Learn about estrogen dominance symptoms and the importance of regular bowel movements. Discover how the liver, kidneys, and GI tract work together for detoxification. Explore food and supplements to balance hormones and the impact of genetics and plastics on detoxification. Understand the role of gut health in estrogen clearance.
Estrogen dominance symptoms include fatigue and mood swings, emphasizing the importance of regular bowel movements.
Supporting liver detox pathways and addressing factors like stress and environmental toxins are essential in estrogen clearance.
Deep dives
Understanding Estrogen Dominance and Hormone Imbalance
Estrogen dominance is a common issue leading to symptoms like fatigue, weight gain, mood swings, and more. This hormonal imbalance can stem from excess estrogen in the body, a progesterone-estrogen ratio imbalance, or impaired estrogen clearance. The podcast delves into the environmental factors contributing to estrogen dominance, such as exposure to toxins, high stress levels, and processed foods.
Detoxification and Clearance of Estrogen
Efficiently clearing estrogen from the body is crucial to addressing hormone imbalance. The discussion highlights the importance of supporting estrogen detoxification pathways in the liver, including phases one, two, and three. Factors that can impact estrogen clearance, such as iron levels, environmental toxins, smoking, and alcohol consumption, are explored.
Supporting Phase 1 and Phase 2 Liver Detoxification
Enhancing phase 1 detoxification involves utilizing compounds like DIM (diindolylmethane) found in cruciferous vegetables to promote the favorable 2OH pathway. Additionally, interventions like NAC (N-Acetylcysteine) can reroute estrogen metabolism towards safer pathways. The podcast underscores the significance of dietary choices and supplements in supporting phase 1 and phase 2 liver detox processes.
Factors Influencing Phase 3 Detoxification and Gut Health
Phase 3 detoxification involves considerations for transporters moving metabolites out of cells for elimination. The impact of inflammation, oxidative stress, medication use, and dietary components on these transporters is discussed. The role of the gut microbiome, particularly beta-glucuronidase activity and its influence on estrogen reabsorption, is emphasized, along with interventions like calcium D-glucarate to inhibit this enzyme and promote efficient estrogen elimination.
Grab your DUTCH test and your headphones because this episode is a companion guide to understanding the estrogen section of your results. Learn the symptoms of estrogen dominance, how excessive estrogen can lead to diseases like PCOS and endometriosis, and why estrogen dominance is so common in this day and age. If you suspect you have estrogen dominance, you’ll learn about the supplement and food as medicine approaches we use in practice to help balance hormones. The biggest take-away from today? Never underestimate the importance of regular bowel movements.
Timestamps
(3:00) Symptoms of estrogen dominance and why it’s so common
(16:32) How the liver, kidneys and GI tract work together for detoxification
(23:46) Food as medicine approach to support detoxification
(32:51) How things like genetics, plastics, and certain polyphenols can slow down detoxification
(37:00) If you’re struggling with estrogen dominance even after looking at your diet and supplementation, you need to look at your gut
(41:29) How constipation plays a huge role in estrogen clearance