How to Balance Estrogen and Progesterone
Both estrogen and progesterone are critical reproductive hormones that aid in the regulation of your cycle.
Estrogen is responsible for the development and maintenance of the female reproductive system. It is released in high amounts during the follicular phase of the menstrual cycle, which is the first 2 weeks leading up to ovulation. Estrogen is released from the ovaries, fat tissue, and adrenal glands. The main functions include building up the uterine wall for the menstrual cycle, stimulating the growth of the egg follicle, developing breast tissue, stabilizing bone density, and controlling the metabolism of glucose and lipids.
Progesterone is our ovulation promoting hormone because of pro meaning before and gesterone meaning gestation or pregnancy. In the second half of the menstrual cycle, the egg is released from the follicle and the remaining sac, called the corpus luteum, releases progesterone to promote fertilization. Progesterone also functions to increase breast development and support the thickening of the endometrium.
When these hormones are imbalanced, you may experience many PMS-related symptoms like cramps, breast soreness, heavy bleeding, acne, bloating, headaches, and mood swings. These symptoms are caused by something called estrogen dominance. When estrogen is higher in ratio to progesterone, estrogen dominance occurs in 3 phases high estrogen and normal progesterone, high estrogen and low progesterone, or normal estrogen and low progesterone.
Here are 12 ways to balance estrogen and progesterone:
1. Cruciferous Vegetables
Increasing cruciferous vegetable intake is important when you learn how to balance estrogen and progesterone. Indole-3-Carbinol (I3C) is the main compound in many cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli, kale, cauliflower, and brussel sprouts. A study found that participants who were given the I3C, had decreased concentrations of metabolites that would activate the estrogen receptor, which shows that it can lower estrogen naturally.
Sulforaphane is another compound found in cruciferous vegetables. At high levels, estrogen has been shown to be carcinogenic by converting into estradiol and estrone, and this process can occur in two different pathways. The promotion of this process will damage the DNA which will cause carcinogenic effects. A study found that sulforaphane has protective effects against these pathways to inhibit estrogen-induced DNA damage and will lower estrogen naturally through detoxification.
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2. Omega-3 Fatty Acids
Another one of the nutrients to intake when you learn about how to balance estrogen and progesterone is omega 3s which have anti-inflammatory properties that help to reduce oxidative stress. Two types of polyunsaturated fats are omega 3 and omega 6. Most western diets consume a ratio of 1:20 of omega 3 to omega 6 when it should be 1:3. This evidence is correlated with inflammation incidence in women showing that omega 6s are pro-inflammatory while omega 3s have anti-inflammatory and protective effects which will boost fertility by balancing estrogen and progesterone. Many times too much estrogen can cause inflammation in the body, so this is why it is beneficial to consume omega 3s.
There are 3 types of omega 3 compounds to consume DHA, EPA, and ALA. DHA and EPA which come from fish sources have been found to be more beneficial than ALA, which comes from plant sources in terms of fertility.
3. Ground Flax
Ground flax is another one of the nutrients to consume when you learn about how to balance estrogen and progesterone. Flaxseed contains dietary lignans that help inhibit enzymes involved in estrogen metabolism and are a type of phytoestrogen (plant estrogen). Phytoestrogens exert a weak estrogenic effect, so in the case of high estrogen in women, the phytoestrogens can inhibit the existing estrogen’s function which will lower estrogen naturally. It is important to note that flaxseed should be consumed as ground or milled because the whole seed contains a natural coating that our body can not digest fully. To get the most benefit out of flaxseed, pour it in a food processor and blend until it forms a powder, and then it can be added to oatmeal, yogurt, smoothies, or pancakes.
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4. Magnesium
Another one of the nutrients to consume when you learn how to balance estrogen and progesterone is magnesium. Magnesium is a mineral that helps with muscle protein synthesis, nerve functioning, and it is a cofactor for many enzymatic reactions. A study found an inverse relationship between magnesium and estrogen, showing that magnesium levels increased, estrogen levels decreased. Since estrogen is usually too high in estrogen dominance, this shows that magnesium can balance out estrogen and progesterone. Good dietary sources of magnesium include nuts, seeds, legumes, fish, and leafy greens.
