Symptoms of Estrogen Dominance and What to Do About It
Cramps, bloating, swollen, tender breasts…all signs that your period is about to come, right? Yes, but there’s more.
PMS doesn’t have to be as common as we make it seem. There are some easy fixes to these symptoms and I’m here to help.
Estrogen dominance is a very common condition in females of reproductive age where estrogen is higher in the luteal phase than progesterone. If you need a refresher on how the menstrual cycle works, and which hormones act when, click here. As you may recall, during the luteal phase, progesterone should be higher than estrogen as it’s maintaining the uterine lining and ‘preparing’ for pregnancy. In any case, as the name suggests, the opposite happens with estrogen dominance where estrogen is actually the dominant hormone in this phase of the cycle, and thus, hormone imbalance occurs.
This hormone imbalance is actually the cause of most of your PMS symptoms, most commonly the bloating, cramping, and swollen and tender breasts. Another common sign that you may be experiencing estrogen dominance is having heavy periods that contain blood clots.
Your provider may want to test your hormones or do imaging to ensure that this is what is happening, but if you’re experiencing these symptoms, it may be assumed that estrogen dominance is the culprit.
So, Why Does This Happen?
The reason why estrogen dominance occurs is multifactorial. Our environment, dietary intake, stress, exercise, and lifestyle all play a major role. In clinical practice, I typically notice that individuals who eat a diet high in processed foods, maintain minimally active lifestyles and don’t support their detox pathways tend to have more severe pre-menstrual symptoms.
What Can We Do?
SO much can be done to naturally regulate your hormones and alleviate your monthly pain and agony. As always, I recommend working together with a trusted provider who can measure hormone levels and other key markers along the way before starting a treatment plan yourself.
First, let’s focus on detox. And I know ‘detoxing’ is super popular on the internet and social media platforms, but no I don’t mean the green juices and fasting for 5 days type of detox. Our bodies have the ability to detox on their own and that’s what they’re doing literally 24/7. Our liver and kidneys are the primary organs that help us get rid of toxins from our body and all we need to do is support them through this process. Detoxing can be supported by ensuring that you are sweating, peeing, and pooping regularly and daily. Exercising to the point of sweating or using a sauna or steam room is a great way to get your sweat on and support detox through the skin. Ensuring you’re drinking enough water and incorporating electrolytes to your diet, if needed, is crucial as well. And the most important in my opinion, is making sure you are having at least one solid bowel movement daily. If you’re not, talk to your doctor about ways to fix this!
Next, let’s talk about nutrition. If you should know anything about me, it’s that I think proper nutrition is KEY to mostly everything. In order to get our hormones back on track, we want to be eating whole foods with minimally processed ingredients. That means fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds and lean proteins. I’m totally fine if my patients want to eat meat, cheese and eggs but I highly suggest you purchase grass-fed, organic, and pasture raised products to get the best outcome. Some of the best veggies to consume are cruciferous greens like broccoli, brussels sprouts, and kale because they contain a naturally occurring substance called diindolylmethane (DIM) which supports the liver’s natural detox pathways. In addition, refrain from drinking alcohol, especially wine and beer as these have been shown to have estrogenic effects.
A key element in balancing your hormones that you may not have thought about is your environment and lifestyle. Endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) have been super trendy in the media recently but what does that actually mean? Endocrine disruptors are natural or man-made chemicals that mimic or interfere with our body’s natural hormones (1). Examples of these are BPAs, PCBs, PBBs, phthalates, and pesticides. EDCs have been shown to cause a variety of health problems such as PMS, thyroid dysfunction, metabolic syndrome and cancers. I always recommend by patients stay away from plastics and especially avoid microwaving or heating up foods in plastic containers. Glass is best along with aluminum and stainless steel water bottles for beverages.
A crucial aspect in supporting this process is supplementation. And as the word states, it’s a supplement, which is simply supposed to enhance the work that you’re already doing. Remember that taking supplements will never be the “end all, be all”, it’s simply an aid. With that being said, along with supporting your detox pathways through sweat, pee, poop, and proper nutrition, you can add certain supplements to your regime. I most commonly recommend DIM, just to ensure that you’re getting enough in. Other really beneficial herbs to supplement with are milk thistle, burdock, artichoke, and dandelion root. These can typically be taken as a pill or drank as a tea. Remember to always talk to your provider before starting new supplements.
References:
https://www.niehs.nih.gov/health/topics/agents/endocrine