How Too Much Estrogen Can Affect Your Body
Excess estrogen can have an impact on nearly every area of your health. Some of the most common symptoms of having too much of this hormone are:
Irregular and/or heavy periods
Irritability and mood swings
Headaches
Dense breast tissue or breast cysts
Sleep disturbances
Low sex drive
Weight gain
High levels of estrogen are also associated with certain conditions, including endometriosis, breast and ovarian cancer, insulin resistance, and thyroid disorder, among others.
Phytoestrogens: Friend or Foe? It’s Complicated.
Phytoestrogens are plant compounds found in a variety of foods, most famously soy. They get their name from the fact that their chemical structure looks like that of the estrogen naturally produced in the body. Because they look like estrogen’s twin, phytoestrogens can mimic the workings of estrogen in the body, which can exacerbate an existing hormonal imbalance.
For many years, phytoestrogens were associated with a myriad of health benefits, including a lowered risk of osteoporosis, heart disease, diabetes, breast cancer, and menopausal symptoms.
But in 2008, a clinical case report from physicians at SUNY Downstate Medical Center found that a high-soy diet may have been associated with the development of several reproductive conditions in women aged 35-56, including abnormal uterine bleeding, painful menstruation, and secondary infertility.
And, thus, widespread confusion was born: are phytoestrogens good or bad for our health?
The truth is, it depends.
For most people, a diet containing moderate amounts of phytoestrogens from foods like soy is unlikely to cause health concerns. On the other hand, the benefits of eating phytoestrogens may also be overestimated.
For other groups, phytoestrogens can have big benefits or big downsides. For older people or those with high cholesterol, upping phytoestrogen intake may help to improve bone and cardiovascular health. For those who are struggling with excess estrogen or estrogen dominance, consuming these compounds may be harmful.
How to Fix an Estrogen Imbalance
The first step in addressing excess estrogen is confirming whether you have a hormonal imbalance. The primary way to identify if your estrogen levels are higher than normal is through testing. If a hormonal imbalance is identified, you can work with your provider to find the right form of treatment and management.
Depending on the cause of your imbalance, your provider may recommend one of the following treatment options:
Lifestyle changes: Getting a moderate amount of exercise, decreasing your body fat if you are overweight, implementing stress relief techniques, eating a healthy diet rich in fiber, and limiting your alcohol intake can help to balance your estrogen levels.
Change your medication: Changing the dose of your contraception or hormone replacement therapy may help to lower estrogen levels.
Avoid xenoestrogens: Eliminate or avoid exposure to xenoestrogens by buying organic produce (to eliminate exposure to pesticides), ditching plastic productions whenever possible, using mineral sunscreen (which will always be free of benzophenone), and buying hormone-disruptor free skincare (to cut out the parabens and phthalates).
Dealing with a hormonal imbalance doesn’t have to be a permanent struggle. Once you understand how to identify and address excess estrogen, you can rebalance your hormones, get control of your health, and watch some of those less pleasant symptoms of excess estrogen clear right up.