Estrogen dominance can be compared to a traffic jam, where the hormone estrogen is like the cars on the road. Normally, other hormones like progesterone act as traffic police, regulating the flow of estrogen and keeping it in balance. But in estrogen dominance, the levels of estrogen are high and there is not enough progesterone to regulate it, leading to a buildup or “traffic jam” of estrogen in the body.
In today’s video, I’ll be sharing 7 common signs of estrogen dominance and how to naturally rebalance your hormones so be sure to stay to the end!
To better understand what estrogen dominance signs are, it’s helpful to understand what estrogen is.
Estrogen is a term used collectively to describe Estradiol, Estrone and Estriol. Three types of hormones, with estradiol being the biggest player for women pre menopause. This is the type of estrogen I look for in the functional medicine labs I run for clients.
The number one reason for estrogen dominance IS low levels of progesterone. These two hormones need to be in the correct ratio. . You can have normal or even low levels of estrogen, but, if progesterone is low then you’ll have estrogen dominance symptoms. Many things can lower progesterone including chronic stress, gut microbiome imbalances, heavy metals, toxins, parasites and even past trauma.
Common Signs of Estrogen Dominance
1. Weight Gain
Have you had unexplained weight gain? Estrogen dominance can cause weight gain around the abdomen, hips, thighs and butt. These fat cells can then produce more estrogen.
2. Sleep Issues
Estrogen dominance can make it hard to fall asleep and stay asleep by stimulating the nervous system. Excess estrogen can also cause the body to underproduce melatonin which is necessary for preparing your body to sleep.Â
3. Low Libido
Estrogen dominance can cause a lowering of sex drive for a number of reasons including, vaginal dryness, bloating, fatigue and mood swings.
4. Fertility Issues
Estrogen dominance can sometimes cause ovulation to not occur. This is called an anovulatory cycle. The body needs estrogen as well as progesterone to complete a successful cycle. When an anovulatory cycle occurs, progesterone won’t increase as it should which also shows up as estrogen dominance.
5. Brain Fog
When estrogen levels are out of balance with progesterone, you may begin to experience difficulty concentrating and forgetfulness. This can happen when estrogen levels are too low or too high.
6. Mood Swings
Feeling depressed, anxious or having mood swings are all signs of estrogen dominance. If your doctor is unfamiliar with this effect of estrogen dominance, you may be mistakenly prescribed an antidepressant or anti-anxiety pharmaceutical.
7. Hair Loss
For some women, estrogen dominance can lead to hair loss because of a gene variation that affects the functioning of an enzyme that processes estrogen. This type of hair loss is referred to as female pattern baldness which includes a recession of the hair line.
How do you reduce estrogen dominance?
While it’s important to run functional medicine labs to better understand what your body is doing, if you suspect estrogen dominance there are several steps you can start taking today to get it back into balance.
Exercise for Estrogen Dominance
Exercise helps to break down excess estradiol so your body has an easier time of getting rid of it. Additionally, maintaining a healthy weight and building muscle helps promote healthy and balanced hormone production. While some amount of body fat is necessary for hormone balance, too much body fat can increase estrogen production.
Eating Plenty of Low Glycemic Veggies (for Estrogen Dominance)
Plant based foods help our bodies to break down excess hormones which helps create balance. Plant based foods high in fiber and indoles (found in cruciferous veggies) help support this. Broccoli sprouts are a great source of indoles and are easy to grow. Be sure not to ditch protein though! You need this for energy!
Detox Your Bath and Body Care (for Estrogen Dominance)
Estrogen disruptors are found in most common, big brand, bath and body products unfortunately. One of these categories, called xenoestrogens, are very common in fragrances, lotions, shampoos and more. You can learn all about how to detox your bath and body care products here.
Supplements for Estrogen Dominance
There are three supplements that I love to recommend for clients who have tested positive for estrogen dominance.
DIM is also found naturally in broccoli sprouts!
Calcium D-Glucarate is a great option if you don’t tolerate DIM. You can read all about this supplement in this article.
Iodine helps to balance the ratio of estriol to estradiol. It’s very anti-cancer and it cleans out fo the receptors for estrogen. A good source of iodine is sea kelp – but be sure to get it from a clean source such as organic icelandic sea kelp.
As always, I recommend functional medicine testing to confirm hormone imbalances before supplementation. I have a fantastic lab I use with my clients and if you’re interested in learning more, just leave a comment below. That said, exercising, eating plenty of vegetables and detoxing your bath and body products are good first steps for nearly everyone who wants to rebalance their hormones.
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Disclaimer: The information provided is for educational purposes only and does not constitute diagnosis or treatment of any disease.
