A-Z estrogen balance Articles

Hormonal balance plays a crucial role in how you feel day to day, influencing everything from mood and energy levels to metabolism and overall well-being. When estrogen levels become imbalanced, it can disrupt this delicate system and affect multiple areas of health. As a result, many individuals are turning to estrogen balance supplements to help support hormone regulation, promote detoxification, and restore a sense of balance.

In this article, we'll explore natural ways to support healthy estrogen levels and optimize your overall wellness.

What is Estrogen?

Estrogen is a sex hormone present in all humans. In men, the estrogen levels are much lower and are dwarfed by testosterone production. For women, estrogen levels fluctuate during the menstrual cycle and alternate with progesterone. In general, estrogen is responsible for everything associated with the first half of the menstrual cycle, including building up the lining of the uterus and preparing for ovulation. Estrogen levels are balanced in the body by progesterone, the hormone responsible for maintaining the uterine lining and holding the body in a pregnancy-ready state. A drop in both of these hormones results in menstruation, the shedding of the lining of the uterus. Excess estrogen can be due to high estrogen levels or due to low progesterone levels, resulting in a relative excess of estrogen.

What Are The Forms of Estrogen?

There are several forms of estrogen that affect the body. Endogenous estrogens originate inside the body, and exogenous estrogens originate outside the body.

Exogenous estrogens come from chemical compounds called xenoestrogens or plant-derived phytoestrogens. Xenoestrogens include industrial chemicals that mimic estrogen activity. Phytoestrogens come from plants and influence hormonal balance.

Endogenous estrogens are mainly formed in the ovaries. However, the liver and adrenal glands also produce small amounts. Additionally, fat cells secrete estrogen, so excess body fat may contribute to hormonal imbalance.

Women produce three main estrogens called estrone (E1), estradiol (E2), and estriol (E3). E2 acts as the most active form during reproductive years. E1 becomes dominant during menopause. E3 plays a supporting role throughout hormonal shifts.

Nutritional Information

Phytoestrogens come from plant sources and influence estrogen receptors in the body. They exert weaker effects than endogenous estrogens but still help regulate balance. When estrogen levels rise, phytoestrogens block receptors and reduce activity. When estrogen levels drop, they mildly stimulate receptors. This dual action helps hormonal balance in women.

Xenoestrogens include industrial compounds that disrupt endocrine function. They bind to estrogen receptors and mimic natural hormones. Examples include PCB (polychlorinated biphenyls), BPA (bisphenol A), and phthalates. Regulatory agencies have restricted many of these compounds due to health concerns.

Estrogen Receptor

These chemical estrogen disruptors are linked to developmental abnormalities in babies and hormone-sensitive cancers like breast and uterine cancer. They also associate with infertility in male wildlife exposed to contaminated environments. Researchers suggest similar risks may affect human males exposed to these chemicals.

Estrogen and Mood

Estrogen plays a significant role in women's mental health. Sudden estrogen drops are associated with depressed mood, postpartum depression, and menopausal mood swings. Excess estrogen can also contribute to hormonal imbalance symptoms. Excess estrogen can also cause problems in women, like:

Nutritional Information

Estrogen Metabolism

Estrogen metabolism determines many risks linked to estrogen dominance. Harmful effects often come from estrogen breakdown products. Healthy liver and colon functions support proper estrogen clearance.

Estrogen Balance Support & Supplements

There are a number of supplements that can help the body to naturally rebalance its own estrogen levels. Ensuring sufficient fibre in the diet to prevent reabsorption of excreted estrogen, and herbal support to help the body balance hormones naturally, can both help to keep hormonal balance in the body. See the list below for supplements that may help to regulate female sex hormone balance. If excess estrogen might be a problem for you, see the estrogen detoxification article using the link above for more information on supporting proper estrogen metabolism.

Important Information

The use of hormone-regulating herbs is not recommended when you are suffering from hormone-sensitive cancers or conditions, as there is a risk of aggravation. Low progesterone levels can mimic the effects of excess estrogen. Consult your healthcare practitioner to ensure you are treating your hormonal imbalance in the correct way.

Estrogens are a group of hormones that are produced in the ovaries in females, and small amounts in the male testicles. Estrogen is also produced in very small amounts by the adrenal gland. Throughout a woman’s life span, the production and balance of female hormones change significantly. These changes can be normal or pathological, depending on the woman’s age and resulting symptoms, thus affecting her overall health and vitality. Both high and low levels of estrogen (otherwise known as an imbalance) are associated with health problems. Luckily there are natural ways to help balance your estrogen levels.

Different Forms of Estrogen: Estrone, Estradiol, Estriol & Xenoestrogens

There are a few different forms of estrogen, which is important for one to understand when talking about ‘healthy’ estrogen levels. 

Estrone

One form, estrone, is produced in the fat cells of both men and women. Estrone is strong in terms of its stimulation of the body and must be kept in check by having adequate levels of the other estrogens, estradiol and estriol. High estrone increases the risk of heart disease, unhealthy cell growth, polycystic ovaries and PMS. Estrone becomes more abundant in women who are obese. 

Estradiol 

Estradiol is the most abundant estrogen in women of reproductive age. The benefits of estradiol are many, including a decrease in osteoporosis, decreased risk of unhealthy cell formation in the colon, cardiovascular disease, Alzheimer’s and general cognitive decline. It also has the overall benefit of slowing the aging process. Estradiol promotes healthy genital tissue and soft (wrinkle-free) skin. It decreases the risk of diabetes, and macular degeneration, and prevents tooth loss with aging by promoting a healthy oral mucosa. High levels of estradiol cause the same problems as high levels of estrone. 

