Fertility
Estrogen is a female sex hormone responsible for growth, maintenance and repair of tissues. The production of estrogen begins in puberty and ensures, among other things, that secondary sexual characteristics such as breasts develop and menstruation starts. A woman is fertile from the moment that estrogen is produced.
Fat storage
Estrogen is also the hormone that helps women to have a wider pelvis, to make it easier to carry and give birth to a child. Another characteristic of estrogen is the storage of fat in places like the thighs, buttocks and hips.
Progesterone
The estrogen level is regulated by the progesterone level; a hormone that, among other things, keeps the estrogen level in balance. Progesterone is also the hormone that you get when you take the contraceptive pill; it suppresses your estrogen level and therefore your fertility. When there is less progesterone in the body, the amount of estrogen in the body increases.
What is estrogen dominance?
The average woman produces an average amount of estrogen and an average amount of progesterone. Throughout the month, the amount of estrogen always fluctuates under the influence of progesterone, but in one woman the estrogen level can always be higher or lower than that of another woman. In some women the estrogen level is even extremely high. This is called estrogen dominance.
Who suffers from estrogen dominance?
Women whose estrogen levels can be higher to extremely high include young women in puberty, obese women, women with high blood pressure, women with diabetes and women who are dealing with burnout complaints.
Symptoms of Estrogen Dominance
Whether you as a woman suffer from estrogen dominance is not easy to say. A symptom can be a large amount of fat storage on your upper legs and buttocks. Whether you really suffer from estrogen dominance will have to be determined by means of a blood test.
Some complaints that you may experience with estrogen dominance:
- Regularly suffer from painful breasts
- (Regularly recurring) fibroids
- PMS complaints
- (Recurring) mammopathy, or cysts in the breasts
- (Recurring) ovarian cysts
- Often suffer from migraines, especially around menstruation
- Endometriosis and Pap smear abnormalities
Estrogen Dominance and Cancer
Symptoms that can be caused by estrogen dominance are unpleasant. There is also a relationship between estrogen dominance and hormone-sensitive forms of cancer, such as breast cancer, ovarian cancer and cervical cancer. It is therefore advisable to make these suspicions known to your doctor if you suspect hormone dominance.
What causes estrogen dominance?
Estrogen dominance can be caused by various factors. Examples include a progesterone deficiency, medication use, and diseases, disorders, and conditions that affect the estrogen level or progesterone level. Estrogen dominance can also be caused by a disrupted breakdown by the liver and excretion of estrogen.
Chronic stress is also related to estrogen dominance; chronic stress causes an excess of the hormone cortisol in the body, which causes an increase in estrogen. So it is wise to make sure you get enough rest if you suspect you are suffering from estrogen dominance.
What can you do about estrogen dominance?
In general, the advice will be to rest, lose weight, eat healthy and get enough exercise. We are happy to help you in our center to make a diagnosis and adjust a treatment to your complaints and situation.
What can we do for you?
Women's Healthcare Center provides expert care and support for women. Our team of specialisten will do everything they can to help you get the right diagnosis and find the best treatment options.
