Estrogen Dominance

Estrogen Dominance

Do you have a combination of these signs and symptoms?

· Allergy type symptoms
· Anger
· Brain fog
· Breast cancer
· Breast swelling
· Cramping
· Craving for sweets
· Decreased sex drive
· Depression
· Excessive bone loss
· Fatigue
· Fibrocystic or thickened breasts
· Headaches
· Heavy or irregular menses
· High blood pressure
· Hot flashes
Inappropriate responses to various stressors
Irritability
Mood Swings
Possible acceleration of dementia
Rapid skin aging
Symptoms of low thyroid, such as cold hands & feet
Urinary problems
Uterine fibroids or uterine (endometrial) cancer
Vaginal dryness
Water retention, edema (swelling, bloating)
Weight gain, with fat deposition at hips and thighs



If so, you may have estrogen dominance.

§ Estrogen dominance or “unopposed estrogen,” meaning unopposed or “unbalanced” by progesterone, is usually caused by progesterone levels falling much lower than estrogen levels at menopause, or even some years prior to menopause. Estrogen levels fall from to 40 to 60 percent below normal levels, while progesterone levels may fall close to zero.

§ Restoring progesterone levels by supplementing with natural, bio-identical progesterone cream can help restore hormone balance… or the balance between estrogen and progesterone. Dr. John R. Lee found with his patients that most often, when progesterone levels are raised, the signs and symptoms of estrogen deficiency subside (see “Basic Anti-Aging Hormone Balance Tips,” link above).

§ Limit exposure to xenoestrogens, which are petroleum oil based, usually fat soluble (the same as our steroid hormones), toxins in our environment. Our machines run on petroleum fuels, and many of our buildings are heated with petroleum oil. Petrochemical derivatives may be found in thousands, maybe millions of products, including plastics, adhesives, microchips, medicines, clothing, food, soaps, pesticides, herbicides, (including household bug sprays), and even perfumes. Industrial petrochemical by-products (such as dioxins) also pollute our air and water.

§ Limit consumption of meat-based dietary estrogens from non-organic beef cattle, which are routinely injected with estrogenic steroids to fatten them up for market. Beef cattle may also be fed grains that have been sprayed with pesticides. These estrogenic steroids accumulate in their fat, and are passed on to you when you eat their meat (or by-products, such as milk). An example of estrogen excess caused by meat-based dietary estrogens is premature puberty in children. Look for “free-range, organic, anti-biotic and hormone-free” when buying meat and dairy products.

§ And although many people think fish, in general, is healthy to eat, there is a problem with industrial and pesticide pollution affecting fresh water fish and fish caught near the coastline in shallow water. The best types to eat are the cold-water, deep-sea fish: salmon, mackerel, herring, sardines, and cod, for example. Albacore tuna is also good, although its flesh tends to accumulate mercury, so it’s best not to eat it more than once a week, according to Dr. John R. Lee.

§ Birth control pills, patches, and implants lead to a decreased production of progesterone in women in the prime of their life, contributing to estrogen dominance. Estrogen replacement therapy (ERT) (estrogen without the balancing effects of progesterone), also contributes to estrogen dominance.

§ When a woman has a hysterectomy, complete or partial, she is thrown into instant menopause. Her fat cells, thyroid and adrenal glands all take over in the production of estrogen. There is conjecture that post-hysterectomy fat storage may occur as an adaptive mechanism to balance the hormones.

§ Hormonal imbalances may also partly be due to our food supply system. We eat many processed foods and foods that have been picked days before being sold, so their vitamin and hydrogen content (anti-oxidant properties) and sterol levels fall. Many plants, (over 5000 known) make sterols that contain phytoestrogens (see definition next). In nonindustrialized cultures not subjected to environmental toxins, and whose diets are rich in fresh vegetables of all sorts, high estrogen levels in relation to progesterone is rare.

§ Phytoestrogens, considered “protective” estrogens, are plant compounds with estrogen-like activity, thus they have been used successfully to decrease symptoms of estrogen excess. Soy and flax are particularly rich in phytoestrogens. (You can use soy milk in place of cow’s milk, tofu and tempeh in place of meat, and miso, a fermented soybean paste, as a quick, nutritious soup.) Ground flax seeds and flax hulls can be used on cereals, in smoothies, in yogurt, and on salads for starters. Cold-(expeller) pressed organic flax seed oil is also available. Look for it in the refrigerated section of your health food store. Some foods we routinely eat contain minimal amounts of phytoestrogens, such as apples, carrots, oats, plums, olives, potatoes, tea, and sunflower seeds.

