You can bump into oestrogen everywhere. Your body makes three different types of oestrogen, then there are the environmental oestrogens, often called xeno-oestrogens or ‘endocrine disrupters’, which are commonly found in pesticides, drugs, fuels and plastics, and phyto-oestrogens, derived from plants. That’s a lot of oestrogen exposure over a lifetime which can lead to ‘oestrogen dominance’ creating health hazards for both men and women.

Oestrogen stripped back

Oestrogen is an umbrella term used to describe several different types of oestrogen. Oestrogens are steroidal hormones formed from the building blocks of cholesterol and testosterone. Women produce three different oestrogens;

• Oestrone (E1)
• Oestradiol (E2) and
• Oestriol (E3)

E2 is a potent form of oestrogen, while E1 and E3 have weak oestrogenic activity. The majority of oestrogen is produced in your ovaries/testes, although your fat cells, adrenal glands, liver and breast tissue can also produce oestrogen. Endocrine disrupters and phyto-oestrogens are structurally similar to oestrogen and can mimic the activity of oestrogen in your body.

‘Health hazards’ of oestrogen dominance

Oestrogen dominance is a health hazard for both men and women and is implicated i:

• Premenstrual syndrome (PMS)
• Endometriosis
• Fibroids
• Polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS)
• Fibrocystic breasts
• Premature bone loss
• Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH)
• Hormonal cellular proliferation and
• Immune dysfunction

High levels of oestrogen in men can lead to a decrease in

• testosterone
• energy levels
• muscle tone
• libido and sexual function

and an increase in

• fat accumulation
• size of the prostate and
• breasts or ‘man boobs’

Controlling Oestrogen

Healthy oestrogen levels are controlled and finely balanced by feedback loops between your brain (hypothalamus and pituitary gland) and ovaries/testes. Oestrogen dominance occurs when too much oestrogen is produced, excess oestrogen is not cleared effectively or where there is an imbalance between the ratio of oestrogen:progesterone or oestrogen:testosterone. Oestrogen is converted into three different metabolites; 2-OH, 4-OH and 16a-OH during Phase I liver detoxification. 2-OH has a protective effect against cellular proliferation and other oestrogen dominant related conditions; 4-OH and 16a-OH have a proliferative effect. Phase II liver detoxification converts more difficult and damaging oestrogen metabolites into water soluble substances for safer elimination. So, oestrogen dominance isn’t the only problem, it’s also the different types of oestrogen metabolites. Both Phase I and Phase II liver detoxification plays a vital role in clearing and detoxifying oestrogens.

Top 5 herbs and nutrients that tame oestrogen dominance

• Broccoli sprouts promote oestrogen metabolism and detoxification into the protective 2-OH pathway helping to balance oestrogen levels and support Phase I and Phase II liver detoxification
• Rosemary leaf is a potent antioxidant that improves Phase I liver detoxification and enhances oestrogen metabolism helping to increase 2-OH levels
• Mary’s thistle supports liver function generally and increases glutathione, your ‘master antioxidant’, to prevent free radical damage
• Curcumin is a powerful antioxidant that protects your body from damaging oestrogen metabolites and increases glutathione levels for healthy detoxification
• Quercetin competes with oestrogen for receptor sites, helping to reduce oestrogen dominance by preventing oestrogen production in other areas of your body

Mr Vitamins recommends

Herbs of Gold products for Oestrogen Balance

• Oestro Balance
• Bio Curcumin 4800+
• Quercetin Complex

Find out more about these Herbs of Gold Oestrogen Balance products here