Estrogen is a hormone and we need it in our body to remain functional. Too much estrogen can lead to Estrogen Dominance.
One way to get Estrogen Dominance is when we have an imbalance of estrogen to an insufficient amount of progesterone. For you to function well this combination needs to be balanced. For example, estrogen increases body fat BUT progesterone helps us to use fat for energy. So, if this balance is off you can see how excess fat storage can happen. Another example would be how estrogen impairs blood sugar and progesterone regulates blood sugar levels. It's a fine dance between the two.
Another way to get Estrogen Dominance is when your body cannot properly breakdown estrogen and can't get it out of the body. This can be due to poor liver function, impaired pathways, nutritional deficiencies, gut issues, constipation, and more.
Your liver health is extremely important as it breaks down, detoxifies, and eliminates estrogen from the body. Estrogen gets cleared from the liver during Phase 1 and Phase 2 detoxification. If the liver is impaired and can't detoxify properly this can lead to a build up of estrogen and result in Estrogen Dominance.
Your gut also plays a role in breaking down hormones. If you don't have certain estrogen metabolizing bacteria to breakdown estrogen this can lead to Estrogen Dominance. These bacteria can get damaged from antibiotic use, gut infections, toxins, etc. (Hence, if you've been following for a while, you know, all dis-ease starts in the gut!)
Symptoms of Estrogen Dominance can look like any of the following:
PMS
fibrocystic (lumpy) breasts
Fibroids
Heavy bleeding
Hot flashes
Cellulite on thigh or butt
Thyroid nodules
Hair loss
Irregular bleeding
Uterine polyps
Estrogenic cancers like breast, ovarian and uterine
What can I do to improve Estrogen Dominance?
There is a sulfur compound found in all cruciferous vegetables called sulforaphane. This active compound helps detoxify excess estrogens! Plus, it can help shrink breast cancer cells as it acts as a killer of cancer stem cells [1, 2].
Try adding in any of the following:
Arugula
Bok choi
Broccoli sprouts
Brussel sprouts
Cabbage
Cauliflower
Collards
Kale Radishes
Turnips
Kohlrabi
* FYI, broccoli sprouts has way more sulforaphane per gram than regular broccoli
* According to the UDSA, adult women should eat 2.5 cups of vegetables per day, while adult men should have 3 cups
An easy way to make sure you are getting in all your cruciferous vegetables is to supplement with a product which includes both DIM (Diindolylmethane) and sulforaphane. I recommend using Thorne DIM Advantage. Please click on the link and enjoy 10% off.
Benefits include:
Helps detox excess estrogens
Helps support healthy estrogen metabolism
Can shrink breast cancer cells
Helps get toxins out of the body
Detoxifies the liver
Reduces inflammation
Provides antioxidant properties
Acts as an aromatase inhibitor - can block some testosterone from converting into estrogen
Helps prevent prostate enlargement
Thorne's DIM has 150mg of Diindolylmethane. {You'd have to eat 6 pounds of cruciferous veggies to get to 100 mg of DIM.}
Facts:
You could have low estrogen levels but still have Estrogen Dominance
Around age 40, both estrogen and progesterone levels start to decline
Progesterone drops much faster than estrogen, especially during perimenopause
Liver health is crucial in breaking down estrogen properly and removing from the body
Your gut plays a role in breaking down hormones
You can get excess estrogen coming in from the outside from plastics.
Want more? Maybe time for a health reset? Let's talk nutrition and wellness!
Jinjer Brody-Grant
Holistic Health Practitioner
References:
Thomson CA, Ho E, Strom MB. Chemopreventive properties of 3,3'-diindolylmethane in breast cancer: evidence from experimental and human studies. Nutr Rev. 2016 Jul;74(7):432-43. doi: 10.1093/nutrit/nuw010. Epub 2016 May 31. PMID: 27261275; PMCID: PMC5059820.
Penta D, Tripathi P, Rajarajan D, Natesh J, Mondal P, Meeran SM. Diindolylmethane Promotes Metabolic Crisis and Enhances the Efficacy of Centchroman in Breast Cancer: A 1H NMR-Based Approach. ACS Omega. 2022 Nov 16;7(47):43147-43160. doi: 10.1021/acsomega.2c05832. PMID: 36467932; PMCID: PMC9713897.
* You should talk to your healthcare provider before taking DIM supplements
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