Estriol

Estriol becomes important in postmenopausal women but it only stimulates the body a little as compared to estrone and estradiol. Optimal levels of estriol protect women from complaints of aging like heart disease, loss of hair, skin wrinkling and bone loss.

Xenoestrogens

Xenoestrogens are synthetic or natural chemical compounds that imitate estrogen in living organisms. BPA is one widely known compound with these effects. Natural xenoestrogens include phytoestrogens (more on these later). High exposure to xenoestrogens has been linked to precocious (or early) puberty, infertility and other disorders of the reproductive system.

Yes, there are many theories about how and when to get the most accurate picture of hormone levels. Blood levels are accurate, but very specific, meaning that they will tell you your levels are on the day and time that you have the testing done. In cases of infertility, many doctors choose to check specific hormones on specific days in the cycle, to find out if levels are peaking and declining as they should be (in this case to support pregnancy). Your MD or ND can order these tests.

The Benefits of Estrogen

Estrogen, it's not all that bad. Estrogen protects a woman’s body in many ways. The benefits of estradiol are many, a few of the most important are:

• Decrease in Osteoporosis
• Decreased Risk in Unhealthy Cell Formation in Colon
• Lowers Risk of Cardiovascular Disease
• Protects Against Alzheimer’s and Cognitive Decline
• Slowing or Preventing Aging Process

Estradiol promotes healthy genital tissue and soft skin with decreased wrinkling. It decreases the risk of diabetes, and macular degeneration, and prevents tooth loss with aging by promoting a healthy oral mucosa.

Understanding Healthy Estrogen Levels

“Healthy” Estrogen Levels

In a healthy middle-aged woman (before entering peri/pre-menopause), estradiol should increase throughout the first half of the cycle, peaking just before ovulation. A drastic drop in estradiol is actually what signals ovulation. Throughout the last half of the cycle, estradiol rises and falls again, but only to about half of what it does in the first part of the cycle. Once again hitting a low at the end of the cycle, menses begins.

“High” Estrogen

As with every ‘healthy’ state in the body, hormone health is all about BALANCE. In this sense, high estrogen can mean one of two things: estrogen is high, OR progesterone is low, and therefore estrogen is unopposed, or high relative to progesterone levels. This is referred to as relative estrogen dominance. Both of these patterns can result in the same conditions/symptom picture, as seen in PMS (breast tenderness, mood swings, headaches, cramping, acne, water retention), fibrocystic breasts, estrogen-dependent breast cancers, thyroid dysfunction, irregular cycles, etc.

“Low” Estrogen

Abnormally low levels of estrogen can be responsible for early menopause, delayed menstruation and more. 

Menopausal symptoms (hot flashes, insomnia, mood swings, loss of libido, vaginal dryness, etc.) could be related to declining estrogen levels, or relative estrogen dominance, as progesterone declines both earlier and at a much faster rate than estrogen.

Hormone Replacement Therapy: What You Need To Know

In 2002, A Women’s Health Initiative (WHI) study was cut short when preliminary results showed that Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT), as a combination of estrogen and progestin, had a higher rate of breast cancer, heart disease and stroke than women taking placebo. This study changed the way that HRT was recommended. 

Now, HRT is generally used with more caution, and generally recommended as a short-term treatment only. What women should know is that there is one huge exception to the HRT-with-caution-rule, and that is in the case of hysterectomy. In women who have had a hysterectomy, there is convincing research showing that (estrogen-only) HRT may be responsible for significant protection against heart disease, blood clots, stroke or early death. 

Estrogens are available only by prescription in Canada. They can be taken orally, by injection, or applied topically as a cream.

Natural Alternatives To Estrogen Hormone Replacement Therapy

Natural ways to enhance the body’s production of estrogen without taking estrogen itself, are several natural options to boost estrogen production. By supporting the function of the ovaries the body can optimize its estrogen levels, relative to a woman’s age. Supporting adrenal function is another natural way of supporting estrogen, as this is the only alternate sight of estrogen production in women, once ovarian function begins to decline.

Fats and Protein For A Natural Estrogen Boost

Essential fatty acid and protein intake is important. Essential fatty acids are used to make steroid molecules, the precursors to hormones like estrogens. Primrose and borage oil are two sources of essential fatty acids that have a particular affinity for balancing female hormones. Protein is what the body uses to build connective tissue, bone and fetal tissue under the direction of hormones, like estrogen.

Natural Vitamins/Minerals For Estrogen Balance

Vitamins and minerals that support sexual gland function include vitamin C, vitamin E, vitamin B complex, vitamin B6, zinc, beta-carotene, calcium, magnesium, selenium and zinc.

Key Plant Medicine For Natural Estrogen Support

Herbs can support estrogen production by containing plant estrogens (phytoestrogens); compounds that look similar to human estrogen and can interact with estrogen receptors in the human body. The important thing to remember is that these plant estrogens only stimulate the receptors a fraction of the amount that the hormone estrogen would. Therefore they can be used to treat conditions of high estrogen activity, by blocking the activity of the hormone estrogen. It can also treat conditions of low estrogen activity by binding to vacant receptor sites and causing a low level of hormonal stimulation. Some examples of plants that contain phytoestrogens are dong quai, ginkgo, Panax ginseng, licorice (glycyrrhiza glabra), red clover and soy.