Estrogen is the main female sex hormone responsible for tissue growth, maintenance and repair. The production of estrogen begins during puberty and ensures that secondary sexual characteristics such as breasts develop and menstruation starts. A woman is fertile from the moment estrogen is produced.
Estrogen is also the hormone that helps women get a broader pelvis, so that it is easier to carry and give birth to a child. Another feature of estrogen is the storage of fat in places such as the thighs, buttocks and hips.
The estrogen level is regulated by the progesterone level; a hormone that keeps the estrogen level in balance. Progesterone is also the hormone that you get when you take the contraceptive pill; it suppresses your estrogen level and therefore your fertility. When less progesterone is present in the body, the amount of estrogen in the body increases.
The average woman produces an average amount of estrogen and an average amount of progesterone. The amount of estrogen always fluctuates during the month under the influence of progesterone, but in one woman the estrogen level can always be a bit higher or lower than that of the another woman. In some women the estrogen level is even extremely high. This is called estrogen dominance.
Women whose estrogen levels may be higher to extremely high are, for example, young women in puberty, obese women, women with high blood pressure, women with diabetes, and women with burnout complaints.
Whether you are a woman suffering from estrogen dominance is not easy to say. A symptom can be a large amount of fat storage on your thighs and buttocks. Whether you really suffer from estrogen dominance will have to be determined by means of a blood test.
A number of complaints that you may experience with estrogen dominance:
Symptoms that can be caused by estrogen dominance are unpleasant. There is also a relationship between estrogen dominance and hormone-sensitive forms of cancer, such as breast cancer, ovarian cancer and cervical cancer. It is therefore advisable to make these suspicions known to your doctor if you suspect hormone dominance.
There are several reasons for estrogen dominance. An example is a lack of progesterone, medication use and diseases, disruptions and conditions that influence the estrogen level or progesterone level. Estrogen dominance can also arise in this way due to disturbed degradation by the liver and excretion of estrogen.
Chronic stress is also related to estrogen dominance; chronic stress causes an excess of the hormone cortisol in the body, which causes an increase in estrogen. It is therefore advisable to ensure that you get enough rest when you suspect that you have estrogen dominance.
In general, the advice will be to take a rest, lose weight, eat healthily and get enough exercise. We are happy to help you further in our centre to make a diagnosis and adjust treatment to your symptoms and situation.
Do you want to know more about estrogen dominance or do you want to know what we can do for you? Women’s Healthcare Centre in Amsterdam is happy to help you further. We are an independent treatment centre (ZBC) for gynaecology, obstetrics, sexology, urology and ultrasound. You can reach us on 020 64 20 229 or use our contact form.