The need-to-knows:
What does it mean to have high estrogen?
Estrogen is most often categorized as a sex hormoneand it is.
But this steroid hormone is involved in so much more than reproduction.
Ifestrogen levels get too high, or progesterone levels fall too low, it can lead toestrogen dominance.
Put simply, estrogen dominance is a state of imbalance in the ratio of estrogen to progesterone.
We’re exposed to environmental toxins and toxins in our food supply on a daily basis.
And all of this getsprocessed through your liver.
The liver is also where estrogen is eliminated from the body.
This can lead to incomplete detoxification andleave you with high estrogen levels2, according to Trubow.
According to Trubow,beta-glucuronidase divides the estrogen3that’s bound for excretion.
Then, it is either reprocessed or stored in the fat," she says.
Constipationcan also contribute to estrogen dominance.
Eliminating your bowels is one of the three main ways your body detoxifies.
Proper gut function and daily, well-formed stools help reduce the reabsorption of waste products, like excess estrogen.
High estrogen also seems tocause constipation4in some cases, so it can put you in a negative digestion cycle.
This can create a cascade effect that goes on to cause high estrogen levels.
Missing periods due to stress, illness, travel, etc., can also throw off estrogen levels.
But this is rare.
Your doctor may test the estrogen levels in your blood or urine.
What else could cause these symptoms?
Environmental toxins can overload your liver and cause numerous symptoms, from reproductive dysfunction to autoimmunity.
They have also been connected toPCOS and endometriosis10.
However, some women may have symptoms of high estrogen even during this transition.
Progesterone has also been shown toimprove sleep quality11during the perimenopausal period.
PCOS comes up whenever the ovaries produce too many androgens, which then causes an imbalance in all hormones.
According to theWorld Health Organization12, 8-13% of reproductive-aged women have PCOS.
The tissue thickens and breaks down with each menstrual cycle.
This can cause irregular periods, abdominal pain, fatigue, and fertility challenges.
High estrogen levels13seem tocontribute to inflammation14, which can go on to exacerbate painful endometriosis symptoms.
In estrogen-receptor-positive breast cancers, estrogens bind to receptors and drive the formation of cancerous cells.
You’ll want to work with a doctor tocorrect a diagnosed hormone imbalance.
However, there are a few holistic lifestyle changes that may also help support healthy hormone levels.
When your liver is presented with both, alcohol takes precedence, according to Trubow.
There also seems to bea correlation between increased estrogen levels15and increased alcohol use in females.
Make healthy dietary changes
The food you eat has an impact on your hormones.
It can also send signals to the liver thatshut down detoxification17.
Exercise regularly
Researchshows that the direct effect of exercise on estrogen is relatively modest.
have a go at use phthalate-free and paraben-free products as much as possible.
Instead, use glass containers as much as possible, and never heat up food in plastic.
High estrogen symptoms may look different depending on a woman’s age.
An estrogen imbalance may worsen the side effects of menopause in older women, for example.
If not corrected, elevated estrogen levels can eventually contribute to more chronic health problems.
What causes high estrogen levels in females?
High stress levels can also lower progesterone, which indirectly leads to high estrogen levels.
How do you lower high estrogen levels?
Diet and lifestyle are really powerful tools for lowering high estrogen levels.
They can order tests to help discover the best path forward.
