Estrogen dominance is a hormonal imbalance condition affecting both men and women, characterized by excess estrogen compared to progesterone and/or testosterone levels. This imbalance can lead to various health issues, underscoring the importance of recognizing and managing it effectively. Understanding its causes, implementing prevention tips, and acknowledging its effects on both genders are essential steps toward maintaining hormonal health.
What is Estrogen Dominance?
Estrogen dominance occurs when the body has too much estrogen relative to other hormones, particularly progesterone. One major contributing factor are xenoestrogens, environmental toxins you’re exposed to that mimic estrogen and disrupt your endocrine function. Xenoestrogens are found in pesticides, plastics, and personal care products. Other factors that contribute to estrogen dominance include poor diet, alcohol consumption, and certain genetic factors. Symptoms vary by gender but can include mood swings, weight gain, fatigue, and more serious health concerns like cancer. This imbalance is not confined to women; men are also affected, leading to a variety of health issues.
Common products containing xenoestrogens include:
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Plastic Containers and Bottles: Many plastics, especially those marked with recycling codes 3 and 7, release chemicals like bisphenol A (BPA) and phthalates, known xenoestrogens, especially when heated or scratched.
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Cosmetics and Personal Care Products: Certain beauty products, such as lotions, makeup, and shampoos, can contain parabens and phthalates, which are used as preservatives and fragrance enhancers but can act as xenoestrogens.
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Pesticides and Herbicides: Chemicals used in conventional agriculture, like atrazine, a common herbicide, can have estrogenic effects on the body. Consuming non-organic fruits and vegetables may increase exposure to these compounds.
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Non-Stick Cookware: Cookware that is coated with non-stick surfaces can release perfluorinated chemicals (PFCs) when heated at high temperatures. PFCs are considered to have estrogen-like activity.
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Food Packaging: Materials used in food packaging, including cans and plastic wraps, often contain BPA and phthalates to increase flexibility and durability, which can leach into food and drinks.
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Household Cleaning Products: Some cleaning agents contain chemicals that can act as endocrine disruptors, mimicking estrogen. Products with artificial fragrances are particularly suspect.
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Air Fresheners and Scented Candles: The synthetic fragrances used in these products often contain phthalates to help the scent linger longer.
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Industrial Meat and Dairy: Animals raised in conventional agriculture are often given hormones to promote growth and milk production. These hormones can act as xenoestrogens when consumed.
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Soy Products: While not a synthetic xenoestrogen, soy contains natural compounds called phytoestrogens that can mimic estrogen in the body. While not necessarily harmful in moderate amounts, high consumption of soy products can contribute to estrogenic effects.
Symptoms Across Genders
Women may experience symptoms like weight gain, mood swings, uterine fibroids, and decreased muscle mass. Men, while sharing some of these symptoms, may also face gynecomastia (enlarged breasts), which signals hormonal imbalance. Both genders may suffer from fatigue, acne, and a decrease in libido, underscoring the importance of addressing estrogen dominance.
Estrogen dominance, if unmanaged, can lead to several health concerns, including:
- Hormonal cancers (breast, ovarian, and prostate cancer)
- Thyroid dysfunction
- Metabolic syndrome
- Autoimmune diseases
Tips to Prevent Estrogen Dominance
- Clean up your diet: Buy organic fruits and vegetables that are free from synthetic pesticides, which are endocrine disruptors. Increase your intake of fiber as well as cruciferous vegetables, which help cleanse the body of excess estrogen. If you eat meat, choose grass fed organic meats that are hormone-free as well as wild-caught fish over farm-raised, which is high in toxins, leading to inflammation and hormonal disruption.
- Reconsider birth control pills and hormone replacement: Although birth control pills may help short-term with PMS symptoms, heavy menstrual periods and other hormonal issues, they can destroy hormonal balance in the long-term. Birth control pills and standard HRT are synthetic chemicals that create estrogen dominance. Seek natural options for HRT that are plant-based. Work with a naturopath to address PMS, hormonal imbalance or perimenopause/menopause symptoms.
