- The ‘end product’ of estradiol/estrone metabolism
- 16-OH-E1 can convert into estriol
- Not made in the ovaries
- Very weak estrogen
- Elevated in pregnancy due to placental production
The third estrogen is known as Estriol (E3) and is produced in significant amounts during pregnancy. In men and women, Estriol is irreversibly produced by estradiol (estriol cannot make estradiol) or from estrone through 16-OH-Estrone which makes it the largest circulating estrogen because both Estrone and Estradiol can make it. Despite this, estriol is not nearly as potent as estradiol (Estradiol is 80x more potent!). The least potent of the estrogens, Estriol (E3) levels are traditionally used clinically to gauge the viability of pregnancies. In the context of this profile, estriol is least likely to be associated with high-estrogen problems (e.g. breast cancer), and is generally viewed as a "protective" estrogen. Conversion of 16alpha-hydroxyestrone to estriol is important to consider.
Note: If one is taking a "Bi-Est" or "Tri-Est" preparation, an elevated estriol is not unusual.
References:
https://www.mayocliniclabs.com/test-catalog/Clinical+and+Interpretive/81711
Doctors usually test E3 during pregnancy, when it temporarily becomes the main estrogen. Abnormal levels of estriol may be a sign of problems with the baby’s health -- but you’d get a lot more tests to find out for sure. You might need several tests to track changes in your estrogen levels over time.
Understand and improve your laboratory results with our health dashboard.
Upload your lab reports and get interpretation today.
Our technology helps to understand, combine, track, organize, and act on your medical lab test results.
High estriol implies a potential for elevated 16alpha-hydroxyestrone (16-OH-E1), a very potent estrogen that is associated with increased risk of breast cancer. There appears to be an association of elevated estriol and elevated 16alpha-hydroxyestrone in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus, implying shifted metabolism in that condition.
Interpret Your Lab Results
Upload your lab report and we’ll interpret and provide you with recomendations today.
Get Started
Get Started With Our Personal Plan
Advanced Plan
Unlimited Plan
Are You a Health Professional?
Get started with our professional plan
Welcome to Healthmatters Pro.
Save time on interpreting lab results with the largest database of biomarkers online. In-depth research on any test at your fingertips, all stored and tracked in one place. Learn more
Pro Plan
for health professionals
$45 per month
At HealthMatters, we're committed to maintaining the security and confidentiality of your personal information. We've put industry-leading security standards in place to help protect against the loss, misuse, or alteration of the information under our control. We use procedural, physical, and electronic security methods designed to prevent unauthorized people from getting access to this information. Our internal code of conduct adds additional privacy protection. All data is backed up multiple times a day and encrypted using SSL certificates. See our Privacy Policy for more details.
16-OH-E1, 16-OH-E1 Postmenopausal, 2-Methoxy-E1, 2-Methoxy-E1 Postmenopausal, 2-Methoxy-E2, 2-Methoxy-E2 Postmenopausal, 2-OH-E1, 2-OH-E1 Postmenopausal, 2-OH-E2, 2-OH-E2 Postmenopausal, 4-OH-E1, 4-OH-E1 Postmenopausal, 4-OH-E2, 4-OH-E2 Postmenopausal, Estradiol (E2), Estradiol (E2) Postmenopausal, Estriol (E3), Estriol (E3) Postmenopausal, Estrone (E1), Estrone (E1) Postmenopausal, Total Estrogen, Total Estrogen Postmenopausal
