Estrogen Dominance

What is Estrogen Dominance?

Estrogen is an essential hormone that plays a central role in reproductive health, bone density, skin quality, mood regulation, and more. However, when estrogen levels are disproportionately high compared to other hormones - most notably progesterone - this can lead to what is known as estrogen dominance. Estrogen and progesterone should ideally work in harmony, but when estrogen becomes dominant, the balance is disrupted, leading to health concerns that can be acute or chronic. 

​

Estrogen dominance is often associated with various lifestyle and environmental factors. Poor diet, exposure to endocrine disruptors, stress, and inadequate liver function are all contributing factors. While the liver is responsible for breaking down and eliminating excess estrogen, when it's burdened by toxins or unhealthy lifestyle habits, estrogen may accumulate, creating an overload in the body. 

 

Symptoms of Estrogen Dominance and Underlying Causes

• Heavy, Painful or Irregular Periods: High estrogen levels stimulate the lining of the uterus to thicken, leading to heavier menstrual bleeding. This can also result in more intense menstrual cramps as the body works to shed the thickened lining. Irregular cycles may also be a sign of hormone imbalance caused by excess estrogen. 

• Weight Gain, Particularly Around the Abdomen, Hips, and Thighs: Estrogen promotes fat storage, particularly in the abdominal and hip areas. When estrogen levels are out of balance, the body tends to store fat more readily, making weight management challenging. This weight gain is often accompanied by increased water retention and bloating, which can exacerbate feelings of sluggishness. 

• Breast Tenderness and Fibrocystic Breasts: Estrogen influences breast tissue growth and development. Elevated estrogen levels may result in breast tenderness and fibrocystic changes, causing lumps or cysts in the breasts. These symptoms are more common before menstruation, when estrogen levels naturally peak. 

• Mood Swings, Anxiety, and Irritability: Estrogen plays a role in serotonin regulation, a neurotransmitter that influences mood. Excessive estrogen can lead to erratic serotonin levels, contributing to mood swings, irritability, and anxiety. This can also create a cyclical effect where stress increases cortisol, which in turn exacerbates estrogen dominance. 

• Fatigue and Low Energy Levels: When estrogen is elevated, the adrenal glands often have to work hard to balance the body's stress response. This increased workload on the adrenal system can lead to chronic fatigue, particularly when combined with poor sleep, stress, and blood sugar imbalances. 

• Headaches and Migraines: Estrogen can have an excitatory effect on the central nervous system, particularly for those sensitive to fluctuations in hormone levels. Many people with estrogen dominance experience headaches and migraines, especially around menstruation when hormone levels shift most dramatically. 

• Low Libido: Hormonal imbalances, including estrogen dominance, can decrease libido. This often occurs alongside imbalances in testosterone and progesterone, which help regulate sexual desire and energy. lowered libido can be worsened by fatigue, anxiety, and other symptoms of estrogen dominance. 

• Increased PMS Symptoms: Excess estrogen may intensify PMS symptoms, including mood swings, bloating, fatigue, and irritability. This is due to the imbalance between estrogen and progesterone, as progesterone naturally has calming effects and balances estrogen's excitatory actions. 

​

Naturopathic Strategies for Managing Estrogen Dominance 

Addressing estrogen dominance from a naturopathic perspective involves a holistic, multi-faceted approach targeting diet, lifestyle, stress management, and specific herbal and nutritional therapies to restore balance and improve well-being. 

Liver Support for Hormone Metabolism 

The liver plays a crucial role in metabolizing and eliminating excess estrogen. Supporting liver function is fundamental to managing estrogen dominance. 

• Cruciferous Vegetables: Foods life broccoli, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, and kale contain compounds that support estrogen detoxification in the liver. These vegetables are high in indole-3-carbinol and DIM, which helps metabolize estrogen more effectively. 

• Milk Thistle: This herb is a powerful liver detoxified, helping support liver function and hormone metabolism. It has protective effects on liver cells and aids in the breakdown of excess hormones. 

