Estrogen dominance can be a female's worst nightmare.
Do you have symptoms of estrogen dominance? Such as...
- Weight gain
- Hair loss
- Edema
- Infertility
- Varicose veins
- Mood swings and depression around cycle time
- Breast tenderness
- Variations or skipped cycles
- Vaginal dryness or itchiness
- Excessive or scanty blood flow during periods
- Cyclic insomnia, night sweats and fatigue
- Breast cancer, benign breast disease, and pre-cancerous conditions
I think this list pretty much describes a nightmarish myriad of symptoms for any woman. According to Dr. Ray Peat, PhD., estrogen dominance is a leading contributor to many women specific cancers, "Benign breast disease, breast cancer and pre-cancerous conditions have been found to be associated with a progesterone deficiency and estrogen excess."
So keep reading and learn the causes, so you can support your body's detoxification of estrogen for hormonal balance with diet!
Why does estrogen dominance occur?
Estrogen dominance can occur for a variety of reasons. The key to addressing it includes a multi-faceted approach that targets all the causes:
- Liver malnourishment (reducing phases 1 and 2 of estrogen detoxification): Something as simple as a protein deficiency can impact the liver's ability to detoxify estrogen. The liver needs an abundance of proteins, vitamins and minerals in order to detoxify used hormones out of the system. If estrogen can't be detoxified, it can recirculate and build up in the body causing dysfunction such as PMS symptoms.
"Normally, the liver treats estrogen like a poison, removing it immediately from the body. If the liver gets sluggish from malnutrition or too much estrogen (or other damage), it can allow the hormone to build up to very high levels" -Dr. Peat. - Poor hormone production resulting in low progesterone, leaving estrogen unopposed: Estrogen and progesterone are supposed to be in balance with one another, but a poor diet can result in low progesterone. The body needs some raw materials to make progesterone including: cholesterol, vitamin A (deficiency is rare, toxicity is not), thyroid hormone (T3) along with zinc, magnesium, vitamin B6 and vitamin C. If you are low in these nutrients or if you have low thyroid function, then low progesterone is a very common cause of estrogen dominance.
- Chronic stress: stress of any kind decreases progesterone levels to increase production of cortisol. This is because cortisol is a stress hormone needed to help you survive stress, and surviving stress is a greater priority than reproduction.
- Blood sugar dysregulation and insulin resistance: blood sugar dysregulation can increase aromatase enzyme activity in the body driving the conversion of testosterone to estrogen, contributing to estrogen dominance.
- Birth control pills and estrogen replacement therapy: This one is pretty straightforward. Adding synthetic estrogen to your body increases estrogen, and thus the estrogen burden on your body. Synthetic estrogen’s cardiovascular risks have been known since 1940, this includes: an ability to cause blood clots, varicose veins, miscarriage, and PMS. "It is the estrogen in oral contraceptives which correlates with their effects on the clotting system. In the last 20 years there has been a general agreement that increased risk of cardiovascular disease, rather than cancer or immunodeficiency or depression, is the most important concern about the effects of oral contraceptives” Dr. Peat.
- Aging: Estrogen levels tend to increase with age, as pregnenolone and progesterone levels decline.
- Omega fatty acid imbalance and inflammation: the Western diet tends to be far too high in omega-6 polyunsaturated oils, and far too low in omega-3 fatty acids which is correlated to more cellular inflammation. Fatty acid imbalance can also contribute towards blood sugar issues, specifically insulin resistance. Learn more about how to tip the scales on inflammation here.
- Gut dysbiosis impairing phase 3 of estrogen detoxification (one of the largest factors I see): an imbalance of gut bacteria can cause estrogen dominance through the re-circulation of estrogens. This is because certain types of gut bacteria produce beta-glucuronidase enzymes that can re-activate (or deconjugate) estrogens that were already detoxified (conjugated) and on their way out of the body. Decreasing levels of beta-glucuronidase enzyme producing bacteria in your gut is key to stopping the cycle of estrogen recirculation.
And hint, the major beta-glucuronidase producing bacteria are Bacteroides fragilis, Bacteroides vulgatus, Bacteroides uniformis, Clostridium paraputrificum, Clostridium clostridioforme, Clostridium perfringens, Escherichia coli, Eubacterium, Peptostreptococcus, Ruminococcus and Staphylococcus.
