Integrative Health Blog

Anita Capizzi RN, CHC

Estrogen Dominance and adrenal fatigue are very similar in their symptom presentation.
Symptoms may include:
                                       weight gain
                                       hot flashes
                                       poor sleep
                                       fatigue
                                       irritability

Most women who have one tend to have the other to some degree. Most estrogen dominance is due to insufficient progesterone and therefore there is low cortisol production.When the adrenals are stressed, the increased need for cortisol depletes the progesterone levels used in making cortisol. As more progesterone is shunted to make cortisol, less is available to balance the estrogen.
Another common reason for low progesterone levels is an anovulatory cycle, a menstrual cycle in which there is no ovulation. Without the ovulation there is no corpus luteum to make additional progesterone for the cycle. The lowered progesterone level leaves us with an excessive estrogenic effect due to deficiency of progesterone. In summary, fixing adrenal function and estrogen dominance go hand-in-hand and it is therefore important to test for both and treat accordingly.
Direct help to the adrenals indirectly helps improve the estrogen-progesterone balance by allowing more progesterone to be available to offset the estrogen. More progesterone has a calming effect and may help with sleep which further helps the adrenals.
Fixing estrogen dominance can be done with chaste tree, black cohosh or progesterone. The use of natural hormone therapy must be monitored by a physician to restore the hormonal balance.

Take Dr. Rind's Estrogen Dominance Questionnnaire