§ Male pattern hair loss and/or excessive facial hair are relatively common problems for women when progesterone levels fall as a result peri-menopause or menopause, resulting in a higher androgen (male-like)-to-progesterone ratio (estrogen dominance or estrogen and progesterone not balanced). Androgenic hormone levels also increase during times of stress. The result can be loss of hair on the top of the head and hair growth in the mustache and chin areas. Coarse facial hair is also common in women whose diets are too high in refined carbohydrates, which shifts the hormones in the direction of the androgens. According to Dr. Christiane Northrup, even if your body’s androgen level is normal, your hair follicles have a heightened sensitivity to androgen as progesterone levels fall.

§ Hair loss that is excessive or abnormal has many medical, dietary and lifestyle causes. In women, commonly overlooked hormonal causes for hair loss may be loss of estradiol, excess testosterone as well as low testosterone, excess DHEA, and thyroid hormone imbalance issues, according to Dr. Vliet, in “Screaming to be Heard, Hormone Connections Women Suspect and Doctors Still Ignore.” Usually, when progesterone levels are raised by natural progesterone supplementation, and diet, stress, and thyroid issues are addressed, normal hair growth resumes. See Saliva Hormone Testing. Dr. Vliet suggests you have serum hormone levels checked by your physician for hair loss issues, as she feels the tests correlate better with actual hormone delivery to the hair follicle. It may be a good idea to have both saliva and serum levels checked to cover all bases.



SUGGESTIONS TO HELP REDUCE
ESTROGEN DOMINANCE:

v NATURAL, BIO-IDENTICAL PROGESTERONE CREAM should be supplemented. Other natural supplements with Dioscorea (Wild Yam) would also be helpful. (See link to Hormone Balancing Supplements.)
v A COLON CLEANSE is recommended twice the first year and once a year after that to help eliminate stored estrogens. Estrogen is stored in the colon and fat cells and may linger in the body many years after discontinuing the use of birth control pills, estrogen replacement therapy, and eliminating dietary and environmental estrogens.
v MINIMIZE EXPOSURE TO XENOESTROGENS (usually petrochemical derivatives in the environment that exhibit hormone-like effects on the body), as mentioned above.
v ELIMINATE MEAT-BASED DIETARY ESTROGENS by buying hormone-free, organic meat, eggs and milk, or by becoming a vegetarian.
v EAT A HIGH FIBER DIET THAT INCLUDES PHYTOESTROGENS. Eat a diet with a variety of fresh organic vegetables of all sorts, as many plants (over 5000 known) have some phytoestrogenic effects.
v EAT A DIET WITH APPROPRIATE LEVELS OF PROTEIN, mainly from non-meat sources, as many women do not eat enough protein. All of our cells need amino acids for growth, maintenance, and repair. Our metabolic rate increases with protein intake, increasing the loss of estrogen stored in fat when weight is lost. Protein also is essential for the manufacture of hormones and mood enhancing neurotransmitters, such as serotonin, which can keep us from emotional over eating, and the accumulation of fat which stores estrogen. Protein helps keep insulin levels stable, curbing overeating and sugar cravings. Protein also regulates the balance of water between cells, protects the heart, and strengthens the immune system. Lack of sufficient protein can lead to a higher risk for osteoporosis and edema (swelling). Protein deficiency is also linked to sagging skin and flabby underarms, and incontinence in the elderly.

(Information explaining the three estrogens
is included for those interested.)

ESTROGEN(S)

v Estrogen, though usually thought of as one hormone, is actually the name of a group of female hormones (estrone, estradiol, and estriol) produced by the gonads (ovaries in women, testes in men) and by the adrenal glands in both sexes. In women, the estrogens are primarily responsible for the growth of female characteristics in puberty and in regulating the menstrual cycle. They are also important for maintaining the health of the reproductive tissues, breasts, skin and brain. Because each estrogen is important for different reasons and has different functions in the body, we feel it’s important to briefly define each one. This will be especially helpful if you have your blood or saliva levels checked so you can understand a little better what the results mean:

§ ESTRONE (E1) is made in body fat (before and after menopause), in addition to being made in the ovaries and adrenal glands. It is found in higher amounts after menopause (because of it being made in body fat). Estrone serves as a “storage” form of estrogen for the ovary to make the more active estradiol before menopause. High levels of ESTRONE are associated with breast and uterine cancers…a good reason to maintain a healthy percentage of body fat and weight.

§ ESTRADIOL (E2, 17 beta estradiol) is the primary estrogen produced by the ovaries before menopause. It is the biologically active estrogen at the estrogen receptors and the most potent of all the natural human estrogens. Estradiol is involved in over 400 functions in the woman’s body and is the form of estrogen lost at menopause when the ovary follicles are depleted (although it is still made in smaller amounts by the adrenal glands).

§ ESTRIOL (E3) is the weakest of the primary human estrogens, and is produced in large amounts during pregnancy. It is barely detectable in the non-pregnant female body, so women do not normally have estriol to a measurable degree on a continuous basis, and it has not been shown to have bone, heart, or brain preserving effects.

Dr. Cindy Bates