Teens, young adults, and middle-aged women can struggle with their monthly, irregular, heavy, painful, or annoying periods. Menses is an indicator of our health. Just like taking a blood pressure can give us insight to our heart and circulation, menses and associated symptoms, length, mood, and characteristics give us insight into your hormone function.
EstrogenHormones

Estrogen Dominance

Chelsea Mynyk

Estrogen Dominance? Here are some ways to reduce levels of estrogen naturally and avoid products/food containing estrogen.

What is estrogen

Estrogen is a hormone produced in both males and females. It is made by the adrenal glands, ovaries in females and testes in males, and fat cells. It is metabolized in the liver and stored in the liver and fat cells. It is a necessary hormone to help during childbearing, bone health, maintaining cholesterol levels, and sexual maturation. However, an overabundance of estrogen can cause havoc in your body and is associated with hormonal cancers, thyroid dysfunction, autoimmune disease, and candida overgrowth.1

Symptoms of estrogen dominance

The following symptoms may be associated with higher levels of estrogen in your body.2 If you are experiencing these symptoms, please discuss this with your provider so they can consider testing and help you establish a plan.

Risk Factors

The following list of risk factors may increase your chance of having higher levels of estrogen. If you have 2 or more of these risk factors, please be sure to discuss these with your provider.

  • Body Mass Index >28
  • Age–women over 35 years can begin to have anovulatory cycles (do not ovulate every month).
  • Stress
  • Poor diet and poor digestion
  • Exposure to chemicals
  • Contraceptive pills (most contain synthetic estrogen) or hormone replacement therapy
  • Negative lifestyle habits (alcohol, tobacco)
  • Sedentary lifestyle

Detox your body from estrogen

It is important to talk with your provider before trying any cleanses or new vitamins, herbs or supplements as some of these may interfere with medications.

  1. Liver cleanse—dandelion tea or supplement, garlic, broccoli, organic apples, green tea or black coffee.
  2. Saunas—beneficial for detoxifying your body.
  3. Aerobic exercise—goal 300 minutes per week with heart rate >120 for 30 min consecutively.
  4. Reduce stress—find stress relief measures such as adult coloring, exercise, reading, etc.
  5. Drink filtered water. Chemicals and contaminants in your water supply can increase levels of estrogen. It is also important to avoid drinking water from plastic water bottles as the plastic can leak chemicals into your water.
  6. Milk thistle tea or supplements help detoxify estrogen from your body. Order “Hormone Support” from Xymogen to help your liver detox xenoestrogen. Click here to order and receive a 15% discount.
  7. Vitamin and mineral supplements: Omega-3 fatty acids, alpha lipoic acid, maca root, vitamin B6, B12, and folate.

Things to avoid that contain high levels of xenoestrogen

Xenoestrogen is a chemical(s) that imitates estrogen but has harmful effects to your body including increasing your risk for breast cancer.

  1. Cosmetics—contain phthalates found in candles, makeup, vinyl shower curtains, laundry products (especially dryer sheets), air fresher, plug-ins, and wax melts, and nail polish.
  2. Plastics—BPA (can be hidden in receipts, polycarbonate water bottles, canned foods and drinks) and phthalates found in #3 cling wrap.3 Instead, choose food grade stainless steel or glass water bottles. Avoid heating plastics in microwave or dishwasher as this releases estrogen into your food.
  3. Soy and soy-containing products—these include tempeh and tofu.
  4. Dairy and meat products contain hormones that incrase your levels of estrogen.4
  5. Pesticides, gas, and other chemicals—leaks into your water supply
  6. Wheat and other grains (corn, whole wheat, barley)—contains GMO’s and zearalenone (fungi’s containing estrogen that grows on corn and wheat)5 that increases estrogen levels.
  7. Additives (4-hexylresorcinol used to preserve shrimp, Propyl gallate used in gum, potato sticks, some meat, soup base, and vegetable oil). Choose coconut, avocado or olive oil instead.
  8. Essential oils—some essential oils have a higher level of estrogen effects and should be avoided. These oils include jasmine, clary sage, geranium, lavender, and tea tree. Make sure you buy 100% pure and organic oils if using essential oils.
  9. Non-stick cookware—contains estrogen that is released into your food when cooking. Opt for cast-iron or non-toxic cookware.
  10. Hormonal birth control—contains a synthetic form of estrogen that increases your risk for breast cancer, heart disease, blood clots, and stroke.6
  11. Alcohol—grains used to make alcohol and fermenting process alters your body’s ability to metabolize estrogen. This can increase your levels of estrogen and your risk for breast cancer (according to Susan G. Komen, drinking 2-3 alcoholic beverages per day showed a 20% increased risk for breast cancer compared to women who did not consume alcohol ).7

Foods to eat to help decrease levels of estrogen

  1. Cruciferous—cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, mustard greens, bok choy, collard greens, kale, and Brussels sprouts (contain diiodolylmethane or DIM that improves estrogen metabolism)
  2. Fruits and vegetables that are high in Calcium D-Glucarate—cucumbers, pumpkins, cantaloupe, and squash (helps reduce estrogen levels).
  3. Choose fresh or frozen fruits and vegetables instead of canned.
  4. Drink at least 8 glasses (8 ounces) of filtered water, not from a plastic bottle, every day.

Bioidentical hormones

It is important to have your hormone levels tested either through saliva testing or urine testing to help guide you and your provider as to what hormones are high, low, or unbalanced.

For more information about what bioidentical hormones are and why these are important, please see “BIOIDENTICAL HORMONES”. Bioidentical Progesterone can help support healthy levels of progesterone and decrease levels of estrogen. Progesterone comes in different forms such as a cream, pill, or vaginal suppository. The most effective method is the cream as this does not require metabolism through the liver.8 Please talk with your provider about dosing, frequency and which form of progesterone is best for you.

References

1Myers, Amy. (2019). 9 causes of estrogen dominance and what to do about it. Retrieved from https://www.amymyersmd.com/2019/03/9-causes-estrogen-dominance.

2Ibid.

3Fernandez, S. V., & Russo, J. (2010). Estrogen and xenoestrogens in breast cancer. Toxicologic pathology, 38(1), 110-122.

4Malekinejad, H., & Rezabakhsh, A. (2015). Hormones in dairy foods and their impact on public health-A narrative review article. Iranian journal of public health, 44(6), 742.

5Nwachukwu, J. C., Srinivasan, S., Bruno, N. E., Nowak, J., Wright, N. J., Minutolo, F., … & Kojetin, D. J. (2017). Systems structural biology analysis of ligand effects on erα predicts cellular response to environmental estrogens and anti-hormone therapies. Cell chemical biology, 24(1), 35-45.

6Manson, J. E., Chlebowski, D. R. T., Stefanick, M. L., Aragaki, M. A. K., Rossouw, J. E., Prentice, R. L., … & Wactawski-Wende, J. (2013). The Women’s Health Initiative hormone therapy trials: update and overview of health outcomes during the intervention and post-stopping phases. JAMA: The Journal of the American Medical Association, 310(13), 1353.

Mørch, L. S., Skovlund, C. W., Hannaford, P. C., Iversen, L., Fielding, S., & Lidegaard, Ø. (2017). Contemporary hormonal contraception and the risk of breast cancer. New England Journal of Medicine, 377(23), 2228-2239.

7Susan G. Komen. (2019). Alcohol. Retrieved from https://ww5.komen.org/BreastCancer/DrinkingAlcohol.html.

8Lee, J. R., & Hopkins, V. (2004). What Your Doctor May Not Tell You About (TM): Menopause: The Breakthrough Book on Natural Progesterone. Grand Central Publishing.