Image Credit: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5017946/
"Normally, the liver treats estrogen like a poison, removing it immediately from the body. If the liver gets sluggish from malnutrition or too much estrogen (or other damage), it can allow the hormone to build up to very high levels" -Dr. Peat.
How to stop the estrogen dominance madness?
A multifaceted nutrition plan that supports the liver/detoxification, gut health, hormone production, stress levels and the metabolism, is the best approach.
Nourish your liver to support phase 1 and 2 of estrogen detoxification:
- Increase protein to 70-100 grams+ per day based on your weight (about 20-25% of total calories). Make sure to include eggs, dairy (if tolerated, no allergy), gelatin/collagen, fish, and shellfish, in order to help balance muscle meats (chicken, lamb, beef, turkey, etc). This will help to create the amino acid (building blocks of protein) balance needed to reflect “eating the whole animal.” By doing this, you empower the liver’s detoxification process to help your body take out the trash, and detoxify estrogen properly.
- Eat easy-to-digest foods to reduce endotoxin that can back up the liver (especially important for those with digestive distress). This means more simple sugars (ripe fruits and honey), roots, and tubers.
- Identify any methylation imbalances or COMT pathway slow downs that could impact phase 2 detoxification
- Avoid iron overload and vitamin A toxicity that congest the liver.
Support your gut microbiome to support phase 3 of estrogen detoxification:
- Get enough prebiotic fibers in your diet to feed your healthy gut bacteria so they can crowd out the bad bacteria.
- Avoid constipation at all costs.
- Support healthy bile flow to help keep good your microbiome in balance.
- Consider gut testing to find out what's going on in your gut so you can combat it appropriately (as determined by GI MAP testing).
- Use additional supplemental support as indicated by testing.
Support hormone production:
- Address your mineral deficiencies, specifically calcium, magnesium, potassium, zinc, and copper (instead of playing the supplement guessing game). I use hair analysis on myself and my clients for this very purpose.
- Increase hormone synthesis promoters in the diet using food: Thyroid (T3), Vitamin A, Vitamin E, copper and bright lights (red light therapy, sun, etc).
- Decrease hormone synthesis blockers: excess estrogen (hormone replacement, birth control, or liver malnutrition to adequately detoxify used estrogen), ultraviolet light, x-rays, and excess iron (from fortified foods, vitamins, or muscle meat heavy diet).
Support the metabolism:
- Stop the low-fat dieting, and calorie counting, and instead eat MORE real food. You should especially eat enough protein and fiber-rich carbs to meet your metabolic needs. Your body temperature is a good way to check and see if you’re eating enough.
- Balance blood sugar by eating protein/fats/carbs together during each meal, and eating frequently to help stabilize blood sugar (especially important for those with blood sugar handling issues). Read more blood sugar tips here.
- Listen to your body. It’s ALWAYS talking to you. Are you listening?
Reduce stress and environmental toxins:
- Identify and reduce stressors in your life. This could be a variety of things; lack of sleep, insufficient fuel, or food allergies and sensitivities (since they activate the stress response).
- Detox your home by ditching the chemicals in your cleaning and beauty routine. Or take the 30 day Detox your Home challenge to jump-start the process!
Decrease Inflammation:
- Find out if cellular inflammation is standing in your way of optimal health and hormonal balance with fatty acid testing. Then use your results to make dietary changes to support healthier cells and flip the switch on inflammation.
Ready to dive deeper into estrogen dominance?
Check out the How to Reverse Estrogen Dominance Masterclass 🚀🚀🚀
Do you struggle with estrogen dominance? Please share in the comments!
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References:
Peat, Raymond. Natural Estrogens. Retrieved on May 15, 2013, from http://raypeat.com/articles/articles/natural-estrogens.shtml
Peat, Raymond. Nutrition for Women. Eugene, OR: 1993.
Weatherby, Dicken. Signs and Symptoms Analysis from a Functional Perspective. Nutritional Therapy Association, 2004. Print.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5017946/
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12909517/
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17478435/
Photo Credit: Depositphotos.comartcasta
Lori
Thank you, thank you, thank you!
