Many women are experiencing excess estrogen without realizing it. Estrogen consists of Estrone (EI), Estradiol (E2) and Estriol (E3). Estradiol is the most abundant form of estrogen in the body because it is supplied by both organs and hormonal conversions creating a complex chemical cascade. Symptoms of excess estrogen include fatigue, weight gain, poor sleep, headaches, water retention, hypothyroidism, depression and or anxiety, uterine fibroids and an increased risk of auto-immune disorders. These symptoms are often mistaken for other disorders and imbalances. Mere nanograms of estrogen metabolites produce significant effects on human physiology. When the body is unable to clear estrogen forms, toxicity occurs. It is the natural action of the body to rid itself of estrogen. A sluggish metabolic system contributes to estrogen dominance. Imbalances between steroid hormones, neurotransmitters and inflammatory molecules are additional causes. Exposure to a number of chemical and physiologic factors can lead to increased testosterone and estrogen production. These factors include: HRT (hormone replacement therapy), synthetic or bio-identicals, xenoestrogens, also called “estrogen mimics”; intestinal disbiosis, a high fat mass to lean muscle ratio and insulin insensitivity.
Unused estrogen is primarily metabolized through the liver via two phases of detoxification. It is essential for these phases to complete through proper methylation in order to prevent oxidation and carcinogenesis. Oxidation is a potential endogenous initiator of cancers, particularly of the breast, and prostate. Dietary considerations, incorporating a complete detoxification system, promote the body’s ability to effectively eliminate excess estrogen. B vitamins, flax seed containing lignans that increase SHBG (sex hormone binding globulin) and I3C (indole-3-carbinol), a chemo-preventative compound present in cruciferous vegetables, can induce cancer cell apoptosis.
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