A physiological in vivo increase of plasma free fatty acid concentration after an overnight fast was found to be accompanied by a rise of the non-protein bound estradiol fraction. A similar increase was observed after lipase activation by the i.v. injection of 500 IU heparin in 5 healthy non-fasting subjects. In vitro studies showed a direct relationship between non-protein bound estradiol and the concentration of linoleate, linolenate, and arachidonate both in undiluted serum and in Ringer's solution containing human serum albumin (45 g/liter). Moreover, the estradiol sex hormone binding globulin complex bound to a solid concanavalin A-Sepharose matrix was markedly dissociated by oleate and even more by linoleate, linolenate, or arachidonate. These results suggest that physiological diurnal elevations in plasma free fatty acids which are amplified by high fat consumption, obesity, and stress may imply major proportional increases of available estradiol, exerting a promotional effect on breast and endometrial cancer over the years.