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High Estrogen Symptoms, Causes & Holistic Ways To Get Levels In Check
![Lindsay Boyers Lindsay Boyers](https://mindbodygreen-res.cloudinary.com/image/upload/c_fill,g_auto,w_50,h_50,q_auto,f_auto,fl_lossy/usr/RgDMzxb.jpg)
Estrogen may be best known for its role in pregnancy and menstruation, but its effects reach far beyond reproductive health. High estrogen can cause short-term discomfort, but it can also contribute to chronic health problems and even fertility challenges in the long run. Here, we'll break down the most common high estrogen symptoms and what women can do to get their levels in check ASAP.
The need-to-knows:
- High estrogen is a hormone imbalance: High estrogen, also known as estrogen dominance, happens when the ratio of estrogen is too high compared to the level of the hormone progesterone.
- It can cause painful symptoms: High estrogen can cause irregular bleeding, breast tenderness, insomnia, mood swings, low libido, and more.
- It's associated with a number of chronic health issues: Elevated estrogen levels are also common in chronic conditions like endometriosis and PCOS. For this reason, you'll want to consult with your doctor if you suspect your levels are high.
- You may be able to get estrogen in check with lifestyle changes: Eating whole foods, exercising regularly, and limiting environmental toxins when possible may all help keep your estrogen levels in check through various pathways.
What does it mean to have high estrogen?
Estrogen is most often categorized as a sex hormone—and it is. But this steroid hormone is involved in so much more than reproduction. It controls many aspects of health1 in both women and men, including glucose balance, lipid homeostasis, brain function, and bone metabolism. It's also partially responsible for ovulation.W hen estrogen levels get high enough, this triggers a release of luteinizing hormone which causes ovulation
According to functional medicine gynecologist Wendie Trubow, M.D., estrogen is produced mostly by the ovaries, but your adrenal glands and fat cells also make it. There are three main types of estrogen:
- Estrone (E1): A common form that your body makes after menopause
- Estradiol (E2): The strongest form your body makes. This is the primary form of estrogen during the reproductive years
- Estriol (E3): This type is mostly found in your body during pregnancy
In an ideal world, your body can effectively balance levels of estrogen and progesterone, another steroid hormone that prepares the uterus for pregnancy. If estrogen levels get too high, or progesterone levels fall too low, it can lead to estrogen dominance.
Put simply, estrogen dominance is a state of imbalance in the ratio of estrogen to progesterone. "It can also be found when women have inappropriate processing of estrogen, which leads to a buildup of toxic forms of estrogen, also leading to dominance in the estrogen balance," says Trubow.
Summary
Causes of high estrogen
Estrogen dominance can have several causes, but here are some of the most common:
Poor liver function
The modern world can be a toxic place. We're exposed to environmental toxins and toxins in our food supply on a daily basis. And all of this gets processed through your liver. The liver is also where estrogen is eliminated from the body.
If your liver is overloaded and/or sluggish, it will have a hard time processing substances like estrogen on top of environmental toxins. This can lead to incomplete detoxification and leave you with high estrogen levels2, according to Trubow.
Poor gut function
There are a handful of ways your gut can contribute to estrogen dominance, but one is an imbalance in gut bacteria that produces an enzyme called beta-glucuronidase.
According to Trubow, beta-glucuronidase divides the estrogen3 that's bound for excretion. "When this happens, the estrogen goes back to being a free radical and is also no longer water-soluble, so it is brought out of the intestines (a water-soluble area) and back into the bloodstream (fat-soluble). Then, it is either reprocessed or stored in the fat," she says.
Constipation can also contribute to estrogen dominance. Eliminating your bowels is one of the three main ways your body detoxifies. Proper gut function and daily, well-formed stools help reduce the reabsorption of waste products, like excess estrogen. When you're constipated, it increases the chance that estrogen will be cleaved by the beta-glucuronidase, and then the estrogen has nowhere to go but back into your bloodstream.
High estrogen also seems to cause constipation4 in some cases, so it can put you in a negative digestion cycle.
Obesity
This could be due to the fact that cells are responsible for converting circulating androgens (male sex hormones, the most common of which is testosterone) into estrogen.
Fat tissue is the primary source of estrogens7 and high estrogen levels in postmenopausal women and men with certain health conditions, like pulmonary hypertension (high blood pressure in the lungs).
Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS)
Abnormal menstruation is one of the main clinical signs of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). This can create a cascade effect that goes on to cause high estrogen levels.
"PCOS can lead to imbalanced estrogen8 since women [with PCOS] aren't regularly ovulating (that's when progesterone gets created)," says Trubow. Missing periods due to stress, illness, travel, etc., can also throw off estrogen levels.
There's also a chicken-or-the-egg situation here since high estrogen levels can eventually lead to PCOS, which we'll cover more below.
