10 Signs of Estrogen Dominance

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. This is part one of a three-part series on ESTROGEN DOMINANCE, a pattern commonly seen in my practice. Not only is estrogen dominance associated with polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS), fibroids, and endometriosis - it is also associated with an increased risk of breast or cancer

Hormone Balance is one of the most common reasons patients seek my care, and for good reason! Hormones have profound effects on your mental, physical, and emotional health and well-being. 

When it comes to female hormonal health, ESTROGEN reigns as Queen, influencing many aspects of female health and well-being, including:

⭕️ Breast Health

⭕️ Weight

⭕️ Emotional Health

⭕️ Bone Strength

⭕️ Skin Integrity

⭕️ Heart Health

Of course, estrogen does not act alone - and this is where many conventional practitioners fall short, failing to recognize the complex “dance” that our many hormones have with each other and the influence of these interactions on hormone balance. Throughout this hormone “dance”, estrogen often tries to take the lead, resulting in a number of troublesome symptoms. When this happens we call this ESTROGEN DOMINANCE - one of the most common hormone imbalances I see in my practice.

What is Estrogen Dominance and why does it happen?

Estrogen dominance is a pattern in the body where estrogen levels are too high in comparison to progesterone levels.

Estrogen dominance can happen for many reasons, including:

✅ Increased estrogen production

✅ Decreased progesterone production (this starts around age 35 and often becomes more obvious in mid-40s)

✅ Slowed estrogen elimination (constipation, lack of fiber)

✅ Exposure to synthetic estrogens (food, water, medicines, skin care products)

✅ Alterations in the gut microbiome

✅ Genetic alterations impairing estrogen metabolism

✅ Chronically elevated stress (which elevated cortisol and lower progesterone levels)

✅ Excess body fat (we produce estrogen from our body fat)

10 Signs of Estrogen Dominance

While Estrogen Dominance can present a little differently in each person, these are the 10 signs/symptoms most commonly seen in my practice:

🔹 Irregular periods

🔹 Heavy periods

🔹 Worsening PMS and mood swings

🔹 Bloating

🔹 Breast tenderness

🔹 Lumpy (fibrocystic) breasts

🔹 Low sex drive

🔹 Headaches

🔹 Increased facial pigmentation/redness

🔹 Anxiousness

Estrogen dominance is also associated with polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS), fibroids, endometriosis, and an increased risk of breast or uterine cancer - so it’s important to take this condition seriously!

In the coming weeks, I’ll be following up with a series to better explain estrogen dominance, including its causes, lifestyle tips, and supplements to consider.

👀 Stay tuned!

Are you experiencing symptoms of estrogen dominance? I personalize treatment plans for each patient after evaluating which factors are most at play in their hormone imbalance. Are you interested in learning more about your hormonal health? Subscribe to my email list and schedule an appointment!