Laura
THANK YOU - great article... But what bout birth control? I understand that synthetic hormones can cause imbalance but I also REALLY don't want to get pregnant... Condoms & charting my fertile window doesn't feel effective enough for me. Please give alternatives to hormonal birth control.
vb2005
you may want to read this: http://organicolivia.com/2014/11/20/why-i-use-a-german-computer-instead-of-birth-control-pills/
Lisa Leger
condoms and charting can be very effective when you learn to use fertility awareness correctly. Learn from a trained teacher like someone at http://www.justisse.ca and get a proper charting app, not a rhythm method calculator. You have to watch for mucus around fertile times to really use these methods correctly and they are just as effective as the pill when do right.
Marie
Copper IUD is one with no Hormone
Morgan
Stay away from copper. I had a copper iud, feeling the same way as previous writer. I had it taken out after a few months. Copper is a mineral you don’t want to get out of balance.
Barbara
Does this apply to post menopausal women? Ones that do bio identical hormones, also?
Eve
This article is great, thank you for sharing. I always assumed this happened to women closer to menopause, but you did not specify. Is that the case? Or can it happen at any age or stage - including pregnancy and breastfeeding? Maybe not then, I guess you would have more progesterone. ?? I'm clueless=)
Stephen
There are also new surgical methods for treating such a cases…:
http://surgeryfrontiers.blogspot.com/2014/11/veins.html
Carolyn Friesz
Thank you so much for this article; I am often so overwhelmed, trying to figure out what's going on with this body of mine. I am overweight and shouldn't be; I do eat healthy and don't eat processed foods! I'm always on a diet - well, actually, when I' do diet, it's very strict . . . otherwise my normal eating is pretty limited too - what most people would consider dieting! I stay away from any wheat products as I have a sensitivity; pretty much stay away from sugar too! I found out years ago that I was off the charts Estrogen dominant and very little progesterone; I took bio-identicals, but they got too expensive. Interesting to find out at that time (although too late) was that lack of progesterone can cause infertility or miscarriage (I had 4 miscarriages). Anyway, looks like I need to detox my liver - will sift through your information, so tired of feeling sick and tired; hate the way I look - you know the story 😉
Gee3
I am really emphasizing with your situation Carolyn. I've had the same problems starting at age 12.
Can I ask if you have had any results from the liver detox? Especially regarding weight loss and fertility?
I wish you the best!
Marianne
Miscarriages can also be caused by MTHFR genetic mutations! MTHFR also influences detoxification and hormones! See Dr. Ben Lynch at MTHFR.net!
Kimber
Thank you for this article! I had breast cancer in 2013 and try so hard to eat right and avoid foods that increase my estrogen. So now I am going to be eating carrots more!!!
Sian
Don't eat dairy would seem to be the latest advice as it is naturally high in oestrogen.
mika
So funny thing....I clicked through to this post through your email list after reading (what sounded to my 7 months pregnant mind) pregnancy symptoms that I am hoping to avoid! swelling, varicose veins, excessive weight gain, mood swings and breast tenderness are all common pregnancy complaints. Is this all related to normal increased estrogen production in our bodies during this time? Would your recommendations be similar for pregnant women suffering from these ills (or trying to avoid them?)? Thanks!
Loretta
Great article. I suffered from estrogen dominance/low progesterone for years through perimenopause. Suffered from debilitating headaches to the point that I was even sent for MRIs to explore the possibility of brain tumors. Finally my chiropractor/nutritionist at the time tested my hormone levels and found me to be extremely estrogen dominant. I began using natural progesterone creams to balance out the hormone levels and they worked for awhile, it seemed that I almost became "immune" to them and I'd have to switch to a different product. Then, my chiro recommended a progesterone spray, which contained more progesterone in it...and it worked wonderfully. I used it daily, but if I felt a hormonal headache coming on (at the base of my skull), I would spritz more and the headache would dissipate. Although I am now 8 years postmenopausal I do still use the progesterone spray, however, only 1 spritz at bedtime now. It protects against breast cancer as well, so that's the reason I use it now. However, the company is no longer making this product, so I will have to look for another product...hoping I can find something that works just as well as this spray did for me for the past 15 years!! Estrogen dominance/progesterone deficiency is a REAL issue that should be addressed...unfortunately many doctors don't recognize it.
