Estrogen Dominance Syndrome

Whether you are aware of it or not, you are constantly exposed to estrogenic chemicals known for causing hormonal imbalance, disorders, and death — chemicals that are found in the air you breathe, products you use, food you eat, and water you drink.

These chemicals act like estrogen, causing estrogen disorders in women, feminization and sterilization of men, obesity, and some of the deadliest cancers.

Podcast

Listen to Evan Brand from NotJustPaleo.com interview me on the Estrogen Dominance Syndrome Podcast. On iTunes: Date 1/18/13, Titled Wendy Myers: Excess Estrogen.

In the past 40 years, the rates of estrogen-related disorders and cancer in both sexes have reached epidemic proportions never seen before in history. Today, we see the age of puberty dropping precipitously to as low as 8 years of age, endometriosis afflicting 10% of all perimenopausal women, Premenstrual Syndrome (PMS) afflicting close to 30% of perimenopausal women, uterine fibroids affecting close to 25% of women from age 35 to 50, and breast cancer afflicting close to 10% of all women. Men are having problems with fertility, decreased libido, improperly formed sex organs, gynecomastia (male breasts), etc. Learn more about estrogen issues in men by clicking here. Men, women, and children today are notably fatter due to the effects of excess estrogen.

We now know that the common thread in all these seemingly separate, but related diseases such as those mentioned above is a little known condition called estrogen dominance syndrome. The underlying problem is a relative excess of estrogen coupled with a deficiency in progesterone. Estrogen dominance syndrome affects 50% of women over 35 years old.

Symptoms in Women

• Swollen breasts
• Swollen hands and feet
• Impatience, irritability, bossiness
• Cramps
• Periods cease or are irregular
• Premenstrual Syndrome (PMS)
• Migraines
• Fibroids
• Ovarian cysts
• Endometriosis
• Fibrocystic breast disease
• Fatigue
• Weight gain
• Breast Cancer
• Polycystic ovarian disease (PCOD) or syndrome (PCOS)
• Autoimmune conditions
• Low blood sugar problems
• Infertility problems

Symptoms in Men

• Low sex drive
• Impotency/erectile dysfunction
• Infertility
• Gynecomastia, or “male breasts”
• Weight gain
• Enlarged prostate
• Prostate cancer
• Testicular cancer

Estrogen Vs. Progesterone

Progesterone acts as an antagonist to estrogen — it tones estrogen down. For example, estrogen stimulates breast cysts while progesterone protects against breast cysts. Estrogen enhances salt and water retention while progesterone is a natural diuretic. Estrogen has been associated with breast and endometrial cancers, while progesterone has a cancer preventive effect. Studies have shown that premenopausal women deficient in progesterone had 5.4 times the risk of breast cancer compared to healthy women.

It is not the absolute deficiency of estrogen or progesterone but rather the relative dominance of estrogen and relative deficiency of progesterone that is the main cause of hormone-related health problems. From age 35 to 50, there is a 75% reduction in production of progesterone in the body. Estrogen, during the same period, only declines about 35%. By menopause, the total amount of progesterone made is extremely low, while estrogen is still present in the body at about half its premenopausal level.

Causes

The primary causes of estrogen dominance are adrenal fatigue, excessive environmental estrogen, obesity, stress, poor diet, lack of exercise, and unopposed estrogen given as part of a hormone replacement therapy. With the advent of industry in the past 70 years, our body has been subjected to unprecedented insults from environmental estrogenic substances. We, who live in the developed world, are bathed in a continuous sea of estrogen and do not realize it.

Diet

A low-fiber diet causes estrogen levels to be higher, while a diet high in fiber results in decreased estrogen levels in the bloodstream. Why? Excess estrogen is excreted in the bowel. When stool remains in the bowel for a longer time, as in constipation, the estrogen is reabsorbed. Studies have shown that women on a high-fiber diet have lower levels of circulating estrogen.

