Estrogen Dominance Guide » Deb

Cobalt for Estrogen Dominance

Deb — Wed, 27 Jan 2010 12:10:09 +0000

There are several supplements on the market today, many of which are marketed to target women suffering from estrogen dominance and other related diseases. According to Dr. Lark, however, there are quite a few natural supplements you can take to help balance your estrogen levels.

One supplement we have not yet explored is cobalt. You may not realize it but cobalt is already found naturally in meats and milk – even figs and cabbage feature this incredible element. Those who are on vegetarian diets are usually deficient in both cobalt and vitamin B12.

So how can cobalt help women suffering from estrogen dominance? In her post about using cobalt to balance estrogen levels, Dr. Lark notes that cobalt works within the body to slow the speed at which estrogen is excreted into the body. The cobalt stimulates the production of a bodily chemical known as heme osidase, which then impacts the destruction of other metabolic chemicals and, in the end, destroys your ability to produce exess estrogen.

Talk to your doctor about supplementing with cobalt if you are premenopausal, menopausal, or simply suffering from estrogen dominance. You can potentially alleviate depression, hot flashes, and several other symptoms associated with the condition. And you can reclaim your life as your own!

Estrogen Dominance and PCOS

Detoxing from Environmental Estrogens

Deb — Fri, 15 Jan 2010 12:49:47 +0000

One o f the main causes of estrogen dominance, as we’ve noted before, is the unusual amount of environmental estrogens our bodies are exposed to on a regular basis. These environmental estrogens cause toxic reactions in our bodies, raising the levels of estrogen in our body to amounts incredibly disproportionate with the levels of progesterone we naturally have.

Environmental estrogens are all around us. They’re in food additives, can leach into water that has been stored in polyethylene terephthalate (plastic bottles), and can even be found in cosmetics and regular household products.

The Detox Specialist wrote a great article on How to Detox Environmental Estrogen to Prevent Estrogen Dominance. This incredible article lists ways you can reduce your exposure to environmental estrogens – like not buying food in plastic or styrofoam or buying organic meats and eggs.

More important, though, is the tips the article gives on how to detox your body if you’ve already been exposed to high levels of environmental estrogen. These include increasing your fiber intake, eating more cruciferous veggies, and exercising, amongst other things.

You may be exposed to environmental estrogens on a regular basis but you can fight back and take control of your body. Making a few small changes at a time will go a long way in fighting estrogen dominance.

BodyLogicMD Attacks Environmental Hormones

Deb — Thu, 24 Dec 2009 13:14:45 +0000

In an article on Enhanced News Online, Estrogen Dominance: When Hormones and the Environment Conspire, a group of expert physicians from BodyLogicMD take the time to outline the significant impact the environment and hormones can have on the development of estrogen dominance. Everything from cosmetics to canned food can add foreign estrogens to your body – estrogens you don’t need, especiall if you’re premenopausal or menopausal.

So what do the folks at BodyLogicMD do? They start by running a series of blood and saliva tests in order to determine a woman’s hormone ratios. Then they work with women to teach them how to alter their diets, exercise routines, hormonal supplement regimes, and overall lifestyles in order to reduce the amount of estrogen entering the body from foreign sources.

Women who had previously been suffering from the symptoms of premenopause, menopause, and estrogen dominance – including weight gain, hot flashes, insomnia, PMS, and fatigue – have seen significant results.

If you are suffering from estrogen dominance you should be prepared to make a committed change to your lifestyle – not a temporary change. The harder you work to avoid environmental hormones the better the liklihood of your success – and overall health and happiness!

Progesterone Cream and Prostate Cancer

Deb — Thu, 17 Dec 2009 13:03:43 +0000

More than 10 years ago, Dr. John Lee wrote an article about the effects of estrogen dominance on cancers caused by hormonal imbalances. His studies, while mainly focused on the millions of women suffering from estrogen dominance, turned towards hormone related diseases suffered by men as well.

Hormonal imbalances can cause cancer in the reproductive organs. True. What most people don’t realize, however, is that men are just as likely to suffer from estrogen dominance as women. Therefore, high levels of estrogen can cause cancers, including prostate cancer, to develop.

Women use progesterone cream to control their estrogen levels, so why can’t men? They can. And after watching 6 of his former patients halt the progression of their prostate cancers after starting a progesterone cream regime, we’re left with an important question.

