Estrogen Dominance: What It Is & What Can Help

Understanding Estrogen Dominance: Insights and Solutions for Managing Symptoms.

Are you struggling with mood swings, weight gain, or painful periods? You may be experiencing estrogen dominance, a hormonal imbalance that can significantly impact your well-being.

At Krehbiel Natural Health in Hastings, MN, we offer the SHAPE ReClaimed Program as a natural solution to restore balance and support your overall health.

What is Estrogen Dominance?

Estrogen plays a crucial role in reproductive health, but it also influences cholesterol levels, blood sugar regulation, bone density, brain function, and more (Cooper et al., 2020). While your body needs estrogen to function properly, excess estrogen can create widespread issues, leading to hormonal imbalance and increasing your risk of certain health conditions.

Estrogen dominance occurs when:

• The body produces too much estrogen.

• Estrogen is not being properly broken down or eliminated.

• Progesterone levels are too low to balance estrogen's effects.

Causes of Estrogen Dominance

Several factors contribute to estrogen dominance, often in combination:

• Medications: Birth control pills and hormone replacement therapy can raise estrogen levels (Santoro et al., 2016).

• Excess Body Fat: Fat cells produce estrogen, so higher body fat levels lead to increased estrogen production (DeFazio, 2021).

• Xenoestrogens: Synthetic estrogens found in plastics, cosmetics, pesticides, and personal care products mimic estrogen’s effects in the body (Gore et al., 2015).

• Chronic Stress: Stress triggers excess cortisol production, depleting progesterone and allowing estrogen to dominate (Lee et al., 2018).

• Liver Dysfunction: Since the liver metabolizes estrogen, poor liver function can cause estrogen to accumulate (Liu et al., 2017).

• Gut Imbalance: Certain gut bacteria regulate estrogen metabolism; an unhealthy gut can lead to estrogen buildup (Baker et al., 2019).

• Lack of Ovulation: Without ovulation, progesterone levels drop, disrupting hormonal balance (Prior, 2019).

Symptoms of Estrogen Dominance

Signs you have estrogen dominance.

Women may experience:

• Irregular, heavy, or painful periods

• Weight gain, particularly around the hips and thighs

• Mood swings, anxiety, or depression

• Fatigue and brain fog

• Breast tenderness and fibrocystic breasts

• Bloating and poor digestion

• Hair loss

• Sleep disturbances

Men may experience:

• Low libido and erectile dysfunction

• Gynecomastia (male breast tissue growth)

• Infertility

• Dry skin

Health Risks Associated with High Estrogen

Long-term estrogen dominance can lead to severe health conditions, including:

• Breast and ovarian cancer (Key et al., 2020)

• Endometriosis and PCOS (Vercellini et al., 2019)

• Blood clots and stroke (Smith et al., 2021)

• Thyroid dysfunction (Miller et al., 2018)

How to Reverse Estrogen Dominance Naturally

Working with a functional medicine doctor can help you figure out why your estrogen got imbalanced in the first place. But in the meantime, here are some tools that can rebalance your hormone levels and help your body flush out excess estrogen:

Fill Up on Fiber

When you’re constipated, excess estrogen gets reabsorbed by the gut. To get rid of excess estrogen, you need to poop regularly (ideally at least once a day). Fiber is the key to keeping your bowels moving.

One study found that women who eat a high-fiber diet excreted three times more estrogen in their poop and had 15-20% lower estrogen levels compared to women on the SAD diet.

In general, women should aim for at least 25 grams of fiber a day, while men should aim for 38 grams. Here are some high-fiber foods that can help you reach that goal:

• Raspberries – 8 g in 1 cup

• Pears – 5.5 g in 1 medium pear

• Apples – 4.5 g in 1 medium apple

• Avocado – 4.6 g in ½ avocado

• Broccoli – 5 g in 1 cup

• Sweet potato – 4 g in 1 cup

• Quinoa – 5 g in 1 cup

• Lentils – 8 g in ½ cup

• Black beans – 7.5 g in ½ cup

• Chia seeds – 5 g per 1 tbsp serving

• Almonds – 4 g per ¼ cup serving

Be sure to drink plenty of water to keep that fiber moving through you!

Support Your Liver

Your liver helps your body break down estrogen. To keep estrogen in a healthy range, you’ll want to show your liver some love by:

• Eating plenty of cruciferous veggies like broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, and Brussels sprouts.

• Adding broccoli sprouts to your salads, wraps, and smoothies.

• Limiting sugar, which can overburden your liver.

• Avoiding alcohol (or limiting it), as it impairs your liver’s detox.

• Drinking dandelion or milk thistle tea.

Reduce Stress

Stress throws off your hormones significantly. Managing stress is key to getting your estrogen in balance. Try these stress-busting activities:

• Gratitude journaling

• Deep breathing

• Yoga

• Meditation

• Walking in nature

• Spending time with loved ones

• Drinking tea

• Taking a bath

• Dancing

• Listening to music

• Reading

Ditch Xenoestrogens

Comparative illustration highlighting the difference between estrogen and xenoestrogen binding to receptors, emphasizing how estrogen sends intended signals to cells while xenoestrogens can send unintended messages.

