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Written by
Stacy Miller
Female sex hormones play a vital part in how your body functions, helping ensure it runs smoothly. But what happens when your hormone levels get out of sorts? Although it is not a medical condition, some scientific articles use the term “estrogen dominance” to describe a state when your body produces high levels of estrogen and low levels of progesterone, the two of your primary sex hormones. Understanding what causes estrogen dominance can help you make informed decisions so you can take steps toward balancing these crucial hormones.
As a woman, you’ve probably heard how important female sex hormones are to your reproductive system. Estrogen and progesterone, the two main hormones, help regulate your menstrual cycle and keep it functioning smoothly.
The female body is designed for procreation, and throughout most of the reproductive period — until the introduction of hormonal contraceptives around 60 years ago — women were primarily influenced by progesterone. Nowadays, women typically desire to have 2 to 3 children, sometimes just one, and less frequently more. This shift means that during a significant portion of our reproductive years, we are menstruating rather than being pregnant or breastfeeding, which generally leads to a greater impact from estrogen and a greater interest and focus on this hormone.
There are three main types of estrogen: estriol, estradiol, and estrone. Each is released at different times throughout your life, whether that’s during your childbearing years (estradiol), during pregnancy (estriol), or after menopause (estrone).
As you already know, for much of our lives, our ovaries release estradiol in varying concentrations — low levels right before and during menstruation, followed by higher levels afterward. While this is a natural process that significantly affects how you feel, a lack of progesterone in your body can lead to certain problems. So, what does estrogen dominance mean? Estrogen dominance is a hormonal imbalance where there’s too much estrogen and not enough progesterone in the body because progesterone acts against estrogen in breast tissue and has a protective effect on your inner uterine lining.
You may have heard that estrogen dominance occurs because your body’s producing too much of the sex hormone estrogen, but that’s not always the case. In fact, it could be that your estrogen levels are normal, but your body isn’t producing enough progesterone to level it out. Whatever the reason, estrogen dominance is simply an abundance of the hormone estrogen, an imbalance that can cause some side effects.
Throughout your menstrual cycle, the quantity and consistency of cervical mucus vary. Right after your period, you may experience minimal discharge and even vaginal dryness. As your cycle progresses, the amount of discharge increases, peaking around ovulation. During this time, the mucus becomes thin and stretchy, allowing it to be stretched between your fingers for more than 12 cm, which helps facilitate sperm movement.
After ovulation, progesterone levels rise, causing the mucus to thicken again and its quantity to decrease as you approach your next period. Therefore, experiencing vaginal dryness right before your period is quite common.
So, these are the main symptoms of high estrogen levels in women.
High estrogen in women is caused by numerous factors; some you can control, and others you may not be able to. But what increases estrogen in the body? We’ll go over some of the top culprits below.
Yes, ovulation is a physiological event that occurs approximately in the middle of the menstrual cycle. In each cycle, a set of follicles is recruited, but only one is selected to become dominant. This dominant follicle continues to grow while the others are dissolved. As the dominant follicle matures, it releases increasing levels of estradiol, which peak a few days before ovulation. During this cycle phase, known as the follicular phase, estrogen levels can increase by 10 to 100 times!
Let’s continue discussing ovulation. Some medications are used to trigger ovulation in women who do not ovulate and wish to become pregnant. As a result, estrogen levels increase because the follicles in the ovaries produce more of this hormone.
Unfortunately, your diet could cause you to experience excess estrogen symptoms. If a food is high in xenoestrogens, a compound that mimics estrogen in your body, it can make your estrogen levels rise. The most common culprits are foods treated with growth hormones, antibiotics, and pesticides.
Yes, in addition to the effects of alcohol on the brain and body, there is another important effect to consider. Women who consume one unit of alcohol per day have 18% higher estrogen levels during their menstrual cycle compared to those who do not drink.
Certain health conditions, like rare cancers, can elevate estrogen levels.
Now, let’s discuss polycystic ovary syndrome or PCOS. To be diagnosed with PCOS, a woman should meet at least two of the following three criteria: high levels of androgens (male hormones), anovulation, or many cysts in the ovaries seen on an ultrasound. So, for women with PCOS, high androgen levels are typical, which leads to different specific symptoms. However, due to anovulation, their progesterone levels are low, resulting in relatively higher estrogen levels, even though those estrogen levels are still considered normal in absolute values. So, this condition is not 100% what you will expect as “estrogen dominance.”
Excess body weight can cause elevated estrogen symptoms since estrogen is synthesized by fat tissue. While carrying added weight can throw your hormones off balance, lifestyle changes like increasing exercise and eating a healthy diet can help with weight regulation. Not only are these choices good for balancing your hormones, but they’re great for your overall health.
One of the reasons it can be challenging to know if you have high estrogen is because it increases your risk of developing certain conditions. While to be sure, you need specific testing, there are symptoms and signs of excess estrogen you should be aware of.
When talking about too much estrogen in women, one of the most common symptoms includes heavy periods, which can have one of the biggest impacts on your daily life. It can also cause irregular periods with varying frequencies and durations.