Why aren’t more men using progesterone cream?

In the past, doctors have assumed that removing the testicles (or castration) would lower testestosterone levels and, as such, slow down the progression of prostate cancer. Years later, Dr. Lee realized, through his research of studies done by other scientists, that the men who had been castrated had experienced slowed progression of their cancers not because of the decresaed levels of testosterone but because of decreased levels of estradiol (a form of estrogen).

As men age, their testosterone and progesterone levels fall and their estradiol levels increase, resulting in dangerous hormonal shifts that can (and do) result in cancer. Imagine how much easier it would be to prevent prostate cancer in men if we only did early hormone testing.

Read the complete article: PROSTATE PROBLEMS AND HORMONES: Male Prostate, Estrogen dominance and Progesterone benefits

Estrogen Dominance and Atherosclerosis

Deb — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 17:59:13 +0000

According to a report published by Better Health Research, scientists at Johns Hopkins University have found a significant link between estrogen and a woman’s risk of developing coronary artery calcium (CAC).

The findings were originally presented to the American Heart Association during their November 2008 Scientific Sessions conference in New Orleans.

Older women, especially those suffering from estrogen dominance, are very likely to develop CAC. But women aren’t the only ones at risk. Men with high testosterone levels are at risk as well, although that same research study showed that testosterone may cause CAC to develop but will then slow down its progress.

Either way, women suffering from estrogen dominance are definitely at an increased risk for developing heart disease. The real question, however, is whether or not doctors and scientists will eventually decide to include hormone testing as part of a woman’s regular annual health exam. It seems as though hormone testing could become just as important as cholesterol and glucose testing.

Atherosclerosis and it’s complications, including coronary heart disease, is the #1 cause of death in the United States each year. It only makes sense to do a little extra testing if doing so means preventing one of the deadliest diseases in the country – right?

$113 Million Hormone Therapy Settlement

Deb — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 11:23:40 +0000

Earlier this month, a jury awarded three women a gigantic $113 million settlement in response to allegations that the hormone therapy they were taking, manufactured by Wyeth, had caused them to develop breast cancer – a huge concern for women suffering from estrogen dominance either naturally or as a result of hormone therapies.

Two separate lawsuits were brought up against Wyeth, each revolving around the safety of a hormone replacement supplement known as Prempro (or Premarin). The women involved in these cases worked with doctors and lawyers to prove that their long term use of Prempro had caused them to develop breast cancer.

Two Philadelphia cases have set precedent for future cases and more than 10,000 women are in line to take a chunk out of Wyeth. Donna Kendall was awarded $28 million in punitive damages. She developed breast cancer after taking Prempro for 11 years. Connie Barton was awarded $75 million in punitive damages as well as $3.7 million in compensatory damages.

The Women’s Health Institute released a study back in 2002 stating that women who had used the hormone therapy replacement Prempro had a significantly higher risk of developing breast cancer. Instead of having the drug pulled off the market, the FDA only required Wyeth to add a black-box warning to the packaging.

Wyeth, which is now owned by Pfizer, is accused of not studying the side effects of the drug, as well as having paid ghost-writers to write articles for medical journals without focusing on the risks or side effects, including the known risks of breast cancer.

Pfizer plans to appeal the decisions and we’ll be watching closely to see what happens.

Want to read more about these settlements? Check out the IPWorld article released when the judgments came through:

Pfizer to pay US$113m over hormone replacement drug

When to use Bioidentical Hormone Replacement Therapy

Deb — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 15:16:12 +0000

If your menopause or post-menopause symptoms are not subsiding, you may be considering hormone replacement therapy. Hormone replacement therapy, estrogen replacement therapy, and bioidentical hormone replacement therapy (BHRT) are the three primary forms of medical treatment utilized today to address the ongoing symptoms of menopause.

For women interested in natural, plant based hormone treatments, BHRT is worth consideration, but you should use extra caution when approaching these therapies if you are at risk for developing estrogen dominance.. Like any medical treatment, there are advantages and risks associated.

