estrogen: the spark notes
First thing to know...
There are three subtypes of estrogen:
E1 (estrone) = made during menopause
E2 (estradiol) = made during our reproductive years and what we are discussing in this blog post
E3 (estriol) = made during pregnancy
Now, estrogen gets a pretty bad reputation but it actually has many positive effects on the body…
Here is why estrogen is the bomb:
we need to it ovulate
supports healthy bones
helps maintain healthy cholesterol levels
builds a nice cushy lining in the uterus for implantation of an embryo
necessary for plump and healthy vaginal tissues
As per most everything, too much of a good thing can be a bad thing…
Ever heard the term estrogen dominance? If you are menstruating woman, you likely have. However, this terminology is actually quite faux-pas and here is why:
When we say someone is estrogen dominant, we mean in relation to their progesterone in the second half (or the luteal phase) of their cycle. During the luteal phase, the corpus luteum is pumping out progesterone to keep you calm and content. However, if you have excess estrogen hanging around, you likely are not reaping the benefits.
If this seems confusing, refer to this blog post where we break down the menstrual cycle
The thing of it is estrogen dominance does not tell us much about your hormones. It just means that estrogen is higher than progesterone but several questions are left unanswered: Do you have both low estrogen and progesterone but your estrogen is still higher? Is your estrogen adequate but your progesterone is lower? Is estrogen way too high and your progesterone is adequate?
In other words: you can be both estrogen dominant *and* deficient at the same time.
Since the term estrogen dominance can be misleading, instead we say that there is excess estrogen; overall, our goal is normalize estrogen and progesterone.
So, how did ya get all of that estrogen?
Here are some reasons why estrogen levels can sneak up on you and cause problems:
poor digestion and constipation as we excrete excess estrogen through the bowels
xenoestrogens - these are faux estrogens in our diet and environment that can mimic our own endogenous hormones leading to an excess estrogen state
birth control pill
chronic stress
low melatonin (light at night time, shift workers)
anovulatory cycles - you may have enough estrogen but you are not ovulating and therefore, your estrogen stands unopposed to progesterone (common in PCOS!)
you have underlying inflammation
too much histamine
excess weight (fat cells produce estrogen)
peri-menopause - even though estrogen levels drop significantly, they may still remain higher than progesterone
iodine insufficiency
Not sure if you have too much?
Here are the key symptoms of estrogen excess in the luteal phase:
irregular or heavy cycle
tearful, depressed
decreased libido
mood swings
water retention
If you’re looking at that list and thinking, oh hey it’s me, stay tuned because I will be releasing a freebie all about xenoestrogens and easy ways to avoid them.
And - as per always - if you need further guidance when it comes to your hormones, you know where to find me!