Commercially raised cattle and poultry are fed estrogen-like hormones and growth hormones that are passed onto humans. Our animal food is mostly female. The male animal that we eat is either castrated (capon) or treated with estrogen to tenderize the meat. Half of all antibiotics in the United States are used in livestock — 25 million pounds a year. These antibiotics contribute to hormone disruption. The use of antibiotics is especially prevalent in poultry farms. Feeds used contain a myriad of hormone-disrupting toxins including pesticides, heavy metals like arsenic, antibiotics, and drugs to combat disease.

Commercially grown fruits and vegetables contain hormone-disrupting pesticides. Pesticide residues have chemical structures that are similar to estrogen. In the past 100 years, several hundred billion pounds of pesticides have been released into the environment. Pesticides that are banned in the US, such as DDT, are still sold to third world countries, which sell their pesticide-laced produce back to the US. Illegal pesticides are being used on crops that we eat everyday. Produce with the most pesticides reported in A Shopper’s Guide to Pesticides in Produce include strawberries, bell peppers, peaches, apples, apricots, and spinach. Foods with the least amount of pesticides include avocados, corn, onions, sweet potatoes, bananas, green onions, broccoli, and cauliflower. If you are eating non-organic fruits and vegetables, peel and wash them well with diluted vinegar and hydrogen peroxide. This will help to reduce pesticides on the surface. However, this will not help to eliminate the pesticides on the inside of the produce. You must eat an organic, whole foods diet.

Caffeine intake from all sources is linked with higher estrogen levels. Studies have shown that women who consumed at least 500 milligrams of caffeine daily, the equivalent of four or five cups of coffee, had nearly 70% more estrogen than women who consume no more than 100 mg of caffeine daily, or less than one cup of coffee. Tea is not much better as it contains about half the amount of caffeine compared to coffee. The exception is herbal tea, which contains no caffeine.

For the perfect, low estrogen diet, see The Modern Paleo Diet.

Stress

Stress causes adrenal gland exhaustion as well as reduced progesterone output. This tilts the estrogen to progesterone ratios in favor of estrogen. Excessive estrogen in turn causes insomnia and anxiety, which further taxes the adrenal glands. This leads to a further reduction in progesterone output and even more estrogen dominance. After a few years in this vicious cycle, the adrenal glands become exhausted. This dysfunction leads to blood sugar imbalance, hormonal imbalances, and chronic fatigue. For more information, see my article Epidemic Adrenal Fatigue.

Lack of Exercise

You need to exercise to metabolize excess estrogen. An exercise program must incorporate flexibility, cardiovascular, and strength training exercises. All it takes is 5 minutes of stretching every day, 20-30 minutes cardiovascular training 3 times a week, and 15-20 minutes of strength training 2 times a week. A properly structured program takes an average of 30 minutes a day. Pilates is the perfect exercise program, as it incorporates strength and stretching. Add some walking and you’re done!

Improper Hormone Replacement Therapy

Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) with estrogen alone lacking sufficient opposing progesterone, such as the drug Premarin, should be banned. This increases the level of estrogen in the body. Premarin, an estrogen-only drug commonly used in the past 40 years, is the mainstay of estrogen replacement therapy. It is a patented, chemicalized hormonal substitute that is different than the natural estrogen in your body. It contains 48% estrone and only a small amount of progesterone, which is insufficient to have an opposing effect. The indiscriminate and over-prescription of Premarin to many who may not need it is a problem. The excessive estrogen from ERT also lead to increased chances of DNA damage, setting a stage for endometrial and breast cancer. HRT is safe if done properly, but should be a last resort after suggestions below in the section ‘Resetting the Balance’ are tried.

Overloading the Liver

The liver is a filter. It detoxifies our body, protecting us from the harmful effects of chemicals, elements in food, environmental toxins, and even natural products of our metabolism, including excess estrogen. Anything that impairs liver function or ties up the detoxifying function will result in excess estrogen levels, whether it has a physical basis, as in liver disease, or an external cause, as with exposure to environmental toxins, drugs, or dietary substances.

Taking drugs that can impair liver function may also contribute to a higher level of estrogen. Even taking over the counter medications like Advil or Tylenol overload and are toxic to the liver. It is best to avoid medications, use them as a last resort, and determine and resolve your issues’ underlying cause to avoid use of medication.

