Did you know that the body produces estrogen? This hormone is responsible for many important functions in women. When estrogen levels are too high or too low, it can cause several symptoms. In this blog post, we will discuss what estrogen is, how it affects the body and the symptoms of high estrogen levels. We will also provide tips on reducing your risk of developing these symptoms.
What Is estrogen?
Estrogen is a hormone produced by the body, and it is responsible for developing female sex characteristics and reproduction. Estrogen levels can fluctuate throughout a woman's life, and high estrogen levels can cause various symptoms. These symptoms may include weight gain, bloating, mood swings, and breast tenderness. High estrogen levels can also increase the risk of certain types of cancer, such as breast cancer. If you are experiencing any of these symptoms, it is important to speak to your doctor so that they can test your hormone levels and determine if you have high estrogen levels. Some treatments available can help manage the symptoms of high estrogen levels and reduce your risk of developing cancer.
More About Estrogen Dominance.
The estrogen hormone impacts women in many different ways. The only time that it becomes an issue is when the hormonal balance is off. Unpleasant symptoms include complications with the menstrual cycle, uterine fibroids, weight gain, and ovarian cancer. When estrogen levels rise, hormone imbalance results leading to different symptoms. When there is a greater ratio of estrogen to progesterone than normal heavy and painful periods and, unfortunately, even an increased risk for breast cancer can result.
Estrogen dominance can cause a variety of health conditions in women. These health conditions can include:
- Pre-Menstrual symptoms
- Irregular periods
- Heavy bleeding during periods
- Hot flashes
- Night sweats
- Difficulty sleeping
- Mood swings
- Weight gain
- Foggy thinking or memory problems
In some cases, estrogen dominance can also lead to more serious health problems, such as:
- Endometriosis
- Fibroids
- Breast cancer
You must speak with your doctor if you are experiencing any of these symptoms. They will be able to determine if estrogen dominance is the cause and develop a treatment plan that is right for you.
What causes too much estrogen in females?
Many factors can contribute to estrogen dominance, but the three main ones are:
- Obesity or elevated waist-to-hip ratio
- Endocrine disruptors like alcohol, marijuana, or BPA
- Inflammation
- Gut dysbiosis
- Birth control bills
- Stress
If you suspect that you may have high levels of estrogen, it's important to see your doctor so they can run some tests. In the meantime, there are a few things you can do to help lower your estrogen levels. One, focus on improving body composition by decreasing fat mass and building muscle, which will help reduce the amount of estrogen your body produces. Second, avoid endocrine disruptors in your environment to decrease your exposure. Finally, eat a healthy diet full of whole, unprocessed foods, which will help your body better process and eliminate additional estrogen.
High levels of estrogen can cause a variety of symptoms in women. These can include hormonal imbalance, irregular menstrual cycles, gaining weight, bloating, fatigue, and more. Estrogen dominance is often the root cause of these problems, and this occurs when there is an imbalance of estrogen and progesterone in the body. This can be caused by many things, including stress, birth control pills, hormone replacement therapy, and more. If you are experiencing any of these symptoms, you must talk to your doctor about possible treatment options. There are several ways to help balance your hormones and relieve your symptoms. But the first step is always to get diagnosed so that you can start on the path to recovery.
Symptoms of high estrogen.
High levels of estrogen can cause a variety of symptoms in women. The most common symptom is irregular menstrual bleeding. This can include heavy or prolonged periods, spotting between periods, or missed periods. Other symptoms may include:
- Putting on weight
- Bloating
- Breast tenderness
- Headaches or migraines
- Emotional lability or irritability
If you are experiencing any of these symptoms, you must speak with your doctor to determine if your estrogen levels are indeed high. Some risk factors can contribute to high estrogen levels, including obesity, PCOS (polycystic ovarian syndrome), and tumors on the ovaries or adrenal glands. Treatment will vary depending on the underlying cause but may include improving gut health, improving nutrition,, hormone therapy, or, in some particular cases, surgery.
High estrogen & menstrual cycle.
If you experience any of the following symptoms, your levels of estrogen may be too high:
- You have irregular or no periods
- You have heavy bleeding during your period
- You have painful periods
- You have a history of blood clots
- You are infertile
- Your breasts are tender, or your nipples are sensitive
- You feel bloated or constipated
- You have anxiety
Estrogen is a hormone that is necessary for many functions in the body. However, too much estrogen can cause problems. High estrogen levels can disrupt the menstrual cycle and cause fertility issues, leading to weight gain, bloating, and emotional instability.
How do I get rid of excess estrogen?
You're not alone if you're a woman suffering from estrogen dominance. This condition is more common than most people realize, and it can significantly impact your health.
Fortunately, there are steps you can take to get rid of excess estrogen in your body and restore hormone balance. One of the most important things you can do is avoid foods containing estrogen-mimicking chemicals. These chemicals are found in many processed foods, so it's important to read labels carefully and choose organic products whenever possible. Also increase fiber in your diet, which can improve gut health, bind excess estrogens and help to lower your levels.
In addition to changing your diet, you can also reduce estrogen levels by exercising regularly and optimizing your weight. Fat tissue produces estrogen, so working to reduce this will help to lower your overall estrogen levels. Strength training helps to increase lean muscle mass and reduce fat free mass.
If you're struggling with estrogen dominance, don't despair. You can get your hormone levels back in balance and improve your overall health with a little effort.
A few health conditions are associated with high estrogen levels in women, including endometriosis, fibroids, and PCOS. High estrogen levels can cause PMS symptoms such as emotional instability, irritability, and bloating. There are a few natural or herbal remedies that you can use to lower estrogen levels. These include eating a healthy diet, exercising regularly, and reducing stress levels. If you're concerned about your estrogen levels, you must speak to your doctor to get them checked out.
What causes estrogen levels to rise?
When estrogen levels are high, it can cause several different health problems. One of the most serious is an increased cancer risk. Estrogen encourages the growth of cancer cells, so having high levels can make cancer more likely to develop or grow. High estrogen levels can also lead to several other health conditions, such as endometriosis, fibroids, and migraines. Furthermore, cortisol levels tend to be higher when estrogen is high.
Cortisol is a stress hormone that can negatively impact our health if it's constantly elevated. Cortisol can decrease progesterone, leading to a “relative” estrogen dominance. Cortisol can also increase inflammation and insulin resistance. Insulin resistance increases the conversion of testosterone to estrogen. It is also known that adipose tissue produces estrone and estradiol, two forms of estrogen. If you're experiencing any symptoms that could be due to higher estrogen levels, it's important to talk to your doctor. They can run tests to check your hormone levels and determine if they're the cause of your symptoms. If they are, treatments available can help get your hormones back to normal.
Symptoms of increased estrogen levels can include:
- Swollen or tender breasts
- Weight gain
- bloating
- fatigue
- headaches
- irregular periods
Contact Index Health.
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We dedicate time to understanding your genetics, history, lifestyle, and goals. Combined with advanced lab tests, our functional medicine approach gives you in-depth information about your health and body.
We identify and address the root cause of disease and plan for prevention and long-term health using functional medicine-based changes in nutrition, lifestyle, and targeted supplements.
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Key Takeaways About Too Much Estrogen.
The female body produces high estrogen when we pack on weight and are stressed out. With these imbalanced hormones, there is a risk of breast tissue growth. Female hormone health is very important as well as cardiovascular health. There are ways to handle symptoms, and doctors can help you get blood tests to determine the severity of your condition.