Nikki
Hi Loretta, your story is very close to mine, I too feel I've become immune to the cream. I would love to know where you got your progesterone spray from and if you've found another product. Thanks so much
Nancy Albright
I reccomend :What your doctor may not tell you about premenopausae by John Lee. You will gain alot if clarity and relief. Sending you love and light♡
Maggie
Hi. my hysterectomy in aug.2014. My body has turn On me. Gained weight.always tired no energy..no sex drive .moody .depressed..and so much more.im looking for help...going to see my gyn DR mi i i hope he can help me .need to get my self back..I was also Have Ra artritis. And fibromyalgia. Chronic fatigue. .does anyone have any suggestions.
natasha
I'm completely lost! I am struggling with infertility (ok I am 42) but had normal estrogen test results in february and have just been tested 4 months later,and they are down to >25!! menopause level!! I have been on a strict detox diet and taking supplements to detox my liver, is it at all possible that I have washed out all my hormones, or am I just trying to kid myself and am really going through the menopause?
Can detoxing get rid of our hormones???
Wendy Clement
Try taking Maca... lots of it... natural remedy for infertility
PERLA
MACA IS GREAT, BUT I GOT LARGER THIGHS FROM ITS CONSUMPTION =(
Jane Rogers
Those tests only show what you are at that point
If you went a week later you may get a complete
Different result
mandy
I got estrogen dominancec symptoms after being sterilised. Its called PTLS. After 12 years I got a reversal and the symtpms are improving. If you have been considering getting sterilised check out PTLS first. There are suppport groups on facebook
Jen
Thank you for this article. I am ready to try many of these but I get frustrated when talking about birth control being a cause because I HAVE to be on it for Endometriosis. I would LOVE to not be dependent on it but my doctor says don't get off until I am ready to have a baby or I might get endometrial cancer. I am 37 and newly single.... it's almost like I continue to be punished for not having a kid by my body.
Karen
I've had endometriosis too. I opted to try acupuncture and eliminating dairy from my diet and I've had great results. I feel terrific.
Rachel
Low carb diets bring down estrogen dominace. Sugar and carbs cause estrogen dominance.
Catherine
Thanks for reading and joining the conversation.
I think we'll have to agree to disagree on this one. Low carb diets tend to reduce thyroid function. This slows hormone synthesis and the liver's ability to detoxify estrogen efficiently.
Abundantly,
Catherine
Rachel
According to what I have read, it's calorie restriction, not carb restriction, that causes poor thyroid function. We have to eat enough calories to sustain metabolic rate, but carbs and sugar actually overstimulate the thyroid and contribute to rapid aging.
Denise
Positively right!
pet
If you spend some time on raypeat forums you will see that Rachel is right - mr Peat have huge flows in his research. And his own fans see that his advice is not working. I am very dissapointed to read many of his BS - he spend 50 years in research and still give bad advice to people - like eating sugar.
Denise
Rachel is more than right. Low carb diets (especially into ketosis) can effectively reduce estrogen dominance, combat insulin resistance, balance low thyroid and all of the other horrifying symptoms that plague it's sufferers.
Lisa
I'm sorry but my own experience is that long term low carbing is very bad. I will never do it again. I never restricted calories but not getting enough carbs did me a lot of harm. Hopefully I can completely recover from it in time but it has been a few years and some things have not reversed. I no longer believe the low carb dogma that your body requires no carbs to be eaten and can make all of it in the liver via gluconeogenesis. I developed thyroid and adrenal issues, anxiety and insomnia that resolved upon adding more starchy carbs back in. I do Paul Jaminets Perfect health diet that incoroprates tubers and white rice since they contain low level of toxins and are well tolerated by most.
Even Dr Atkins admitted in his book that often he had to put people on thyroid after being on his diet for awhile.
Since my own experience I have seen other people crater after going on low carb. They were already dealing with stress and health issue and doing the low carb pushed them over the edge. I tried to warn them but they wouldn't listen. One person is having anxiety and exhaustion and is having to take an extended time off work.
If you search online you will find multitude of people who have had similar experiences including Paul Jaminets author of the perfect health diet.
kristen
its true. i did low carb, restricted fat and calories, exercised too much, and now i have hashimotos! I also had SIBO, and had to do low carb again but ended up doing harm to my already exhausted adrenals and since adding more carbs in, my energy is back up.
