Oestrogen Dominance is one of the most common hormonal imbalances women experience today and we see it in clinic every day. It is so common, that we assume that suffering with PMS, heavy or painful periods, hormonal migraines or acne or having fibroids is pretty normal. These symptoms may be common but they are NOT normal!
The common symptoms of oestrogen dominance are:
• Tender, lumpy, and fibrocystic breasts
• PMS
• Hormonal headaches
• Acne
• Estrogenic cancers such as breast, ovarian, uterine
• Cysts, fibroids and uterine polyps
• Endometriosis/adenomyosis
• Heavy or painful periods
• Irregular periods (often shorter cycles)
• Thyroid nodules
• Cellulite and stubborn fat on the butt and thighs
• Water retention
• Weight gain, especially around the bottom and hips
• Infertility
• Lack of ovulation
Note: Even though you might be headed for peri- and menopause, you can still be experiencing oestrogen dominance.
Which 3 Reasons Cause Oestrogen Dominance?
You can experience oestrogen dominance if you have one or even all three of the below:
1. E1, E2 and E3: When there is just too much estrone (E1) and/or estradiol (E2) or estrone (E3)
2. Progesterone: Estradiol ratio: When there is insufficient progesterone to oppose the more aggressive estradiol (E2) – this shows up as a ratio of progesterone to estradiol in saliva or urine tests.
3. Poor oestrogen detoxification in the liver and/or gut :
The liver’s Phase 1 detoxification process involves breaking down estradiol and oestrone into smaller fragments, which is the first step in eliminating metabolised or “dirty” oestrogen. Three different pathways are available for breaking down oestrogen:
2-hydroxyestrone (2-OH): a “good” or often called protective pathway and oestrogen that does not stimulate cell growth and can block the action of stronger, potentially cancer-causing oestrogens.
4-hydroxyestrone (4-OH): potentially harmful, with increased oestrogenic activity. A “dirty” oestrogen. This is the pathway I genetically favour!
16-alpha-hydroxyestrone (16-OH): potentially harmful and often called the proliferative pathway, associated with an increased risk of fibroids, endometriosis, cysts, migraines and even potentially breast cancer. A “dirty” oestrogen.
We need to increase the production of 2-OH while minimising the production of 4-OH and 16-OH. If the liver is unable to break down oestrogens efficiently, it generates excessive amounts of “dirty” oestrogens leading to oestrogen dominance. Hence, maintaining a healthy liver is crucial in managing oestrogen.
As we grow older, our liver tends to become less efficient than it was in our younger years.
Another crucial organ to consider is the gut, particularly if you’re experiencing issues with oestrogen metabolism. The “estrobolome,” a group of oestrogen-metabolising bacteria, plays a critical role in maintaining balanced hormone levels. If these bacteria are damaged, whether due to antibiotic use, toxins, or other factors, they may no longer be able to effectively break down oestrogen, resulting in Oestrogen Dominance. It is so important to have at least one bowel movement a day to eliminate oestrogen safely from the body. If you don’t, the used-up oestrogen can be reabsorbed back into the body.
2-hydroxyestrone (2-OH): a “good” or Oestrogen Dominant?
Oestrogen Dominance is a complex condition and can be caused by some of these:
• Eating non-organic food – which is grown “conventionally” (this term is ridiculous, in my world), contains a high amount of pesticides, fertilizers as well as growth hormones and antibiotics that are fed to animals. They contribute to endocrine disruption in every way you can imagine.
• Excess exposure to environmental xenoestrogens – a number of chemical compounds (like phthalates, BPA, SLS, and many others) found in consumer products such as detergents and skincare products.
• Use of synthetic oestrogens such as the birth control pilland hormone replacement therapy (HRT)
• Digestive issues which inhibit the estrogen detoxification process in the liver and overproduce cortisol which blocks progesterone receptors
• Chronic stress which strains the adrenals and the thyroid,
• Unresolved emotional issues from the past and present-day
• Poor diet
• Poor liver function, as the liver is responsible for eliminating metabolized or “used up” estrogens
• Lifestyle choices such as drugs (prescription and recreational), smoking, and alcohol
• Genetic variants that make some women more prone.
