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Estrogen Dominance & Onset of Menopause

Estrogen consists of three hormones: estradiol, estrone and estriol. As a powerful anti-inflammatory, it protects women's health in myriad ways and also helps with female fertility. The estrogenic hormones in the female body also stimulate the growth and development of sexual reproduction. Natural estrogen play a role in changes that happen during the adolescent stage and in pregnancy, such as the development of milk ducts for lactating. It also regulates the metabolic processes including bone growth and cholesterol levels. Estrogen receptors found in the heart and brain help with memory.

Since hormones interact, any kind of deficiency or excess of either estrogen or progesterone may cause unpleasant results. The imbalance causes the menopause symptoms women will experience.

While estrogen levels decrease during menopause, estrogen levels do not fall significantly until after a woman's last period. Women suffer from the effects of "estrogen dominance" during the transition---that is, they have more estrogen relative to progesterone. They may suffer from the symptoms of estrogen dominance for 10 to 15 years, starting as early as age 35. Dr. John Lee, a healthcare pioneer, claimed that estrogen dominance causes peri-menopause and menopause symptoms, especially in younger women. Rebalancing the hormones through progesterone supplements became the obvious solution.

  1. Estrogen Dominance Symptoms

    • Women experience anxiety, breast tenderness, cyclical headaches or migraines, irregular bleeding, water retention and weight gain if their bodies overproduce estrogen.

    Health Consequences

    • If unopposed, estrogen levels may lead to infertility, uterine cancer, skipped periods or, heavy bleeding, decreased cognitive ability, stroke and heart disease and stroke among others. Stress triggers cortisol levels to elevate, interrupting the feedback loop that regulates the hormones (between the brain, pituitary and the ovaries); resulting in missed menstrual periods for women under stress.

    Preventive Measures

    • Chemicals found in the environment or pesticides contain xenoestrogens. Limit your exposure to them by washing or peeling all produce to remove the pesticides, avoiding heating your food in plastic containers or drinking out of glasses instead of plastic or previously used water bottles.

    Diet and Nutrition

    • Include phytonutrients, found in soybeans, yams and other foods. Eat only lean, organic meat and dairy products if possible.Take a high-quality daily nutritional supplement.

    Test for Estrogen Level

    • Take a blood test to check the estrogen levels. In addition, doctors may order estrone and/or estradiol for patients having night sweats, insomnia, hot flashes and/or amenorrhea.

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