For a woman, there’s one hormone that plays a larger role than any: estrogen. It influences the way her body looks, feels, and even thinks. But just because it’s important doesn’t mean it gets to call all the shots. Too little or too much estrogen is not ideal and can lead to a myriad of problems.
Ask any woman experiencing perimenopause or postmenopause, and they can tell you exactly what life with low estrogen is like: it can cause irregular periods, hot flashes, sleep problems, hair loss, mood swings, skin changes, and much more. But what about too much estrogen — what does that look like? For some women, estrogen dominance is a real concern and comes with its own host of symptoms and health concerns.
To understand estrogen dominance, you also need to understand another female hormone: progesterone. Progesterone is a hormone primarily produced in the ovaries, and it helps prepare the body for conception and pregnancy. It is an important regulator of the menstrual cycle and thickens the uterine lining during the early stages of pregnancy, among other functions. When progesterone drops too low due to issues like chronic stress, thyroid irregularities, extreme dieting, or conditions like polycystic ovarian syndrome, the body cannot counteract the effects of its other dominant hormone, estrogen. This is the most common reason for estrogen becoming the dominant hormone, but there is another scenario to be aware of.
Sometimes, the body genuinely produces too much estrogen. This can be due to ovarian cysts that become overly stimulated and secrete extra estrogen, metabolic disorders, alcohol consumption, chronic inflammation, certain medications, or poor diet and unhealthy lifestyle. Women who are overweight or obese can have elevated estrogen since adipose, or fatty tissue, also secretes estrogen. New studies also show that exposure to chemicals found in some plastics, like BPAs and phthalates, mimics estrogen in the body and can contribute to estrogen dominance.
Even though estrogen is essential for bone health, brain functions, cardiovascular health, and many other body systems, it’s possible to have too much of a good thing. You might be estrogen-dominant if you experience these symptoms:
Too much estrogen also increases the risk of some serious medical conditions. Breast, uterine, and ovarian cancers are more common in estrogen-dominant women, as is endometriosis, insulin resistance, polycystic ovarian syndrome, and ovarian and adrenal tumors.
To determine if you are estrogen-dominant, your baseline hormone levels should be evaluated. This can be achieved with a comprehensive, non-invasive analysis called the DUTCH test (Dried Urine Test for Comprehensive Hormones). This will let your provider know where to start and how best to treat your hormone imbalance.
Fortunately, there are many ways you can treat estrogen dominance yourself. Here are 9 natural ways you can take control of estrogen dominance to enjoy better moods, reduce inflammation, support bone health, preserve your long-term health, and much more.
You don’t have to guess whether you might be estrogen-dominant — Happy Hormone Cottage has the expertise and tools to determine the best course of action to restore hormone balance, support your health, and relieve symptoms. Call us today at (513) 444-6343 or reach out online to schedule a consultation. Happy Hormone Cottage provides personalized care for lasting hormonal wellness.