What Can We Do?
1. Test First
Ideally we want to check your hormones alongside symptoms of Oestrogen Dominance. You can test using our Dutch hormone test. The truth is Oestrogen Dominance symptoms occur to 75% of women, but a whopping 90% of them don’t even realise they have it.
2. Go Organic
If you are on a tight budget do check out the environmental working group clean fifteen dirty dozen.
3. Eliminate Xenoestrogens
Xenoestrogens are compounds found in general consumer products such as creams, lotions, soaps, shampoos, perfumes, hair sprays, and room deodorisers. Such compounds often have chemical structures similar to oestrogen and indeed act like oestrogen.
Other sources of xenoestrogens include: car exhaust, petrochemically derived pesticides, herbicides, and fungicides; solvents and adhesives such as those found in nail polish; paint removers, and glues; dry-cleaning chemicals; practically all plastics; industrial waste such as PCBs and dioxins, and synthetic oestrogens from urine of women taking HRT and birth control pills that are flushed down the toilet and eventually find their way into the food chain and back into the body. They are fat soluble which means we need to engage the liver to get rid of them.
4. Improve Your Liver Function
Your liver is responsible for the evacuation of metabolised oestrogens (the methylation pathway in the liver) to make way for more healthy oestrogens. Full list of foods in my book Eat Right, Lose Weight and Eat Right, Balance Hormones.
Please note that in order to detox your liver, you need to make dietary and lifestyle changes for a period of time. Powders, pills, and supplements alone will NOT be effective enough to help your liver.
It’s important to make sure that what you eat is supporting all three phases of detoxification, including elimination. There is no point in getting oestrogen out of the liver if it’s left swilling around in the gut. Some foods to help clear out used oestrogen and reduce your oestrogen levels are:
- Cruciferous vegetables – broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, kale, brussels sprouts and red cabbage.
- Sulphur-rich vegetables – sulphur compounds increase levels of an antioxidant called glutathione, key to liver function. These include garlic, onion, spring onions, shallots, beetroot and asparagus.
- Bitter foods – support healthy bile production. These include chicory, rocket, watercress and dandelion, radishes and artichokes.
- Proteins – with every meal such as chicken, turkey, lean red meats, fish, prawns and eggs. This is particularly important for hormones because the building blocks of protein, amino acids, are needed to make all our hormones.
- Good fats – good fats are key to keeping your hormones balanced. These include avocados, nuts and seeds and oily fish such as salmon, sardines and mackerel.
Top tip – If you do just one thing: eat 2 tablespoons of broccoli sprouts per day
Broccoli sprouts are the richest source of sulforaphane, the chemical in cruciferous vegetables that helps you detox the used oestrogen from your body.
For additional support, my PCH Detox supplement contains broccoli sprout extract, alongside key nutrients designed to support your liver’s natural detoxification pathways.
5. Restore the Health of Your Digestive System
The health of your gut is central to your overall health as much as your hormonal balance. I mean chronic constipation, gas, bloating, diarrhea, acid reflux, burping, and frequent stomach aches.
Recent findings on the estrobolome – a subset of the gut bacteria that helps metabolise oestrogen.
“The estrobolome provides a framework for understanding how an individual’s resident gut bacteria may modulate lifetime estrogen exposure,” said Dr. Plottel. “States of estrogen excess are associated with an increased risk of developing estrogen-related cancers, so knowledge and characterization of the estrabolome represent a novel area of promising scientific and biomedical research.” – Source.
Our lives can be impacted by our hormones in ways big and small. The bottom line: no woman should suffer from oestrogen dominance. The good news is that this hormonal condition is easily reversible with the right diet and supplements. I am testimony to that along with many of our clients!