Alcohol has a major impact on estrogen. Liver diseases such as cirrhosis from excessive alcohol intake reduce the breakdown of estrogen. Alcoholic men with impaired liver function develop a condition called gynecomastia (enlarged breasts), loss of male pubic hair, and eunuch-like features. Estrogen dominance syndrome can be evoked in women by too much alcohol. It has been found that circulating estrogen levels increase significantly in women who drink. In one study, blood and urine estrogen levels increased up to thirty-two percent in women who drank just two drinks a day. Consequently, breast cancer risks are higher for women drinkers.

Obesity

Men, women, and children are notably fatter across the world. There is a direct correlation between elevated estrogen and disorders involving obesity, blood sugar problems, high cholesterol, and high blood pressure. This is due to estrogen dominance syndrome. Fat is an active substance, which aids the body in increasing estrogen. Fat has an enzyme that converts adrenal steroids to estrogen. Overeating is the norm in developed countries — half of Europe and two-thirds of the US are obese. The heavier one is, the higher the incidence of menopausal symptoms and estrogen-related symptoms and disease. People who have a normal weight and eat more wholesome foods have a far lower incidence of menopausal symptoms because their pre- and post-menopause levels of estrogen do not drop as significantly.

Xenoestrogens

Xenoestrogens are estrogenic chemicals produced industrially. They are substances that mimic estrogen in your body. They are everywhere and one of the main reasons why men and women are suffering today. Xenoestrogens contribute to estrogen dominance and must be avoided as much as possible to reverse your symptoms and excess estrogen-related disease. Do the best you can. This is a long list! Xenoestrogens can be found in the following products:

