Painful, heavy periods and PMS? Understand estrogen dominance and how to restore balance

If you experience heavy or painful periods, intense Pre-Menstrual Syndrome (PMS), or spotting before your period- or if you’ve been diagnosed with conditions like PCOS, endometriosis, adenomyosis, fibroids, polyps, or ovarian cyst- then you could be experiencing estrogen dominance. In our modern society, this is one of the most common hormonal imbalances among women, making it essential to understand in order to improve menstrual health, overall well-being, and quality of life.

In this post we’ll break down what estrogen dominance really means, what symptoms it causes, what triggers it, and most importantly how you can naturally restore balance to feel your best.

What is Estrogen Dominance

Estrogen dominance occurs when estrogen levels are too high, or too high relative to progesterone. Usually, it’s the imbalance between estrogen and progesterone that creates problems.

This imbalance can manifest in different ways:

• High estrogen with normal progesterone

• Normal estrogen with low progesterone

• Low esrogen with very low progesterone

Symptoms of Estrogen Dominance

Estrogen dominance can cause a wide range of symptoms that impact your cycle and overall well-being. The most common signs include:

• Heavy or prolonged periods

• Painful menstruation, often with headaches, bloating, or migraines

• Intense PMS including mood swings, breast tenderness, and water retention

• Weight gain, particularly around the hips and thighs

• Chronic fatigue and difficulty sleeping

• Spotting before your period

• Short cycles (every 21-24 days)

While estrogen dominance isn’t the direct cause of conditions like PCOS or endometriosis, it is closely linked to them.

For example, estrogen encourages the growth of the uterine lining. If progesterone is too low to counterbalance this, it can lead to excessive tissues buildup, increasing the risk of issues like endometriosis, fibroids, and ovarian cysts.

Is Estrogen Dominance Always a Problem?

Not necessarily! There are certain life stages where estrogen dominance is a natural hormonal state:

1. Puberty - Estrogen levels rise to develop secondary sexual characteristics, but progesterone remains unstable. It takes about 10-12 years for menstrual cycles to fully mature, which u=is why adolescent cycles are often irregular.

2. Adolescence - Many cycles remain anovulatory, meaning progesterone levels are naturally low.

3. Perimenopause - Progesterone is the first hormone to decline, while estrogen remains relatively high, creating a temporary estrogen-dominant state. This can lead to heavy menstrual periods, PMS, and mood swings.

Even though these phases are normal, symptoms can still be managed through lifestyle, nutrition, and supplementation.

What causes estrogen dominance?

Chronic Stress:

Prolonged stress lowers progesterone levels because the body converts progesterone and pregnanalone (the precursor to all hormones), into cortisol. This creates an estrogen-dominant state where estrogen remains high in comparison to progesterone. Common signs of stress-induced estrogen dominance include PMS, irregular cycles, and spotting before your period.

Poor diet & inflammation:

A diet high in sugars, processed foods, vegetable oils, artificial sweeteners, and alcohol can trigger chronic inflammation, which disrupts hormone balance in multiple ways:

• High refined carbs and sugar intake - This causes insulin spikes, increasing aromatase activity (an enzyme that converts testosterone into estrogen), leading to higher estrogen levels. Chronically high insulin in the body can also contribute to insulin resistance, which can disrupt ovulation, and lower progesterone.

• Poor liver detoxification - The liver breaks down estrogen through Phase 1 and Phase 2 detoxification. Nutrient deficiencies (e.g. B vitamins, magnesium, glutathione, etc.) from a poor diet, impair this process, causing estrogen to recirculate in the body instead of being eliminated.

• Gut dysbiosis - poor diet, low fibre intake, and processed foods reduce beneficial gut bacteria and increases β-glucuronidase, an enzyme that reactivates estrogen, leading to reabsorption instead of excreted. Gut dysbiosis is also associated with like leaky gut, allowing toxins to enter the bloodstream and fuel inflammation.

Since inflammation is at the root of almost every menstrual disorder, addressing it is crucial.

Endocrine disruptors (Xenoestrogens)

We are constantly exposed to hormone-disrupting chemicals found in everyday products, including:

• Cosmetic & skincare products

• Household cleaning products

• Plastic food containers and water bottles

• Perfumes & nail polishes

These chemicals mimic estrogen in the body, worsening estrogen dominance.

How to Restore Hormonal Balance

Liver & Gut Support

To help your body detoxify estrogen more effectively, prioritise:

• Whole food diet - include a variety of nutrient-dense, fibre-rich foods to provide the necessary nutrients to support liver detoxification pathways and promote gut health

• Cruciferous vegetables (broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage) - these contain compounds that support estrogen metabolism

• Bitter foods (artichokes, chicory, rocket, dendelion root) - these stimulate bile production, aiding digestion and detoxification

• Curcumin - The active compound in tumeric, curcumin, has powerful anti-inflammatory properties.

A healthy gut eliminates excess estrogen efficiently, while a compromised gut allows it to be reabsorbed into the bloodstream.

Manage Stress Naturally

Since chronic stress depletes progesterone, managing stress is crucial for hormonal balance. Practices like yoga, meditation and proper sleep, regulating your circadian rhythm, spending time in nature and cultivating a hobby, can help regulate cortisol levels and prevent stress-induced estrogen dominance. You can practice yoga with me from the comfort of your home here.

Reduce exposure to endocrine disruptors

To minimise exposure to hormone-disrupting chemicals:

• Switch to natural, non-toxic personal care and cleaning product

• Avoid plastic containers - opt for glass or stainless steel

• Choose organic foods as well as grass-fed, wild caught, or pasture raised animal products whenever possible

Final thoughs

If you struggle with painful, heavy periods, PMS, or irregular cycles, estrogen dominance could be playing a role. Understanding this common hormonal imbalance is the first step toward restoring balance naturally.

By focusing on whole food diet, stress reduction, and environmental detoxification, you can support your body’s natural ability to regulate estrogen and progesterone levels- helping you feel more energised, balanced, and in tune with your cycle.

Have you experienced symptoms of estrogen dominance? Let me know in the comments below!