How to Reduce Estrogen Dominance

Estrogen Dominance - Paula Owens, MS Holistic Nutritionist, Functional Health Practitioner

Estrogen dominance is a condition where there is an overload of estrogen that occurs as a result of…

excess estrogen in the body (self-made or endogenous) from an overproduction of estrogen relative to normal or low progesterone
excess estrogen relative to testosterone
excess estrogen exposure from outside sources (exogenous) such as food, water, drugs, lifestyle choices, liver impairment, and chemicals in the environment (EDCs) that act like hormones in the body and have complex epigenetic effects.

Estrogen dominance not only affects women, it’s also prevalent in men, teens and adolescents nowadays due to xenoestrogens aka estrogen-mimicking compounds or obesogens found in the food we eat, the water we drink, the air we breathe, chemicals in the environment, and the products we use (shampoo, deodorant, dryer sheets, laundry detergents, fragrances, cosmetics, cleaning and gardening products, plastic water bottles, containers and all plastics products, medications and drugs, including oral contraceptives).

Whatever the source, estrogen dominance and chemical exposure produces unwanted side effects, disrupts metabolism, physiology, the microbiome, increases the risk of many serious health problems in humans, animals and aquatic life, and are a threat to human health.

What Causes Estrogen Dominance?

Diets high in processed carbohydrates, gluten, grains, fructose, artificial sweeteners including Splenda, trans fats, low-fat and non-fat diets, low fiber intake
Adrenal insufficiency. Many symptoms of adrenal fatigue are very similar to those of estrogen dominance. Chronic stress produces excess amounts of cortisol, insulin and norepinephrine. When the adrenals become depleted, they may sequester progesterone to help make cortisol. The drop in progesterone can result in excess estrogen.
Eating non-organic foods, processed foods, factory-farmed animal protein and dairy, red dye and chemicals in food
Glyphosate exposure (the main ingredient in Roundup), pesticides, atrazine, GMOs
Aging: estrogen tends to increase in both men and women as they age; it’s estimated that 75-80% of women over age 35 tend to be estrogen dominant
Halogen exposure (fluoride, chlorine, bromide)
Heavy metal toxicity (lead, arsenic and mercury are endocrine disruptors)
Insulin resistance and high insulin levels, diabetes, pre-diabetes, blood sugar imbalances
Liver congestion and gallbladder dysfunction (inability of the liver to eliminate estrogen through the bile tract). Estrogen is metabolized primarily by the liver.
Alcoholism, heavy drinking, beer (hops), marijuana use, too much coffee
Obesity
Peri-menopause. Many women in their 30s and 40s find that their symptoms of estrogen dominance intensify as they approach peri-menopause. Nourish those adrenals ladies!
Exogenous hormone therapy including birth control pills and poorly or mismanaged bio-identical hormone replacement therapy
Xenoestrogen exposure from endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDC) such as plastics, phthalates, BPA, BPS, PCBs, pesticides, herbicides, industrial chemicals, cosmetics, personal care and household products. Besides having an estrogenic effect, xenoestrogens also have to be detoxified by the liver and compete with the same pathways to be removed from the body.

These endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDC) accumulate in our bodies and are stored mostly in fat tissue. They can trick your body into increasing or decreasing hormone production or block hormone signals by binding to hormone receptor sites causing similar effects to those that a hormone would.

Endocrine-disrupting chemicals affect metabolism, blood sugar, thyroid function, reproduction, puberty, mental and emotional health, and increase the risk of hormone sensitive organs such as the prostate and the breast.

EDCs are especially harmful in young children and pregnant women. Exposure during pregnancy negatively affects hormone, physiological, neurological and brain development in offspring.

Endocrine disruptors can interfere with hormones in 3 ways: [James LaValle, RPh, CCN, ND]

hormone mimicry, in which the chemical mimics the hormone by binding with receptors and stimulating cellular activity
hormone masking, in which the chemicals bind with receptor sites and block the hormone’s activity at the cellular level
binding with the hormone itself, thereby rendering it unavailable to carry out its hormonal message