Summer
Hi, I'm 39 and a year and a half ago my periods just stopped. I had blood work done, a vaginal ultrasound and a brain MRI and they found a couple of cysts on my ovaries and found that the hormone prolactin was high. My doctor told me I was not in early menopause. I have had a couple of periods since then but as of now, I haven't had a cycle for 6 months. I am an avid exerciser and exercise 5 days a week. I don't feel like this is normal. Anyone have any advice or feed back on this?
Ria
Poor you. But you are 39. And this is normal i am afraid.
Many woman these days expect fertility to last much longer than it normally does. Becausr they get deceived. To be nice consumers of "lifestyle".
It feels " not normal" because no one talks about the facts anymore.
Because older woman get treatment. Especially famous ones. But from about 40 fertility goes down a lot.
I don't know what avid means. But exercising 5 times a week pushing a body that schould be calm, relaxed and receptive ? Do you think that will make it better?
A friend of mine took homeopatic Sepia. It helped her. She got her menstruation back very fast..So i thought i tell you. Perhaps it can help.
jenji
did your doctor follow up on the high prolactin to see if you have a pituitary prolactinoma? They are generally benign, but will cause increased prolactin, which can definitely stop ovulation
Jill
I have to have my gallbladder removed Thursday. Was told I'm not the typical gallbladder patient and that it's probably from pregnancy. I read that the increased levels of estrogen can cause these gallstones that I now have. I wondered if this could be hindering my livers ability to process estrogen in my body, and if this is why I'm getting ovarian cysts?? My MIL passed away recently from uteran cancer then a horrible rare cancer called sarcoma shortly after the uterus was removed. I know she always had a hormone imbalance between estrogen and progesterone. It scares me and I want to know how I can avoid these cancers from high levels of estrogen in my body.
Yana
I am happy that at least i found out what is happening with me: I have not lxpost my mind but lost my hormones. Happy to find articles like that too. I am about to try out progestelle in a form of oil. I read amazing results with it but only if you avoid xenoestrogens and even phytoestrogens which most of plant based foods have them and even herbs and essential oils. Is it true? Does anybody know about it? Basically applying progesterone will not solve up estrogen dominanance if still using syrhetuc estrogens from environment and househild and phytoestrogens in your diet.
Joanne
As a result of endometriosis, I had a total hysterectomy about 20 yrs ago, and have been on HRT estrogen only. Given that my ovaries were removed, my HRT does not include progesterone. I'm told that this is due to risk of breast cancer. However, I feel I should be taking progesterone to balance my hormonal levels. Please advise.
Debora
Look up Dr edward pearson on you tube from the New medicine foundation
Emma
Nice Post
Donna Houchins
Hypo thyroid and post menopausal. Breasts all but disappeared or they migrated to my butt
Help!!!!! I can't stand how I look 😩
Candy
I agree with the post menopausal questions. You really don't address whether this way of eating will help balance the hormones once you are post menopausal.
Daniel Dowling
Such a great article, Catherine. Thank you!
Ella
Really helpful article, thanks!
celia ready
My daughter is going through a hard time 16 yrs old irregular periods excess hair growth in areas she does not want it. Weight gain moody snappy forgetful anxious Thinking it could be PCOS syndrome eliminating dairy wheat sugar
Rachel
As someone who has hypo-thyroidism, I wonder if Estrogen dominance has anything to do with it. I will definitely have consult with my doctor and see what they think. Thank you for sharing!
andrea
What does one do if they have Estrogen dominance along with very low estrogen levels? Both my Progesterone and Estrogen were very low, below the lab scale . I started taking Progesterone, oral compounded, and have Estrogen oral as well but I am not sure If I want to increase if it I am having so many dominant symptoms. Better to increase P and see? then add if needed? Such a puzzle!
Morgan
You should look into Dr. Schwarzbein and see if that might help you. I was in the same boat as you, hormone levels (my estrogens were very very low, but my progesterone was menapausal (scary because I'm in my early 40s). And I listened to people like this spouting out cookie cutter answers. I put on a bottle of progesterone every other day! Ignoring the estrogens dropping. And I was miserable. Depressed, thinning skin, and tired all the time. But I don't want to give you advise, I just want you to realize how important estrogens are. I.e. There is another way, another "camp".
