Estrogen Domonance
Estrogen Dominance Main
Estrogen Dominance
What is this?
An imbalance of
estrogen
over
PROGESTERONE
in women (or TESTOSTERONE
in men ) is having an overall
estrogenic
effect. The most well-known
repercussion of this is to cause overproliferation of cells resulting in reproductive
organ cancers (e.g. breast, endometrial, ovarian and prostate), and issues, such as
polycystic ovarian syndrome ,
uterine
fibroids ,
fibrocystic
changes in the
breast and benign prostate hyperplasia.
The term "Estrogen Dominance" was coined by Dr.
John R. Lee. An author, expert and pioneer in the study and use of
PROGESTERONE and androgen supplementation to restore hormonal
balance.
Estrogen dominance encompasses several unpleasant symptoms and health problems
Including:
Anxiety, mood swings, confusion, depression,
irritability;
Tiredness;
Headaches;
Fluid Retention;
Breast Tenderness, fibrocystic breast changes (FCC),
endometriosis, ovarian cysts,
Benign prostate hyperplasia (BPH);
Weight Gain
Reproductive organ cancers (e.g. breast, ovarian, endometrial,
prostate);
Heart disease, pulmonary embolism;
For a more extensive list:
Health problems /
Symptoms of estrogen dominance
What is causing estrogen dominance?
Estrogen dominance can be caused either by
excessive estrogen
or insufficient TESTOSTERONE and
PROGESTERONE. It is important to
grasp the concept that it is not so much the actual
Estrogen dominance is commonly seen in
women as they progress through menopause and beyond. Since PROGESTERONE levels drop more drastically than
estrogen
levels, creating a relative imbalance favoring
estrogen . Also, a vicious cycle presents, whereby estrogen dominance promotes fat
storage, and fat cells produce more estrogen .
In aging men,
estrogen
levels increase as TESTOSTERONE
and
PROGESTERONE levels decrease.
This occurs because TESTOSTERONE levels generally decline with age,
and because the often increasing number of fat cells convert
TESTOSTERONE to estrogen . Also weak
testes produce less
PROGESTERONE
Without ovulation, there
is no ovarian
corpus luteum
to produce
PROGESTERONE , and a PROGESTERONE
deficiency ensues. Any estrogen present remains unopposed,
yielding several unwantedside effects. Unfortunately, maladies such as water
retention, weight gain, fatigue and depression are sometimes diagnosed as
separate problems and treated individually, when actually, they are symptoms of
a person with too much estrogen relative to
other hormones. Today, research is showing that many women in their 30s and even younger
are sometimes not ovulating during their menstrual cycle.
Lee, 1993
Those of us living in the developed world are
"bathed in a continuous sea" of
estrogen and are likely facing hormonal imbalances resulting in
estrogen dominance.
Why is estrogen dominance so prevalent?
For guidance in
restoring the body's normal healthy hormonal balance:
How to treat estrogen dominance
Interview with Dr. Lee
http://www.keepsmilin.com/transcriptdrlee.htm
Lee, John R., M.D. (1993) Natural PROGESTERONE : The
Multiple Role of a Remarkable Hormone, BLL Publishing, California, USA
p.29.1
