Download Female hormones

Estrogen Dominance
By
Dr. Afaf El-Ansary
Female hormones
Two primary hormones
Estrogen
Progesterone
Maintained in optimal balance in our
body
Synthesis of estrogen
and progesterone
Estrogen and menstrual cycle
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During a normal menstrual cycle, estrogen
and progesterone driving the process of maturing
and releasing an egg and preparing the uterus for
possible pregnancy:
Estrogen rises in the first half of the cycle,
peaks at ovulation, then falls in the second half as
progesterone rises.
Progesterone is released by the rupturing of the
egg follicle during ovulation.
If there is no pregnancy, you have a period and
the whole cycle begins again.
Estrogen function
Regulates
menstrual cycle
It softens the
cervix
Affects female
sexual organs
Female
characteristics
during puberty
Promotes cell
division
Estrogen is not a single hormone
Estrone ( E1)
Estriol ( E3)
Estradiol ( E2 )
Family of Estrogens
Animal
Estrogens
Xenoestrogens
Synthetic
estrogens
Phytoestrogens
Progesterone
Pro-gestation hormone
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Favour the growth and well being of the fetus.
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It protects against the growth effect of estrogen.
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Its level is 20-25 mg/day during monthly cycle
and 300-400 mg/day during pregnancy.
Estrogen dominance
Relative
deficiency of
progesterone
Relative
dominance of
estrogen
Different health problems
cancer
Symptoms of estrogen dominance
When estrogen levels are high in relation
to progesterone women can feel many
severe symptoms, among them:
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Anxiety
Breast tenderness
Headaches or migraines
Depression
Digestive issues and weight gain
Fuzzy thinking
Irregular bleeding
Water retention
Common estrogen dominance
conditions
Pre-menopausal
Premenstrual
syndrome (PMS)
Syndrome (PMS)
• Water retention
•Hot flashes
• Breast inflammation
•Anxiety
• Fatigue
•Emotion instability
Endometriosis
Fibrocystic
Breast
•Depression
Common estrogen dominance conditions
Uterine Fibroids
Polycystic ovary
syndrome
Breast Cancer
Common reasons for estrogen
dominance
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Commercially raised cattle and poultry
Commercially grown fruits and vegetables with pesticides
Exposure to xenoestrogen
Petrochemical compounds
Industrial solvents
Hormone replacement therapy
Stress
Obesity
Liver Diseases
Increased coffee and fast food consumption
Commercially raised cattle
and Poultry
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These animals are fed estrogen-like
hormones and growth hormones.
It takes only 6 weeks now to grow a chicken
to full size.
Feeds used contain large amounts of
hormone-disrupting toxins including:
Pesticides, antibiotics, and drugs to combat
diseases when so many animals are packed
closely together.
Commercially grown fruits
and vegetables
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If you eat in any developed countries, you are
taking pesticides from fruits and vegetables.
Many pesticides are known as hormone
disruptors.
About 5 billion pounds of pesticides,
herbicides, fungicides are added to the world
every year.
Xenoestrogens
Pesticides are perhaps the biggest source of
xenoestrogens.
Mostly they are bioaccumulated in fat cells of
fish, poultry and other food sources- in
increasing concentration until they reach the
top of the food chain where you and I
consume them!
They are highly estrogenic
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Non-biodegradable synthetic estrogen from
urine of woman taking HRT and birth
control pills that is flushed down the toilet
and found its way into the food chain and
back to the body.
A wash in a sea of xenoestrogens
Many of these xenoestrogens are proven
carcinogens. They are also well known for
their ability to damage the immune system
and interrupt hormonal balance. Our cells
can’t always distinguish fully between our
own estrogen and xenoestrogens. Every cell
has estrogen receptors that recognize and
open to the shape of an estrogen molecular
chain, regardless of where it comes from.
Petrochemical compounds
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Creams, lotions, Soaps, Shampoos,
perfumes, nail polish, hair spray and
room deodorizers often have chemical
structures similar to estrogen and indeed
act like estrogen.
Hormone Replacement Therapy
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HRT with estrogen alone without sufficient
opposing progestrone such as the drug
Premarin.
This drug contains 48% estrone and only a
small amount of progestrone.
Excessive estrogen from ERT also lead to
increased chances of DNA damage, setting a
stage for endometrial and breast cancer.
Stress
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Stress caused adrenal gland exhaustion and
reduced progesterone output.
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This will increase estrogen/progesterone ratio.
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High estrogen/progesterone ratio, further taxes the
adrenal gland leads to more reduction in
progesterone and more estrogen dominance.
Obesity
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Fat has an enzyme that converts adrenal steroids
to estrogen.
The higher the fat intake
The higher the
conversion to estrogen
Deficiency of Vitamin B
and magnesium
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Both are necessary for the neutralization of
estrogen in the liver.
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Too much estrogen tends to create deficiency of
Zn, Mg and vitamin B.
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Increased sugar and fast food leads to the
depletion of magnesium.
Liver diseases
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Liver disease such as cirrhosis from
excessive alcohol intake reduce the
breakdown of estrogen.
Increased coffee consumption
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Caffeine intake from all sources was linked
with higher estrogen levels regardless of:
Age
Body mass index(BMI)
Caloric intake
Smoking and alcohol intake
Cholesterol intake.
In absolute terms, those who live in the
developed world are bathed in a sea of
estrogen and do not know it.
Control
Maintain ideal
Coffee and tea
body weight
Exercise
Detoxification
Phytoestrogens
A diet rich in phytoestrogens is thought to be
protective. Phytoestrogens are plant-based
substances found in soybeans, licorice, and
alfalfa that naturally mimic estrogen in a
healthy way when consumed. This action
protects the cell receptors from accepting the
more damaging xenoestrogens.
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In general, phytoestrogens are thought to
wash out of the body within several days in
contrast to months that the synthetic
chemical xenoestrogens take to be excreted.
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Most phytoestrogens bind to the estrogen
receptors, but do not stimulate it. The flax
seed phytoestrogen competes with other
estrogens that would otherwise stimulate the
estrogen receptor.
How to avoid estrogen dominance
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Avoid Synthetic Chemicals.
Use natural pest control not pesticides.
Don't use herbicides; use a cup of salt in a gallon of
vinegar.
Buy hormone free meats to eat.
Buy "Organic"produce, fruits and vegetables without
pesticides, herbicides or synthetic fertilizer or hormones.
Eat a plant-based, fiber-rich diet (at least 20-30 g fiber per
day).
Take vitamin B6 , B12 and folate as essential cofactors for
critical methylation pathways such as detoxification of
estrogens.
Take a liver-supporting and detoxifying herbal formula.
Maintain ideal body weight (BMI, 18-25).
Regular exercise.