Hormone replacement
Exogenous hormone replacement can elevate estrogen levels, too, specifically taking too much estrogen in relationship to progesterone9. But this is rare.
High estrogen symptoms
So, what are the symptoms of high estrogen in women and people assigned female at birth? The most common high estrogen symptoms are:
- Dysfunctional menstrual pattern (heavy, too frequent, intermenstrual bleeding, lasting too long, clotty)
- Breast tenderness and/or fibroids in breasts
- Irritability or mood swings
- Insomnia/trouble sleeping
- Depression and anxiety
- Fatigue
- Low libido
- Weight gain and/or difficulty losing weight
- Fertility challenges
How to diagnose high estrogen
Many of these symptoms are not exclusive to estrogen dominance and can also be a sign of other issues. If you suspect you have high estrogen levels, you'll need to consult with your doctor to know for sure.
While there are at-home tests you can take to measure hormones, like the Veracity Hormone Test, Trubow says these aren't always accurate. Testing can be tricky since estrogen varies throughout the menstrual cycle, and there can be a wide range of what's considered "normal." Some women, like those going through menopause, will also have intrinsically lower levels of estrogen than younger women.
Your doctor may test the estrogen levels in your blood or urine. Trubow says that urine testing tends to be more accurate, as it can measure estrogen levels throughout a person's cycle.
Summary
What else could cause these symptoms?
If you have symptoms of high estrogen but don't actually have elevated levels, Trubow says there are likely two things to blame: toxicity from environmental toxins or endocrine-mimicking plastics (or both).
Environmental toxins can overload your liver and cause numerous symptoms, from reproductive dysfunction to autoimmunity. They have also been connected to PCOS and endometriosis10.
Regular exposure to endocrine-mimicking plastics and other endocrine disrupters, like some of the chemicals found in personal care and cleaning products, can also cause similar symptoms to high estrogen levels (including fatigue, weight gain, and fertility challenges).
If you use a lot of plastics and/or conventional personal care products, refer to our advice below on how to cut back.
Summary
High estrogen during menopause
Estrogen levels start to naturally decline during perimenopause (the period of time right before menopause) and then continue to drop postmenopause. However, some women may have symptoms of high estrogen even during this transition.
"It's not so much that the estrogen is intrinsically high—more that it is imbalanced since women aren't regularly ovulating, which produces the progesterone to balance out the estrogen," says Trubow. And because there's no period of ovulation, there's no resulting withdrawal bleeding, so the uterine lining builds up (from the estrogen) and then doesn't shed regularly.
To mitigate these risks, and any potential uncomfortable symptoms, Trubow often recommends perimenopausal women look into progesterone therapy to help regulate the cycle through the transition and balance out estrogen. Progesterone has also been shown to improve sleep quality11 during the perimenopausal period.
Once a woman has reached menopause, Trubow recommends continuing the progesterone and also considering adding estrogen to maintain brain, bone, heart, and sexual health.
High estrogen risks
Beyond causing uncomfortable symptoms, estrogen dominance can exacerbate the following chronic health issues if not properly managed:
PCOS
While the cause of PCOS is unknown, women with PCOS seem to produce excess estrogen8. PCOS occurs when the ovaries produce too many androgens, which then causes an imbalance in all hormones.
According to the World Health Organization12, 8-13% of reproductive-aged women have PCOS. It also estimates that 70% of PCOS cases are undiagnosed, pointing to a serious gap in women's health care. PCOS can have many symptoms, like irregular periods, abnormal hair growth, weight gain, and thinning hair. It's also one of the most common causes of fertility challenges in women and people assigned female at birth.
Real-life stories
Endometriosis
Another severely underdiagnosed condition affecting women, endometriosis occurs when tissues similar to the endometrial lining in the uterus grow outside of the uterus. The tissue thickens and breaks down with each menstrual cycle. This can cause irregular periods, abdominal pain, fatigue, and fertility challenges.
High estrogen levels13 seem to contribute to inflammation14, which can go on to exacerbate painful endometriosis symptoms.
Real-life stories
Cancer
A number of cancers, including ovarian, breast, and uterine, have also been connected to high estrogen levels. In estrogen-receptor-positive breast cancers, estrogens bind to receptors and drive the formation of cancerous cells.
How to get levels in check
While high estrogen levels can have several undesirable outcomes, Trubow says it's important to remember that estrogen also plays many protective roles in the body. "It's only when the system is imbalanced that estrogen can be damaging," she says, adding that a lack of estrogen is also harmful to tissues, brain health, and sexual health.
With this in mind, the goal isn't to get your estrogen levels as low as possible; it's to regulate estrogen and progesterone levels so they are properly balanced.