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5. Antioxidants
Antioxidants are components in food that reduce oxidative stress in the body. Hormone imbalances can worsen this oxidative stress. Oxidative stress damages cells and reduces their ability to function, especially when trying to conceive. Increased amounts of oxidative species cause the body to make an inflammatory response and to raise stress levels. Reactive oxygen species or ROS enters the body daily through many different avenues; these ROS have very high energy levels and can damage cell functionality. Our body responds by sending antioxidants to get rid of the ROS. Oxidative stress occurs when there is an imbalance in this system, either too many ROS or not enough antioxidants. Our body can make certain antioxidants on its own. Still, if we consume them through the diet, the antioxidants are more readily available to get rid of the ROS and decrease oxidative stress. Managing this oxidative stress through consuming antioxidants from berries, citrus fruits, and vegetables can decrease estrogen dominance by balancing estrogen and progesterone.
6. Meditate
Meditation is another great strategy to implement when you are learning how to balance estrogen and progesterone. Meditation has been shown to decrease cortisol levels in the body. This is beneficial to balance estrogen and progesterone because cortisol can inhibit these hormones from being produced properly causing imbalances. Even a short 3-5 minute meditation is a great way to clear out elevated cortisol from the day. Meditation allows your brain to calm down and enter a state where theta waves are predominant in the brain. When we are awake and alert our brain has beta waves. Alpha waves bridge beta to theta. Theta waves are where we experience deep relaxation.
7. Gentle Movement
Exercise is very important for many functions of the body but it can also increase progesterone naturally. It is important not to go overboard with intense exercise because this can keep your progesterone levels low. Over-exercising puts high stress on the body when you are not taking advantage of rest. Gentle exercise like going on a walk, a bike ride, or a swim at a moderate intensity would be a perfect way to move your body to increase progesterone naturally. If you can hold a conversation while completing the activity or exercise without needing to catch your breath, then this is moderate intensity. Gentle exercise will help you to maintain a comfortable body fat percentage which can affect progesterone production. As a rule of thumb, most females need at least 17% body fat to maintain a normal hormone function for a healthy and regular menstrual cycle. This is how to reverse estrogen dominance naturally by utilizing gentle exercise.
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8. Healthy Fat
Healthy fats are another nutrient you should consume when you are learning how to balance estrogen and progesterone. Healthy fats consist of unsaturated fatty acids in foods like avocados, nuts, seeds, and fish. These fats help you to absorb vitamins A, D, E, and K which all have an impact on hormone production. These healthy fats can also aid in hormone transport in the body. Additionally, healthy fats are great for satiety and brain cognition.
9. Balance Blood Sugar
Another one of the things to understand when you learn about how to balance estrogen and progesterone is blood sugar. Just like our hormone levels, we do not want our blood sugar to be too low or too high, it needs to be stable. Over time imbalanced blood sugar will lead to an internal stress response and can increase inflammation. Additionally, when blood sugar is not balanced, we will have an increase in blood insulin levels and this can signal the ovaries to produce more testosterone which is an androgen that will decrease estrogen and progesterone levels.
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10. Manage Stress
Managing stress is another one of the things to understand when you learn about how to balance estrogen and progesterone. Stress occurs when cortisol is secreted from the adrenal glands. Over time this stress response can create inflammation in the body and cause oxidative stress and imbalance estrogen and progesterone. Additionally, cortisol is a precursor to one of our androgens called DHEA which can also cause an imbalance in estrogen and progesterone. A study of over 250 participants with no known reproductive disorders showed that the women with higher perceived stress during daily life had more menstrual cycle irregularity.
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11. Reduce Caffeine
Caffeine is a powerful drug that is a stimulant in the body, which can further promote the body's stress response. This is why caffeine is important to understand when you learn how to balance estrogen and progesterone. Stress is linked to estrogen imbalances, so lowering caffeine intake when we have high estrogen will cause the body to lower estrogen naturally. Caffeine also affects the way women metabolize estrogen. The consumption of caffeine can cause more estrogen to recirculate in the body when levels are high from the stress response.
Source: NIH
12. Support Gut Health
Lastly, supporting gut health is another important thing to understand when you learn how to balance estrogen and progesterone. Our gut is the shuttle for excess estrogen to be excreted from the body. If we have slowed digestion, constipation, or any other gastrointestinal stress, excess estrogen will recirculate in the body, causing estrogen dominance. To support the gut, try to eat high fiber foods like oatmeal, quinoa, sweet potatoes, and fruit and eat probiotics like yogurt, cottage cheese, and sauerkraut. The fiber will increase the bulk that passes through the gut, and the probiotics will administer healthy gut bacteria, which aid in protecting the intestinal lining.
