Hyperestrogenism or excess estrogen is a health condition characterized by excessive amounts of estrogen in the body. Estrogens are the general name for female hormones that are produced in the follicular part of the ovaries. There are three types of estrogens: estradiol, estriol, and estrone. Hormones collectively affect not only a woman’s reproductive system, they improve the strength of the bone system, increase metabolic processes and increase resistance to disease.
What are prebiotics and probiotics for the gut?
Probiotics are live microorganisms that can be included in food products, for example, yogurt and kefir, medicines or dietary supplements. Their main task is to normalize the intestinal microflora, destroying bad bacteria.
Prebiotics are substances that are needed for the growth and development of good bacteria. If there are a lot of prebiotics in the body, beneficial bacteria feel comfortable and protect you from negative environmental factors.
The list of foods with prebiotics is long. These components are found in large quantities in fruits (bananas), vegetables (onions, corn, garlic, beans, peas), as well as in dairy products, bran and cereals.
Prebiotics include organic compounds:
- oligofructose;
- inulin;
- apple pectin;
- calcium pantothenate;
- lactulose;
- dietary fiber (fiber);
- algae extracts;
- glutamic acid;
- carotenoids.
When choosing probiotic yogurts in the store, pay attention to the number of lactic acid bacteria. In a high-quality drink there will be at least 10 7 CFU per 1 gram of product.
Treatment with folk remedies
Many women attempt to lower estrogen using folk remedies. Decoctions and teas from some medicinal herbs are traditionally used to normalize hormonal balance.
The following plants have such medicinal properties:
- Icelandic moss - a decoction prepared in a water bath helps improve metabolism and prevents the growth of fibrocystic formations;
- cuff - used in the elimination of benign tumors of the mammary glands, improves the functioning of the endocrine system, tinctures based on crushed dry herbs of the plant are used to treat fibroids, increase fertility;
- boron uterus - decoctions or tinctures with alcohol are prepared from the plant, the use of which normalizes hormonal levels, stimulates ovulation and conception;
- red brush - decoctions and alcohol infusions of the plant are recommended for normalizing hormonal levels, eliminating painful sensations during menstruation, and smoothing out the menstrual cycle.
The combined use of red brush and hog uterus significantly enhances the therapeutic effect for fibroids, mastopathy, uterine bleeding, and infertility. It should be borne in mind that the use of a red brush is prohibited during pregnancy and breastfeeding, with high blood pressure, during infectious diseases, and with severe depression.
The simultaneous use of red brush decoctions and other drugs that lower estrogen levels is highly undesirable. The exception is the hog queen.
Before deciding on treatment with folk remedies, you should consult your doctor.
An effective analogue of hormone replacement therapy for elevated estrogen is maca root. This unique plant from South America is rich in vitamins B and C, calcium, iodine, manganese and zinc. Eating the root fresh is not always possible, so it can be replaced with a dietary supplement containing plant powder. Eating maca root helps saturate cells with antioxidants, eliminate painful sensations during menstruation, and normalize the psycho-emotional background.
The role of pro- and prebiotics in the body
The main function of the intestines is to protect the body, which is impossible without good bacteria. This organ protects a person from poisoning, infections and eating disorders. Each organism has an individual intestinal microclimate - a community of bacteria that interact with each other and control everything that gets inside.
If harmful bacteria or other irritants enter the intestines, prebiotics and probiotics eliminate them, improving internal processes.
They supply the body with energy, biologically active substances, vitamins, regulate the digestion process and produce vitamin K, necessary for blood clotting. Due to stress, serious illness or treatment with antibiotics, bad bacteria penetrate the intestines and multiply, fighting the microflora. As a result of this struggle, there are fewer good bacteria, which affects your condition: the stomach begins to growl, flatulence appears, the digestion process is disrupted, which leads to nausea, diarrhea, or, conversely, constipation.
This greatly affects your immunity: it weakens and cannot fully protect against viruses coming from the outside, so you get sick more often.
How is estrogen removed from the body?
The liver is responsible for the balance of female sex hormones. It is in this organ that estrogens are processed into non-toxic fatty acids, which are then excreted from the body. In a healthy body, this process occurs naturally and is completely unnoticeable to humans. If there are any abnormalities in the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract, then toxic compounds will be formed in the liver, which can subsequently lead to cancer.
You should think about how to reduce estrogen levels in women at the first symptoms of hormonal disorders in the body.