PMS is not fun, and estrogen dominance can make it even worse. The additional estrogen in your body can worsen symptoms like breast tenderness, making your breasts sore and overly sensitive at certain times during your menstrual cycle.
Knowing how to spot increased estrogen symptoms is crucial since there are many serious potential health risks if the condition isn’t treated.
The excess estrogen can sometimes result in a condition called fibrocystic breasts, where the breast tissue becomes lumpy or has cysts, making it feel more sensitive. When doctors perform a mammogram on someone with higher estrogen levels, they may notice denser breast tissue, which can sometimes make it harder to detect any potential issues. While fibrocystic changes are usually not harmful, it’s important to monitor breast health.
Endometrial hyperplasia is a condition that happens when the inner lining of the uterus becomes too thick. Estrogen dominance can lead to it, as estrogen helps the lining grow, while progesterone helps to transform it and has a protective effect. If a woman doesn’t ovulate regularly, she is not producing enough progesterone, which results in extra growth of the endometrium and heavy periods. If left untreated, endometrial hyperplasia can sometimes lead to more serious conditions, including cancer.
Reading or pronouncing the word “cancer” can be incredibly frightening, especially when considering the link between hormonal changes in your body and the potential risk of developing cancer. However, it’s important to stay calm. Cancers are relatively rare, and the success of treatment largely depends on the stage at which the cancer is detected. This is why spreading awareness and knowledge is crucial.
While it’s unlikely that anyone in your immediate surroundings will be diagnosed with the cancers described below, regular check-ups are essential when you understand the risks involved.
High estrogen levels could lead to greater instances of developing estrogen-related cancers like ovarian, uterine, and breast cancer. The estrogen hormone promotes faster cell growth, which can cause cancer cells to grow and spread more quickly.
If you suspect you have high estrogen levels, your doctor may order hormone tests to check your FSH, estrogen, and progesterone levels; however, there is no specific “estrogen dominance test.”
The same is true for diagnosis; currently, estrogen dominance is not recognized as a medical condition. Instead, your doctor may refer to it using terms such as “excess estrogen” in the context of ovarian dysfunction. As you’ve already heard a lot about estrogen dominance, you may expect to receive estrogen dominance treatment to bring your hormones back into balance; however, the intervention may be related to your lifestyle only or lifestyle and medications in some cases.
If your doctor believes your increased estrogen levels are due to your lifestyle, they’ll recommend changes to help regulate your hormonal imbalance. These can include:
As we mentioned earlier, high estrogen and low progesterone levels can lead to heavy bleeding, which may indicate a condition called endometrial hyperplasia. In such cases, your doctor may prescribe progestins to help balance your hormones and prevent your uterine lining from overgrowing.
Estrogen dominance can make life challenging and cause numerous risks to your health. Understanding your hormones can help you take control of your body and keep it balanced. The Hormona app is specially designed to help women take control of their bodies and understand their hormones. Soon, you can monitor your hormone levels in real-time from the comfort of your home so you can feel your best inside and out.
What does a high estrogen face look like?
Typical facial characteristics for women with high estrogen levels include fuller lips, more feminine features, a redder face, and a higher concentration of cheek fat.
What are the symptoms of high estrogen levels after menopause?
After menopause, estrogen levels are at their lowest and may even become undetectable. Therefore, when we say “high estrogen,” we mean levels that are relatively high compared to what is typical in postmenopause. Women with high estrogen levels after menopause may experience the return of spotting and be at higher risk of breast and uterine cancers.
How to flush out excess estrogen?
Your liver is doing its job well, so there’s no need for detoxification or similar procedures often mentioned on the internet. However, some estrogen metabolites may be reabsorbed in the intestines. To help with this, you can focus on promoting your gut health. You can rid your body of excess estrogen metabolites by eating a high-fiber diet full of cruciferous vegetables like cauliflower and broccoli, limiting refined sugar, alcohol, and processed foods, and consuming healthy fats like nuts, avocados, and olive oil.
What age does estrogen dominance start?
During the first three years after the onset of menstruation, typically between the ages of 13 and 16, and while navigating through menopause, which usually occurs in your mid-40s, you may experience irregular regulation of your menstrual cycles. At certain times during these periods, you might also experience estrogen dominance.
What body shape is linked to estrogen dominance?
Estrogen dominance is linked to increased breast tissue development and a more pronounced hourglass figure, as fat distribution tends to enhance around the hips and thighs. Additionally, women may notice changes in their skin texture, including increased moisture and elasticity, which can contribute to a more youthful appearance.
What are the signs of estrogen dominance in men?
Women aren’t the only ones who can experience estrogen dominance; some men are at risk, too. Signs of too much estrogen in men include erectile dysfunction, lowered libido, weight gain, enlarged breast tissue, fatigue, decreased muscle mass, sleep issues, and mood swings.
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Dr Singh is the Medical Director of the Indiana Sleep Center. His research and clinical practice focuses on the myriad of sleep.
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