The short answer
Estradiol is your main estrogen. In women it climbs and falls across the menstrual cycle, so what counts as normal depends on the day you test. Early in the cycle, when fertility tests are done, it’s often 30 to 50 pg/mL.2,3
- A normal result
- It depends on when you test. On Labcorp’s standard test, 12.5 to 166 pg/mL in the first half of the cycle, 85.8 to 498 around ovulation, up to 54.7 after menopause and 7.6 to 42.6 for men.1
Check your result
Type the number from your report. It stays on this page.
- Low for the phase Under 12.5
- Typical 12.5 to 79.9
- High for days 2 to 5 80.0 to 166.0
- Above range 166.1 or more
- Low for the phase Under 85.8
- Typical 85.8 to 498.0
- Above range 498.1 or more
- Low for the phase Under 43.8
- Typical 43.8 to 211.0
- Above range 211.1 or more
- Typical after menopause Under 54.8
- Above the postmenopausal range 54.8 or more
- Low Under 7.6
- Typical 7.6 to 42.6
- High 42.7 or more
Enter your result to see what it means and what to do next.
Got a result from another lab? Ask Picardo about it. The app explains your results, and a physician can follow up.
Ranges from Labcorp’s standard test.1 The 80 pg/mL line for days 2 to 5 comes from ASRM, the US fertility society, which flags levels above 60 to 80 when FSH is normal.3 Other labs and Labcorp’s sensitive LC-MS test use different ranges. The bar isn’t to scale.
Lower than usual for that point in your cycle
Your estradiol is below Labcorp’s range for the phase you picked.1 If your periods are regular, check the timing first: estradiol changes fast around ovulation, so being a day or two off can put you in a different phase.1 If your periods are irregular or have stopped, it can mean low estrogen, and FSH tells the main causes apart. A high FSH means the ovaries have slowed down, as in premature ovarian insufficiency. A normal or low FSH points to the brain turning its signal down, as in hypothalamic amenorrhea, where estradiol is often under 30 pg/mL.1,2
Not a worry on its own if your periods are regular. If they’ve stopped for 3 months or more, and you’re not pregnant, see a clinician.2
- 1 If your periods are regular, recheck on days 2 to 4 of your next cycle, with FSH from the same draw.3
- 2 If they’re irregular or have stopped, ask about FSH, LH and prolactin. Clinicians also check your thyroid and rule out pregnancy first.2
- 3 Low estrogen over months or years is a risk to your bones, so it’s worth finding the cause.1
Typical for that point in your cycle
Your estradiol fits the phase you picked.1 On days 2 to 5, 60 to 79 pg/mL is a gray zone: ASRM flags levels above 60 to 80 when FSH is normal.3 On its own, it doesn’t tell you much more: estradiol isn’t a test of egg reserve, and one result can’t show whether you’re in perimenopause, because levels swing so much then.1,3
Nothing to worry about.
Normal on your report, but high for days 2 to 5
Labcorp won’t flag this, because its range covers the whole first half of the cycle.1 But in the first days of a cycle, estradiol should be low. ASRM, the US fertility society, says a level above 60 to 80 pg/mL on days 2 to 4 with a normal FSH may be a sign of a lower egg reserve: an early rise in estradiol is typical of ovarian aging, and it can pull a raised FSH back into the normal range.3 Estradiol alone shouldn’t be used to judge egg reserve.3
Not urgent. It matters mainly if you’re trying to get pregnant or planning to.
- 1 Look at the FSH from the same draw. If you didn’t have one, test both together on days 2 to 4.3
- 2 Ask about AMH. It’s a more sensitive test of egg reserve and barely changes across the cycle.3
- 3 If you may have tested later than day 5, a higher level is expected.1
Higher than the lab’s range for that point in your cycle
Estradiol climbs fast in the 2 to 3 days before ovulation, so a guess about where you are in your cycle can easily be off.1 Pregnancy raises it: in the first trimester, it runs from 215 to over 4,300 pg/mL.1 So do fertility drugs that stimulate the ovaries, estrogen medicines and the swings of perimenopause.1 Early in the cycle, a high estradiol can also hide a raised FSH.3
Usually not a worry. Worth a repeat if it doesn’t fit your timing.
- 1 If there’s any chance you’re pregnant, take a pregnancy test.
- 2 Recheck on days 2 to 4 of your next cycle, with FSH from the same draw.3
- 3 If you take estrogen or other hormones, these ranges don’t apply.4
Typical for after menopause
Your estradiol is in Labcorp’s range for after menopause. Once periods stop, the ovaries make very little, and much of what’s left is made in body fat.1 The standard test isn’t precise at levels this low, so small differences don’t mean much.1
Nothing to worry about.
