Contents:
What are estrogen and progesterone?
What is absolute and relative estrogen dominance?
What are the symptoms of estrogen dominance?
What are the causes of absolute estrogen dominance
What are the causes of relative estrogen dominance
Estrogen and Progesterone - When Are They Important?
The fertility hormone estrogen and the hormone progesterone are essential to the female cycle. They are considered the female sex hormones. They are subject to natural fluctuations, meaning that their concentrations vary depending on the phase of the cycle. Estrogen dominates in the first half of the cycle, while progesterone dominates in the second half.
https://www.praxis-breitenberger.de/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/Hormonschwankungen_720.png
These natural fluctuations in female hormones are important for women to be able to become pregnant. Estrogen builds up tissues, including breast tissue and the uterine lining, while progesterone breaks them down. Both hormones therefore act as antagonists and are closely intertwined. For hormonal balance, it is important that they are present in the right ratio to each other. The normal range corresponds to a progesterone/estrogen (estradiol) ratio of 100:1, so the quotient should be at least 100.
If there is too much estrogen in relation to progesterone, meaning the quotient is less than 100, it is referred to as estrogen dominance.
Absolute and Relative Estrogen Dominance
And as if that weren't complicated enough, there are also different types of estrogen dominance. Nevertheless, it is important to know the difference between these types in order to choose the right treatment approach.
Absolute Estrogen Dominance
In this type, there is too much estrogen in the body overall, meaning the ABSOLUTE value is too high. This can be caused either by excessive endogenous production, e.g. due to a high body fat percentage, or by external factors, such as chemicals from the environment (cosmetics, food, plastic, etc.).
Relative Estrogen Dominance
This type describes the ratio of estrogen to progesterone, where the estrogen concentration is too high RELATIVE to the progesterone concentration. In this case, the estrogen level may be within the normal range or even below it, but if the progesterone level is too low in comparison, estrogen dominance still exists.
Therefore, when treating it, it is important to understand which type of estrogen dominance is present. Estrogen levels may not need to be lowered; instead, progesterone levels (or even both) may need to be increased.
Symptoms of Estrogen Dominance
Because estrogen is responsible for a wide range of tasks in the body and is involved in various metabolic processes, estrogen dominance can cause individual symptoms in every woman. Some women may experience many symptoms, while others may have only one or a few. The severity can also vary depending on the severity of the estrogen dominance and individual physical conditions.
The more and more pronounced the symptoms, the more likely it is that estrogen dominance is present.
Common symptoms include:
- heavy and prolonged menstrual bleeding
- menstrual cramps
- PMS
- water retention
- breast tenderness / breast pain (especially 1–2 weeks before menstruation)
- cysts in the ovaries and/or breasts
- frequent headaches / migraines (especially 1–2 weeks before menstruation)
- mood swings
- myomas
- fat deposits on the hips, buttocks, and abdomen and difficulty losing this fat
- hair loss
- hot flashes
- bloating
- fatigue, exhaustion
- gallbladder diseases
Although observing these symptoms is already a fairly strong indicator of estrogen dominance, it does not, of course, guarantee 100% certainty.
If you want to be completely sure, you can have your estradiol, progesterone, and progesterone/estradiol ratio tested using a saliva hormone test. You can either order this test online and perform it at home or ask your gynecologist about it. However, please make sure that these values are measured in your saliva rather than your blood, as this is the only way to measure the freely available, active hormones.
The Main Causes of Estrogen Dominance
The Main Causes of Absolute Estrogen Dominance:
1. Xenoestrogens / hormone-active substances / endocrine-disrupting substances
This refers to a group of approximately 800 substances that closely resemble our own hormones and can bind to the same receptors. They can thus mimic our own hormones or block their function by occupying the receptors. In short, they act like our own estrogens, but are often much stronger and more aggressive, and lack the positive properties of our own hormones. They are also much harder to break down, especially in the quantities we consume today.
Occurrence:
Unfortunately, it is virtually impossible to avoid exposure to xenoestrogens today, as they are everywhere: in cosmetics and personal care products, detergents and cleaning products, conventional fruit and vegetables, plastic materials, air fresheners, perfumes, and much more.
DO:
- Choose natural cosmetics. Hormone-active substances are absorbed very well through the skin.
- use natural cleaning products and detergents
- buy fresh, unpackaged food
- store food in glass or stainless steel containers
Tip: With the "CodeCheck" app, you can scan your cosmetics and food products and check the ingredients for hormone-active substances.
DON'T:
- eat too many foods packaged in plastic or cans
- heat food in plastic containers
- use plastic bottles and plastic dishes
2. The birth control pill or other hormonal contraceptives
The pill and similar products almost always lead to estrogen dominance because, in most cases, they contain large amounts of synthetic estrogen and progesterone (progestin). The body is not designed to excrete these high amounts of synthetic hormones, which inevitably also overloads the liver and intestines, further worsening estrogen dominance. If the pill is the cause of your estrogen dominance, unfortunately, there is little choice but to look for an alternative method of contraception.
A quick reminder: You can only become pregnant for 5–6 days a month—so why give your body hormones every day?
DO:
- Choose alternative methods of contraception. There are now good cycle-tracking apps and natural methods of contraception. Simply look around or ask your gynecologist for advice.
DON'T:
- Switch to another hormonal contraceptive. Regardless of the method, the hormones always enter the bloodstream and never act locally.
