What is Estrogen Dominance and How Does it Affect Your Health?
Estrogen dominance is a condition in which a woman has deficient, normal or excessive estrogen, but has little or no progesterone to balance its effects in the body. In fact, even a woman with very low estrogen levels can have have estrogen dominance symptoms if she doesn’t have enough progesterone.
Our bodies naturally produce estrogen that does eventually decrease with age, but excess estrogen can be absorbed into the body from many external sources.
Xenoestrogens AKA “Bad Estrogen”
This estrogen is sometimes referred to as “bad estrogen,” as it is different from the estrogen that the body naturally produces, and it disrupts our endocrine system to produce some not so fun symptoms and conditions. Xenoestrogens are foreign estrogens that are different in the molecular structure of natural estrogen but can act like estrogen in the body of both men and women. Xenoestrogens are found in many industrial, agricultural and chemical products, foods, drugs, cosmetics, insecticides, herbicides, plastics, oils, paints, adhesives. They’re even in our tap water. Thus, estrogen dominance is very common, especially if your progesterone is too low to keep your body in balance, or if your detoxification pathways are not clear to remove the excess estrogen from your body. More on progesterone and detox pathways below, but let\’s get to the symptoms of estrogen dominance.
How Does Estrogen Dominance Affect Your Health?
As you can see from the list below, there are so many symptoms of estrogen dominance that it is of utmost importance to test your hormone levels.
- Acceleration of the aging process
- Allergies, including asthma, hives, rashes, sinus congestion
- Autoimmune disorders such as lupus erythematosis, thyroiditis,and Sjoegren’s
- Breast cancer
- Breast tenderness
- Cervical dysplasia
- Cold hands and feet as a symptom of thyroid dysfunction
- Copper excess
- Decreased sex drive
- Depression with anxiety or agitation
- Dry eyes
- Early onset of menstruation
- Endometrial (uterine) cancer
- Fat gain, especially around the abdomen, hips and thighs
- Fatigue
- Fibrocystic breasts
- Foggy thinking
- Gallbladder disease
- Hair Loss
- Headaches
- Hypoglycemia
- Increased blood clotting (increasing risk of strokes)
Infertility - Irregular menstrual periods
- Irritability
- Insomnia
- Magnesium deficiency
- Memory loss
- Mood swings
- Osteoporosis
- Polycystic ovaries
- Premenopausal bone loss
- PMS
- Sluggish metabolism
- Thyroid dysfunction mimicking hypothyroidism
- Uterine cancer
- Uterine fibroids
- Water retention & bloating
- Zinc deficiency
When Estrogen Dominance occurs within the body these are some of the results:
- Endometriosis
- Blood Clots
- Elevated Blood Pressure
- Fibroid Breasts
- Infertility
- Irregular Menstrual Flow
- Uterine Fibroids
- Breast Tenderness
- Mood Swings
- Uterine Cancer
- Hair Loss
- Depression
- Weight Gain
- Migraine Headaches
- Spotting
- Breast Cancer Risk
- Insomnia
- Inflammation
- Abnormal Pap Smears
- Fluid Retention
- Cramping
- Vaginal Dryness
- Thyroid Imbalances
- Decrease in Memory
- Low or No Sex Drive
How To Treat Estrogen Dominance
Because estrogen dominance is a matter of ratio (estrogen\’s relation to your other sex hormones), supplementing with progesterone is definitely a way to counteract some of these symptoms. However, taking a functional approach to this imbalance is the most optimal way to counteract estrogen dominance. In many cases, hormone supplementation is not necessary at all.
1. Reduce Exposure to Xenoestrogens: One of the most important things you can do on your own is to try and avoid Xenoestrogens in your daily life. Drinking filtered water, choosing “BPA-Free” products (BPA is a common chemical found in plastics), using “Paraben, Phthalate, and Benzophenone-Free\” personal care products, and avoiding processed and pre-packaged foods are a good start.
2. Quit Birth Control Pills: While the pill is an effective form of birth control, it can actually also lead to estrogen dominance–even long after you\’ve stopped taking them. Therefore, quitting the pill and using a different form of birth control is suggested to help with estrogen dominance.
3. Support Your Gut: Your body eliminates excess estrogen through the digestive system. But, excess estrogen can actually slow down your gut function. When your gut is slow to move these estrogens from your body, the estrogen can be reabsorbed back into the body, causing a vicious cycle of constipation and symptoms.
4. Eat an Organic/Dairy-Free Diet: Try to eliminate all foods from your diet that contain hidden estrogens. This includes conventional meat, dairy products, and produce. Opt for grass-fed, pasture-raised, and organic foods whenever possible. This will help you avoid added hormones, pesticides, and fertilizers used in conventional farming methods.
5. Filter Your Water: This is worth repeating. Due to pollution and pesticide runoff, hormone-disruptors are rampant in our water supply. It is always best to drink filtered water than tap water.
6. Ditch the Plastic: This is also worth repeating! 😉 Use glass whenever possible. Glass water bottles and food storage containers are not only good for the environment, but they help to reduce your exposure to harmful chemicals like BPA found in plastics.
6. Clear Your Detoxification Pathways: You can read more about your detoxification pathways here, but simply put, your liver plays an important part in your elimination processes. When it becomes burdened with toxins (including xenoestrogens), your liver does not function optimally to remove these toxins from the body.
Ways to Clear Your Detox Pathways:
Infrared saunas and our HOCATT Ozone Sauna (with far infrared technology and so much more!) are two incredible ways to help clear these pathways. Click here to read more about infrared technology.
Vitamins, minerals, and other substances can help to keep our detox pathways in the liver clear, allowing for optimal elimination. Supplements like milk thistle, dandelion root tea, dandelion greens, glutathione, and calcium d-glucarate support the liver and help get rid of excess estrogen and all the other day-to-day toxins we are exposed to.
Below are just some of the supplements I recommend for estrogen dominance. As with any of my recommendations, supplements should be started under the supervision of your physician. Call today to book a consult at Tringali Vibrant Health today: 561-283-1166
Vibrant CDG Estrodim
- Supports Estrogen Balance*
- Supports Proper Estrogen Metabolism for Women and Men*
- Improves Estrogen Detoxification Pathways and Hormone Excretion*
- Provides Cellular Antioxidant Support for DNA Stability*
Hormone Protect from Xymogen
- Supports Healthy Estrogen Metabolism*
- Supports a Healthy Ratio of 2-OH:16alpha-OH*
- Supports Detoxification of Estrogen Metabolites/Intermediates*
- Supports Cellular Health in Estrogen-Sensitive Tissues*
- Helps Protect Against Damaging Reactive Oxygen Species, DNA-Damaging Electrophiles, and Cytokines
- Supports Antioxidant Activity with SGS*
Methyl Protect® from Xymogen
- Supports Cardiovascular and Neurological Health*
- Supports the Maintenance of Healthy Homocysteine Levels Already Within Normal Range*
- Supports Healthy Methylation of Estrogen, Dopamine, Epinephrine, Heavy Metals, and Environmental Toxins*
561-283-1166
Functional Medicine Expert and Founder of Tringali Vibrant Health
*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
