Estrogen dominance - Vital Hormones Clinic

What is estrogen dominance?

Estrogen dominance refers to a condition where a woman has excess estrogen in relation to progesterone. This hormonal imbalance can lead to various symptoms like weight gain, low libido, and menstrual irregularities.

There are two main causes of estrogen dominance:

• Environmental estrogens - These come from xenoestrogens found in pesticides, plastics, cosmetics, etc. They mimic estrogen in the body.
• Impaired progesterone production - Progesterone opposes estrogen. If progesterone levels fall, estrogen becomes dominant.

Some signs and symptoms include:

• Irregular periods
• PMS symptoms like bloating, headaches, mood swings
• Weight gain especially around the hips and thighs
• Low libido and vaginal dryness
• Fibrocystic breasts
• Infertility or miscarriages

To treat estrogen dominance, you need to:

• Avoid xenoestrogens - Stop microwaving plastic food containers, use glass over plastic, organic foods, natural products over synthetic scents and chemicals.
• Improve progesterone production - This can be done through diet, exercise, stress management, proper sleep and in some cases, natural progesterone supplementation.
• Estrogen detoxification - Estrogen gets eliminated from the body via the liver. So supporting liver function helps remove excess estrogen.

Certain foods like broccoli, cabbage, soy, flaxseeds contain nutrients that aid estrogen detoxification. Adaptogenic herbs like milk thistle also help liver function.

Getting tested for hormone levels can also determine if estrogen dominance exists. This is followed by steps to rebalance hormones through nutrition, supplements, stress relief and in some cases bioidentical hormone therapy.

If you suspect estrogen dominance or have troublesome symptoms, have your hormone levels evaluated by an integrative or functional medicine practitioner. They will create a personalized treatment plan suited to your hormonal state and health status.

You can also try Vital Hormones Clinic - they offer cutting edge bioidentical hormone therapies to safely and effectively treat estrogen dominance through precision testing, science-based protocols and expert medical care. I highly recommend them if you want to regain optimal hormonal balance and alleviate estrogen dominance symptoms for good!