• Avoid commercially raised, non-organic meats such as beef, chicken, and pork. These animals are fed estrogen-like hormones as well as growth hormone that are passed on to humans.
• Avoid commercially, conventionally grown fruits and vegetables as all contain pesticides. You must eat organic. Pesticide residues have chemical structures that are similar to estrogen. Pesticides mimic estrogen in the body. These are the number one contributors of environmental estrogenic substances.
• Avoid commercial dairy products including milk, butter, cheese, and ice cream. Use only organic products that do not contain recombinant bovine growth hormone
 (rBGH). Eat RAW (unpasteurized) dairy if you can find it in your area. Learn more about diary.
• Avoid coffee. No caffeine. No tea (except green). No colas. Caffeine increases estradiol (estrogen) levels by 70%!
• Avoid canned foods. Metal cans contain plastic linings with bisphenol-A — a xenoestrogen — to eliminate the metal taste in foods.
• Laundry detergent. Popular commercial detergents are made from toxic petrochemicals and cannot be fully washed from the clothes and are absorbed through the skin. Use white vinegar, baking soda, or tri-sodium phosphate (TSP). Some experts even advise avoiding Seventh Generation and Eco brands
.
• Avoid dryer sheets and fabric softeners. These contain hundreds of toxic chemicals, none of which have to be listed on the ingredient list. Use white vinegar as a marvelous natural fabric softener that has no smell after it dries.
• Avoid dry-cleaning chemicals. Have your clothes cleaned at a ‘green’ dry cleaners.
• Avoid chlorine bleach and bleached products like paper, napkins, feminine products like tampons. Buy organic, non-bleached products. Use non-chlorine, oxygen-based bleach for laundry.
• Avoid phthalates. They are some of the most dangerous chemicals in our world today. Phthalates are found in most detergents and any ingredient termed ‘fragrance.’ Air fresheners and candles contain phthalates
 unless they are made of pure essential oils. Phthalates are also used in the manufacturing of foamed PVC, commonly used in children’s foam flooring. They are also found in all soft plastics. Get rid of any plastic in your home that is flexible or soft. Phthalates are found in solvents, perfumes, nail polish, adhesives, paint pigments, and lubricants. You absorb phthalate’s estrogenic properties in your body every time you touch them. You can also listen to my podcast Toxic Beauty to learn more about this ingredient in cosmetics and beauty products. You can also read my article Wendy’s Favorite Beauty Products for safe beauty produce recommendations.
• Avoid the preservatives parabens (methyl or propylparaben) and phenoxyethanol. These are in almost every item sold at major retailers including shampoo, soap, makeup, hand lotion, body lotion, cosmetics, and toothpaste. Buy organic. Oral substances are 90% filtered by the liver. Skin-absorbed substances are 100% absorbed by the body, thus, a skin dose is 10 times an oral dose. Be diligent, you’re getting hundreds of times more exposure through your skin than through your diet. Use organic cosmetics with minerals, vitamins E or grapefruit seed extract as a preservative. To see how your cosmetic products rate, see the Environmental Working Groups Cosmetic Database, Skin Deep. You can also listen to my podcast Toxic Beauty to learn more about this ingredient in cosmetics and beauty products.
• Avoid these sunscreen ingredients: oxybenzone, 4-Methylbenzylidene camphor (4-MBC). See how your sunscreen rates by visiting Environmental Working Group’s Sunscreen Guide.
• Throw away nail polish and nail polish removers. These contain phthalates to reduce chipping. Even so-called phthalate-free polishes have been shown to contain them.
• Avoid medications such as Primpro, DES, Premarin, Cimetidine (Tagamet), and Marijuana. These increase estrogen in your body.
• Avoid hormonal birth control methods like the IUD with hormones, the patch, the shot, birth control pills and others. These promote continuously high levels of estrogen. They also promote other health issues like gut bacteria dysbiosis and can result in chronic yeast infections. Additionally, the promote copper dysregulation in the body that causes a whole host of other health conditions. Read this article on Copper Toxicity and this podcast on Copper Dysregulation.
• Hormone replacement therapy (HRT)
 must be done correctly — it is usually done incorrectly or not monitored adequately. Even ‘natural’ hormone replacement is half synthetic hormones. The predominant reason why menopausal women develop estrogen dominance is that they are being prescribed unopposed estrogen such as Premarin as part of their hormone replacement therapy (HRT) program. Despite decades of research clearly showing that HRT significantly increases breast cancer, millions of women worldwide are on unopposed estrogen for treatment of menopausal symptoms.
• Avoid Progesterone creams made with paraben preservatives. This is the line I recommend. 
• Drink only spring water. Learn why on my article What kind of water should I drink?
• Get a water filter for your entire home to avoid bathing in and breathing in pollutants in our tap water. I use an undersink water filter to wash my vegetables and cook. I wrote about my favorite water filter in this article The Best Water Filter on the Market.
• Use only naturally based perfumes made with pure essential oils. Most perfumes, like the ones at department stores, are petrochemically based and are carcinogenic.
• Avoid drinking out of plastic cups and containers
. Do not heat food or water with plastic in the microwave. Do not drink hot liquids in foam styrofoam cups or receptacles.
 Plastics leach estrogens into your food and drink.
• Avoid bisphenol A (BPA) (a hardener for plastics)
. This substance lines most food cans and baby formula cans. BPA is now replaced with BPS, a substance almost 20 times more toxic than BPA. The BPA free label is merely a false sense of security. For more info on plastics, see my article All Plastics are Bad for You.
• Avoid pesticides: dieldrin (insecticide),
 DDT (insecticide)
, endosulfan (insecticide)
, heptachlor (insecticide), lindane / hexachlorocyclohexane (insecticide), atrazine (weedkiller), methoxychlor (insecticide). Cancel your exterminator and throw away your cancerous bug sprays. Look into natural insect repellents like boric acid and hire an organic exterminator. Pesticides are the worst offenders causing estrogen dominance.
• Avoid artificial food coloring: erythrosine, FD&C Red No. 3
, phenosulfothiazine (a red dye). Artificial food coloring is made from estrogenic petrochemicals and usually contain heavy metals.
• Avoid nonylphenol and derivatives: industrial surfactants, emulsifiers for emulsion polymerization, laboratory detergents, and pesticides.
• Avoid polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in electrical oils, lubricants, adhesives, and paints. In other words, hire someone to paint your house.

