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Normal estradiol levels by age

Estradiol is an important hormone, and there are treatment options if your levels are low
By | Mar. 16, 2026 Medically reviewed by Leslie Greenberg, MD
Six women of various ages: Normal estradiol levels by age

Key takeaways

  • Everyone produces at least some estradiol, including children, women, and men.

  • By understanding normal estradiol levels by age, sex, and life stage, you can watch for signs of unusually low or high estradiol.

  • Low estradiol is linked to chronic health conditions like osteoporosis, dementia, and cardiovascular disease.

In this article:

Estradiol is a hormone that’s instrumental in the sexual development and reproductive health of both males and females, but it’s mainly associated with menstrual cycles and pregnancy. The amount of estradiol that a person produces depends on their age, sex, and life stage. Learn about what estradiol levels are normal, and save the estradiol levels chart in this article for easy reference.

What is estradiol?

Estradiol is a type of estrogen, a hormone that’s primarily produced in the ovaries, testes, fat cells, and adrenal glands. Estradiol affects sexual development and function in both men and women and helps keep your brain, heart, and bones healthy. 

Estradiol vs. estrogen

Estrogen is an umbrella term for four different but closely related sex hormones:

  • Estrone (E1): Common in postmenopausal women
  • Estradiol (E2): Common in women of reproductive age
  • Estriol (E3): Common in pregnant women
  • Estetrol (E4): Produced by the liver of a developing fetus

All estrogens share the same chemical structure except for some slight variations in oxygen and hydrogen bonds. Of the four types of estrogen, estradiol is most common and most significant in women of reproductive age who aren’t pregnant. 

How estradiol levels change across life stages

Estradiol levels fluctuate throughout a woman’s life but typically remain steady throughout a man’s life. Here’s a closer look at how estradiol levels change across life stages in both sexes.  

Childhood

Everyone is born with elevated estradiol levels (as maternal estrogen also circulates through the fetus) that plummet a few days after birth. Then, the body produces small amounts of estradiol to grow healthy bones, brains, cardiovascular tissue, and much more.

Normal estradiol levels in children who haven’t started puberty tend to be 20 picograms per milliliter (pg/mL) or less for girls and 13 pg/mL for boys. Sometimes, children’s estradiol levels are so low that they’re undetectable. This is also normal.  

Puberty

When puberty begins, estradiol production ramps up significantly in girls and moderately in boys. Although it’s commonly called a female sex hormone, estradiol plays a critical role in the reproductive development of both sexes. 

In females, high levels of estradiol trigger developmental changes like enlarged breasts and the onset of menstruation. In males, a moderate increase in estradiol helps improve sperm production, erectile health, and libido.

The increase in estradiol happens gradually over several years. According to the Mayo Clinic, girls typically start puberty around the age of 10.5. By the time they’re about two years into puberty, girls’ estradiol levels tend to be 15–85 pg/mL. 

Boys start puberty a little later than girls, at about 11.5 years old. After about two years of puberty, boys’ estradiol levels can be as high as 26 pg/mL, but it’s also normal for boys to still have undetectable estradiol levels at this age. 

Reproductive years

Males produce 10–40 pg/mL of estradiol by the age of 18. Unless a medical condition causes a hormonal imbalance, they’ll continue to produce about the same level of estradiol for the rest of their lives. 

It’s a very different scenario for females, who will experience estradiol fluctuations until they reach menopause in their 50s. 

Women of reproductive age typically produce 15 to 350 pg/mL of estradiol depending on the stage of their menstrual cycle. Estradiol levels are lowest in the early follicular phase and highest just before ovulation (which is mid-cycle and when an egg is usually released from an ovary).

Estradiol levels rise significantly during pregnancy, sometimes to 10 or 100 times the normal non-pregnant levels. According to the Roche Diagnostics reference range, the following estradiol levels are typical for each trimester of pregnancy:

  • First trimester: 154–3,243 pg/mL 
  • Second trimester: 1,561–21,280 pg/mL
  • Third trimester: 8,525–30,000 pg/mL 

“Estradiol increases during pregnancy due to the placenta producing large amounts of estradiol,” says Randy Gould, MD, a cardiologist based in New York City. “This is important to support fetal growth, to increase blood flow to the uterus to support uterine muscle growth for the developing baby, and to prepare the mammary glands for breastfeeding.” 

Perimenopause

Perimenopause occurs when the female body transitions to menopause, or the end of the menstrual cycle. During this time, estradiol levels don’t follow the predictable pattern associated with a normal menstrual cycle. 

“During perimenopause, estradiol levels fluctuate between very high and very low levels. These unpredictable changes can lead to mood swings, hot flashes, and irregular periods,” Dr. Gould says. 

In fact, estradiol levels can be so erratic during perimenopause that researchers haven’t agreed on what a “normal” or healthy estradiol range looks like during this life stage. Perimenopause symptoms can vary depending on whether estradiol is high or low at any given time. Perimenopause is not about estrogen disappearing overnight. It’s about uneven flow, like a gas tank when it’s near empty. Understanding this can help explain why symptoms come and go—and why patience and support matter during this transition.

Menopause and postmenopause

Once a woman’s periods have disappeared for 12 months in a row, she has reached the definition of “menopause.” By this stage, estradiol levels will have dropped to less than 10 pg/mL. They’ll stay that low for the rest of a woman’s life. 

