Estrogen dominance refers to a time during a woman's menstrual life when the primary influencing hormones are the estrogen hormones. This condition is caused by progesterone deficiency and is the cause of female hormone imbalance.
A woman's ovaries generally function best between a few years after puberty and around age 30. As a woman ages so do her ovaries. By the time a woman reaches 35 years of age, she is over halfway through her menstrual life and her ovarian function begins to falter. The progesterone hormone production falls most dramatically over the last half of her menstrual life, between the ages of 35 and 50.
This decline in progesterone occurs for two reasons.
Firstly, the ovaries are aging and functioning less effectively than they did earlier in life.
Secondly, as a woman ages she begins to have menstrual cycles during which her ovaries do not ovulate, that is, they do not give off an egg. This is called an anovulatory cycle. When a woman does not ovulate during a menstrual cycle, her ovaries will produce no progesterone. These are the causes of what is termed "progesterone deficiency".
In these cases, the hormones that have the greatest influence on a woman's body is the estrogen hormones. When this occurs a woman will experience estrogen dominance, meaning her female hormones are imbalanced in favor of the estrogen hormones. Many women have experienced estrogen dominance since puberty. In most women, this condition develops as they move through their menstrual lives.
The estrogen hormones and progesterone decline as a woman ages. But progesterone declines much more rapidly than the estrogen hormones.
As a woman approaches and enters the change of life, menopause, she may begin to experience the symptoms of declining estrogen hormones manifested by hot flashes and vaginal dryness. By this time progesterone is no longer being produced by the ovaries. Even as she has symptoms of declining estrogen a woman still has estrogen dominance because there is no progesterone to balance the lower levels of estrogen. When a woman enters menopause her ovaries no longer function. Yet she still makes estrogen hormones, primarily estrone, in her fat cells at approximately 50% of what she made premenstrually.
The estrogen hormones affect every cell in a woman's body. Depending on the degree of the progesterone deficiency, estrogen dominance may manifest itself with one.
In menstruating females, progesterone can be used on days 15 through 28 of the menstrual cycle. The dose of progesterone will vary depending on a woman's age, size, symptoms, and weight. Very few physicians, including Ob-Gyn doctors, have been trained or have the experience to properly dose the biologically identical human hormones correctly. Most physicians, who prescribe these hormones, use much too high of a dose. This can cause adverse symptoms and make you think that you cannot take these bio-identical hormones. It is important to seek the care of a physician who is experienced and who has been successful in evaluating and treating female hormonal imbalances with bioidentical hormones.
After a hysterectomy, if the ovaries are removed, the Ob-Gyn will prescribe counterfeit estrogen hormones or horse estrogen, such as Premarin, Ogen or Cenestin. This maintains the condition of estrogen dominance and progesterone deficiency which caused her problems in the first place. The symptoms of estrogen dominance will persist and worsen on the counterfeit estrogen hormones.
After a hysterectomy, in which the ovaries were removed, a woman still needs progesterone. Many Ob-Gyn doctors tell women that they do not need progesterone after a hysterectomy because they no longer have a uterus. This would be true if it was only the uterus that had receptors for progesterone. But every cell in the body has receptors for progesterone, most importantly the brain cells. Progesterone balances estrogen and opposes the stimulating effect of estrogen on the cells of the body. Progesterone is also the hormone that stimulates new bone formation and is needed to prevent further bone loss.
Menopausal women should take both Bi-Est, a combination of the bio-identical human estrogens, estriol, estradiol, and Progesterone. Additionally, Testosterone may be helpful in restoring a normal sex drive. Again, you must be evaluated and treated by a physician who is experienced and who has been successful in treating female hormone imbalances with bioidentical hormones.
Many young girls and older women are prescribed birth control pills to control their menstrual irregularities. Premenstrual fluid retention, weight gain, and other menstrual irregularities are caused by female hormonal imbalances. Birth control pills are counterfeit hormones that turn off the production of a woman's bio-identical hormones by the ovaries. Counterfeit hormones are made by drug companies and do not occur naturally. Counterfeit hormones are not biologically identical to naturally occurring human hormones. They do produce effects similar to the bio-identical hormones in a woman's body but are also associated with numerous side effects, many of which are serious.
Birth control pills create a state of estrogen dominance and progesterone deficiency. Common side effects of birth control pills are headaches (including migraines), breast tenderness, mood swings, fluid retention, weight gain, and loss of libido. They are also associated with an increased incidence of breast cancer, strokes, and blood clots in the lungs. Birth control pills prevent the production of women's bio-identical female hormones and pheromones making them less attractive to men. There is no reason for any woman to poison her body every day with the counterfeit hormones in birth control pills to control premenstrual symptoms and menstrual irregularities when progesterone is available. Menstrual cycles can be easily regulated using progesterone on days 15 through 28 of the menstrual cycle.
Estrogen dominance refers to a time during a woman's menstrual life when the primary influencing hormones are the estrogen hormones. This condition is caused by progesterone deficiency and is the cause of female hormone imbalance. The estrogen hormones affect every cell in a woman's body. Depending on the degree of the progesterone deficiency, estrogen dominance may manifest itself with one, some, or all of the following symptoms:
Many of these symptoms and conditions commonly occur in women of all ages. They may be common but they are not normal. These symptoms are an indication of declining ovarian function which leads to an inevitable deterioration in health as women age. For women to obtain and maintain health and wellness as they age, they must preserve female hormonal balance as soon as the symptoms of its presence occur.
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Taylor Family Practice
1806 Humble Place Dr.
Humble, TX 77338
Phone:
(281) 369-9514
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