Estrogen (oestrogen)

What is estrogen?

Symptoms of low estrogen in women

Treatment for low estrogen in women

Symptoms of estrogen dominance in women

Symptoms of estrogen dominance in men

Treating excess estrogen

Xenoestrogens

Protection from xenoestrogens

References

What is estrogen?

Estrogens are the primary female sex hormones. They are found in all animals, and even some insects.

In a woman, estrogen is produced mainly by her ovaries, the corpus luteum, and the placenta if she is pregnant. Men also have small amounts of estrogen in their bodies, required by their reproductive system and for a healthy libido. Abnormally low levels of estrogen in men have been associated with obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) (1,2,3).

Plants and fungi can produce estrogen-like substances, and estrogens can also be synthesised in the laboratory. Estrogen is one of the main components in most oral contraceptives (the Pill).

Estrogen is a stimulating hormone that promotes the growth of breast tissue, the build-up of body fat, and the proliferation of the lining of the uterus. Breast tissue is extremely sensitive to estrogens. When women start using the Pill or undergo hormone replacement therapy (HRT), they often complain that their breasts get bigger, fuller and tender. It is estrogen that stimulates the development of breasts and reproductive organs during puberty in young girls.

The three main kinds of estrogen found in women are estradiol, estrone, and estriol. Estradiol is the predominant form in women who are not pregnant. Estradiol is the most potent and stimulating of the three. In contrast, estriol and estrone fit into the estrogen receptor and stimulate it weakly. Thus, estrone and estriol can "block" estradiol and its strong stimulating properties. Estrone is produced during menopause, and estriol is the primary estrogen of pregnancy.

Warning. The pharmaceutical industry has developed a number of estrogen look-alikes. These synthetic estrogen analogues (look-alikes) with estrogen-like activities are not naturally-occurring and can therefore be patented. Unlike natural bio-identical estrogen, they are not as effective as the real thing, and more importantly they have a variety of nasty and serious side-effects. An example is Premarin, made from the urine of mares. Some doctors are not aware of this crucial difference between natural bio-identical estrogen and the patented look-alikes. It is absolutely critical that you always use the real thing - bio-identical hormones. (5)

In a healthy woman, the stimulating effects of estrogen are checked and balanced by progesterone. Progesterone is produced after ovulation around day 12 of the menstrual cycle. The levels of both estrogen and progesterone peak around day 22 of her menstrual cycle. Many women do not produce sufficient progesterone, so the estrogen in their bodies is unopposed. This excessive or unopposed estrogen is also knows as estrogen dominance.

After menopause, a woman's estrogen level falls to approximately half its previous level, depending upon the particular individual. Unfortunately, her progesterone level may fall substantially more, even close to zero, causing problems of estrogen dominance or unopposed estrogen.

Estrogen is the feminising hormone in men (not progesterone).

Symptoms of low estrogen in women

Low estrogen sometimes occurs in post-menopausal women. Symptoms include:

Bladder control poor.
Hot flashes.
Night sweats.
Vaginal dryness.

Treatment for low estrogen in women

In the past, estrogen used to be used to control these symptoms. However, as the above symptoms of estrogen deficiency were brought under control, they were replaced by estrogen dominant symptoms of anxiety, depression, irritability, heart palpitations, loss of confidence and mood changes. In the late 1960's the massive surge in uterine cancer cases was attributed to the widespread use of estrogen and estrogen look-alikes. By 2002 the risk of breast cancer from long-term estrogen use was established.

Today, if the symptoms of low estrogen are mild, progesterone alone is a good cure. In severe cases, a small quantity of estrogen may also be needed in combination with progesterone.

Symptoms of estrogen dominance in women

Mood swings, depression, irritability, forgetfulness, inability to focus thoughts, panic attacks.
Low libido.
Low energy.
Weight gain. Fat tends to deposit around the hips, abdomen, and thighs.
Malaise.
Headaches or migraines.
Decreased thyroid function (low body temperature and sometimes thinning hair).
Fluid / salt retention, bloating (oedema).
Poor bladder control.
Insulin resistance / poor blood sugar control.
Insomnia.
Blood clotting, reduced blood vessel tone.
Endometriosis.
Breasts. Cyclical breast tenderness - tender or painful, feeling fuller or swollen, particularly in the pre-menstrual week. Use of progesterone cream on days 12 -26 of the menstrual cycle will balance the estrogen dominance. It usually takes three months of use to cure this problem.
Aches and pains, sore bones.
Cancer - increased risk of endometrial or breast cancer.
Fibrocystic breast disease. Non-cancerous changes and lumps in the breast tissue. They can cause discomfort, varying in relation to hormonal influences from the menstrual cycle. Fibrocystic breast disease affects 30-60% of women.

Symptoms of estrogen dominance in men

As most men age, the level of estrogens, estrogen look-alikes and xenoestrogen toxins in their bodies rises. This assault of all these excess estrogens in aging men is responsible for a variety of ailments, in particular an alarming increase in prostate problems

Prostate enlargement - benign prostate hyperplasia / hypertrophy (BPH) and the risk of prostate cancer.
Urination - difficulty, increased frequency. Constricted urethra.
Erectile dysfunction.
Low libido.
Fatigue.
Depression.
Adiposity (fat build-up) and the redistribution of fat.
Muscle development reduced.
Body hair reduced.
Veins become less prominent.
Balding.
Breast growth.
Risk of many other cancers.
Risk of heart conditions.
Sweat and body odour changes.
Skin thinning.

