Hormone Replacement Therapy

Do You Have These Symptoms of High Estrogen?

High Estrogen occurs when there is excessive estrogen in the body, with little or no progesterone to balance its effects. In addition to a hormonal imbalance, external factors also play a major role in estrogen dominance.¹

The main external culprit is what is known as xenoestrogens, which are chemicals that mimic genuine estrogens. The products containing xenoestrogens are items used daily including, skincare and cosmetics, many household cleaners, cans used for tinned foods, plastic products of all descriptions, insect repellents and even toothpaste, among many others.²

These false estrogens bind to estrogen receptors in the body creating an excess of estrogen circulating in the bloodstream, which the liver battles to effectively process.

This leads to high estrogen which can cause a range of negative health symptoms in the body.

Some symptoms of high estrogen

Irregular or abnormal menstrual periods.
Severe PMS like breast tenderness, mood swings, and headaches.
Low libido.
Fluid retention and possible weight gain.
Sluggish metabolism.
Possible thyroid dysfunction.

These symptoms are not very different to those of menopause, and some women who are close to menopause might mistake them for early menopausal symptoms.³

However, younger women with persistent symptoms should consider seeking medical advice and have a blood test to establish the problem.

Causes of high estrogen

Here are some of the common reasons and risks of excess estrogen in the body:

A major reason is xeno-estrogens, the synthetic estrogen found in all manner of items in daily use like plastics, cosmetics, skincare, household cleaners, and many others. This false estrogen binds to estrogen receptors and is absorbed into the body, mixing with natural estrogen circulating in the blood stream, making it difficult for the liver to cope with detoxification.^⁴
Poor nutrition, alcohol and drug use, impairs the liver’s ability to break down estrogen, leading to an estrogen build-up, which can be a root cause of major illnesses such polycystic ovary syndrome, low blood sugar, and raise the risk of deep vein thrombosis.
Fat has an enzyme that converts adrenal steroids to estrogen. Excess body fat promotes a high conversion of fat into estrogen, which in turn floods into the bloodstream, putting the liver under duress to detoxify the estrogen efficiently.
Low levels of progesterone, the hormone which balances the effects of estrogen in the body, allows estrogen to build up and overwhelm the body with toxins the liver is not able to process. Studies have also shown that estrogen dominance has been linked to birth defects in humans.
A healthy liver turns excess, harmful estrogen into a milder, weaker form which is water-soluble and able to be excreted via urine or stool. A damaged, overburdened liver will greatly hinder this function and may lead to chronic constipation, leaving the extra estrogen to run riot in the blood stream.⁵

Poor nutrition, such as refined foods and unfermented soy products, certainly plays a big part in the amount of excess estrogen in the blood. In fact, any products which compromise the liver’s function contributes to high estrogen, and will also compromise your health.

High estrogen levels in men

Although estrogen is a female hormone, men manufacture a small amount of the hormone, and certain factors can also lead to a man having excess estrogen. This may be mainly due to lower levels of testosterone or progesterone, which keep estrogen levels in check.⁶

Of course, as in women, the xeno-estrogens in so many products in daily use, also add to the problem.

Symptoms of too much estrogen in men can include breast enlargement, an enlarged prostate resulting in urination difficulty, erectile dysfunction, fatigue and depression.⁷

How to decrease estrogen levels

There are many natural ways for both men and women to decrease estrogen levels, balance out your hormones, and get your body back on track.⁸

Avoid products containing xenoestrogens by opting for organic foods, and natural personal care products.
Read the labels on cleaning products and don’t purchase if they contain xeno-estrogens.
Don’t store food in plastic containers, and never heat food in plastic in the microwave.
Moderate exercise has been shown to cut excess estrogen by up to 7%.
If you are carrying extra weight, make a concerted effort to reduce the excess.
Embark on a healthy diet, and reduce intake of alcohol and anything else which may put the liver under stress. The liver is ultimately responsible for metabolizing estrogen, and this process will be impaired if the liver is not functioning as it should.
Get enough vitamin B12, folate and choline into your diet, or supplement if needed.

Hormonal issues

For many years, there has been an ongoing debate about the safety of conventional HRT treatment, whether it be estrogen or progesterone. The hormones used in the treatment are chemically manufactured and bear no resemblance to the hormones made in the body. Therefore, the artificial estrogen is also considered a xeno-estrogen, and as such poses some harmful health effects.

Thanks to extensive studies, more attention is being paid to a natural treatment known as bio-identical hormone replacement therapy (BHRT) and many doctors are recommending this form of treatment to their patients.⁹

The benefits of bio-identical hormonal replacement therapy

The hormones used in the manufacture of BHRT are natural, do not have the dangerous side effects of chemically-made hormones, and are the same as hormones made in the body.¹⁰

BHRT hormones are usually dispensed in the form of tiny pellets under the skin which ensure that the body absorbs only what is needed, so there is no yo-yo effect of taking the hormones orally, of by means of skin patches. The correct dosage is always administered, and the pellets last 3 to 5 months.

BHRT pellet therapy is available in all forms, be it estrogen, testosterone, or progesterone.

We can help

Research has shown BHRT to be much safer than conventional HRT, with only minimal side effects. In fact, if the correct hormonal balance is achieved may have no side effects at all.

For more information on BHRT contact us at www.renewmetoday.com to take the hormone health test and see how we can help you.

Take the Hormone Health test

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Do You Have These Symptoms of High Estrogen?