These estrogen-like chemicals can interfere with hormonal balance. Reduce exposure by:

• Using glass or stainless steel food containers instead of plastic.

• Choosing natural, non-toxic beauty products.

• Making DIY cleaners with vinegar, baking soda, and essential oils.

• How to Avoid Hormone-Disrupting Chemicals

Get Plenty of Sleep

For proper hormone regulation, aim for at least 7-8 hours of sleep every night. Improve sleep by:

• Keeping a consistent sleep schedule.

• Avoiding caffeine after 2 pm.

• Reducing blue light exposure before bed.

• Sleeping in a dark, cool room.

• Creating a winding-down routine.

• Beauty Rest for Women: Unveiling the Power of Quality Sleep

Try Supplements

Supplements may offer extra support for estrogen balance. Some beneficial options include:

• Vitex (Chasteberry): Promotes progesterone production and reduces PMS symptoms.

• DIM (Diindolylmethane): Found in cruciferous veggies, helps metabolize estrogen.

• Magnesium: Supports liver detox and combats stress-related depletion.

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How the SHAPE Program Can Help with Estrogen Dominance

The SHAPE Program, available at Krehbiel Natural Health, offers a comprehensive, natural approach to balancing estrogen and supporting overall well-being. This program focuses on:

1. Nutritional Support: A whole-food-based diet rich in fiber supports estrogen

   elimination and hormone balance (Thompson et al., 2021). The SHAPE Program encourages anti-inflammatory, nutrient-dense foods to optimize digestion and detoxification.

2. Detoxification: By supporting liver health with targeted nutrition and lifestyle changes, the SHAPE Program helps the body effectively metabolize and eliminate excess estrogen (Jones & Baggott, 2019).

3. Hormone Balancing: The SHAPE Program aids in restoring hormonal harmony by addressing underlying causes of estrogen dominance, such as stress and gut health.

4. Lifestyle Changes: Stress management, improved sleep, and reducing exposure to xenoestrogens are all integral parts of the SHAPE Program, helping to naturally regulate estrogen levels (Carpenter et al., 2020).

Look what you can do in just 2 months!

Take Control of Your Hormones with Krehbiel Natural Health

You don’t have to live with the discomfort of estrogen dominance. The SHAPE Program at Krehbiel Natural Health provides a proven, natural solution to help balance your hormones and restore vitality.

Take the next step toward better health:

• Contact us to learn more about the SHAPE Program.

• Schedule a consultation with Krehbiel Natural Health in Hastings, MN.

• Experience the benefits of balanced hormones and improved well-being.

Your body was designed to function in harmony—let us help you achieve that balance naturally!

Apply Now!

References

• Baker, J. M., et al. (2019). "Gut microbiota’s role in estrogen regulation." Journal of Endocrinology, 242(2), 145-157.

• Carpenter, A. T., et al. (2020). "Effects of lifestyle modifications on estrogen metabolism." Journal of Women’s Health, 29(3), 320-331.

• Cooper, G. S., et al. (2020). "Estrogen’s systemic effects on metabolism and organ function." The Endocrinologist, 30(4), 415-430.

• DeFazio, A. (2021). "Obesity and estrogen metabolism." Metabolic Health Journal, 25(2), 76-89.

• Gore, A. C., et al. (2015). "Xenoestrogens and their impact on hormone balance." Environmental Health Perspectives, 123(3), 210-219.

• Jones, K. L., & Baggott, S. E. (2019). "Liver function in hormonal balance." Hepatic Research Journal, 18(1), 55-68.

• Key, T. J., et al. (2020). "Estrogen and cancer risk." Oncology Reports, 33(5), 505-518.

• Lee, S. R., et al. (2018). "Cortisol and hormonal imbalances: The cortisol steal phenomenon." Endocrine Research, 45(2), 132-145.

• Liu, C. Y., et al. (2017). "The liver’s role in estrogen metabolism." Journal of Hepatology, 66(1), 181-190.

• Miller, K. E., et al. (2018). "Thyroid dysfunction and estrogen dominance." Endocrinology & Metabolism, 24(4), 401-415.

• Prior, J. C. (2019). "Ovulation and hormonal balance." Clinical Endocrinology Review, 35(6), 615-632.

• Santoro, N., et al. (2016). "Hormone replacement therapy and estrogen levels." Menopause Journal, 23(5), 478-487.

• Smith, J. A., et al. (2021). "Estrogen and cardiovascular risks." Cardiology Review, 39(3), 201-213.

• Thompson, L. U., et al. (2021). "Dietary fiber’s role in hormone regulation." Nutritional Science Journal, 22(7), 98-115.

• Vercellini, P., et al. (2019). "Endometriosis and estrogen dominance." Gynecological Endocrinology, 28(1), 15-25.

Medical disclaimer: This information is not intended or implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay seeking medical treatment. Medical conditions require medical care.