Higher than expected after menopause
If your periods stopped recently, you may still be in the menopause transition, when estradiol can swing back up.1,5 Estrogen medicines raise it, and extra body fat makes more of it. Fulvestrant, a breast cancer drug, can make this test read falsely high.1 Rarely, a tumor that makes estrogen is the cause.1 Over time, too much estrogen may raise the risk of breast and uterine cancer, so it’s worth finding the reason.1
Not urgent, but worth checking.
- 1 Repeat it on Labcorp’s sensitive LC-MS test, which it recommends after menopause, with FSH.1
- 2 If your last period was less than a year ago, you may not be past menopause yet.4
- 3 Tell your clinician about any estrogen, supplements or breast cancer treatment you take.
- 4 If you have any vaginal bleeding after menopause, see a clinician promptly.
Low for a man
Men make estradiol from testosterone, so a low level often goes with low testosterone.1 It matters for men’s bones; in older men, low estradiol is linked to faster bone loss and more fractures.1 The standard test isn’t accurate at levels this low, so confirm it on the sensitive LC-MS test first.1
Not urgent. Confirm it before acting on it.
- 1 Retest on the sensitive LC-MS test, with total testosterone.1
- 2 If your testosterone is low too, see a clinician. LH shows whether the problem starts in the testes or the brain.9
Typical for a man
Your estradiol is in Labcorp’s range for men.1 Labcorp prefers its sensitive LC-MS test for men, so if you track estradiol over time, stick with one method.1
Nothing to worry about.
- 1 No action needed for estradiol itself.
- 2 If you’re about to start testosterone and have breast swelling or tenderness, US urology guidelines suggest seeing an endocrinologist if estradiol is over 40 pg/mL.9
High for a man
Causes include extra weight, which turns more testosterone into estradiol, liver disease, estrogen medicines and, rarely, a tumor of the testes or one that makes hCG.1 Testosterone treatment often raises it too, but breast symptoms on treatment are uncommon.9 Labcorp prefers its sensitive LC-MS test for men, so confirm a high result on it.1
Not urgent on its own. See a clinician soon if you have new, painful breast swelling or a lump in a testicle.
- 1 Confirm it on the sensitive LC-MS test, with testosterone.1
- 2 If you have breast swelling or tenderness and are about to start testosterone, US urology guidelines advise seeing an endocrinologist when estradiol is over 40 pg/mL.9
- 3 Don’t start a drug to block estrogen because of the number alone. US urology guidelines list aromatase inhibitors only as a conditional option, for men with low testosterone who want to stay fertile.9,11
What is a normal estradiol level?
There’s no single normal estradiol. It depends on where you are in your cycle, whether you’ve been through menopause and whether you’re a man or a woman. Labcorp’s standard test uses these ranges:1
Lower than usual for that point in your cycle
Your estradiol is below Labcorp’s range for the phase you picked.1 If your periods are regular, check the timing first: estradiol changes fast around ovulation, so being a day or two off can put you in a different phase.1 If your periods are irregular or have stopped, it can mean low estrogen, and FSH tells the main causes apart. A high FSH means the ovaries have slowed down, as in premature ovarian insufficiency. A normal or low FSH points to the brain turning its signal down, as in hypothalamic amenorrhea, where estradiol is often under 30 pg/mL.1,2
Not a worry on its own if your periods are regular. If they’ve stopped for 3 months or more, and you’re not pregnant, see a clinician.2
- 1 If your periods are regular, recheck on days 2 to 4 of your next cycle, with FSH from the same draw.3
- 2 If they’re irregular or have stopped, ask about FSH, LH and prolactin. Clinicians also check your thyroid and rule out pregnancy first.2
- 3 Low estrogen over months or years is a risk to your bones, so it’s worth finding the cause.1
Typical for that point in your cycle
Your estradiol fits the phase you picked.1 On days 2 to 5, 60 to 79 pg/mL is a gray zone: ASRM flags levels above 60 to 80 when FSH is normal.3 On its own, it doesn’t tell you much more: estradiol isn’t a test of egg reserve, and one result can’t show whether you’re in perimenopause, because levels swing so much then.1,3
Nothing to worry about.
Higher than the lab’s range for that point in your cycle
Estradiol climbs fast in the 2 to 3 days before ovulation, so a guess about where you are in your cycle can easily be off.1 Pregnancy raises it: in the first trimester, it runs from 215 to over 4,300 pg/mL.1 So do fertility drugs that stimulate the ovaries, estrogen medicines and the swings of perimenopause.1 Early in the cycle, a high estradiol can also hide a raised FSH.3
Usually not a worry. Worth a repeat if it doesn’t fit your timing.
