Medicine in 2007.

Zora Degrandpre, ND

Natural Health Doctor

Expert Answer

Estrogen preparations are used in the vagina to treat dryness and painful intercourse from postmenopause.

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Question

How do I increase ovulation?

Lacy Windham, MD
Board Certified Obstetrician & Gynecologist
Lacy Windham, MD, is a Board-Certified Obstetrician & Gynecologist in Cleveland, Tennessee. Dr. Windham attended medical school at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center in Memphis. Her residency was completed at Eastern Virginia Medical School in Norfolk, Virginia. She was the recipient of multiple awards during her residency training, including Most Outstanding Resident in Maternal Fetal Medicine, Most Outstanding Resident in Oncology, Most Outstanding Resident Overall, and Special Award in Minimally Invasive Surgery.

Lacy Windham, MD

Board Certified Obstetrician & Gynecologist

Expert Answer

If you have a regular menstrual cycle, it is likely that you are ovulating regularly, but you could confirm with over-the-counter ovulation predictor kits. If you are not ovulating, a common cause is PCOS. Modest weight loss often restores ovulation in this circumstance. Otherwise there are effective medications to help.

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There are other potential causes for symptoms such as hot flashes, loss of libido, etc. Try to avoid assuming estrogen levels are to blame for these symptoms. If you're having symptoms that concern you, consult with your physician and leave the assessment to them.

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Warnings

Ingesting more than the recommended amount of flax seed can decrease the effectiveness of some medications.

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Talk to your doctor before taking any new supplements.

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Women who are pregnant can have estrogen levels rise by 100 times the normal levels. If you're pregnant, don't try to increase your estrogen levels or take any supplements or medications without talking to your doctor.

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