Everything You Need To know About Estrogen Dominance (and how to fix it!)

Estrogen is a powerful hormone that plays an essential role in growth and development. It is responsible for the development of your breasts and hips at puberty, maintaining your the health of your bones, muscles, and skin throughout your life, and prepping a comfortable home (aka your uterus) if you are to conceive.

Can we give a round of applause for this incredible hormone?

And yet, when there is too much of a good thing, we start seeing issues and disruptive symptoms in the body.

10 Signs of High Estrogen

Hormones function like a symphony orchestra and must work together in balance to create the music that is our entire physiological well-being. When these hormones fall out of balance, or in this case, estrogen becomes out of sync with your other hormones, this imbalance is communicated through symptoms that you can see and feel in your body. These symptoms include:

• Painful Cramping

• PMS

• Chronic Fatigue

• Brain Fog

• Bloating

• Migraines

• Heavy Periods

• Large Blood Clots

• Tender Breasts

• Mood Swings

Although some of these symptoms may be more of a slight nuisance, unaddressed estrogen dominance can leave you at risk for debilitating periods, fibroids, ovarian cysts, and even precancerous growth.

Patterns of Estrogen Dominance

Although the term “Estrogen Dominance” seems to imply that there is merely too much estrogen in the body, there are actually 4 key patterns that can drive estrogen-dominant symptoms. This is because estrogen doesn’t exist in isolation, but rather must exist in balance with other hormones, especially progesterone.

This is because progesterone, a hormone that is primarily produced at ovulation, has opposite effects on the body. While estrogen increases water retention, slows thyroid function, and thickens the uterine lining, progesterone acts as a diuretic, stimulates thyroid function, and thins the uterine lining. That is why it these sister hormones must exist in balance for optimal hormone health.

• Pattern 1: High estrogen + normal progesterone

  In this pattern, we see high excess estrogen production with normal progesterone levels. The goal for someone who is experiencing this pattern of imbalance would be to lower estrogen levels.
  

• Pattern 2: High estrogen + low progesterone

  Similar to pattern 1, we see excess estrogen production. However, the fact that progesterone is also low can exacerbate estrogen-dominant symptoms. Someone who experiences pattern 2 may see more severe symptoms like heavy periods, PMS, and breast tenderness compared to someone with pattern 1.
  

• Pattern 3: Normal estrogen + low progesterone

  In this case, estrogen levels are in fact normal! However, the lack of adequate progesterone drives what is called relative estrogen dominance. In other words, estrogen is elevated relative to progesterone. In this case, the goal is to support optimal progesterone production, which would most likely involve supporting regular ovulation.
  

• Pattern 4: Normal estrogen + Normal progesterone + poor estrogen detox

  In pattern 4, all hormones seem within a normal range at first glance. However, after estrogen is produced, it must be properly eliminated from the body through the liver and the gut. If it is not properly detoxed, it can recirculate and reactivate, driving estrogen-dominant symptoms. Picture a bathroom sink. Even if the faucet is turned on at a relatively normal volume, a clogged drain will eventually lead to an overflowing sink. The same thing can occur with estrogen.

Three Phases Of Estrogen Detox

So how does this estrogen drainage system really work?

Well to make the nerdy stuff as simple as possible, estrogen is detoxed through 3 phases. Let’s walk through each of these phases and their role in ultimately clearing estrogen efficiently and effectively out of the body.

• Phase I: The CONVERT phase

  In Phase I, a process called hydroxylation occurs where the liver converts estrogen into a water-soluble state. This allows it to be more easily removed from the body.
  
  

• Phase II: The COMBINE phase

  In Phase II, a process called methylation occurs, which primarily occurs in the liver. I like to see this phase as a tagging system, much like how your luggage is tagged at the airport when you check in. This tagging system allows the body to know that your hormone metabolites (or waste products) are ready to move on to the third and final phase.
  
  

• Phase III: The CLEAR phase

  Finally, we reach phase III, the clearance phase. Through binding with bile, estrogen can then properly exit the body through the stool.

NOTE: A serum blood draw will only allow you to see your total hormone production of estrogen. That is why I use DUTCH testing which is a urine test that shows how well estrogen is being broken down through these 3 Phases.

If you’ve been told your estrogen is “normal” but are checking all the boxes of estrogen-dominant symptoms, it may be time to dive a little deeper.

Click HERE to apply for a Hormone Healing Call where we will discuss the next steps on how you can gain clarity about your unique hormone picture.

6 Causes of High Estrogen

Unfortunately, many women are experiencing disruptive symptoms of high estrogen and yet, mere power through. Whether this is due to the lack of support in teaching women about their bodies and/or having been told that it’s “normal” to have terrible periods, it’s time we dispel that myth once and for all.