Estrogen Dominance Symptoms

PMS, breast tenderness, edema (fluid retention), breast lumps. irregular cycles, heavy periods, and other PMS symptoms
Cancer: breast, colon, prostate, endometrial, uterine and ovarian cancer
Fibroids (uterine and breast), fibrocystic breasts, uterine cysts, ovarian cysts, PCOS (insulin-based or adrenal-based), and endometriosis. Uterine fibroids are caused by an increased ratio of estrogen to progesterone. Any progesterone that is not used by the body converts to estrogen in the liver. There is clinical evidence suggesting that progesterone creams are causing breast cancer too!
Aromitization. Aromatase is an enzyme that converts testosterone to estrogen. Heavy alcohol use, insulin resistance, adrenal dysfunction, high cortisol, eating too many carbs, and chronic low-level inflammation and environmental endocrine-disrupting chemicals upregulate aromatase.
Mood disorders, depression, anxiety
Prostate hypertrophy
Gynectomastia aka man boobs (moobs)
Urinary difficulties
Weight gain
Brain fog
Autoimmune diseases and immune dysfunction
Early puberty
Gallbladder problems, elevated liver enzymes
Headaches
Heart disease and hypertension
Hot flashes and night sweats
Type 2 diabetes, high blood sugar and insulin resistance
Impotence and low libido
Underlying infections
Infertility
Insomnia
Accelerated aging and oxidative stress
Thyroid dysfunction. Hashimoto’s autoimmune disease. Many endocrine-disrupting chemicals compete with thyroid hormone that can enlarge the thyroid, alter thyroid hormone levels, and subsequently alter thyroid function. Estrogen fluctuations can trigger the gene expression of Hashimoto’s in the presence of inflammation and genetic susceptibility. In addition to turning on the genes associated with Hashimoto’s, estrogen surges have been shown to exacerbate the autoimmune attack on the thyroid. This may explain why the expression of Hashimoto’s is so common during pregnancy and perimenopause—both times when estrogen may be fluctuating wildly. [Chris Kresser]

Beta-glucuronidase enzyme. When beta-glucuronidase is elevated, exposure to or intake of toxins, chemicals, hormones and drugs must be factored in. High levels indicate poor detoxification of estrogens, reabsorption and recirculation of estrogen, and a decreased ability of the body to excrete or detoxify estrogen. GI dysbiosis can also increase beta-glucuronidase. Elevated levels of beta-glucuronidase are associated with an increased risk of colon cancer and estrogen dominant cancers.

How to Reduce Estrogen Dominance

Simple diet, environmental and lifestyle strategies, and natural therapies can help optimize the delicate balance of your hormones, increase testosterone, support estrogen clearance and reduce estrogen dominance – naturally!

Use Food as Medicine to Reduce High Estrogen

Support estrogen clearance. Increase intake of colorful plants, herbs, bitter leafy greens and cruciferous veggies (broccoli, watercress, cauliflower, mustard greens, kale, bok choy, Brussels sprouts, cabbage)
Switch to organic foods. When shopping, look for certified organic, grass-fed, pasture-raised and GMO-free. This is a must to reduce estrogen dominance and is the only way to avoid the cocktail of chemical poisons present in industrially grown food.
If you eat meat or dairy products, avoid those from factory-farmed animals that have been fed a diet of genetically modified corn, soy and grains, and injected with synthetic growth hormone and a boat load of antibiotics.
Eat anti-inflammatory foods to balance your hormones: colorful plants and veggies, leafy greens, healthy fats, protein such as 100% organic, grass-fed, pasture-raised meats and eggs, wild-caught salmon and wild game are anti-estrogenic
Avoid canned, packaged and processed foods, genetically-modified soy products, and red clover
Optimize vitamin B12, folate, vitamin B6, betaine and choline. These nutrients known as methyl donors help to improve the biochemical process known as methylation, which is an important function in estrogen metabolism and detoxification. Good dietary sources include meat, fish, shellfish, eggs, spinach, beets and quinoa.
Drink organic green tea and only filtered water. Tap water is contaminated with toxic heavy metals, fluoride, chlorine and prescription drugs, including estrogen from birth control pills and other drugs and chemicals
Stop eating chemicals, food additives, GMOs, glyphosate, pesticides, artificial sweeteners
Drink and eat from glass, stainless steel and ceramic containers. Even “BPA-free” plastics leach other endocrine-disrupting chemicals.
Swap out Teflon cookware for ceramic or stainless. Teflon is a carcinogen and endocrine-disruptor.
Never re-heat food in a microwave oven that is in a plastic container. The chemicals leach into the food.

