5 Warning Signs You May Have Estrogen Dominance

If you don’t listen to the whisper, you will definitely have to answer to the scream

Our body speaks to us every single day, and it warns us about anything that is not functioning properly. For many women, that looks like Estrogen Dominance.

Estrogen Dominance is a term that describes a pattern of elevated estrogen and low progesterone symptoms. It is the second most common hormone imbalance that I see in women in my practice.

Let’s break it down together:

Estrogen is an amazing hormone that is dependent on its sister hormone progesterone.
The most common signs of Estrogen Dominance
Some of the reasons why it occurs

Before we really dive deep into things, let’s talk about estrogen and why women need it. Despite the negative connotation in Estrogen Dominance, estrogen is an incredible hormone.

Estrogen has the following functions:

Helps to promote the development of an egg
Promotes the growth of the uterine lining
Contributes to ovulation (simultaneously with other hormones)
Increases muscle mass and regulates fat distribution
Functions as an anti-inflammatory
Helps you feel happy and energized–regulating energy expenditure
Promotes a healthy libido
Maintains bone density
Benefits your brain function, cognition, and mental sharpness
Supports healthy, supple skin and hair
Protects your heart and cardiovascular system–especially your Cholesterol
Promotes lung function
Improves coagulation
Assists with cellular fluid balance
Supports your metabolism and much more

In order for the balance of progesterone and estrogen to prevent Estrogen Dominance, we need to ovulate regularly. Ovulation is the key event to allow for healthy progesterone levels to be produced. If ovulation doesn’t occur, this sets us up for progesterone deficiency… and this means that estrogen becomes elevated relative to progesterone (i.e. “Estrogen Dominance”).

You may be more likely to have elevated estrogen and low progesterone if:

You have high cortisol (stress levels)
Eat a highly estrogenic diet
You have Fibroids, Endometriosis, PCOS, Adenomyosis or another reproductive condition
You aren’t ovulating regularly
You’re in your 40’s and are going through perimenopause
You have signs of low progesterone – Not sure why this is here. Having low progesterone is not a cause of low progesterone.

Let’s dig deeper: Here are some of the common signs examined in women concerned about elevated estrogen. Some of these symptoms can overlap with other hormone concerns, such as thyroid problems, so it is important to get