ESTROGEN BALANCE 101: a functional approach to estrogen dominance
WHAT ARE ESTROGENS?
Estrogens are 1 of 4 types of female sex hormones that are all in delicate balance with one another.
The others are progesterone, luteinizing hormone, and follicle-stimulating hormone.
WHAT IS ESTROGEN DOMINANCE?
If these hormone levels become imbalanced, they can negatively impact a woman's fertility, menstruation, bone strength, energy, mood, cardiovascular health, inflammation, and weight.
A common imbalance is estrogen dominance, which is experienced when the body is overloaded with estrogen-like chemicals, cannot produce enough progesterone to balance estrogen, or cannot detoxify estrogen properly.
HOW DO HORMONES BECOME IMBALANCED?
A woman's body has many mechanisms for regulating this delicate hormonal balance: synthesis rates, binding, enzyme action, microbiome metabolism, liver conjugation, and excretion.
These mechanisms can be influenced by genetics, environmental toxins, stress, and diet.
To promote hormone health, it is crucial to address the root causes of imbalance and to support foundational health (digestion, blood sugar regulation, whole food diet).
ENDOCRINE DISRUPTERS
plastics/BPA (especially if heated)
bleached tampons
cleaning & beauty products
artificial birth control
pesticides
preservatives
excessive soy consumption
read more about endocrine disruptors
Many girls & women are encouraged to take birth control pills to manage undesirable symptoms; but rather than addressing the root issue, these artificial hormones often make the imbalance worse long-term.
SUPPORT ESTROGEN DETOX
GET REGULAR
daily bowel movements are essential for excreting toxins (and excess estrogen) from the body
PRIORITIZE SLEEP
when your body detoxes and calibrates hormones
EAT CRUCIFEROUS VEGGIES
broccoli, cauliflower, kale, cabbage, and brussels sprouts contain compounds that support estrogen breakdown
SUPPLEMENTS FOR ESTROGEN BALANCE
support liver health:
milk thistle
promote progesterone production:
vitex/chasteberry
balance gut estrobolome:
calcium-D-glucarate
upregulate hormone detox pathways:
indole-3-carbinol/DIM
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References
Goldstein, S. (2019). Estrogen Dominance in Women. Naturopathic Doctor News & Review, 15(2), 11–13.
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Office of Dietary Supplements. NIH Office of Dietary Supplements. Retrieved from https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/list-all/
Jones, D. S., Bland, J. S., & Quinn, S. (2010). Textbook of Functional Medicine. Institute for Functional Medicine.
Gaby, A. R. (2017). Nutritional Medicine (2nd ed.). Fritz Perlberg Publishing.