Why Do Older Men Need Estrogen?

Though normally associated with women, estrogen helps older men by protecting their bones, improving verbal memory and maintaining sperm count.

Estrogen in Men

• Men, like women, make estrogen from testosterone with the aid of an enzyme called aromatase. While women's bodies stop making estrogen at menopause, men's bodies make estrogen throughout their lives. A normal estrogen level in men is 10 to 50 picograms per milliliter (pg/mL).

Stronger Bones

• Estrogen helps stop the loss of minerals in the bones, thus preventing osteoporosis as we age. According to Reina Armameto-Villareal, MD, an assistant professor of medicine at Washington University and a bone specialist at Barnes-Jewish Hospital, one out of 12 men will suffer from osteoporosis.

Improved Memory

• Estrogen helps improve a man's memory for words.

Healthy Gland Function

• Estrogen is needed in men for hormonal balance and to keep other glands working. Estrogen moderates the effect of testosterone on men, making them less aggressive among other things.

Higher Sperm Count

• Researchers at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign report that estrogen triggers the body to reabsorb the fluid in which sperm is transferred from the testes to the epididymus where it is stored and matures. In effect, the estrogen helps concentrate the sperm.