Gemma
This is very scary. You are recommending a high animal hormone, carcinogenic toxic diet to cure hormone issues? I hope you don't harm anyone.
Morgan
I think that this is misleading. I was taking so much progesterone, because of the readings of Lee and Peat, and I upped my progesterone levels, but I was ignoring estrogens, especially because your "camp" says it's toxic, etc. I developed extreme tiredness, spotting all he time, and emotional malaise. Now I'm taking progesterone 3 weeks out of the month, and estrogen daily. And my cycle has almost regulated. No more spotting for almost 20 days. Everybody is different, and their bodies are at different stages. I was an extreme exerciser, I'm trying to calm that down, because I know that that throws my hormones out of whack. But my estrogens were dropping. And I felt like shi*. Estrogens have an important role in all women's lives, look it up, too complex to write here. But I was suckered into thinking that slathering progesterone all the time was beneficial. It wasn't. I take pregnenolone in the am and hormone creams. Please do your homework, and find out the way the body was naturally supposed to work. 3 weeks progesterone out of every cycle. That is the way it works. And estradiol every day, My skin is thicker, and I feel more positive. That's the way the body works. And I'm feeling better and better.
Catherine
Hi Morgan,
I don't endorse or recommend taking hormones on this site (I am not a doctor so that is not my place), so I'm not sure what you are referencing.
Just because I link to a source like Peat, does not mean I condone doing what he says.
Abundantly,
Catherine
Mara
Almost convincing except that too many carbs raises insulin which skews towards a higher estrogen. Basic biochem.. also did you know that any excess protein that is not used for building the body gets stored as glycogen? Which then leads back into the insulin/ estrogen imbalance And hormones are made from fat. Where is that in your plan? I see nothing here but the same worn out nutrition advice of the last 50 years that has lead to the current problem. There is a whole lot of cutting edge research out there that you missed out on.
Amy
Very interesting! A few things I didn't know. I have estrogen dominance. It is getting better with the use of Chinese herbs and also I take milk thistle and dandelion leaf to help my liver detox. I think I'm gonna try eating a raw carrot a day now!
Wendy
Thank you so much for this information Catherine! You have described what has been going on within my body for some time. I thought I might need to go to the Doctor to see if I needed estrogen supplementation when this is far from reality. I have these pale stools also so I can see that as someone who had my gallbladder removed, thyroid radiated, and who now suffers from type 2 diabetes, my liver is probably in need of dire help. Thank you for your practical help.
Valerie Altman
Estrogen Dominance is no joke! I've been plauged by it for most of my life without even knowing it. I was diagnosed with uterine fibroids in 2011 (at 28) and had my first open Myomectomy surgery a couple months after in 2012. At the time I was in the process of overhauling my lifestyle and from 2011-13 I lost over 100lbs. With the help of a functional medicine doc to get through stage 3 adrenal fatigue and a nasty parasite...we began addressing my Estrogen Dominance. Unfortunately I could no longer afford the treatment and then needed another open Myomectomy surgery in May of 2014. Sadly ever since that surgery I've not been the same. I've been creeping up in weight every year despite working tirelessly to take and keep it off, I was diagnosed with PCOS last hear (one doc says yes and one says no), I deal with blood sugar crashes more frequently and my usual Paleo lifestyle is being tested as my carb/sugar cravings are intense! My mood is also like a roller coaster ride!! I have always loved being active, doing things like HIIT, Barre, Zumba and spin but being in physical therapy and inactive for 6 months was hard and now I'm getting back into it all! My hubby and I have been ttc for 4 years and I'm about to go see a reproductive endocrinologist to discuss if there are options seeing as I have multiple new Fibroids! 🙁 I may be having a life altering partial hysterectomy which also scares me in regards to my hormones! I just want to be healthy and happy again! I do everything to support myself. I'm so careful with what I put in and on my body, but stress is a hard one for me! I know where I'm at in my journey isn't very uplifting, but for anyone out there pushing through like I am... The journey is not over! We can do this! Thanks so much to Catherine for educating and empowering us to fight for our health!