You may be suffering from estrogen dominance and not know it

Being a woman is not simple. Between the menstrual cycles and hormone production throughout life, we go through a series of sensations and physical symptoms that come and go at certain times. All of these contribute to different health conditions, and one of them is called estrogen dominance.

According to the endocrinologist Dr. Alessandra Rascovkithe first thing we need to understand is that estrogen is an essential hormone for both sexes, but obviously it is much more important for women.

WHAT IS ESTROGEN DOMINANCE?

“Estrogen dominance is a hormone imbalance which occurs when estrogen levels, compared to other hormones, for example, progesterone and testosterone, are increased,” she explains.

It is also vital to understand the functions of this hormone in the body: estrogen. regulates fertilityimmune function (that is, it has a correlation with autoimmune diseases such as lupus), bone maintenance, cardiovascular health and even helps with blood glucose regulation, metabolism as a whole, fat accumulation and mental health. “So, all these conditions can appear within a situation where there is an estrogen imbalance”, continues the doctor.

WHAT ARE THE SYMPTOMS OF ESTROGEN DOMINANCE?

As mentioned in the paragraphs above, the symptoms of estrogen dominance are connected to the function of this hormone on body. That is, the woman who suffers from this condition may notice:

weight gain (mainly with accumulation of fat in the hips and thighs),
varicose veins,
cellulite,
PMS symptoms (mood swings, anxiety, irritability, changes in sleep pattern),
uterine bleeding,
liquid retention,
breast pain and tenderness.

The diagnosis of this condition is made by clinical history and physical examination. “For example: if a woman has an accumulation of fat in her hips and thighs and there is a polycystic ovary, it could be an indication. In addition, these people also have difficulty losing weight and hair growth “. After pre-diagnosis by observation, we can count on blood, saliva and urine tests to confirm, says the doctor.

ESTROGEN DOMINANCE VS. FOOD

Believe it or not, there are studies that link this condition to food. For example, some research shows that a Westernized diet, with lots of red meat and sausages, was associated with a 14% increase in the risk of breast cancer. On the contrary, a diet very rich in fruits and vegetables, such as plant-based diets, was related to a decrease in the risk of breast cancer by 18%.

“Dietary choices influence estrogen metabolism and its greater bioavailability in the body, as well as the rate of excretion, elimination of estrogen from the body,” says Dr. Alessandra. “If we take the studies, 30 to 35% of all types of cancer are related to food, that is, we are talking about the high consumption of processed foods, excess of red meat, sweets and dairy products. When we look at studies in vegetarians and pescatarians, they have a lower production of circulating estrogen than non-vegetarians. Up to 20% less production, which is a major impact.”

In women of childbearing age, the contraceptive it also collaborates to increase estrogen, due to the doses of hormone found in each pill. Currently, it is common for gynecologists to seek to prescribe medications with lower doses to also avoid this hormonal decompensation.

With this data comes good news: it is possible to prevent estrogen dominance from developing. For example, with a diet rich in fiber, grains, vegetables and fruits without pesticides. “There are some foods considered to be protective of this increase in estrogen, which are: chia, flaxseed, green banana biomass, crucifers in general, cabbage, broccoli and cauliflower, which can help protect against negative effects”, completes the doctor.