Estrogen is essential to a woman’s body for reproduction, cardiovascular and bone health, mood, and more. Despite estrogen’s vital role, it can become imbalanced, leading to estrogen dominance and a slew of negative symptoms along with it. The body’s natural combat method to estrogen dominance? Estrogen detoxification.

Why Is Estrogen Detoxification Important?

As estrogen is a hormone, think of it as a chemical messenger. It communicates with the body to direct processes that can affect reproductive health and the systems involved in reproduction.

For menstruating women, there is a fluctuating delicate balance between estrogen and progesterone; they work hand-in-hand to support menstruation. To help facilitate menstruation, estrogen begins to rise during the follicular phase, which occurs after a period and shedding of the uterine lining, and right before ovulation. Progesterone, however, begins to rise during the luteal phase, which occurs after ovulation and right before a period.

In order to prevent estrogen dominance, when there is too much estrogen circulating in the body in comparison to progesterone, our bodies need to rid themselves of the excess amounts.

In my previous blog, “What is Estrogen Dominance?” I explain the signs and symptoms of someone who is experiencing estrogen dominance. These include:

Irregular, heavy, and/or painful periods
Fluid retention
Breast tenderness
Weight gain
Mood swings
Hair loss
Infertility
Brain fog

How Does the Body Rid Excess Estrogen?

Estrogen detoxification occurs naturally to eliminate excess estrogen or used estrogen, and it usually happens in two stages: phase 1 and phase 2, followed by elimination.

Phase 1: Starting in the liver, specific enzymes convert estrogen into metabolites, or the end product of metabolized nutrients or toxins, in order to move on to phase 2 of the detoxification process.

Phase 2: Continuing in the liver, molecules are added to the metabolites to make them water-soluble and easier to pass via excretion.

After phase 1 and phase 2, the elimination process begins. Once the water-soluble metabolites are prepped for excretion, they are transported to the kidneys, where they are filtered out from the blood and excreted in urine. Estrogen is also sent to the intestines, where the gut determines whether estrogen is eliminated or absorbed. Therefore, having a healthy and flourishing gut microbiome is essential for detoxing excess estrogen.

A specific enzyme in the gut called beta-glucuronidase can reactivate estrogen and allow it to recirculate. Meaning, an overgrowth of beta-glucuronidase in the gut microbiome can further exacerbate estrogen levels and contribute to estrogen dominance.

Balance is key for hormones and gut health! Having a diet rich in diversity, fiber, whole foods, fermented foods, and limiting amounts of processed foods and sugar is a great start to supporting the gut microbiome as well as the other roles the gut has on additional major bodily systems.

Nutrients That Aid in Detoxification:

Sulfur-rich foods like garlic, onions, leeks, shallots, and chives
Cruciferous vegetables like broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, cabbage, kale, and arugula
- These vegetables are also rich in glucosinolates, which carry health-promoting properties that include anti-cancer, anti-inflammatory, and cardioprotective effects.
Choline-rich foods like leafy greens, eggs, and legumes specifically support phase 2 of detoxing.
Increase fiber intake
- Fiber helps bind to estrogen in the gut to promote elimination.
B-vitamins
- B-vitamins like folate and B12

Are You Ready to Take Control of Your Gut and Hormones?

Both my gut health intensive program, Master Your Microbiome, and hormone health intensive, Root Cause Hormone Package, we work together to identify your individual needs and adjustments based on results from comprehensive testing.

Master your microbiome

I use the GI-MAP, which is an at-home stool test that reveals the “good” and “bad” bacteria residing in your gut, as well as digestive enzyme output, yeast and parasites, inflammation, gluten sensitivity, and more!

Root cause hormone package

For my hormone health intensive program, I use the DUTCH Test, which is the most comprehensive method of testing and measures your sex and adrenal hormones and their metabolites, as well as relevant nutrients and neurotransmitters.