If you don’t listen to the whisper, you will definitely have to answer to the scream
Our body speaks to us every single day, and it warns us about anything that is not functioning properly. For many women, that looks like Estrogen Dominance.
Estrogen Dominance is a term that describes a pattern of elevated estrogen and low progesterone symptoms. It is the second most common hormone imbalance that I see in women in my practice.
Let’s break it down together:
- Estrogen is an amazing hormone that is dependent on its sister hormone progesterone.
- The most common signs of Estrogen Dominance
- Some of the reasons why it occurs
Before we really dive deep into things, let’s talk about estrogen and why women need it. Despite the negative connotation in Estrogen Dominance, estrogen is an incredible hormone.
Estrogen has the following functions:
- Helps to promote the development of an egg
- Promotes the growth of the uterine lining
- Contributes to ovulation (simultaneously with other hormones)
- Increases muscle mass and regulates fat distribution
- Functions as an anti-inflammatory
- Helps you feel happy and energized–regulating energy expenditure
- Promotes a healthy libido
- Maintains bone density
- Benefits your brain function, cognition, and mental sharpness
- Supports healthy, supple skin and hair
- Protects your heart and cardiovascular system–especially your Cholesterol
- Promotes lung function
- Improves coagulation
- Assists with cellular fluid balance
- Supports your metabolism and much more
In order for the balance of progesterone and estrogen to prevent Estrogen Dominance, we need to ovulate regularly. Ovulation is the key event to allow for healthy progesterone levels to be produced. If ovulation doesn’t occur, this sets us up for progesterone deficiency… and this means that estrogen becomes elevated relative to progesterone (i.e. “Estrogen Dominance”).
You may be more likely to have elevated estrogen and low progesterone if:
- You have high cortisol (stress levels)
- Eat a highly estrogenic diet
- You have Fibroids, Endometriosis, PCOS, Adenomyosis or another reproductive condition
- You aren’t ovulating regularly
- You’re in your 40’s and are going through perimenopause
- You have signs of low progesterone – Not sure why this is here. Having low progesterone is not a cause of low progesterone.
Let’s dig deeper: Here are some of the common signs examined in women concerned about elevated estrogen. Some of these symptoms can overlap with other hormone concerns, such as thyroid problems, so it is important to get
