What is Estrogen Dominance?
Estrogen dominance is a condition in which there is too much estrogen in the body. It results from a combination of factors that lead to an imbalance between its production, breakdown, and elimination.
Obesity can contribute to excess production of estrogen because fat cells are an additional source of estrogen production. Factors like inadequate nutrition that is deficient in vitamins and minerals needed for estrogen metabolism can lead to impaired breakdown of estrogen. Liver function also plays a key role in the metabolism of estrogen. When liver function is compromised by things like excessive alcohol consumption or fatty liver disease, its ability to detoxify from excessive estrogen can be affected. Adding to the build up of estrogen can be things like constipation and dysbiosis of gut bacteria. These both impact the elimination of estrogen from the body.
Environmental exposure to things like plastics, parabens found in many cosmetics, and artificial fragrances can also contribute to the effect of estrogen in the body by mimicking estrogen and stimulating estrogen receptors. These environmental chemicals are called endocrine disruptors because they disrupt the normal functioning of estrogen in the body.
Finally, imbalances of other hormones in the body can also contribute to estrogen dominance. Low thyroid function as well as insulin resistance can be partly responsible for estrogen imbalances.
How do I know if I have it?
There is a wide range of symptoms that can be related to or caused by estrogen imbalance.
Reproductive Health Symptoms:
Decreased libido/sex drive
Breast tenderness or breast fullness
Problems with fertility
Changes to your menstrual cycle
Digestive System Symptoms:
Weight gain (especially in the hips/thigh/butt region)
Bloating
Changes to your bowel movements
Other Symptoms:
Reduced energy or fatigue
Changes to your mood
Change in sleep quality
Hair loss, brittle or thinning
Water retention especially in the hands/feet and face
Other hormone imbalances such as low testosterone and thyroid disease
The best way to know if you have an estrogen imbalance is through testing. The DUTCH test(Dried Urine Test for Comprehensive Hormones) is the test I recommend to evaluate hormone imbalances because it is the most comprehensive. Instead of reporting estrogen as a single number as with serum testing, it breaks down estrogen into three estrogen metabolites, 2-OH estrone, 4-OH estrone, and 16-OH estrone. This is important to know because if 4-OH estrone levels are too high it can damage DNA and lead to an increased risk of certain cancers. Knowing this information helps me to make recommendations that will encourage the metabolism of estrogen toward the more favorable 2-OH estrone metabolite.
The DUTCH test also measures melatonin, progesterone, testosterone, and cortisol levels throughout the day. Having a comprehensive look at all these hormones allows me to better understand how they are affecting one another and how to bring them back into balance.
In addition, the DUTCH test measures a selection of organic acids. These chemical compounds are products of metabolism and serve as markers for vitamin and mineral levels, oxidative stress, and neurotransmitter levels. They can also aide in the evaluation of intestinal yeast and bacteria balance.
How to Balance Estrogen Naturally
After a comprehensive health assessment is completed and you know that estrogen dominance is at the root of the symptoms you are experiencing, there are a variety of natural interventions to help bring estrogen back into balance.
LIFESTYLE INTERVENTIONS
Eat a whole food, mostly organic diet.
Exercise regularly
Limiting alcohol and caffeine intake
Eating fermented foods daily
Support detoxification and elimination: for example use a sauna for therapeutic sweating
Limit Xenoestrogen and Endocrine Disruptor exposure
Maintain a healthy weight
Manage Stress : Red Light Therapy, Biofeedback, meditation
Get high quality and adequate sleep
NATURAL SUPPLEMENTS
To Support Healthy Metabolism of Estrogen
Methylation support: magnesium, vitamin B6, vitamin B12, methylated folate ect.
DIM or I3C: help reduce more potent estrogen metabolites
Sulforaphane: protect DNA against harmful effects of the estrogen metabolite, 4-OH estrone
Eat phytoestrogens like soy and red clover tea: to modulate the action of estrogen in the body on a cellular level
Promote Progesterone as counterbalance to Estrogen
Bioidentical progesterone: to bring the estrogen/progesterone ratio back into balance
GLA: helps increase progesterone
Vitex/Chaste berry: an herb that helps increase progesterone production
Support detoxification and elimination of excess estrogen
Calcium-D-glucarate: to assist in elimination of excess estrogens from colon
5R protocol to establish a healthy gut microbiome that is critical for estrogen elimination
Liver detoxification support: first phase of detoxification of estrogen occurs in the liver
Ready to Get Answers?
If you suspect that estrogen dominance is preventing you from feeling your best, call Whole Health Wellness Center today and ask for an appointment with me for a comprehensive assessment and personalized treatment plan.
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