Advantages of BHRT

Because this therapy treatment option is derived from plants, it is thought to be more similar to the hormones naturally generated by a woman’s body, otherwise referred to as bio-identical.
Relief of hot flashes, vaginal dryness, reduction in night sweats and a reduction in the prevalence of dry, itchy skin.
Reduction in a woman’s risk of developing osteoporosis and brittle bones.
Mood improvement and increased sense of mental well-being.

Disadvantages of BHRT

Some of the known health risks associated with taking BHRT include:

Increased risk of developing endometrial cancer for women who have not undergone a hysterectomy.
Increased prevalence of blood clots and stroke.
Potentially at greater risk for developing heart disease according to The Journal of Women’s Health issue in January 2006 for menopausal women.
Known side effects such as irregular vaginal bleeding, increased breast tenderness, and monthly bleeding similar to a monthly period.
Women who use BHRT while their bodies are still making even a low amount of estrogen can increase their estrogen levels to a point where they begin to suffer from the symptoms of estrogen dominance.

These health risks do not apply to all women undergoing bioidentical hormone replacement therapy but studies have shown that a relatively high percentage of women have experienced these side effects. It is very important to note, however, that the odds of these side effects of BHRT developing can be reduced or eliminated by having a woman’s dosage modified by her health care practitioner. The closer the dosage is to what would normally be found in a woman’s tissues the more effective the treatment.

Despite some negative side effects and risks, many women find tremendous benefit when undergoing this form of treatment for the management of their menopausal symptoms. The risks associated with using bioidentical hormone replacement therapy are far outweighed by the risks associated with estrogen therapies that are commercially synthesized.

When Should Women Use BHRT?

Prolonged, low estrogen levels can cause some women to experience increased bone loss which can increase the risk of developing osteoporosis, a reduction in the collagen found within our body’s skin making sexual activity uncomfortable and causing a greater prevalence of urinary tract conditions as well as a greater risk of developing tooth and gum disease.

For women who are experiencing these symptoms without relief, bio-identical hormone replacement therapy may be an option worth evaluating, as most women will experience short term relief of their menopause symptoms as a result of this therapy. BHRT is growing to be a welcome option for women who are at risk for developing estrogen dominance as the odds of their estrogen levels rising are lower with a natural, plant-based therapy than they are with traditional hormone therapies. Make sure you discuss bioidentical hormone replacement therapy with your doctor to assess whether or not this type of therapy is right for you.

Estrogen Dominance and PCOS

Deb — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 11:02:42 +0000

Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS) is a pattern of symptoms associated with a hormonal imbalance in women. During the menstrual cycle, follicles grow and inside these follicles eggs mature. When one egg matures and is released, the rest of the underdeveloped eggs will normally shrink and the ovaries return to normal.

Women with PCOS suffer from larger than normal ovaries and undeveloped follicles that bunch together like grapes. These follicles are generally benign and cause no pain or fertility problems. The bunches do, however, affect the hormone levels in the body. The resulting changes in the body are often referred to as a “metabolic” disorder, or PCOS.

The Follicle and Progesterone Levels

When the follicle is unable to release the maturing egg, a cyst can developing preventing the follicle from performing its normal duty. That duty is to surge progesterone into the body to keep the levels of luteinizing hormone (LH) and follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) under control. These hormones are used during egg maturation, ovulation and reproduction. If there is no surge of progesterone, more LH and FSH are produced and, in turn, estrogen and androgen levels rise which can lead to estrogen dominance.

The female body is all about balance. Estrogen levels must stay in balance with progesterone levels in order to maintain optimal health. Women with PCOS rarely produce enough progesterone which leads to estrogen dominance. Estrogen is a healthy female hormone, but in excess can cause very unhealthy side effects. Women can increase their estrogen levels through the use of natural progesterone cream.

The Symptoms of PCOS

Women who suffer from estrogen dominance may also suffer from PCOS. This syndrome is diagnosed as a result of a series of symptoms that may not have any other known cause. The most common symptoms of PCOS include:

Recurring Ovarian Cysts
Abnormal Menstrual Cycles
Absent Menstrual Cycles
Problems with Fertility
Excessive Body Hair
Excessive Facial Hair
Hypertension
Depression
Obesity
Difficulty Losing Weight
Enlarged Ovaries

This is only a partial list of symptoms that may appear when a woman suffers from PCOS. If estrogen dominance is also a problem, the symptoms of PCOS could be compounded with the symptoms of estrogen dominance.