• Sulfur-Rich Foods: Garlic, onions, and eggs are high in sulfur, which is vital for liver detoxification pathways. These foods enhance the liver's ability to process and eliminate toxins and excess hormones. 

Nutritional Support to Balance Estrogen Levels

• B Vitamins: B vitamins, particularly B6, B12, and folate, support hormone metabolism and energy production. These vitamins help the liver process estrogen more effectively and are found in foods like leafy greens, nuts, and whole grains. 

• Magnesium: Magnesium aids in hormone balance, reduces PMS symptoms, and supports stress resilience. Dark leafy greens, nuts, seeds, and whole grains are excellent sources of magnesium, helping to calm the nervous system and support adrenal health. 

• Fiber: A diet high in fiber supports healthy elimination of excess estrogen through the digestive tract. Fiber-rich foods like flaxseeds, chia seeds, vegetables, and whole grains help bind estrogen int he gut and promote its excretion. 

Reduce Exposure to Xenoestrogens

Xenoestrogens are synthetic compounds that mimic estrogen in the body, commonly found in plastics, pesticides, and personal care products. Reducing exposure to these compounds is crucial for managing estrogen dominance. 

• Avoid Plastics: Replace plastic containers with glass or stainless steel, particularly for storing and heating foods, to avoid leaching of xenoestrogens. 

• Natural Personal Care Products: Many conventional beauty and skincare products contain parabens, phthalates, and other chemicals that disrupt hormonal balance. Switching to organic, non-toxic alternatives reduces exposure to these compounds. 

• Eat Organic Foods: Organic foods are free from synthetic pesticides, which can act as xenoestrogens and contribute to hormonal imbalance. 

Stress Management Techniques

Chronic stress can exacerbate estrogen dominance by disrupting hormone production and balance. Practicing stress management techniques is essential to restoring overall hormone health. Engaging in moderate exercise such as walking, weight lifting, or swimming, helps the body metabolize and reduce excess estrogen while managing stress. Aiming for 7-9 hours of sleep each night allows the body time to restore hormone balance and reduce cortisol levels, which can further disrupt estrogen-progesterone ratios. 

Acupuncture for Hormone Regulation 

Acupuncture is a traditional therapy that helps balance the endocrine system, reduce stress, and improve symptoms associated with estrogen dominance. By stimulating specific points, acupuncture can regulate the hypothalamic-pituitary-ovarian axis, improving hormone levels and alleviating symptoms like PMS, anxiety, and fatigue. Many find acupuncture an effective adjunctive treatment for overall hormonal health. 

​

Naturopathic Strategies for Managing Estrogen Dominance ​

Accurate diagnosis of estrogen dominance is critical for personalized treatment and effective symptoms relief. Diagnosis often begins with a thorough assessment of symptoms, lifestyle, and personal health history, followed by specific tests to measure hormone levels, these may include:

• Saliva Hormone Testing: Saliva tests are beneficial for assessing free, bioavailable hormone levels, particularly estrogen and progesterone, to determine the estrogen-to-progesterone ratio. 

• Urinary Hormone Metabolite Testing: Urine tests, such as Median Valley or DUTCH tests, measure estrogen metabolites to evaluate how well the body is metabolizing and excreting estrogen. These tests provide insight into liver function and pathways involved in estrogen breakdown. 

• Blood Tests: While less commonly used to diagnose estrogen dominance, blood tests may measure total estrogen and progesterone levels, particularly in cases with complex hormonal imbalances or to rule out other conditions. 

​

Through holistic naturopathic approaches, estrogen dominance can be managed effectively, empowering individuals to regain hormonal balance, reduce symptoms, and improve overall well-being. These comprehensive strategies address the root causes of estrogen dominance and work in harmony with the body's natural processes to promote vitality. Feel free to book a free discovery call to discuss next steps to becoming a patient.