Lifestyle Tips to Support Estrogen Detoxification

Limit exposure to estrogen-disrupting chemicals: plastics, parabens, PCBs, BPA, BPS, phlalates, glyphosate, GMOs, triclosan (hand-sanitizers), pesticides and fungicides, Teflon, thermal receipts, flame retardants, air fresheners, fabric softeners, dryer sheets, fragrances, and halogens (chlorine, fluoride, bromide)
Switch to organic certified personal care products, skin care products and natural household cleaning products. Don’t trust a specific product just because it says “natural” on the label.
Familiarize yourself with the EWG’s dirty dozen fruits and veggies, and the dirty dozen endocrine-disruptors.
Support healthy adrenal function. Adrenal insufficiency is the #1 hormone imbalance with women, and a common finding with increased estrogen. The adrenals play a huge role in balancing estrogen as they can make the same hormones as the ovaries. Eating too many carbs, drinking too much alcohol and caffeine, or simply having too much stress in your life depletes the adrenals.
Get 7-9 hours of uninterrupted sleep every night. Unplug the Wi-fi before bed, turn off your cell phone and sleep in total darkness to optimize melatonin levels, which will stop excess estrogen from connecting with receptors. Light at night, especially blue light disrupts your natural circadian rhythm and lowers melatonin levels
Support a healthy lymphatic system and optimize liver and gallbladder function. Those who have had their gallbladder removed tend to be estrogen dominant. A happy, healthy liver is essential for correcting estrogen dominance. Anything that impairs liver function or ties up the detoxifying function will result in excess estrogen levels.
Reduce electrosmog exposure to nnEMF, WiFi, microwaves, Fitbits, electronic devices, and the radiation emitted by mobile phones, tablets, computers and other electronic devices, which raise the body’s estrogen levels in men, women and children.
Install water filters in your home in the kitchen and bathroom: Reverse osmosis (RO) filter, Big Berkey, or a whole house filtration system. Synthetic hormones are not filtered out of the municipal water supply.
Buy products that come in glass containers. Avoid canned products, packaged products and items stored in plastic containers.
Exercise daily to lower the amount of harmful estrogen metabolites.
Get a daily dose of sunlight, especially early morning sun
Remove your shoes before entering your home
Consider investing in organic sheets, pillows, mattresses and clothing
Go easy on the alcohol. Circulating estrogen levels, cortisol and aromatase increase significantly in those who drink too much alcohol as well as those who smoke marijuana.
Optimize the microbiome. Candida overgrowth, parasite, yeast, fungal and bacterial infections can significantly contribute to estrogen dominance, and increased estrogen increases the severity of Candida overgrowth and other infections.
Improving methylation and the microbiome will help to detox the excess estrogen. Estrogen methylation is a critical step in the protective mechanism of estrogen metabolism.
Consider the risk to benefit ratio and adverse consequences of oral contraceptives and hormone replacement therapies.
Avoid synthetic hormones. Especially synthetic forms of progesterone commonly known as progestins.
Cure constipation. Bowel regularity helps eliminate excess estrogen.
Be informed that many drugs especially diuretics, antidepressants, antifungals, antibiotics, corticosteroids, HRT, oral contraceptives and anabolic steroids increase estrogen.
Practice the 3 B’s for healthy lymphatic function: Bounce, Brush and Breathe! Rebound on a mini-trampoline for 5-10 minutes every day, practice deep breathing exercises, and dry bush your skin before showering.
Identify and correct nutrient deficiencies (and excesses) and hormone imbalances through a functional blood chemistry analysis.
Detox! Implement these everyday detox tips into your lifestyle.

Nutrients to Support Estrogen Clearance

It’s a scientific fact that exogenous estrogen decreases systemic stores of vitamin B6, zinc and magnesium, and also tend to alter thyroid function.

—Optimize vitamin D levels, magnesium, zinc, iodine, omega-3s, healthy flora (probiotics), folate, vitamin B12 and vitamin B6

—Consider natural bio-identical topical progesterone cream or oral progesterone at bedtime for a short period of time if progesterone deficiency is the cause of high estrogen. However, if you have a high level of xenoestrogens in your body, progesterone cream may temporarily make some of the problems caused by estrogen dominance worse! This is because long-term xenoestrogen exposure causes estrogen receptors to become less sensitive.

—Consider DIM Detox, Indole-3-Carbinol, NAC, milk thistle and Calcium D-Glucarate to support the body’s natural elimination of excess estrogen, target beta-glucoronidase enzyme activity, deactivate toxic substances and excess hormones, encouraging their elimination from the body. DIM helps to restore healthy hormone balance by adjusting the balance of estrogens and blocking aromatase, which converts testosterone to estrogen.

If you are using hormone therapy out of medical necessity, it is important to support the detoxification of the estrogens via physical activity, an abundance of organic colorful plants and cruciferous veggies, healthy liver function, proper nutritional supplementation and the other suggestions listed above. This would help reduce any estrogen build up.

Correcting estrogen dominance involves more than just fixing the estrogen-progesterone balance and supporting the adrenals. It is important to eliminate the causative factors as much as possible. Adrenal insufficiency, insufficient sleep, environmental chemical and toxic exposure, heavy alcohol intake, poor nutrition (non-organic foods, high carbohydrates, low fat and low protein intake, low nutrient value), and chronic stress are some common causes. Awareness and being proactive is key to limiting environmental exposure to xenoestrogens along with implementing proper diet, lifestyle choices, a healthy environment, less exposure to toxins, exercise and supplements that can help reverse the symptoms of estrogen dominance, support estrogen clearance, and balance hormones.