The Reproductive Organs and Estrogen Dominance
Painful periods and heavy bleeding are classic symptoms of a relative excess of estrogen. Estrogen is a stimulative hormone, and too much of this hormone causes overgrowth of endometrial tissue. Estrogen also makes the blood clot more easily. When large clots of blood are passed during menstruation, the result is severe cramping.
Endometriosis is another condition in which estrogen dominance plays a major role. This painful condition occurs when cells that take up the inner lining of the uterus, the endometrium, form colonies outside of the uterus. These endometrial implants may attach to the uterus, fallopian tubes, colon, bladder, or other organs. Despite their position outside of the uterus, they respond to estrogen just as the cells within the uterine lining do. They multiply, swell with blood, and then bleed into the surrounding tissues during the menstrual period. Because the blood has nowhere to go, it can cause inflammation, scar tissue, and adhesions.
Estrogen also fuels the growth of uterine fibroids. These noncancerous growths shrink at menopause when estrogen levels decline. However, long before this occurs, a hysterectomy is usually recommended to women with symptomatic fibroids. In fact, fibroids are the number one reason for hysterectomies, even though in many cases it is possible to remove the fibroids and leave the uterus intact. Few women are given this option, and fewer still are given a therapeutic trial of natural, bioidentical progesterone to determine if this will alleviate their pelvic pain and other symptoms and enable them to avoid surgery altogether.
Like the uterus, the breasts are highly sensitive to the stimulatory effects of natural estrogen, counterfeit estrogens, and xenoestrogens. The premenstrual breast pain and tenderness that women experience is a classic symptom of estrogen dominance. Fibrocystic breast disease is another. This condition is characterized by lumps in the breasts that are noncancerous but very painful.