Plant-based or Phytoestrogens

Plant estrogens, are rich in hormone-modulating factors called phytoestrogens, many of which can actually help reduce harmful estrogen activity in the body, particularly related to reducing the growth and spread of cancer cells. However, there is emerging evidence that some phytoestrogens may, in fact, do the opposite, and cause negative effects similar to estrogenic chemicals — causing cancer and promoting their growth.

Harmful phytoestrogens

• Soy. Soy is the most estrogenic plant found in nature and promotes estrogenic activity that harms the body as much as synthetic xenoestrogens. The body recognizes the highly bioactive form of soy isoflavones (phytoestrogens) as harmful toxins that need to be neutralized and eliminated. Soy should be considered a drug given the way it disrupts your hormones. It actually suppresses progesterone concentrations in the body. Soy is heavily promoted to relieve menopausal symptoms (which are really estrogen dominant symptoms). It is now known that these vegetables work by competitively occupying the estrogen receptor sites on the cell membrane to prevent internal estrogen from exerting its effects on the cell. Those who have estrogen dominance may therefore experience relief of symptoms as phytoestrogens are many times weaker than the estrogen in our body. While phytoestrogens may relieve symptoms, you still do not rid your body of excess estrogen, the cause of your symptoms. It is far more beneficial to rid the estrogen from the receptor sites and replace them with progesterone. NEVER take soy isoflavones or soy as a supplement. For more info about soy, read my article The Hidden Dangers of Soy. Fermented forms of soy like natto, soy sauce, tempeh, and miso do not have the same estrogenic properties and are ok to eat. Beware positive articles on soy. Most studies on soy are sponsored by grants from soy producers. This is why it is difficult to find negative information on soy. Soy is a cheap commodity that generates multibillion-dollar profits to soy manufacturers worldwide. Don’t fall prey to the hype.
• The most potent estrogenic plants, besides soy, are licorice and red clover. Avoid them. They both show potent progesterone-inhibiting properties. Studies show that all kinds of licorice are estrogenic. Cows fed red clover become infertile.
• No sunflower oil, safflower oil, cottonseed oil, or canola oil. These are all estrogenic. Use olive oil instead.
• Avoid hops (beer). It is very likely that the typical beer belly may be related to excess estrogenic activity in the body due to binge drinking. Alcohol also affects the liver’s ability to metabolize excess estrogen, so it builds up in the body.
• Similarly, avoid dong qui, damiana, verbena, and motherwort.
• Avoid black cohosh. It is used for relief of menopausal symptoms, but there are many reports of its cancer-promoting effects and liver-damaging effects after long-term use.
• Avoid tea tree oil. The NIH has found that tea tree products have estrogenic effects that stimulate growth of estrogen-sensitive breast cancer cells. Gynecomastia (enlarged breasts) in men and boys can be caused by the use of products containing tea tree oil.

Protective phytoestrogens

Helpful phytoestrogens can be beneficial in many cases where they effectively block other more harmful estrogens from binding to estrogen receptors throughout the body. So instead of always being harmful, particularly in men, plant-based phytoestrogens may serve the functional purpose of blocking harmful estrogens from feeding hormone-related cancers, as illustrated in several studies, including a 2005 study published in the journal Clinical Cancer Research. Protective phytoestrogens include:

• Flaxseed. Flaxseed help to raise estriol, which is a less biologically active estrogen and shown to be protective against breast cancer. Ground them yourself and they will keep in the fridge for two months. When you buy them ground, most of the oils have already oxidized and gone rancid. Flax oil is highly unstable and goes rancid easily. If you’re looking for Omega 3, use fish oil instead. Eighty percent of people don’t have the enzyme to convert the oils in flax to DHA (Omega 3) — the reason you’re eating it!
• Sage, rosemary, oregano, thyme, and turmeric
• Green tea shows anti-estrogenic properties in high concentrations. For more info, see my article The Benefits of Green Tea. You can also take a green tea supplement that contains the active extracts. I like DaVinci Green Tea Extract.
• Sunflower seeds
• Lavender oil
• Pomegranate
• Mandrake, pennyroyal, juniper, mistletoe
• Chamomile (Apigenine)
• Passionflower (Chrysin)

Metalloestrogens

Recent research has also confirmed the existence of a previously unknown class of cancer-causing estrogen-mimicking compounds: “metalloestrogens.” The following metals, which are added to thousands of consumer products, have been identified as being capable of binding to cellular estrogen receptors and then mimicking the actions of physiological estrogens.

