Male lifespan extension with 17-α estradiol is linked to a sex-specific metabolomic response modulated by gonadal hormones in mice

Researchers studied aging male and female mice given 17-alpha estradiol, a form of the hormone estrogen. They measured many small chemicals in the animals’ bodies, a process called metabolomics, which shows how the body is using energy and nutrients. The treatment changed the males’ chemical patterns in ways linked with longer lifespan. These changes differed between males and females and depended on whether the mice still had their reproductive glands, such as the testes or ovaries. This was a mouse study, so it does not directly show that the treatment extends human life.

What this means for you: This does not provide a reason for people to buy or use estrogen-related products. The treatment’s benefits and risks in humans are unknown, and the study did not prove which body changes caused the longer lifespan.