Typical for after menopause
Your estradiol is in Labcorp’s range for after menopause. Once periods stop, the ovaries make very little, and much of what’s left is made in body fat.1 The standard test isn’t precise at levels this low, so small differences don’t mean much.1
Nothing to worry about.
Higher than expected after menopause
If your periods stopped recently, you may still be in the menopause transition, when estradiol can swing back up.1,5 Estrogen medicines raise it, and extra body fat makes more of it. Fulvestrant, a breast cancer drug, can make this test read falsely high.1 Rarely, a tumor that makes estrogen is the cause.1 Over time, too much estrogen may raise the risk of breast and uterine cancer, so it’s worth finding the reason.1
Not urgent, but worth checking.
- 1 Repeat it on Labcorp’s sensitive LC-MS test, which it recommends after menopause, with FSH.1
- 2 If your last period was less than a year ago, you may not be past menopause yet.4
- 3 Tell your clinician about any estrogen, supplements or breast cancer treatment you take.
- 4 If you have any vaginal bleeding after menopause, see a clinician promptly.
Low for a man
Men make estradiol from testosterone, so a low level often goes with low testosterone.1 It matters for men’s bones; in older men, low estradiol is linked to faster bone loss and more fractures.1 The standard test isn’t accurate at levels this low, so confirm it on the sensitive LC-MS test first.1
Not urgent. Confirm it before acting on it.
Typical for a man
Your estradiol is in Labcorp’s range for men.1 Labcorp prefers its sensitive LC-MS test for men, so if you track estradiol over time, stick with one method.1
Nothing to worry about.
- 1 No action needed for estradiol itself.
- 2 If you’re about to start testosterone and have breast swelling or tenderness, US urology guidelines suggest seeing an endocrinologist if estradiol is over 40 pg/mL.9
High for a man
Causes include extra weight, which turns more testosterone into estradiol, liver disease, estrogen medicines and, rarely, a tumor of the testes or one that makes hCG.1 Testosterone treatment often raises it too, but breast symptoms on treatment are uncommon.9 Labcorp prefers its sensitive LC-MS test for men, so confirm a high result on it.1
Not urgent on its own. See a clinician soon if you have new, painful breast swelling or a lump in a testicle.
- 1 Confirm it on the sensitive LC-MS test, with testosterone.1
- 2 If you have breast swelling or tenderness and are about to start testosterone, US urology guidelines advise seeing an endocrinologist when estradiol is over 40 pg/mL.9
- 3 Don’t start a drug to block estrogen because of the number alone. US urology guidelines list aromatase inhibitors only as a conditional option, for men with low testosterone who want to stay fertile.9,11
What is estradiol?
Think of your ovaries and brain as a heating system with a thermostat. Estradiol is the temperature reading: when it’s low, the brain turns up FSH to push the ovaries harder. That’s why estradiol and FSH are read together.3
Estradiol, or E2, is the main estrogen before menopause, and the strongest. The ovaries make most of it. Men make a smaller amount from testosterone, in the testes and in body fat.1
It runs the menstrual cycle and keeps the breasts, uterus and bones healthy. After menopause, the ovaries make very little, and a weaker estrogen, estrone, becomes the main one.1
How does estradiol change across your cycle and your life?
Estradiol is lowest in the first days of your period. It rises slowly, then fast in the 2 to 3 days before ovulation, and that peak sets off the LH surge that releases an egg. It dips at ovulation, rises again in the second half of the cycle, then falls back before your next period.1
| When | Labcorp’s range (pg/mL) |
|---|---|
| First half of the cycle (follicular) | 12.5 to 166 |
| Around ovulation | 85.8 to 498 |
| Second half of the cycle (luteal) | 43.8 to 211 |
| After menopause | Up to 54.7 |
| First trimester of pregnancy | 215 to over 4,300 |
| Men | 7.6 to 42.6 |
From Labcorp’s standard test.1 ASRM, the US fertility society, describes typical levels as often 30 to 50 pg/mL early in the cycle and 150 to 300 at the peak before ovulation.2
In the years before your last period, estradiol swings widely. In one large US study, it was higher in the 5.5 years before menopause than in earlier years in 45% of women.5 It falls over the 2 years either side of the last period, then settles at a low level.1
Do you need an estradiol test for menopause?
