Estrogen Dominance in Women and Men
What is Estrogen Dominance?
Estrogen dominance generally occurs when a body has too much estrogen in relation to progesterone. Many women in their twenties, mid thirties through forties,
Estrogen Dominance in Women and Men
What is Estrogen Dominance?
Estrogen dominance generally occurs when a body has too much estrogen in relation to progesterone. Many women in their twenties, mid thirties through forties, and even women who are menopausal can be overloaded with estrogen. At the same time they may be suffering from a deficiency of progesterone due to a severe drop in the body’s production, which leads to insufficient progesterone to counteract the amount of estrogen in the body. It is most noticeable among peri-menopausal women who do not ovulate, which is quite common. You may have a fairly normal cycle, but no egg is released and very little progesterone is produced.
Estrogen dominance can cause a host of problems such as:
- Night sweats
- Vaginal Dryness
- Weight gain
- Tender breasts
- Fibrocystic breasts
- Mood swings
- Memory Loss
- Dry skin
- Irregular periods
- Heavy bleeding
- Low thyroid symptoms
- Low libido
- Water retention/bloating
- Polycystic Ovary Condition
- Cyclical migraine headaches
- Prostate problems
- Man boobs
- Male patterned baldness
- Weight gain
- Low libido
Even if a woman has low estrogen levels, she can have symptoms of estrogen dominance, because she may have little or no progesterone. However, estrogen dominance can be caused by more than the body’s production of hormones. For example, hormone replacement therapy (HRT), birth control pills, environmental estrogens, plant estrogens, stress, obesity, poor liver function, peri-menopause, and glandular dysfunction.
The end result of an imbalance between estrogen in relation to progesterone adds up to a condition Dr. John Lee has termed “estrogen dominance.” Dr. Lee's book, Hormone Balance Made Simple, explains this more in-depth. This book is available on our website.
Men too can suffer from estrogen dominance. Estrogens from plant estrogens and environmental sources, also known as xenoestrogens, produce hormonal stimuli that can contribute to inappropriate growth of mammary tissue cells, resulting in a problem society is calling “man boobs.” Some theorize that estrogen dominance in men is contributing to hair loss, atherosclerosis, prostate problems, lowered libido, weight gain, and impotency.
Causes of Estrogen Dominance
- poor liver function
- birth control pills
- plant estrogens (soy, flaxseed)
- Hormone Replacement Therapy
- glandular dysfunction
- environmental estrogens
Health Consequences of Estrogen Dominance
Estrogen dominance can lead to many different related health conditions. For example, in women, over-stimulation from estrogen of the breast tissue can cause tenderness, swelling, and fibrocystic breasts. In the uterus, excess estrogen stimulation may lead to endometriosis, hyperplasia, heavy or irregular menses, menstrual cramping and uterine fibroid tumors. If estrogen over-