Pros and cons of probiotics and prebiotics
In recent years, the topic of restoring microflora with probiotics and prebiotics has become very popular, so many nutritionists and adherents of a healthy lifestyle are confident in their benefits. Many people take drugs in capsules, powders, and “live” yoghurts to eliminate dysbiosis, strengthen the immune system and cleanse the liver.
However, there are those who are skeptical about probiotics and prebiotics. They are confident that the diagnosis of “dysbacteriosis” is a myth, and tests to determine it are a simple marketing ploy, since the ratio of bacteria “out” is not related to what lives inside a person. Skeptics do not consider it necessary to help the intestines, since they can easily recover naturally, and the effectiveness of good bacteria has not been proven.
The third camp understands the benefits of pro- and prebiotics, but is not sure that they reach the intestines. People argue that most of these bacteria are killed by hydrochloric acid, so there is no point in spending money on products containing them.
Other recommendations
To increase estrogen levels, doctors usually advise adhering to the following rules:
- completely stop smoking, tobacco is especially harmful when taking hormonal contraceptives;
- exercise regularly (aerobics, yoga, Pilates);
- use aromatherapy - take baths with the addition of lavender, sage, cypress, anise, fennel oils;
- have regular sex life;
- avoid stressful situations and overwork;
- do not resort to exhausting diets that lead to sudden weight loss and deterioration of well-being;
- minimize the consumption of sugar and sweet foods;
- Regularly visit a gynecologist and endocrinologist, get tested for the level of estrogen in the body.
Normalizing hormonal levels, in particular the level of estrogen, will contribute not only to the harmonious health of women, but also to her good mood and confidence in her attractiveness.
When you need beneficial bacteria
Probiotics help normalize intestinal function, and prebiotics (fiber) speed up the passage of food and its digestion in the intestines.
Probiotics are prescribed for irritable bowel syndrome, inflammatory diseases, diverticular disease, and for the prevention of antibiotic-associated colitis they can be used together with antibiotics on the recommendation of a doctor.
Be careful: self-medication not only will not solve the problem, but can also harm the body. Prebiotics are contraindicated in cases of intestinal stenosis, such as Crohn's disease, and an allergic reaction may occur to probiotics.
Many people try to stop diarrhea with probiotics. It is important to establish the cause of the disorder, otherwise you may miss the onset of a serious illness. In addition, each bacteria has its own “specialization”. For example, lactobacilli suppress putrefactive processes in the intestines and stimulate the immune system. However, without a doctor’s recommendation, it is not worth treating diseases with them: the effectiveness of certain microorganisms has been proven, and some bacteria are only being studied by specialists.
Also, microorganisms that inhabit the intestines secrete gamma-aminobutyric acid, which affects your mood. When the microbalance is normal, your mood improves and stress goes away.
Evidence-based effectiveness
Abroad, the manufacturer is required to prove the effectiveness of its products. For example, if beneficial bacteria have been added to a new yogurt, this does not mean that the product is healthy. In Russia, the law does not oblige manufacturers to conduct serious research, but there must be an evidence base.
For example, a well-known food manufacturer conducted double-blind, placebo-controlled studies involving 600 people. One part of the experiment participants drank a “pacifier”, and the second part drank a lactic acid product with a probiotic. When the study ended, an independent organization compared the participants' medical histories and found that people who consumed the probiotic product had less illness. So probiotics do strengthen the immune system and can speed up the healing process, but their effectiveness and safety in a specific product must be proven.
Symptoms of increased estrogen in women
Hormonal imbalance necessarily leads to disruptions in the menstrual cycle. This is the first signal to check the ratio between estrogen and progesterone in the body.
Symptoms of increased levels of female sex hormones in the body:
- regular headaches;
- uterine bleeding;
- acne on the face;
- high blood pressure;
- weight gain;
- dryness and sagging skin;
- hair loss;
- night cramps in the calf muscles and foot;
- frequent fractures.
Once you have identified the symptoms of hormonal imbalance, you need to take all necessary measures on how to reduce your estrogen levels. If you ignore the symptoms, the consequences can be dire: from the growth of benign tumors in the uterus and ovaries (fibroids, cysts) to cancer.
Requirements for probiotic products
One of the main requirements for probiotic products is the survival of the probiotic strain in the gastrointestinal tract, as well as in the finished product throughout the entire shelf life.
For such control, modern production facilities operate research centers and laboratories. Their main task is to select probiotic bacteria and study their properties. Some large production facilities have microbiological laboratories in which about 4,000 different strains have been collected. They determine which prebiotics and probiotics are better and more effective.
