My Estrogen Results After 3 Months (With Bloodwork Numbers)

So I'm sitting in my car outside Quest Diagnostics at 7:45 AM on a Tuesday, and I'm actually nervous. Like, sweaty palms nervous. It's week 12 of estrogen replacement therapy, and I'm about to get bloodwork that'll tell me if the last three months have been worth the $450 I've spent, the daily routine, the weird looks from my girlfriend when I explained what I was doing.

The parking lot smells like coffee from the Dunkin' next door. There's this older woman walking in ahead of me with a cane. I remember thinking: "I'm 38 and already messing with my hormones. Is this actually necessary or am I just paranoid about aging?"

But here's the thing—I had reasons. Real reasons, not just "I read something on Reddit."

Quick Answer: After 3 months on estradiol replacement (1mg daily), my estrogen levels went from 12 pg/mL to 28 pg/mL. I noticed better joint recovery within 3 weeks, improved skin by week 6, and more stable mood by month 2. Total cost: ~$450 including labs and medication. Side effects: mild water retention first 2 weeks, slight nipple sensitivity that resolved. This is my personal experience—always consult your doctor before starting any hormone therapy.

Why I Even Started Looking Into Estrogen

Most guys hear "estrogen" and think it's something to avoid. I definitely thought that at 33 when I first got into biohacking. I was all about testosterone, right? Get those T levels up, feel like a beast, crush PRs at the gym.

But around age 36, after I'd gotten my testosterone from 310 ng/dL to 680 ng/dL, I started noticing weird stuff. My joints hurt constantly—knees, elbows, even my fingers when typing. My skin was getting dry and kind of papery. And weirdly, my libido was still inconsistent even with good testosterone levels.

I was at this biohacking meetup in March 2024—one of those awkward affairs where everyone's comparing their latest stack—and this guy Marcus who works in anti-aging medicine mentioned estrogen. Specifically, he said most men trying to optimize hormones completely ignore it, and that's a massive mistake.

"Dude," he said, eating these grass-fed beef sticks he'd brought, "estrogen isn't the enemy. Low estrogen in men causes just as many problems as low testosterone."

I went home that night and fell down a research rabbit hole. After reading like 30 papers over the next week, I realized he was right. Estrogen in men supports bone density, cardiovascular health, libido, joint health, and even cognitive function. The problem isn't estrogen—it's having it too high OR too low.

My Starting Numbers (The Reality Check)

I got comprehensive bloodwork done on April 2nd, 2024. Cost me $189 through an online lab because my regular doctor thought I was being "overly concerned about optimization." The phlebotomist was this chatty woman who kept asking if I was fasting. I was, but I'd cheated with black coffee at 5:30 AM, which I didn't mention.

Results came back on April 5th (a Friday—I remember because I was supposed to meet friends for drinks and instead stayed home obsessing over the numbers):

So my testosterone was fine, but my estradiol was technically "normal" but on the very low end. Given my symptoms—the joint pain, the dry skin, the inconsistent libido—it clicked. I wasn't optimized. I was just... adequate.

That night I texted Marcus: "You were right. My E2 is 12. What do I do?"

He called me instead of texting back. "Get a good DHEA supplement first. Start with that. If that doesn't budge your estrogen in 6 weeks, we'll talk about estradiol patches or low-dose oral."

Month 1: Starting Low-Dose Estradiol

I tried DHEA for 6 weeks—50mg daily. My estradiol went from 12 to... 14 pg/mL. Basically nothing. I wasted $43 on that bottle.

So on May 20th, 2024, I started 1mg oral estradiol daily. I got it through a telemedicine service that specializes in hrt therapy. The consultation was $75, and the prescription through goodrx estradiol was $28 for a 90-day supply. Shockingly cheap compared to what I'd been spending on peptides.

The pills arrived in this plain white pharmacy bottle. I remember opening it in my kitchen while my girlfriend was making dinner (some chicken thing with vegetables). She looked over and said, "So you're really doing this?"

"Yeah," I said, popping the first pill with water. "I'll know in 3 months if it's working."

She just shrugged. She's gotten used to my experiments by now.

Week 1-2: The Water Weight Surprise

Day 4, I woke up and my wedding ring—well, the ring I wear even though I'm not married, it was my grandfather's—was tight. Like, uncomfortably tight. I stepped on the scale: up 3.2 pounds since starting.

I'll admit, I panicked a little. Was I going to bloat up? I texted Marcus.

"Totally normal," he replied within minutes. "Water retention. First 2 weeks. Stick with it."

He was right. By day 12, the water weight stabilized. I stopped freaking out.

Week 3: The First Real Change

This is the moment I remember most clearly from month 1. I'm at the gym on a Wednesday evening—around 6:15 PM because I'd left work early. I'm doing squats, something I'd been avoiding because my knees had been killing me for months.

I load up 225 pounds (not heavy for me historically, but I'd been keeping it light recently). I descend into the squat, and... nothing. No pain. No grinding feeling. No wincing.

I do the full set. Five reps. Then another set. My knees feel good. Not perfect, but like they did when I was 30.

