The human body is truly amazing. I mean, think of the absolutely intricate mechanisms that happen inside it. Right from the cells getting regenerated on a regular basis, to the perfectly coordinated functions – the entire body is nothing short of a magical work of some really talented wizard lord, or so it seems!

But jokes apart, it is truly very, very intriguing when you come to think of it. I mean, how is it possible for everything to be so much in sync, and so perfectly too? One hormone is let loose and you have it affecting the smooth flow of so many things that your body does! I mean, we all tend to take out bodies for granted till we are denied use of a part. Only then do we realize how precious that part is. Ever broken a limb or sprained an ankle? You’ll know exactly what we mean.

Which brings us to the real point of this article: the presence of too much estrogen in your bloodstream. Estrogen, commonly known as the ‘female’ hormone, is what brings about the normal running of the female reproductive system . It helps in making you fertile, and in maintaining the regular menstrual cycle of your body. It also helps in keeping your fallopian tubes, the uterus, and even your vagina, in perfect shape.

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And here’s the more interesting part: apart from these things, estrogen also helps in maintaining your body’s bone structure and calcium supply. It also contributes to keeping your heart healthy as well as maintaining a balanced mental health. As if this wasn’t enough, it also keeps your skin looking healthy, young, and wrinkle free . Which simply means that a lack of it can have an effect on all of the above.

But what we must also remember is that not just lack of it, but an excess of it may also have adverse effects on your body. While it is normal to have high estrogen levels in a pregnant woman or a pre-/ pubescent female body, it isn’t healthy for the same to occur in a normal body. Excess estrogen may lead to various problems, such as weight gain and the inability to lose it later. But weight gain is the least of the ways in which it can affect your body. It can also cause diabetes and tumors in the adrenaline glands and ovaries .

Here are a few ways in which you can tell if your body has extra or excess estrogen:

1. Fluid Retention

If your body has more estrogen than necessary, it will retain more fluid, which will reflect on the weighing scales the next time you’re on it. You may also experience swollen ankles, which is another sign of water retention in your body. If you see these signs, make sure you consult your doctor.

2. Feeling Bloated 

You may feel that every time you eat something, you feel exceptionally full and your tummy is always rumbling or feeling gassy and full. If that is the case, it may mean that there is too much estrogen in your bloodstream.

3. Irregular Periods

One of the most obvious signs of things having gone off-track is an irregular menstrual cycle. If at any point you realize that your periods are going haywire, it is time to pay a visit to the ob-gyn.

4. Lumps In Your Breasts 

Any lump in your breast calls for an immediate consultation with a doctor. If at any point you feel that there are lumps present in your breasts, which weren’t there before, it could be because of estrogen imbalance in your body (8).

5. Low Sex Drive

If you find yourself absolutely disinterested in sex, estrogen could be the culprit.

6. Extreme PMS-Ing 

By extreme, we mean fatigue and depression that is more than normal, and which affects you so much that it makes you unable to function normally.