Perimenopausal symptoms typically ease up once menopause occurs, but some women experience persistent mood changes, vaginal dryness, night sweats, hot flashes, or other symptoms due to low estradiol levels. Low estradiol increases the risk of certain health conditions like osteoporosis. 

   Normal estradiol levels chart: Female
Children (pre-puberty) Undetectable to 20 picograms (pg) per milliliter (mL)
Puberty 15–85 pg/mL
Reproductive years 15–350 pg/mL
Pregnancy Up to 30,000 pg/mL, depending on trimester
Perimenopause No standard range
Postmenopause Up to 10 pg/mL

 

  Normal estradiol levels chart: Male
Children (pre-puberty) Undetectable to 13 pg/mL
Puberty  Undetectable to 26 pg/mL
Adulthood and beyond 10–40 pg/mL

Symptoms of low estradiol in women

Women with low estradiol levels may notice a variety of sexual, physical, and mental or emotional symptoms, such as the following:

  • Sore or tender breasts
  • Vaginal dryness 
  • Painful sex
  • Low libido
  • Poor sleep
  • Irregular or absent periods
  • Weight gain
  • Fatigue
  • Hot flashes
  • Headaches or migraines
  • Frequent urinary tract infections
  • Urinary incontinence
  • Dry skin
  • Hair loss
  • Poor concentration
  • Joint pains
  • Memory problems
  • Irritability
  • Mood swings
  • Depression

Some symptoms of low estradiol may be more subtle. For example, low estradiol can cause a weakening of the bones known as osteoporosis, which normally goes unnoticed until a fracture occurs. Low estradiol also increases the risk of cardiovascular disease. 

“Low estradiol levels in women can be caused by aging, poor nutrition, extreme exercise, or thyroid disorders,” Dr. Gould says.

Symptoms of low estradiol in men

Adult males who produce less than 20 pg/mL of estradiol may experience symptoms such as:

  • Low libido
  • Fertility problems
  • Weight gain, especially around the abdomen
  • Migraines
  • Dry skin
  • Muscle weakness
  • Poor stamina

As with women, low estradiol levels in men can also increase the risk of bone fractures and heart disease. “Low estradiol in men can be caused by low testosterone (hypogonadism), excess body fat, or high stress levels,” Dr. Gould says. 

How to test estradiol levels

Estradiol levels are typically analyzed through a blood test. Sometimes healthcare providers perform a urine or saliva test instead. 

Does insurance cover hormone testing?

Insurance coverage for hormone testing varies by plan. Health insurance companies tend to cover estradiol blood tests that are performed for women with specific symptoms to rule out certain diagnoses. Estradiol tests are less likely to be covered for evaluating fertility, perimenopause, or general wellness. 

Talk to your health insurance company to understand your coverage benefits and to estimate any out-of-pocket expenses associated with estradiol testing.

How to treat low estradiol

If you have low estradiol, your healthcare provider may recommend making certain lifestyle changes to boost your body’s natural estradiol production. Common recommendations include:

  • Increasing your body weight if it’s considered low (BMI less than 20)
  • Dialing back on exercise if you work out intensely
  • Increasing physical activity if you’re mostly sedentary
  • Reducing stress levels
  • Aiming for 7–9 hours of restful sleep nightly

Low estradiol can be treated with hormone replacement therapy. Usually, this means you take synthetic estrogen and progesterone at the same time. Progesterone is a hormone that helps to balance the effects of estrogens like estradiol. Without progesterone, estrogen can cause the lining of the uterus to thicken too much, which can ultimately lead to uterine cancer. Your healthcare provider may recommend estrogen-only therapy if you don’t have a uterus. Otherwise, a combination of estrogen and progesterone is the safer option. 

Unfortunately, there are other risks associated with menopausal hormonal therapy. Upon starting to take estrogen and progesterone, there’s an increased risk of breast cancer, stroke, and blood clots. The risk of blood clots is lessened if the route of estrogen therapy is non-oral (an estrogen patch or gel). If menopausal hormonal therapy is started 10 years after menopause or before age 60, there is no increased risk of heart attack. It’s important to talk to a healthcare provider about whether hormone replacement therapy is right for you and how you can minimize its risks. Systemic estrogen is discouraged in people who have experienced menopause more than 10 years earlier and have not been on systemic estrogen. 

Estrogen and progesterone treatments are available in several formats, including skin patches, skin creams, vaginal creams, oral pills, injections, and vaginal rings. Estradiol is available in generic, trademark generic, and brand-name products. Common brand names include: 

Because estradiol generics are widely available, you typically don’t need to pay full price for a brand-name hormone replacement therapy. A SingleCare prescription discount card can also help lower the price of any prescription. For example, you could pay $33 for one tube of generic estradiol cream with a free SingleCare coupon. Prices vary by product, dosage, location, and pharmacy. 

 Read more: Estrogen Costs & Coupons

Bottom line

It’s normal for estradiol levels to fluctuate in women who have started puberty but aren’t yet in menopause. Estradiol levels in men are more stable, but they can still fluctuate within a narrower range. Talk to a healthcare provider if you notice symptoms of low estradiol, such as hot flashes, night sweats, sleep disturbance, and painful sex. Low estradiol is treatable, and increasing your estradiol levels can help ward off chronic conditions like osteoporosis. 

The SingleCare prices in this article are the most accurate at the time of publishing in ZIP code 23666 as of March 13, 2026. Prices vary by pharmacy.  

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