Estrogen and progesterone are the sex hormones that women have. Don’t be confused that men also have estrogen hormone but in little amounts. Estrogen is produced in ovaries and responsible for ovulation, menstruation, breast development, cholesterol control, increasing bone and cartilage density.
The estrogen hormone imbalance may cause uncomfortable symptoms for both men and women details of which you can find on Ross Wellness.
Symptoms
- Mood Swings
- Heavy Bleeding
- Breast Tenderness
- Fibrocystic Breasts
- Increased premenstrual symptoms
- Ovarian Cyst
- Weight gain
- Anxiety, Irritability
- Water Retention
The above-mentioned symptoms though refer mainly to women. While men can experience
- Erectile dysfunction
- Epiphyseal closure
- Infertility (Estrogen is responsible for sperm production)
- Enlarged breasts
The types of estrogen the body produces
- Estradiol (E2): The hormone in women of childbearing age
- Estriol (E3): the main hormone which is produced during pregnancy
- Estrone (E1): the only estrogen your body makes after menopause (when menstrual periods stop)
What Can Cause Estrogen Dominance
Personal care products contain parabens, phenoxyethanol, phthalates, and many other different chemical compounds.
Being overweight. Here the body fat plays a core role in estrogen dominance
Environment. We breathe toxins and eat food injected with different hormones. All these can cause estrogen dominance.
Stress. Chronic stress makes your body produce more cortisol (stress hormone). Then your body must use progesterone which in its turn produces cortisol. As more progesterone is used to produce cortisol, less is available to balance estrogen – leading to increased estrogen levels.
Estrogen And Depression
When the progesterone level is low compared to the estrogen hormone level in the body, it creates a condition called estrogen dominance. Note that levels of estrogen can still below, as the medical term refers to the ratio of progesterone and estrogen. This can occur at any age, though the most common period is the years of perimenopause in a woman’s life. Estrogen Dominance has an impact on how it absorbs the thyroid hormones and it can cause hypothyroidism which is responsible for the depressive mood.
Estrogen has an impact on the brain. The effects include:
- Increasing the level of serotonin hormone, and the number of serotonin receptors in the brain. Serotonin is the hormone of happiness. It’s a neurotransmitter, a chemical compound that controls mood swings.
- Regulating how endorphins, the “feel-good” chemicals in the brain are performing their job. Endorphins are chemicals produced naturally by the nervous system to control pain or stress
- Protecting nerves from damage, and possibly stimulating their growth
When your hormones are imbalanced, your body reacts to that with depression and mood swings. It’s obvious that every change in estrogen hormone level can cause stress. There are several natural ways to fight mood swings. Schedule your day, keep it positive, and day by day balance your hormones. Don’t forget to visit a doctor, as you can never treat hormones yourself. Stay safe and hydrated!
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