• Aluminum
• Antimony
• Arsenite
• Barium
• Cadmium
• Vanadium
• Copper
• LEad
• Mercury
• Nickel
• Selenite
• Tin

Resetting the Balance

If you suffer from some of the problems mentioned earlier, you may want to consult with an innovative physician or nutritionist who recognizes the syndrome of estrogen dominance. A naturopathic doctor can measure the levels of hormones in your blood or, in the case of progesterone, in your saliva. Estrogen dominance is not a standard medical diagnosis but is entering the lexicon of alternative-minded physicians. Such a doctor would be likely to recommend the following means of resetting your estrogen balance:

Hair Tissue Mineral Analysis. I HIGHLY recommend a Hair Mineral Analysis. It is a great screening tool when it comes determining you amount of toxic heavy metal exposure as well as:

• Adrenal functioning (stress)
• Mineral deficiencies
• Mineral and metal toxicities
• Liver and kidney functioning
• Carbohydrate tolerance
• Cortisol and stress hormone indicators
• Inflammation
• Thyroid function
• Nervous system imbalances
• Metabolic rate

All of these factors come together to paint a picture of health imbalances you may have. Even more importantly, however, they can give you insight into how to best move forward with a customized detox towards optimizing your health and hormones.

Since heavy metal toxicity does not happen in a vacuum, you can be sure that if your hormones are being impacted, other areas of your body are also taking a hit. With a hair mineral analysis, you can get the big picture view of what’s really happening in your body so that you can take actionable steps based on your own metabolism and body chemistry towards recovering your health and dealing with estrogen dominance.

Once you know and provide the exact nutrients your body needs in the exact combinations to properly balance your body chemistry, your body starts to heal itself. When toxic metals and chemicals are removed naturally and safely, cells can make more energy and symptoms start disappearing.

Other important estrogen reducing strategies:

• Progesterone. I do not recommend hormone replacement therapy of any kind, but if you cannot afford a customized detox protocol to heal your adrenals and balance your hormones and can only use your health insurance to address this issue, here are a few words of advice. Progesterone supplementation is the cornerstone used in Western medicine to reduce estrogen. It will help to reduce the risk of ovarian, endometrial and breast cancers. Baseline saliva testing of estrogen, progesterone, and their respective ratios should be undertaken. The body normally produces 20 mg of progesterone a day, but specific dosage must be tailored to your condition. There is a tremendous variation in the amount that should be taken for optimum effectiveness. It is recommended that you consult a naturopathic physician prior to treatment and be monitored regularly. Have your progesterone cream made at a compounding pharmacy so there are no paraben preservatives in the formula. I like this progesterone cream. Or use Progesterone Pure Cream, a great paraben-free brand. Progesterone replacement is not the best option for resetting your balance. When you introduce progesterone in the body, the adrenals have no reason to produce the body’s own supply – there is enough already with supplementation. It may relieve symptoms but will not heal the underlying cause of your estrogen dominance. It is far wiser to reduce your high estrogen levels, using the advice in this blog, to bring it down to meet your progesterone so your ratio of estrogen to progesterone is corrected.
• Go Organic. You must eat an organic, whole foods diet to reduce exposure to estrogenic pesticides. Avoid fast food and processed foods.
• Exercise. Exercise for 30 minutes per day. Research shows that aerobic activity curtails overproduction of estrogen.
• Optimize your weight. Excess body fat results in conservation of estrogen. Fat is active and produces estrogen. This may be why overweight women are at lower risk for osteoporosis; conversely, they are at higher risk of breast and uterine cancer. Learn all about weight loss.
• Increase dietary fiber. Bowel regularity can ensure excess estrogen is eliminated. Constipation, caused from lack of dietary fiber, allows excess estrogen that would normally be excreted to be reabsorbed into the body. If you are constipated I recommend doing a water enema or coffee enema immediately to prevent this reabsorption.
• Coffee Enemas. These detox the liver and allow it to metabolize estrogen. Reduced liver function will prevent proper metabolism of estrogen and result in an excess. See my article on Coffee Enemas for more information and instructions.
• Infrared Saunas. Infrared saunas detox your entire body of estrogenic substances in addition to pollutants and heavy metals. Their use is essential to maintain health. For more information, see my article on Infrared Saunas. You can purchase an inexpensive infrared sauna for home use in the Myers Detox Store.
• Use dietary supplements.*