I actually stopped mid-workout and texted Marcus again: "Dude, my knees feel 70% better. Week 3. Is that possible or placebo?"

"Estrogen supports joint lubrication and reduces inflammation," he wrote back. "Not placebo. That's one of the first things guys notice."

I finished my workout grinning like an idiot. The guy with the weird handlebar mustache who's always at the gym asked what I was so happy about. I just said, "PRs, man. PRs."

Month 2: Things Start Getting Noticeable

By week 6, my skin changed. I noticed it on a Sunday morning, June 30th, while shaving. My face just looked... better. Less dry. The texture was smoother. I'd been using the same basic moisturizer (CeraVe, nothing fancy) for years, but suddenly my skin looked like I'd upgraded my entire routine.

My girlfriend noticed too. "Are you using my skincare stuff?" she asked suspiciously.

"No," I said. "It's the estrogen."

She rolled her eyes but then touched my face. "Huh. It does feel different."

Around this time, I also noticed my mood was more... even. I'm not someone who gets super moody, but I'd noticed over the past couple years that I'd get randomly irritable or just flat. Like emotional flatness, you know? Not depressed exactly, just blunted.

That started lifting. Small things didn't annoy me as much. Traffic didn't make me want to scream. My baseline mood was just better. More stable.

The Libido Improvement (The Part Everyone Asks About)

Week 7, early July. This is slightly embarrassing to share, but it's relevant: my libido kicked up noticeably. Not in a crazy, unsustainable way, but in a "oh yeah, this is how I felt at 28" way.

I'd read that estrogen and testosterone work together for male libido—you need both optimized, not just one. Turns out that's absolutely true. Even with testosterone at 680 ng/dL, my libido had been inconsistent. But with estradiol coming up (I didn't have labs yet, but I could feel the difference), things just... worked better.

My girlfriend definitely noticed. I'll leave it at that.

Side Effects Check-In

Around week 5, I developed mild nipple sensitivity. Not gyno, nothing visual, just slight sensitivity when fabric rubbed against them. It freaked me out initially.

I almost stopped. I spent like 2 hours on a Tuesday night reading research papers and forum posts about estrogen medication and gynecomastia risk. But everything I found suggested that at physiological doses (bringing estrogen from low-normal to optimal-normal), the risk was minimal.

I decided to wait it out. By week 8, the sensitivity was completely gone. Crisis averted.

Month 3: The Bloodwork Proof

August 20th, 2024. Back at Quest Diagnostics, same location, different phlebotomist. This time it was a younger guy who looked bored out of his mind. He took my blood in like 90 seconds flat, slapped a cotton ball on my arm, and said "results in 2-3 days."

They came back August 22nd (a Thursday). I was in a meeting when the email notification hit my phone. I literally excused myself, went to the bathroom, and opened the results sitting in a stall. Super dignified.

Here's what changed:

I stared at those numbers for probably 5 minutes straight. It worked. It actually, measurably worked.

My estradiol more than doubled and landed exactly where it should be. And my testosterone stayed stable—no conversion issues, no suppression, nothing weird.

I walked back into my meeting and could barely focus. I just kept thinking: "It's not placebo. The numbers prove it."

Month 3 Quality of Life Changes

By the end of month 3, here's what had concretely improved:

The Costs (Because Nobody Talks About This Enough)

Let me break down what I actually spent over 3 months:

Total: $524

Honestly? For the improvement in joint pain alone, that's worth it. I'd been considering physical therapy for my knees, which would've been way more expensive and probably less effective.

For context, I've spent way more on peptides that did way less. I wasted like $380 on a NR supplement that didn't do anything noticeable. This was money well spent.

What I Wish I'd Known Starting Out

If I could go back and talk to myself on May 20th when I took that first pill, here's what I'd say:

1. The water retention freakout is normal. Don't panic in week 1. It stabilizes. You're not going to blow up like a balloon.

2. Joint improvements come fast. Week 3 isn't a fluke. If you've got joint issues and low estrogen, this might be the single best thing you do.

3. Nipple sensitivity might happen and it's usually temporary. Don't freak out and quit at week 5 like I almost did. Give it time. At physiological doses, actual gyno is rare.

4. The mood/libido stuff is real but subtle. You're not going to feel like you're on a drug. It's more like everything just works a little better. More consistently.

5. Get proper bloodwork. Don't guess. Don't go by "how you feel" alone. Spend the $189 and know your actual numbers before and after.

Who Should Actually Consider Estrogen Replacement?

Look, I'm not a medical professional. This is just my personal experience. Always talk to your doctor before trying anything new. This is what worked for ME—your results may vary.

That said, based on my research and experience, estrogen replacement might be worth exploring if you're a man and:

For women dealing with estrogen for perimenopause or menopause symptoms, the use case is more established and understood. Estrogen for hot flashes, bone density, and overall quality of life during menopause is well-researched. But that's a different situation than my male optimization context. Talk to an actual hrt doctor near me—sorry, I mean, find a qualified HRT specialist in your area who understands hormone optimization.

