Estrone, LC / MS (Endocrine Sciences)

Estrone is a type of estrogen hormone found in your blood. It is the main estrogen in women after menopause and is made mostly in fat tissue from other hormones. Checking estrone levels can help your doctor understand your hormone balance, especially after menopause or if you have symptoms related to low or high estrogen. Higher levels can sometimes be linked to certain health risks, while lower levels may explain symptoms like hot flashes or bone thinning. Your doctor will interpret this result alongside other tests and your overall health picture.

When elevated: Elevated estrone in postmenopausal women may reflect increased adipose tissue aromatization, exogenous estrogen exposure, or estrogen-secreting tumors. Chronically elevated levels have been associated with increased risk of estrogen-receptor-positive breast cancer and endometrial hyperplasia or carcinoma. In men, elevated estrone may contribute to gynecomastia and suppression of the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis. When low: Low estrone levels are consistent with hypoestrogenism and may be associated with symptoms such as hot flashes, night sweats, vaginal atrophy, decreased bone mineral density, and mood disturbances. In premenopausal women, low estrone may indicate ovarian insufficiency, hypothalamic amenorrhea, or hypopituitarism. In men, low estrone is generally of limited clinical significance but may accompany hypogonadism.

Estrone is less directly performance-relevant than estradiol for most athletes, but may be monitored in endurance and strength athletes concerned with hormonal balance, recovery, or bone health—particularly in female athletes experiencing menstrual irregularities or in older male athletes assessing age-related hormonal shifts. LC/MS measurement offers high precision useful for detecting subtle fluctuations that could affect training adaptation or injury resilience, though clinical significance varies by individual context and menopause status.