Natural Alternatives to Increase Estrogen Levels

If you are peri-menopausal or menopausal, and are relatively certain that your estrogen levels have dropped because you are experiencing hot flashes, night sweats, mood swings, weight gain or loss and perhaps dry skin, there are ways to naturally increase estrogen levels. Some women are leery about taking hormone replacement therapy (HRT) and should be because it has been linked with breast cancer.

Maca

• Maca is a plant that is grown in Peru and has been used for centuries by the Peruvians to increase energy, stamina and libido. It has estrogenic effects but does not contain estrogen properties, like black cohosh does. Many women find taking maca helps them feel better during peri-menopause and menopause. There are no known side effects to taking maca supplements. However, you should always research herbs and talk to knowledgeable herbalists before ingesting anything new because it might be contraindicated if you have certain physical conditions or take certain medications.

Ginseng

• Give ginseng a try. It reportedly reduces the incidence of hot flashes and ramps up your energy and cognitive abilities, according to Mothernature.com.

Hops

• Try hops. It has estrogen-like effects and reportedly makes estrogen levels rise. This was discovered accidentally, according to Mothernature.com. Women who were picking hops experienced changes in their menstrual periods, which was brought about by the rise in estrogen in their systems.

Vitamin E

• Take vitamin E supplements, which reportedly diminish hot flashes. In 1974, Prevention magazine reported that women who regularly took vitamin E experienced fewer hot flashes and leg cramps, and enjoyed more energy and diminished vaginal dryness. Don quai, an herb, contains vitamin E.

Other Herbs

• According to a British study done by Gisela Wilcox, M.D., women who were given red clover sprouts, flaxseeds and soy flour on a daily basis for two weeks experienced a rise in their estrogen levels. When the women stopped eating these items, their estrogen level dropped back to the pre-diet level. Mothernature.com notes that alfalfa seeds and sprouts seem to produce a very similar outcome.

Soy

• Reportedly, Japanese women do not experience the vast and extreme menopausal symptoms that women in the western world have. Mothernature.com explains that this may be due to the fact that Japanese women consume a lot of soy and soy products, which contain large amounts of estrogen-like substances. The plant source that has the highest level of estrogenic substances is the pomegranate seed, with rhubarb stalks and pineapple next in line. Eat nuts, whole grains and avocados because they, too, have estrogen-like compounds.

Calcium

• Take calcium supplements and shy away from the protein, a bit, because it can block calcium absorption.

Essential Oils

• Some essential oils are said to stimulate estrogen including clary sage, anise, fennel, cypress and basil. Lavender, rose geranium and neroli are considered hormone balancers, which are often included in European skin creams.

Chinese Remedies

• According to Acupuncturetoday.com, Chinese herbs that reportedly increase estrogen levels include radicis angelicae sinensis (dang gui), fructus cnidii monnieri (she chuang zi) and semen cassiae (jue ming zi). However, these herbs are not given individually but the inclusion of them in a supplement formula appears to have therapeutic value for women.