What are the effects of men taking estrogen medications?

Estrogen drugs are a common type of medication in daily life, often used to treat various diseases. When using estrogen drugs, it is also important to be aware of some precautions, as improper use can lead to adverse effects. Especially for men, inappropriate use of estrogen drugs can lead to decreased libido and sperm production disorders. Let's take a look at the impacts of estrogen drugs on men.

1. Decreased Libido: Estrogen used in male patients (e.g., for the treatment of prostate cancer) can rapidly lead to decreased or loss of libido, and necessarily result in impotence. This effect may be due to the suppression of testosterone production. Another common adverse outcome of estrogen use is damage to ejaculatory function, resulting in a significant reduction in semen volume even when ejaculation is possible.

2. Inhibition of Sperm Production: The use of moderate to high doses of estrogen can particularly lead to inhibition of sperm production and the development of gynecomastia (male breasts), as well as significantly slower beard growth. When estrogen is used in women, it generally does not have a direct impact on libido, although this is not always the case. In cases of estrogen deficiency, estrogen replacement therapy can maintain vaginal lubrication and mucosal integrity, and promote breast fullness.

1. Effects on Reproductive Organs: Estrogen binds to target cell receptors in the ovaries, fallopian tubes, uterus, and vaginal mucosa, leading to increased DNA, RNA, and protein synthesis, promoting cell division and growth, and thereby facilitating the development and maintenance of these target organs and their normal functions. Insufficient estrogen levels before puberty can result in abnormal reproductive organ development, while excessive estrogen levels can lead to precocious puberty.

2. Effects on Breast and Secondary Sexual Characteristics: Estrogen stimulates the proliferation of breast ducts and connective tissue, promoting breast development and conferring female characteristics to body fat and hair distribution, voice tone, pelvic width, and hip thickness.

3. Estrogen stimulates the activity of osteoblasts while inhibiting the activity of osteoclasts, accelerating bone growth, promoting calcium salt deposition, and facilitating the healing of epiphyseal cartilage. Therefore, girls tend to grow faster than boys during early puberty, but their ultimate height is often shorter.