You'll want to work with a doctor to correct a diagnosed hormone imbalance. However, there are a few holistic lifestyle changes that may also help support healthy hormone levels. Here are a few you can try:
Eliminate or decrease alcohol
Alcohol and estrogen are both detoxified through the liver. When your liver is presented with both, alcohol takes precedence, according to Trubow. There also seems to be a correlation between increased estrogen levels15 and increased alcohol use in females. You can give your liver the best chance of properly detoxifying estrogen by cutting back on alcohol or avoiding it altogether.
Make healthy dietary changes
The food you eat has an impact on your hormones. Registered dietitian Maggie Michalczyk, R.D., previously told mindbodygreen that the best way to support hormone health through diet is by eating nutritionally balanced meals that contain protein, healthy fat, and fiber-rich carbohydrates. Whole, unprocessed foods, like leafy greens, veggies, berries, nuts, seeds, and fatty fish, may also help maintain healthy levels of other hormones, like insulin and cortisol.
Manage your stress levels
Chronic stress doesn't affect estrogen directly, but it does increase levels of cortisol16, which, in turn, can decrease progesterone levels. It can also send signals to the liver that shut down detoxification17. This can cause a chain reaction that ends with high estrogen since there's not enough progesterone to balance it out.
Get enough sleep
Like stress, a lack of sleep can disrupt cortisol levels, leading to unwanted changes in estrogen and progesterone. Most experts recommend seven to nine hours of sleep for adults, but it's not just about the quantity; you must ensure you're getting high-quality sleep too.
Exercise regularly
Research shows that the direct effect of exercise on estrogen is relatively modest. However, staying active can promote a healthy body weight, which may help keep estrogen levels in a good place.
Switch your personal care and cleaning products
Many of the things you use at home, from window spray to face wash, contain endocrine-disrupting chemicals that can throw off your estrogen and other hormones, says Trubow. Try to use phthalate-free and paraben-free products as much as possible. Here are guides to mindbodygreen's favorite less-toxic products:
- 18 Best Natural Cleaning Products + DIY Options
- 7 Best Organic + Nontoxic Mattresses For Better Sleep
- The Best Materials For Nontoxic Cookware + 7 Brands To Use
- The 13 Best Nontoxic Nail Polishes & Brands
- The Best Nontoxic, Clean-Burning Candles
- 6 Nontoxic & PVC-Free Shower Curtains & Liners
- The 13 Best Natural, Organic Deodorants
Eliminate plastic storage containers and drinking bottles
Plastics, especially single-use ones, have estrogen mimickers in them that can disrupt hormones in high amounts18, according to research. Instead, use glass containers as much as possible, and never heat up food in plastic.
Consider probiotics
If your estrogen dominance is fueled by gut dysbiosis and/or constipation, taking a high-quality probiotic may help by reinvigorating the gut microbiome.
The mindbodygreen POV
High estrogen can cause many uncomfortable symptoms in women and those assigned female at birth—such as irregular bleeding, breast tenderness, insomnia, mood swings, low libido, and more. High estrogen symptoms may look different depending on a woman's age. An estrogen imbalance may worsen the side effects of menopause in older women, for example.
While you'll want to work with a doctor to diagnose and treat hormone imbalances like high estrogen, certain lifestyle changes may be able to help, too. In particular, we recommend limiting alcohol consumption, exercising regularly, eating a varied whole-food diet, avoiding environmental toxins when possible, limiting single-use plastics, and supplementing appropriately.
—Emma Loewe, mindbodygreen's Health & Sustainability Director
FAQ
What happens when estrogen levels are high?
In the short-term, high estrogen levels can cause uncomfortable symptoms, like irregular periods, irritability, fatigue, and anxiety. If not corrected, elevated estrogen levels can eventually contribute to more chronic health problems.
What causes high estrogen levels in females?
High estrogen levels in females are often a result of liver overload, gut dysfunction, excess body fat, or PCOS. High stress levels can also lower progesterone, which indirectly leads to high estrogen levels.
How do you lower high estrogen levels?
Diet and lifestyle are really powerful tools for lowering high estrogen levels. Experts recommend cleaning up your diet, exercising regularly, managing stress, getting enough sleep, and avoiding plastic and endocrine-disrupting chemicals in your personal and home care products.
The takeaway
If you have high estrogen, there are a lot of things you can do at home to help support your hormones naturally. Of course, none of these are short-term solutions; you'll need to commit to sustained lifestyle changes to see some real (and lasting) results. If you're concerned that you might have an estrogen-related condition, like PCOS or endometriosis, check in with your doctor. They can order tests to help discover the best path forward.
18 Sources
- https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0753332217353246?via%3Dihub
- https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/medicine-and-dentistry/estrogen-metabolism
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8388929/
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3823955/
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33094625/
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36979669/
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7506791/
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7924872/
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK493191/
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30875185/
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10241804/
- https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/polycystic-ovary-syndrome
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7215544/
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6693056/
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6585852/
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6371989/
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6422711/
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9885170/
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