Hormone health: Supporting Oestrogen Dominance

Julie Gough
2 days ago
3 min read

Image shows the female symbol and tulips to signify women's hormonal health

What is oestrogen?

Oestrogen is one of the main sex hormones produced by women, which is responsible for a number of functions, from regulating menstrual cycles, promoting sexual function, fertility and libido, to maintaining bone density, regulating fat stores, and supporting mood, memory and learning.

There are three types of oestrogen:

Oestradiol, produced by the ovaries and the most potent for, more prominent during the reproductive years
Oestrone, which becomes more prominent during and after menopause
Oestriol, which is present in higher amounts during pregnancy

These forms naturally rise and fall at different times of life and across the menstrual cycle.

Oestrogen changes and everyday experiences

Oestrogen interacts with other hormones, the nervous system, digestion, liver function and daily lifestyle factors. As oestrogen is processed in the body, it is broken down into different metabolites, which are then cleared through liver detoxification pathways.

Because oestrogen is involved in so many systems, changes in levels or how metabolites are excreted can contribute to a range of physical or emotional experiences. It can also lead to other symptoms and conditions, including irregular, painful and/or heavy periods, PMS, endometriosis, fibroids, and infertility, as well as depression and obesity.

These experiences vary widely between individuals and can be influenced by factors such as stress, sleep, nutrition, movement and life stage.

Image shows a calendar and a clock to convey one of the things you can do to support your oestrogen dominance, which is to track your cycles

Supporting high oestrogen

Rather than aiming to “lower” or “rebalance” oestrogen, a more helpful and sustainable approach is to support overall health and the body’s natural processes through everyday habits.

Avoid stimulants and alcohol - Caffeine can increase the production of more potent types of oestrogen, and also decrease your ability to detoxify them effectively. Meanwhile, excessive alcohol consumption can increase levels of free unbound oestrogen, further driving high oestrogenic activity within the body.

Eating regular, nourishing meals - Regular meals made up of whole, minimally processed foods can help support consistent energy levels throughout the day. Long gaps between meals, frequent grazing, or reliance on highly refined foods can sometimes contribute to feeling more tired or unsettled.

Aim to eat more organic produce - Pesticides, insecticides, and other chemicals otherwise known as xenoestrogens can contribute further to hormone imbalances as well as putting an increased burden on detoxification pathways which are responsible for oestrogen elimination. Choosing a varied diet and washing fruit and vegetables thoroughly can support general health. Where practical, some people choose organic produce, though overall dietary pattern matters more than perfection.

Track your cycle - Being aware of your cycle; how you feel and what you need at different times, is key to managing your symptoms and establishing a good routine.

Stress Management - Stress is known for having a huge impact on our menstrual cycle and reproduction by reducing the levels of sex hormones and inhibiting ovulation. Stress hormones can also affect our blood glucose levels and detoxification pathways, having an indirect impact on how oestrogen is metabolised.

Movement - Regular physical activity is key for de-stressing, improving inflammation, and supporting blood sugar regulation, all of which can go on to benefit hormone balance. A large amount of oestrogen is produced in excess fat tissue, so increasing weight bearing exercise through enjoyable movement supports physical and mental health. Weight-bearing activity, walking, strength work and mobility exercises all contribute to long-term wellbeing and can be adapted to suit different life stages.

Improve sleep - Sleep is our ultimate repair time. It is also when our body is busy processing toxins as well as ‘used’ hormones. Improving sleep has been shown to improve oestrogen and progesterone balance, so make sure to optimise both the quantity and quality of sleep.

A sleeping mask and alarm clock to reflect the point above about improving sleep to help support your body if you are oestrogen dominant.

When to seek medical advice

If symptoms feel persistent, worsening or are impacting your quality of life, it’s important to seek personalised medical advice. If you would like to talk to me about my personalised nutrition programmes, please use the link to book a FREE 30 minute call:

https://calendly.com/eatwell22/discovery-call

Thank you for reading 'Hormone health: Supporting Oestrogen Dominance'. I hope you have found it helpful. If you have topics that you'd like me to cover, please let me know.

This article is intended for general education and wellbeing support only. As a qualified nutritional therapist and health coach, I offer lifestyle and nutrition guidance but do not diagnose or treat medical conditions. Please consult your GP or another appropriate healthcare professional for individual medical advice.