The causes of estrogen dominance may include estrogens present in the environment. Certain insecticides, pesticides and plastics have been termed “environmental estrogens” because of the effect they have on the body. All together, more than 50 such estrogens have been identified with many more left to be tested. Just like natural estrogen, these chemicals are stored in the fatty tissues of the body just waiting to be released. As fat cells are used for energy, the estrogens are released causing an imbalance. If this is the case, progesterone levels may not have to be lower than normal for estrogen dominance to develop.

Visit your doctor if you are experiencing the symptoms of polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS). He or she will be able to help you diagnose your condition and determine if you are suffering from estrogen dominance, either as a cause or effect of your PCOS.

Do Birth Control Pills Contribute to Estrogen Dominance?

Deb — Sun, 20 Sep 2009 14:18:12 +0000

Birth control pills have an interesting effect on the physical body. Because they keep the levels of estrogen in the body so high the body is tricked into believing it is pregnant and, as such, a true pregnancy can never occur. These continuously high levels of estrogen can also, unfortunately, contribute to the development of estrogen dominance.

Types of Hormonal Birth Control

There are three main types of hormonal contraception, or birth control. The first is your standard hormonal contraceptive, including the pill, vaginal rings (like NuvaRing), and the patch. All of these methods of birth control contain synthetic versions of both estrogen and progestin which are designed to keep the body from releasing eggs while at the same time thickening the cervical mucus so that it is more difficult for sperm to find eggs to begin with.

The second option is an extended-cycle pill. With extended cycle pills, like Seasonale, women take 12 weeks of synthetic hormones and only have four periods per year instead of the average of 13 (or once each season).

Mini pills, while not as effective as traditional hormonal contraception, only contain progestin. The pills are designed to thicken the mucus in the cervix, prohibiting the sperm from reaching the eggs and preventing implantation of a fertilized egg.

The Gruesome Side Effects of Birth Control Pills

The main problem with most hormonal birth control methods is the fact that they’re made with synthetic hormones. Synthetic estrogen has been known to cause yeast infections, vaginitis, pain during menstruation, yeast infections, leg cramps, and breast pain. Synthetic progestin has been linked to heart disease, strokes, blood clots, and even breast cancer. Scientists also believe that the synthetic estrogen and progesterone hormones, because they trick the body into not ovulating, are one of the main reasons for increased levels of infertility.

Most women who have incredibly painful periods while on birth control don’t realize that it is the birth control itself causing the problem. The pills keep progesterone levels at bay while increasing estrogen levels and that reduced level of progesterone is what causes cramping, pain, and an irregular menstrual flow in addition to many unseen side effects, including estrogen dominance.

Alternatives to Traditional Birth Control Pills

If you suffer from estrogen dominance, or are simply disgusted with the negative side effects of birth control pills, you may want to consider an alternative method of contraception. Believe it or not, you have a wide variety of alternatives, most of which are much safer than hormonal birth control pills. The simplest options are over the counter birth control methods such as condoms, contraceptive sponges, and spermicides. . Sponges and spermicides do rely on small amounts of chemicals and may not be the most viable alternative. All of these contraceptive methods can be purchased at your local pharmacy or online.

Prescription alternatives include diaphragms, cervical caps, and IUDs. If your main goal is to stay away from hormones you will need to talk to your doctor about using a polyethylene, silicone, copper, or silver IUD. Some, like Mirena, contain small levels of hormones so you’ll want to ensure you’re getting a non-hormonal version.

Those who’d prefer all-natural alternatives to hormonal birth control pills may be interested in the Fertility Awareness Method or the Ovulation Method. Both methods track changes in a woman’s body to determine what time of month she is fertile. Couples then know when they are capable of conceiving or when to use extra backup protection to avoid pregnancy.

You should not, however, suddenly stop any type of hormonal birth control without first consulting your physician. Suddenly stopping a drug may cause your body to experience hormonal or chemical fluctuations and you may need to be monitored as you wean yourself off of the medication.

Talk to your doctor about estrogen dominance before starting a new birth control pill or contraceptive regime, especially if the pill you have chosen or have been taking contains mostly synthetic estrogen. There may be healthier and safer alternatives that will in turn reduce your risk for developing estrogen dominance and related disorders in the future.