- Get a water filter: Tap water is full of contaminants from pollution. Chemical contaminants include bleach, pesticides, metals, toxins produced by bacteria, and pharmaceuticals, which include synthetic hormones! Added fluoride in tap water also disrupts hormones and affects thyroid function. Look into a high-quality filter system for your drinking water as well as the water you use for cooking and showering.
- Switch from Plastic to Glass: BPAs in plastics cause hormonal disruption, but it’s not just BPAs. Other chemicals in plastics are known to cause estrogen dominance, particularly when heated. Microwaving leftovers in plastic Tupperware, for example, leeches these plastics into your food, which can affect your health. Even running plastic-ware through a dishwasher releases these toxins. Instead, switch to glassware—and that goes for plastic water bottles, as well. Switch to glass or stainless steel.
- Exercise Regularly: Physical activity helps in balancing hormones by reducing body fat, a natural reservoir for storing excess estrogen. Exercise: A sedentary lifestyle can cause estrogen dominance. Sweating releases toxins and helps circulate hormones, so get active. High body fat percentage is related to estrogen dominance, so replacing fat with muscle will help to rebalance hormones. Combine cardiovascular activity with weight-training for optimal results.
- Manage Stress: A high-circulating concentration of estrogen is the most common cause of high cortisol levels in women, so stress and estrogen levels are connected. Adrenal fatigue is associated with estrogen dominance demonstrating the importance of reducing stress in balancing hormones. Take time to relax and unwind, meditate, practice yoga, be in nature and get 8 hours of sleep a night.
- Consider DIM Supplements: Incorporating DIM plus supplements can support the body in maintaining hormonal balance by aiding in the metabolism of estrogen. It's beneficial for both men and women in managing estrogen dominance. These supplements help support the liver, open detox pathways, reduce inflammation and address gut issues.
DIM Supplements: A Gender-Neutral Solution
DIM (Diindolylmethane) supplements have emerged as a beneficial aid for both men and women in managing estrogen dominance. Derived from cruciferous vegetables, DIM supports the liver in metabolizing estrogen more effectively, promoting hormonal balance.
Benefits for Women: DIM can help alleviate symptoms of estrogen dominance such as mood swings, weight gain, and hormonal acne. It also supports cellular immunity in the face of estrogen-related conditions like certain breast tissue disorders and autoimmune diseases.
Benefits for Men: DIM supplements for men can be particularly effective in reducing gynecomastia ("man boobs") and supporting muscle building. By assisting in the proper metabolism of estrogen, DIM can help naturally support the body in elevating testosterone levels, contributing to a healthier hormonal balance for men.
Selecting the Best DIM Supplements
Before you go researching DIM supplements on Reddit, consider these factors:
- Quality and Composition: Look for supplements with proven ingredients like DIM, turmeric, and resveratrol.
- Brand Credibility: To find the best DIM supplements, prioritize brands with strong reputations, supported by positive DIM supplement reviews.
- Consultation: Always consult with a healthcare professional before adding any supplements to your regimen.
Pure Thera’s DIM 3+ contains key ingredients in supporting healthy estrogen metabolism. Diindolylmethane (DIM) is a phytonutrient found in cruciferous vegetables, including broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, and kale. Unlike other plant nutrients, such as soy isoflavones, diindolylmethane has unique hormonal benefits and zero downsides. Additionally, Curcumin (from turmeric extract) is included to further support inflammation management. BioPerine®, a patented black pepper extract is utilized to promote absorption of of these powerful micronutrients in the digestive tract.*
- Supports Healthy Estrogen Metabolism in Females and Males
- Supports Detoxification of Xenoestrogens
- Provides Support for Antioxidant Mechanisms
- Offers an optimized formula to support healthy estrogen metabolism. Studies have shown that diindolylmethane (DIM), curcumin (from turmeric extract), and the patented black pepper extract BioPerine® support synergistic estrogen metabolism.