Estrogen Dominance: What You Need to Know
We all know about estrogen and how important of a role it plays in our body’s chemistry. But, do you know about progesterone? This lesser-known hormone plays just as important of, if not more important of, a role in the body’s hormonal balance. Let’s dive deeper into what progesterone is and how it plays into estrogen dominance in women.
What is Estrogen Dominance?
Estrogen dominance in women sounds pretty straight forward, but there’s more to it than meets the eye. When doctors are describing estrogen dominance in women, they are actually describing an imbalance of hormones caused by a low level of progesterone in the body. Progesterone is an endogenous steroid and sex hormone that helps regulate your menstrual cycle, pregnancy and your estrogen levels within the body. When your body produces too little progesterone, the amount of estrogen in your body may become too high resulting in estrogen dominance.
What are the Symptoms of Estrogen Dominance?
Estrogen dominance can cause mild to severe physiological and emotional symptoms, including:
- Depression
- High blood pressure
- Hair loss
- Endometriosis
- Fibroids
- Uterine cancer
- Lack of libido
- Memory loss
- Abnormal thyroid function
- Irregular menstruation
- Infertility
How Do I Test for Estrogen Dominance?
If you’re experiencing a combination of the symptoms listed above, you may want to schedule an appointment with Dr. Imtiaz to get checked out. During your appointment, she may order blood work and other diagnostic testing to ensure she develops an accurate diagnosis of your estrogen dominance.
How Do I Get Rid of Estrogen Dominance?
Treating estrogen dominance is as simple as re-stabilizing your progesterone levels with a hormone supplement. This supplement can either be given as an oral pill, topical cream, skin patch or injection. We can help find the right kind of progesterone supplement for you based on your lifestyle and budget. Dr. Imtiaz may start you off with a low dosage of progesterone and follow-up with you in a few weeks. She will make sure to monitor your blood work and help you manage any unwanted symptoms caused by estrogen dominance throughout your treatment process.
Do you think you may have estrogen dominance? Call our office today to schedule your one-on-one consultation with Dr. Imtiaz. She’ll assess your symptoms, listen to your concerns and develop a fully customized treatment plan for you to help you reach all of your ultimate wellness goals.