Hormones
Estron
A weaker estrogen made mainly in fat tissue; after menopause the main estrogen in the blood.
Everything about this testWhat it measures
Estrone (E1, also called oestrone) is one of the three estrogens, alongside estradiol (E2) and estriol (E3). It is made in the ovaries and, mainly, in fat tissue by conversion from androstenedione, a precursor of male hormone. The body converts estrone and estradiol into each other. Before menopause, estradiol is the main estrogen; after menopause and in men, most estrogen in the blood comes from this conversion in fat tissue and estrone is the main form.
- Estrogen production outside the ovaries, for example in fat tissue after menopause or with overweight
- Too much estrogen in men with breast development, in addition to estradiol
- Monitoring during treatment with estrogens
High
In women before menopause, estrone rises along with estradiol around ovulation and is high in pregnancy; this is normal. Outside those times, a higher value often fits overweight, because fat tissue makes more estrone, and the use of estrogens as a tablet, patch or gel. Liver disease, anabolic steroids and testosterone treatment can also raise the value, in men sometimes with breast development. Rarely: a hormone-producing tumor of the ovary, testicle or adrenal gland.
Low
A low estrone is normal with use of the pill, during breastfeeding and in slim women after menopause. In women before menopause, a low estrone together with a low estradiol can fit absent ovulation, for example due to underweight, an eating disorder, intensive training or early menopause. Symptoms that can go with it are absent or irregular periods and hot flashes. A low estrone on its own, without symptoms, says little.
Preparation
- Do you have a menstrual cycle? Then have your blood taken on day 2 to 5 of your cycle (day 1 is the first day of your period). Without a cycle, on the pill or after menopause the day does not matter.
If your result is abnormal
With an abnormal value and symptoms, the GP usually has estradiol, FSH and LH measured, together with the cycle day. In men with breast development, weight, medicines, liver function and testosterone are looked at. An abnormal estrone without symptoms usually does not lead to further tests.
Reliability
The meaning of a single estrone value has been little studied and there are no agreed cut-off values. For questions about the ovaries, estradiol together with FSH, LH and the cycle day says more. According to the Dutch GP guideline (NHG) on menopause, menopause is diagnosed from symptoms and the menstrual pattern, not from a hormone value. Estrone says the most for a specific question, such as breast development in men or monitoring estrogen treatment.
Limitations
- The cycle day: before menopause the value varies strongly with the cycle; without the cycle day the result cannot be interpreted.
- The pill, hormone therapy, pregnancy and breastfeeding change the value strongly.
- In men and in women after menopause the values are low; standard measurement methods are then inaccurate and results differ between laboratories.
- Biotin supplements can interfere with some measurement methods; stop biotin at least two days before the sample collection.
How common is this
Natural menopause starts on average around the age of 51; early menopause (before the age of 40) affects about 1 in 100 women. Breast development in men is usually harmless and mainly occurs during puberty, with overweight and at older ages. How often an abnormal estrone occurs in people without symptoms is not known.
Who is this useful for
Says the most in men with breast development, during treatment with estrogens and in addition to estradiol with absent periods. In women around menopause with typical symptoms, an estrone value adds little, because the values vary strongly in those years. In people without symptoms, a single value says little.
Downsides and risks
- Without agreed cut-off values, a 'too high' or 'too low' estrone can cause unnecessary worry, or be seen as a reason for supplements or hormones for which there is no evidence.
Sources
Always discuss an abnormal result with your GP. If a result is strongly abnormal, we try to reach you as soon as possible. Read your result yourself as well and contact your GP if in doubt. A test does not make a diagnosis. Read more about risks and results