3. Poor Diet
Diet is also one of the main influencing factors for estrogen dominance. Most people do not consume enough nutrients today. However, these are essential for a healthy estrogen metabolism and the proper functioning of all metabolic processes in the body.
Pesticides and herbicides on conventionally grown fruit and vegetables, as well as antibiotics and hormones in meat from conventional animal farming, can negatively affect estrogen levels.
But other foods, such as dairy products, caffeine, gluten, sugar, or pro-inflammatory fats, can also promote inflammation in the body, disrupt blood sugar levels, overload the liver, and throw the hormones out of balance.
DO:
- Choose organic food. This ensures that you do not consume hormone-active substances such as pesticides, herbicides, steroids, or antibiotics.
- Include cruciferous vegetables in your diet (all types of cabbage, cress, mustard, radish, etc.). They contain mustard oils, which are able to safely metabolize estrogen and ensure its conversion into safe metabolites. These can also be found in our product balance x cycle.
- Include flaxseed in your daily diet. It contains so-called lignans, which have a positive effect on estrogen levels. But be careful: always grind flaxseed fresh and store it in the refrigerator!
DON'T:
- coffee, too much industrial sugar, gluten-containing foods, alcohol, and dairy products.
4. Overloaded Detoxification Organs
Estrogen is metabolized and excreted by the liver, intestines, and kidneys. And all the above causes of estrogen dominance contribute to overloading the detoxification organs. Xenoestrogens, poor diet, and hormonal contraceptives like the pill make the detoxification organs work at full capacity, which further increases nutrient consumption and worsens the deficiency.
Because the intestines are responsible for excreting estrogen, intestinal problems, in particular, are very frequently associated with estrogen dominance. If the intestines are impaired, such as in cases of constipation or an imbalance in the microflora, estrogen remains in the body for too long and re-enters the bloodstream.
DO:
- Increase fiber intake: Especially in cases of constipation and sluggish bowel movements, it is recommended to increase fiber intake to at least 30 g per day, or even higher if possible.
- Exercise sufficiently and drink at least 2 liters of fluid per day.
-
Include bitter substances in your diet. They are found in various vegetables such as Brussels sprouts, chicory, or arugula, but especially in herbs such as dandelion, rosemary, hops, etc.
Bitter substances support digestion by stimulating the production of bile, stomach acid, and digestive enzymes, allowing nutrients to be better utilized. They also support the liver in detoxification and estrogen excretion. - Dietary supplements: Due to depleted soils and the fast-paced, stressful times we live in, it is difficult to meet all nutrient requirements even with a very balanced diet. Dietary supplements are a great solution for this.
DON’T:
- Smoke: Smoking is unhealthy—that is nothing new. Cigarettes have many negative effects on the body. Nicotine overloads the liver and is anything but beneficial, especially in cases of estrogen dominance.
- Alcohol: To break down and excrete alcohol, the liver, among other organs, works at full capacity. Especially with estrogen dominance, you need a high-functioning liver that is not busy breaking down alcohol.
5. Overweight
Fatty tissue is an organ in which large amounts of estrogen can be produced. The enzyme “aromatase” ensures that androgens are converted into estrogen there. This mechanism is important for a healthy estrogen balance, but excessive body fat can contribute significantly to estrogen dominance.
DO:
- Reducing body fat is logically the key here. A balanced, healthy diet and regular exercise are essential.
DON’T:
- Very extreme diets, especially in combination with excessive exercise. This combination causes too much stress in the body, which in turn is counterproductive.
The Main Causes of Relative Estrogen Dominance
1. Stress
Even if you may not want to hear it: Too much stress is a trigger for many physical and mental problems and has a major impact on hormones.
And people today are exposed to more stress than ever before—interpersonal problems, performance pressure, constantly looking at a screen, but also diets, too much sugar, coffee, and poor eating habits trigger stress reactions in the body. This causes the stress hormone cortisol to be released, which puts the body into a kind of “survival mode.” Unfortunately, cortisol is formed from progesterone, so cortisol production comes at the expense of progesterone. After all, in an emergency, survival is naturally more important to the body than reproduction.
Stress can therefore have a negative effect on progesterone levels and is one of the main causes of relative estrogen dominance.
DO:
- Relaxation techniques such as yoga and meditation
- Wear blue light filter glasses while working
- Ensure sufficient sleep
- Herbal remedies: A low progesterone level can be supported by several medicinal plants. These include, for example, monk’s pepper, yam, red clover, and chasteberry. Passionflower, lemon balm, lavender, licorice root, and St. John’s wort have a relaxing effect.
DON'T:
- Avoid low-calorie diets and excessive exercise: especially in combination, these two factors trigger a stress reaction in the body. Healthy eating and exercise are important, but not in excess!
- Too much screen time: Do not spend too much time on your phone or in front of a screen, and try to put your phone away at least 2 hours before going to bed.
You are probably thinking that it is impossible to change all these things.
It won’t happen overnight, and it isn’t possible to do it all at once. However, it is important to understand that estrogen dominance cannot be managed with a miracle cure (and certainly not with hormone preparations), but only with a holistic approach. As with everything, the dose makes the poison. You can try to change small things in your daily life step by step and gradually reduce the dose.
We hope that this blog post has given you an overview of this complex topic, and we would love to hear your feedback!