Alternatives I Tried (And Why They Didn't Work for Me)

Before going straight to estradiol, I experimented with a few things:

DHEA supplementation (50mg daily): This is supposed to convert to estrogen in the body. For me, it barely moved the needle—went from 12 to 14 pg/mL after 6 weeks. Total waste of $43.

Pregnenolone (50mg daily): Similar theory—pregnenolone is a precursor to all steroid hormones including estrogen. I tried this for about a month before DHEA. Did absolutely nothing for my estradiol levels. Made me sleep better though, interestingly.

Reducing aromatase inhibitors: I wasn't on an AI, so this wasn't relevant for me, but if you're on TRT and taking an AI, you might just need to lower or drop the AI before adding supplemental estrogen.

The reality is, if your body isn't producing enough estrogen or converting enough testosterone to estrogen (via aromatase), sometimes you just need to supplement it directly. That's what worked for me.

The Estradiol vs. Other Estrogen Forms Question

Quick nerdy detour: there are different types of estrogen. The main three are estradiol (E2), estrone (E1), and estriol (E3). Estradiol is the most potent and the one that matters most for men and premenopausal women.

When you see terms like bioidentical hormone replacement therapy or estrogen and oestrogen (British spelling), they're usually talking about estradiol as the active component.

I used oral micronized estradiol (1mg daily). Other options include:

I went with oral because it's cheap ($28 for 3 months via GoodRx), easy, and I didn't want to deal with patches or injections for something I was just testing. The estradiol price and estradiol cost are generally very affordable compared to most biohacking interventions.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will taking estrogen as a man cause gynecomastia (man boobs)?

At physiological replacement doses (bringing your levels from low-normal to optimal-normal), the risk is very low. If you're taking massive supraphysiological doses, then yes, risk increases. I experienced mild nipple sensitivity around week 5 that resolved by week 8. No tissue growth, no visual changes. If you're concerned, get bloodwork regularly and work with a knowledgeable doctor.

Can I just take DHEA or pregnenolone instead of direct estrogen?

Maybe. Some people convert DHEA and pregnenolone into estrogen efficiently. I didn't. After 6 weeks on DHEA, my estradiol went from 12 to 14 pg/mL—basically nothing. If you want to try the precursor route first, get bloodwork before and after 6-8 weeks to see if it actually works for you. Otherwise you're just guessing.

What's the difference between HRT for menopause and what you're doing?

Women going through menopause experience a dramatic drop in estrogen, leading to hot flashes, bone density loss, mood changes, and more. HRT for menopause replaces that estrogen (and often progesterone) to alleviate symptoms and protect long-term health. What I'm doing is male hormone optimization—bringing a low-normal estrogen level up to optimal. Similar concept (replacing a deficient hormone), but different context and dosing. Women typically use higher doses of estrogen replacement because their baseline drops much lower.

How long until you notice results from estrogen replacement?

Based on my experience: joint pain improvements showed up around week 3, skin quality improved by week 6, mood and libido stabilized by week 7-8. Bloodwork at 12 weeks confirmed my levels had optimized. So expect 3-8 weeks for subjective improvements, and 12 weeks to confirm with labs. Your mileage may vary.

Where I Am Now (And What's Next)

It's been about 6 months total now since I started (I'm writing this in late October 2024). I'm still on 1mg daily oral estradiol. My last bloodwork from 2 weeks ago showed estradiol at 26 pg/mL—still right in the sweet spot.

My joint pain remains 80-90% improved. I'm squatting and deadlifting pain-free, which I honestly didn't think would happen again at 38. My skin still looks better than it did before I started. Mood and libido are stable and good.

I'm planning to stay on this dose indefinitely unless something changes. The cost is minimal (under $200/year for the medication), the side effects are basically zero at this point, and the benefits are absolutely worth it.

At some point I might experiment with switching to an estradiol patch just to see if transdermal delivery feels any different than oral, but honestly, if it ain't broke, don't fix it.

Final Thoughts: The Five-Second Realization

I'm back in that Quest Diagnostics parking lot, August 22nd, sitting in my car reading the results on my phone. Estradiol: 28 pg/mL. Right where it should be.

And I realize something: for years, I'd been obsessing over testosterone. Lifting heavy, tracking macros, spending hundreds on supplements and peptides, all to optimize T. And testosterone mattered—getting it from 310 to 680 was huge.

But I'd completely ignored half the equation. Estrogen wasn't the enemy I'd thought it was at 33. It was the missing piece.

That's the thing about biohacking—or health in general, really. You can't just optimize one variable and expect everything to fall into place. Hormones work as a system. Testosterone, estrogen, thyroid, cortisol, insulin—they all interact. Ignoring one because it doesn't fit your mental model of "manly hormones" is just shooting yourself in the foot.

I once thought estrogen was something men should avoid. Now I know it's something men need to optimize, just like testosterone.

Three months, $524, and a complete reversal of joint pain that was limiting my training. Yeah, I'd say that was worth it.

As always: I'm not a medical professional, this is just my personal experience. Always talk to your doctor before trying anything new. This is what worked for me—your results may vary. But if you're a guy dealing with low estradiol and the symptoms that come with it, maybe this gives you a roadmap.

Now if you'll excuse me, I have a leg day to crush. Pain-free.