Usually not. If you’re 45 or over and have symptoms, NICE, the UK guideline body, says perimenopause and menopause should be recognized from your symptoms and periods, without blood tests, and specifically not with estradiol.4 The International Menopause Society also treats blood tests as supporting evidence only, used mainly when periods can’t guide staging.5
One estradiol result can’t place you, because in the menopause transition levels overlap with those of a normal cycle.1 If you’re under 45 and a clinician is checking, FSH is the main test,4 and European endocrinologists advise measuring estradiol from the same draw to help read it.10
What raises or lowers estradiol?
Higher estradiol:
- The days before ovulation, the second half of the cycle and pregnancy1
- The swings of perimenopause1,5
- Estrogen medicines1
- In men: extra weight, liver disease, testosterone treatment and, rarely, tumors1,9
Lower estradiol:
- Menopause1
- Premature ovarian insufficiency, when the ovaries slow down before 402,4
- Under-eating, heavy exercise, severe stress and drug or alcohol misuse, which can turn down the brain’s signal to the ovaries1,2
- Medicines that suppress estrogen, such as GnRH analogs and aromatase inhibitors1
- In men, low testosterone1
Fulvestrant, a breast cancer drug, can make the standard test read falsely high, so Labcorp advises ordering its LC-MS test instead.1 Results from different methods can’t be compared, so if you’re tracking estradiol, use the same test each time.1
Is hormone therapy safe now?
US guidance has shifted toward it for hot flashes and night sweats. In October 2026, ACOG, the US obstetricians’ college, strongly recommended hormone therapy for these symptoms in people with no medical reason to avoid hormones, started before 60 or within 10 years of menopause.8 The choice still depends on your own risks of heart disease, breast cancer and blood clots, which a clinician weighs with you.8
The labels are changing too. In November 2025, FDA asked makers to take heart disease, breast cancer and dementia out of the boxed warning on menopause hormone therapy. For treatments that act on the whole body, such as pills, patches and gels, the boxed warning about cancer of the womb lining stays on estrogen-only products, and the heart and breast cancer warnings stay inside the label.6 FDA approved the first six updated labels in February 2026, after 29 companies had submitted changes, so the leaflet with yours may still show the old box.7
If you’d rather not take hormones, or can’t, ACOG also strongly recommends two other kinds of medicine: SSRI or SNRI antidepressants and the newer neurokinin receptor blockers, fezolinetant and elinzanetant.8 Fezolinetant carries a boxed warning about liver injury, and both need liver blood tests before and during treatment.8
Estradiol in men
Men need estradiol too. It’s made from testosterone, in the testes and in body fat, and it helps keep bones strong. In older men, low levels are linked to faster bone loss and more fractures.1
Estradiol often rises on testosterone treatment, along with testosterone. US urology guidelines advise, based on expert opinion, measuring it before treatment if you have breast swelling or tenderness, and seeing an endocrinologist if it’s high at that point.9 For men, Labcorp recommends its sensitive LC-MS test over the standard one.1
Who should get an estradiol test?
It’s worth checking if any of these apply to you:
- Your periods have become irregular or stopped, and you’re not pregnant.2
- You’re having a fertility check. Test on days 2 to 4 of your cycle, with FSH.3
- You’re under 45 with menopause symptoms and having FSH checked.4,10
- You’re a man with breast swelling or tenderness, about to start testosterone.9
If you’re 45 or over with typical menopause symptoms, it isn’t needed to diagnose menopause.4 On hormone therapy, your symptoms guide the dose, but a test can help if they aren’t controlled.5
How to get an estradiol test, and what it costs
An estradiol test costs $8.00 through Picardo. The Fertility panel adds 21 more tests from the same visit for $429.45.
Fertility panel
Estradiol is read alongside FSH. The panel adds FSH, LH and AMH from the same draw, plus androgens, thyroid, blood sugar and the immunity and infection checks done before pregnancy. See what’s in it
Estradiol on its own
Only the number this page is about.
- Results in 2 to 3 days, in the app
- Physician follow-up if you want one
- Free Labcorp draw, or $75 at home
- No other fees. HSA and FSA eligible.
It’s also part of the Base Core Annual – Women panel, if you want a wider checkup.
Already have a result? Ask Picardo about itQuestions people ask
Why is my estradiol high on day 3?
Early in the cycle, estradiol is usually low, often 30 to 50 pg/mL.2 Above 60 to 80, with a normal FSH, can be a sign of a lower egg reserve, because an early estradiol rise pushes FSH down into the normal range.3 It can also simply mean you were further into your cycle than you thought.1 AMH is the better test of egg reserve.3
Can stress or exercise lower estradiol?
Yes. Under-eating, heavy training and severe stress can turn down the brain’s signal to the ovaries. Periods stop and estradiol falls, often below 30 pg/mL, while FSH and LH stay normal or low. This is called hypothalamic amenorrhea.1,2
What should my estradiol be on hormone therapy?