Treating excess estrogen

Women

Progesterone is the natural antagonist to estrogen, it helps keep estrogen dominance under control. Correcting any imbalance between estrogen and progesterone, especially the lack of progesterone, will usually cure many of these symptoms within a few months.

Men

Progesterone, being the natural antagonist to estrogen, is increasingly being used by men. Progesterone is also a precursor (raw material) for the making of testosterone, so it also helps with male hormone imbalance. Many men are affected by excessive quantities of environmental estrogens, particularly xeno-estrogens which cause men's progesterone levels to drop (especially as they age). High levels of di-hydrotestosterone have also been linked to prostate enlargement and cancer.

Natural progesterone therapy helps to protect against prostate problems, cancers, and other male symptoms of estrogen dominance. It is safe, with no toxic side-effects and is increasingly being used as an alternative to surgery.

Xenoestrogens

A whole range of estrogen-like hormones and chemicals are able to bind to estrogen receptors in the human body. They range from estrogen analogues or look-alikes, which are quite similar to natural estrogen, to many estrogen imitators (xenoestrogens) that are nothing like the estrogen hormone, but instead have toxic and dangerous effects.

Phytoestrogens (dietary estrogens) are plant-derived xenoestrogens; you get them from eating phytoestrogenic plants. Their effect is similar to estrogen.

Most xenoestrogens are foreign chemicals that bind to estrogen receptors around the body. Many pharmaceutical drugs, industrial chemicals, agricultural chemicals and other pollutants have this characteristic. A classic estrogen mimic is the pesticide DDT, which is stored in body fat and can remain there for many years. Plenty of research shows how DDT can change the sexual characteristics of animals, so roosters grow up looking like hens, for example. Although DDT has been banned in most advanced countries, it is still widely used in the third world.

Thousands of chemicals with estrogen-mimicking properties still exist in our environment at levels of parts per billion. Examples of this type of pollution include pesticides, dioxin and PCBs (polychlorinated biphenyls). Dioxin is a by-product in the manufacture of many chemicals using chlorine and includes disinfectants, dry cleaning fluids, pesticides, drugs and plastics - especially cling wrap and polystyrene. PCBs are used in plastics, paints, dyes, varnishes and inks. Although parts per billion sounds low, the bodies of humans and other animals are affected by hormones at levels in parts per trillion. In other words, some of these chemical estrogen look-alikes may be found in our bodies at levels one hundred times the concentration of our own hormones.

Reducing the level of xenoestrogens in your body may be even more important than taking progesterone cream. If you have a high level of xenoestrogens in your body, taking progesterone cream may make some of the problems caused by estrogen dominance even worse. This is because long term xenoestrogen exposure causes estrogen receptors to become less sensitive. However, when you take progesterone your estrogen receptors recover their normal sensitivity. The xenoestrogens stored in your body re-assert their harmful effects.

Many researchers (4) including John R. Lee, M.D (Leading pioneer in natural progesterone therapy), Dr. Jesse Hanley and Dr. Peter Eckhart are coming to the conclusion that an overabundance of estrogen and estrogen look-alike substances (xenoestrogens) are responsible for many of today's health problems in both women and men.

Protection from xenoestrogens

Buy organic meat, fish and poultry. They are not injected with or fed any hormones, antibiotics or other growth stimulants.
Buy organic vegetables, fruit and other foods, grown without pesticides, herbicides or synthetic fertiliser.
Avoid fried processed foods, which sometimes contain trans fats that perpetuate the production of estrogen.
Avoid recycled drinking water. Synthetic hormones are not filtered out of municipal water, so the level of estrogens recycled tap water are rising all the time - every time a woman on the Pill or HRT goes to the toilet in fact!
Use glass, high quality stainless steel or ceramics to store food and drink.
If you must use plastics, do not heat them or leave them in the sun.
Avoid birth control pills, condoms and spermicides.
Throughout your home and garden, try to avoid all chemical cleaners, deodorants, dyes, personal products, garden products, stationery and anything that gives off chemical smells. Try to use as few chemicals as possible, stick to products made with natural ingredients that you understand. A new car, new furniture, curtains (drapes), clothes, carpets, products made from chipboard and whatever all give off toxic gas for a time. Try to keep the windows open and minimise your exposure until the "new" smell goes.
Lose weight, exercise, and drink plenty of pure water.

References

1. Douma, S.L, Husband, C., O 'Donnell, M.E., Barwin, B.N., Woodend A.K. Estrogen-related Mood Disorders Reproductive Life Cycle Factors Advances in Nursing Science 28 (4): 364-375. PMID 16292022. 2005)

2. Lasiuk, G.C. and Hegadoren, K.M. The Effects of Estradiol on Central Serotonergic Systems and Its Relationship to Mood in Women Biological Research for Nursing (2007), 9 (2): 147-160. doi:10.1177/1099800407305600. PMID 17909167.(2007)

3. Hill, Rachel A., McLnnes, Kerry J., Cong, Emily C.H., Jones, Margaret E.E., Simpson, Evan R. Estrogen deficient male mice develop Compulsive Behavior Biological Psychiatry 61 (3): 359. doi:10.1016/j.biopsych.2006.01.012. PMID 16566897.(2007)

4. Lee, John R. Hormone Balance Made Simple. 2006

5. Kent Holtorf. Bio-identical vs synthetic hormones. Postgraduate Medicine, Volume 121, issue 1, January 2009, issn - 0032-5481, e-issn - 1941-9260 9. Article