Period problems are common, but they aren’t normal. That means by understanding the underlying drivers of high estrogen, you can treat the root cause of your hormone imbalance and discover relief from estrogen-dominant symptoms. So here are the 6 main causes of high estrogen levels

1. Nutrient deficiencies like Mg, folate, and choline

   Remember our discussion about estrogen detoxification! Well, that process requires many essential nutrients that allow estrogen to pass through phase I, II, and III efficiently. If your nutrition intake lacks many of these nutrients, your detox process will be greatly impacted and estrogen detoxification can become sluggish. Here is a list of nutrients required for each phase.

   • Phase I: B12, B6, Folate, Glutathione

   • Phase II: Magnesium, Taurine, Vitamin C

   • Phase III: Calcium-D-Glucarate, Choline, Glycine
     
     

2. Excess burden on the liver

   If the liver is heavily burdened with other compounds in excess, it will have a hard time doing its job of properly eliminating estrogen. Excess burdens include high consumption of caffeine and alcohol, xenoestrogen or estrogen-like compounds in household products and cosmetics, and pollutants like unfiltered water, smoke, and heavy metals.
   
   

3. Low-quality animal products

   This probably isn’t the first time you’ve heard that our meat industry has some serious problems. Conventional meat products are typically fed large quantities of growth hormones like estrogen to grow as big as possible in the shortest amount of time. Studies have shown that the hormones in these animal products can circulate in our bodies and drive up estrogen levels. YIKES!
   
   
   

4. Poor progesterone production

   If you’re not ovulating, you’re not producing progesterone. Although a lack of ovulation and therefore a lack of a period may seem like a perk, it rarely does any favors for your hormone health. If you’re struggling with regular periods, check out this article on how to support healthy regular cycles.
   
   
   

5. Chronic constipation

   As uncomfortable as constipation can be, we also know that a lack of regular bowel movements also means a sluggish Phase III. When estrogen isn’t properly cleared through the stool, it can stay active in the bloodstream and make estrogen-dominant symptoms worse. Regular bowel movements are a key marker of keeping hormones balanced.
   
   
   

6. Lack of fiber-rich foods

   Speaking of regular bowel movements, fiber is essential for estrogen balance. Studies have shown that not only does fiber help regulate the removal of waste from the body, but it also serves to bind to estrogen and feed beneficial bacteria in the gut. Both of these factors can do wonders in reducing digestive symptoms and having better periods.

6 Ways To Balance Your Estrogen

So if you’ve gotten this far, then you’re probably wondering, “So what can I DO to lower estrogen levels?” Don’t worry, I got you.

Now that you have a deeper understanding of estrogen dominance and your unique hormone balance, let’s get straight into some action steps that you can take today to start lowering your estrogen naturally and start feeling your best.

1. Choose grass-fed organic meat:

   You don’t have to buy everything organic in order to support healthy hormones. However, some items on your grocery list are going to matter more than others, one being the quality of your meats. Organic and grass-fed meats are free of antibiotics and other growth hormones. By choosing meat products free of these hormone disruptors, you can feel confident that your efforts in making changes to your nutrition are serving you well.
   

2. Get 35g of fiber/day:

   And I’m not talking about fiber supplements! Fiber-rich foods come in many forms including all your non-starchy vegetables, root vegetables, fruits, and whole grains. Some of my favorite fibrous foods that support gut health, bind and eliminate estrogen, and regulate bowel movements include flaxseeds, dark leafy greens, and carrots.
   

3. Eliminate xenoestrogens in your environment:

   We can’t eliminate ALL toxins in your environment, but we can do our best to lower our exposure to endocrine disruptors. Simple swaps can make a HUGE difference in lowering the toxic burden on your body. Here are a few tips and tricks to get you started.

   • Swap out plastic containers for glass containers

   • Avoid plastic water bottles and use a good filter

   • Wash your produce thoroughly before cooking and consuming

   • Lower your consumption of highly refined foods that contain artificial dyes and preservatives

   • Use an app like “Think Dirty” or “Yuka” to find hormone-friendly household and cosmetic products
     

4. Lower or limit alcohol consumption:

   Studies have shown that a single drink can increase circulating estrogen by 5 times! Not only so, but alcohol also serves as an added burden to the liver. If you’re already struggling to properly detox estrogen, increasing circulation estrogen and further taxing the liver won’t be doing you any favors.
   

5. Eat plenty of cruciferous vegetables:

   Cruciferous vegetables contain a compound called Indole-3-Carbinol (I3C) and Sulforaphane. These compounds aren’t just fancy words but have been shown to help naturally lower estrogen levels. These compounds are found in foods like broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, bok choi, kale, brussel sprouts, and broccoli sprouts.
   

6. Consume plenty of vitamin C-rich foods

   You may hear of vitamin C mostly in the context of immune health. However, vitamin C can support balanced estrogen levels through multiple mechanisms. For one, vitamin C is essential for Phase II detoxification. However, it also helps promote progesterone production which will help combat relative estrogen dominance. Vitamin C-rich foods include citrus fruits, strawberries, spinach, bell peppers, tomatoes, and kiwi.

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