Guidelines don’t set a target level, and the International Menopause Society generally doesn’t recommend routine blood tests to set the dose; your symptoms guide it. A test may help if your symptoms aren’t controlled, side effects persist or your menopause came early.5
Is the sensitive estradiol test better?
For men, after menopause and on breast cancer treatment, yes. Labcorp’s standard test is built for women in their reproductive years, when levels are high. At low levels, Labcorp recommends its LC-MS test, which is more sensitive and less thrown by other hormones. The two use different ranges, so don’t compare results across them.1
Should men on testosterone take something to lower estradiol?
Not because of the number alone. Estradiol often rises on testosterone, but breast symptoms are uncommon, and when they appear they sometimes settle with time.9 US urology guidelines list aromatase inhibitors, which block estradiol production, only as a conditional option for men with low testosterone who want to stay fertile.9,11
Often checked alongside
Test details
- Labcorp test
- Estradiol, 004515
- LOINC
- 2243-4
- Sample
- Blood
- Fasting
- Not needed
- Typical lab range
- 12.5 to 166.0 pg/mL (follicular); 85.8 to 498.0 (ovulation); 43.8 to 211.0 (luteal); <6.0 to 54.7 (postmenopausal); 7.6 to 42.6 (men)1
- Units
- pg/mL in the US. For pmol/L, multiply by 3.671.
- Best time to test
- Days 2 to 4 of your cycle for a fertility check, with FSH from the same draw.3
- Before the test
- If you take high-dose biotin, stop at least 72 hours before.1
Sources
- 1 Labcorp. Estradiol, test 004515. Labcorp test menu. Accessed October 28, 2026. www.labcorp.com/tests/004515/estradiol
- 2 Practice Committee of the American Society for Reproductive Medicine. Current evaluation of amenorrhea: a committee opinion. Fertil Steril. 2024;122(1):52–61. doi.org/10.1016/j.fertnstert.2024.02.001
- 3 Practice Committee of the American Society for Reproductive Medicine. Testing and interpreting measures of ovarian reserve: a committee opinion. Fertil Steril. 2020;114(6):1151–1157. doi.org/10.1016/j.fertnstert.2020.09.134
- 4 National Institute for Health and Care Excellence. Menopause: identification and management. NICE guideline NG23. Published November 12, 2015; updated April 15, 2026. www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng23
- 5 International Menopause Society. IMS recommendations and key messages on women’s midlife health and menopause: full document. 2026. Summary in: Panay N, Fenton A, Hamoda H, et al. Climacteric. 2025;28(6):634–656; correction in: Climacteric. 2026;29(2):318–320. Accessed October 28, 2026. www.imsociety.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/IMS-Recommendations-Full-Document.pdf
- 6 U.S. Food and Drug Administration. FDA requests labeling changes related to safety information to clarify the benefit/risk considerations for menopausal hormone therapies. November 10, 2025. www.fda.gov/drugs/drug-alerts-and-statements/fda-requests-labeling-changes-related-safety-information-clarify-benefitrisk-considerations
- 7 U.S. Food and Drug Administration. FDA approves labeling changes to menopausal hormone therapy products [press release]. February 12, 2026. www.fda.gov/news-events/press-announcements/fda-approves-labeling-changes-menopausal-hormone-therapy-products
- 8 American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists’ Committee on Clinical Practice Guidelines–Gynecology. Management of menopause-related vasomotor, sleep, and mood symptoms: ACOG Clinical Practice Guideline No. 13. Obstet Gynecol. 2026;148(5):e345–e369. doi.org/10.1097/AOG.0000000000006428
- 9 Mulhall JP, Trost LW, Brannigan RE, et al. Evaluation and management of testosterone deficiency: AUA guideline. J Urol. 2018;200(2):423–432. Reviewed and validity confirmed 2024. doi.org/10.1016/j.juro.2018.03.115
- 10 Lumsden MA, Dekkers OM, Faubion SS, et al. European Society of Endocrinology clinical practice guideline for evaluation and management of menopause and the perimenopause. Eur J Endocrinol. 2025;193(4):G49–G81. doi.org/10.1093/ejendo/lvaf206
- 11 Schlegel PN, Sigman M, Collura B, et al. Diagnosis and treatment of infertility in men: AUA/ASRM guideline (2020; amended 2024). Linthicum, MD: American Urological Association; 2024. www.auanet.org/documents/Guidelines/PDF/2024%20Guidelines/Male%20Infertility%20Unabridged%20Final.pdf
Updated 28 Oct 2026.
This is general health information, not medical advice: talk to your clinician about your results and before changing any treatment.