Hormone Spotlight: Estrogen
breast tenderness, painful periods and heavy bleeding - time to check out your E2 š©ø
This week thereās been a recurring theme coming up
āļø ESTROGEN āļø
You have been asking about her on insta
Iāve been hearing about her symptoms of painful and heavy periods all week
Heck, estrogen is even coming up in casual dinner convos (I know, Iām a fun party guest)
and to be honest, Iām not surprised since issues with estrogen are SO common
everything from our digestion and liver, to our chemical exposure and stress levels are going to impact this hormone
+ unlike some of the more subtle hormones (looking at you LH) estrogenās impacts can be FELT
She impacts our skin, our periods, our energy, our body composition.
And too much or too little can also throw other hormones off balance
So, let me introduce you to the two faces of estrogen: high and lowāand how to recognize when somethingās out of balance.
But First, Letās Estrogen: Your Queen Bee Hormone š š
Estrogen is often called the āqueenā of hormones because of its influence over so many aspects of the body.
We need estrogen - she plays a dominating role in our lives, from puberty, giving us our womanly figure, to menopause, when she slowly starts to decline
But estrogen is way more than just a reproductive hormone
Estrogen plays a crucial role in:
Supporting our mind and mood: estrogen influences neurotransmitters like serotonin and dopamine, which help us to feel good. This is why when sheās low, we can start to feel a bit blue
Skin and Hair: she helps to keep skin plump and hair shiny
Regulating cholesterol and bone health: estrogen keeps cholesterol levels in check and even plays a role in bone health.
Giving us shape: sheās responsible for our curves š
Menstrual cycle support: but prob most importantly IMO, estrogen plays a key role in our menstrual cycle. Estrogen helps the body prepare for ovulation and build up our uterine lining. Too much or too little can start to take a toll on our cycle health
Signs of High Estrogen (Estrogen Dominance)
So āestrogen dominanceā is a common term that is being thrown around these days
And just so you have all the facts, itās technically not a ārealā condition
But it does describe a hormonal landscape where estrogen is high - either on its own, or in comparison to progesterone.
remember progesterone? we wrote all about her here
and itās more common than you might think. Here are some signs that estrogen might be running the show:
Heavy, painful periods
Cyclical breast tenderness or swelling
PMS symptoms that seem to get worse as your period approaches
Acne around ovulation
Shorter menstrual cycles (<21 days)
Mood swings, irritability, or anxiety
Cyclical migraines
Weight gain, especially around the hips and thighs
So What Causes High Estrogen?
OoooOOOoooh estrogen is a fickle one and can be influenced by so many factors
Here are the primary ones I tend to see contributing to high estrogen
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