Indolplex with DIM by Integrative Therapeutics is a phytochemical naturally derived from cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli. Research shows that bioavailable DIM has a powerful effect on estrogen metabolism. The key action of bioavailable DIM is in assisting the clearance of available estrogen via the healthy pathway. This supplement is contraindicated in women who have low estrogen levels, such as during menopause, since it blocks estrogen.

L-taurine. Taurine is an amino acid that promotes bile circulation, which enhances estrogen’s excretion out of the body. Suggested dose is 1 to 3g a day. You can find this amazing supplement in the Myers Detox Store. This supplement is essential for vegetarians.

R-Lipoic Acid. Lipoic acid increases the effectiveness of other antioxidants. It easily reaches all parts of the liver where other nutrients have difficulty. One of the most beneficial effects of R-Lipoic Acid is its ability to regenerate other essential antioxidants such as vitamins C and E, coenzyme Q10, and glutathione. Suggested dose is 200-1000mg a day. Enhance the functioning of the liver and it will reduce estrogen in your body. I suggest using R-Lipoic Acid, as this is the all natural form. Alpha lipoic acid is roughly half synthetic and not as usable or potent as R-Lipoic Acid.

Milk Thistle (aka Sylmarin) is great for protecting the liver from damage and clearing and detoxing the liver so it can metabolize estrogen more effectively. Suggested dose is 200-800mg a day. This only needs to be taken once a month every year. I really like Perfect Press Milk Thistle Oil.

N-acetyl-cysteine (NAC). NAC is an indispensable nutrient in liver fortification and detoxification. By enhancing liver function, more estrogen is broken down in the body, reducing the overall estrogen load. I like this version of NAC by Pure Encapsulations to boost NAC and glutathione.

Calcium-d-Glucarate is one of the most important nutrients to enhance liver function. It is a natural compound that aids the detoxification of estrogen. It not only inhibits b-glucuronidase, the enzyme that allows re-absorption of estrogen in the digestive tract, it also increases the detoxification activity of specific liver pathways that eliminate other toxic waste. Glucarates directly detoxifies environmental agents responsible for cancer formation. Suggested dosage is 250 to 1,000 mg a day.

CLA (Conjugated Linoleic Acid) was shown to reduce body fat while increasing muscle, which suggests that it may negate the effect of the muscle-wasting hormones. It may also be useful for people who want to lose weight. Muscle burns calories; therefore, the more muscle you have, the less likely you are to store excess calories as fat. You can get this just by eating grass fed butter.

Estrogen Dominance Syndrome is the result of excessive estrogen and progesterone deficiency. It is an epidemic of gigantic proportions. The primary causes are excessive environmental estrogen, obesity, stress, poor diet, lack of exercise, and unopposed estrogen given as part of a hormone replacement therapy. Estrogen dominance is a major root cause of a myriad of conditions including PMS, endometriosis, cystic breast disease, PCOS, uterine fibroids, and breast cancer. Fortunately, the level of estrogen in our body can be reduced. Following an estrogen reduction protocol will go a long way to reduce the amount of estrogen in the body, curing and protecting women from the dreaded estrogen-related illnesses so common today.

If you have recovered from estrogen dominance syndrome, I’d like to hear how. Questions? Anything I left out of this blog? Tell me your story by leaving a comment below.

*These statements have not been reviewed by the FDA. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. They are not intended to replace any medication or healing modality prescribed by your medical doctor.