If you’re reading this article, it’s likely that your recent test results either showed elevated or low levels of estrone. While this may seem concerning, rest assured that it’s a common marker we monitor and, importantly, one that can be addressed through personalised treatment plans.
Let’s take a closer look at what estrone is, why optimal levels matter, and how it can impact your health.
What is Estrone (E1)?
Estrogen is converted into three primary forms: estrone (E1), estradiol (E2), and estriol (E3), through the action of CYP enzymes.
Estrogens exert their effects by binding to estrogen receptors, found in various tissues, including:
- Reproductive tissues: e.g., the endometrium.
- Non-reproductive tissues: e.g., bone, breast tissue, and the brain.
Estrogen is essential for reproductive health, but its influence extends to the wider body including cardiovascular, skeletal, neurological, and immune systems. While it provides many protective effects, its levels must be well-regulated, as imbalances can lead to health issues such as estrogen dominance or deficiency.
Estrone (E1) can be formed from estradiol, but its major precursor is androstenedione (a hormone which can change into testosterone). It is primarily produced in fat tissue and the adrenal glands, making it the predominant estrogen after menopause when ovarian function declines. While estrone plays a smaller role compared to estradiol during reproductive years, it remains important for overall hormonal balance.
Estrone (E1) is further processed to 2-OH-E1, 4-OH-E1, or 16-OH-E1 which each have different health implications.
Symptoms of high and low estrone levels
The luteal phase range for E1 is 12-26 ng/mg and the post-menopausal range is 3-7 ng/mg.
High E1 Levels:
Excess estrone levels may result from obesity (since fat tissue produces estrone), certain medications, such as birth control or HRT, environmental/xenoestrogen exposure, or hormonal disorders such as polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). High estrone can cause estrogen dominant symptoms such as;
- Weight Gain, especially in the hips and thighs
- Anxiety and depression
- Breast Tenderness
- Irregular Menstrual Cycles
- Heavy Menstrual Cycles
- Brain fog
- Fatigue
- Fibroids and polyps
Read more about high estrogen.
Estrone and cancer
While not as abundant in circulation as estradiol, estrone excess can still increase the risk for estrogen dominant cancers.
As seen earlier, estrogen binds to estrogen receptors on cells. There are two types of estrogen receptors (ER) in the body, ER alpha and ER beta. Estrone has a 5:1 higher affinity to bind to the ER alpha than ER beta. The ER alpha are known to promote growth of tissue whilst the ER beta are thought to be regulatory and can cause regression of growth.
The risk for non-hereditary estrogen-dependent cancer development increases greatly when E1 becomes the major serum estrogen after menopause, and particularly in women with high serum E1 levels.
Low E1 Levels:
Low estrone levels can occur due to stress, menopause, surgical removal of the ovaries, certain medical treatments, or hormonal disorders such as polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). Low E1 may be indicative of overall low estrogen and common symptoms include:
- Bone Loss
- Low libido
- Vaginal Dryness
- Hot Flashes and Night Sweats
- Fatigue and Low Energy
- Mood Changes
- Weight Gain, especially around the abdomen
It is important that E1 levels be assessed alongside the other parent estrogens and estrogen metabolites as well as looking at how these are being detoxified.
Next steps
If your results suggest high or low E1 levels, this will be addressed in your personalised health plan by one of our experienced nutritionists. If you would like to learn more about your test results, remember you can purchase a 45 minute Hormone Health Consultation with your practitioner to discuss your results in more detail.
References
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Qureshi, R., Picon-Ruiz, M., Sho, M., Van Booven, D., Nunes de Paiva, V., Diaz-Ruano, A. B., Ince, T. A., & Slingerland, J. (2022). Estrone, the major postmenopausal estrogen, binds ERa to induce SNAI2, epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition, and ER+ breast cancer metastasis. Cell reports, 41(7), 111672. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.celrep.2022.111672
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