Full Transcript Introduction to Estrogen Detoxification 0:00 And these mimic estrogen at the cell receptor. 0:02 So pesticides, fungicides, plastics, plasticizers, industrial solvents, heavy metals, certain pharmaceuticals. 0:10 The majority of these environmental disrupting chemicals are man-made, but some do occur naturally in the environment. 0:17 Welcome to Health Breakthroughs with Dr. 0:19 Stengler. 0:19 I'm Dr Mark Stegler and each episode we cut through the noise to bring you practical, science-backed insights for more energy, 0:27 better health, and a life that feels like yours again. 0:32 In this video, you're going to learn about estrogen detoxification and how it ties into estrogen dominance, a very common condition that women experience. 0:42 And you can learn how your liver and your gut work together to process estrogens, the crucial nutrients involved and why this process is so essential for 0:50 your hormonal health. 0:51 I'm Dr. 0:52 Mark Stengler, and I've researched and written 20 books on nutrition and functional medicine. 0:56 As well, I'd been practicing for over 30 years as an integrative naturopathic medical doctor. 1:02 So again, in this video, I'm going to walk you through the three phases of estrogen detoxification and the key players in each step and what you can do 1:10 yourself nutritionally to create estrogen balance. 1:14 You've done everything you were told to do and something still feels off. 1:18 Health Breakthroughs with Dr. 1:19 Stengler, we go beyond symptom management to explore integrative, science-backed approaches to the issues that medicine too often overlooks.
What Estrogen Dominance Is 1:27 Chronic fatigue, brain fog, gut dysfunction, inflammation, hormone imbalance, and healthy aging. 1:32 If you're ready for real answers and practical tools to support your health naturally, follow Health breakthroughs of Dr Stegler on Doctor Talks or wherever 1:41 you listen to podcasts. 1:43 Now let's talk about estrogen dominance. 1:45 Maybe you've heard the term, but you don't know exactly what it means. 1:49 Likely you're a gynecologist or family doctor. 1:51 I've never talked to you about what estrogen dominant is. 1:54 But if you're having the following signs and symptoms I'm going to list out to you, you should be concerned. 2:00 When you have estrogen dominance, it certainly can accelerate aging. 2:03 It can contribute to things like allergies, bloating, breast tenderness, especially around different parts of your cycle. 2:09 it can continue to depression, fatigue, foggy thinking, can predispose you to gallbladder disease. 2:15 Headaches can contrived to scalp hair loss, blood sugar problems like hypoglycemia, increased blood clotting, insomnia, irregular menses, 2:24 so the timing of the cycle is off, you can get lighter heavy bleeding, irritability around your cycle, low sex drive, memory loss, 2:32 water retention can be a common symptom, and you get weight gain, especially in the midsection of your body, like your waist, 2:38 hips and thighs. 2:40 So let's talk about what exactly is estrogen dominance. 2:44 Well, as the name kind of tells you, estrogen is dominant, but dominant compared to what? 2:49 Well, the idea behind estrogen dominance is that there's an excess of estrogen in a relationship to its partner, a balancing hormone, 2:56 progesterone. 2:57 And the term estrogen-dominance was created in 1996. At that time, I'm a very well-known gynecologist by the name of John R. 3:05 Lee. 3:05 He was a medical doctor, Harvard trained, and he had a book called What Your Doctor May Not Tell You About Menopause. 3:11 So in there, he talks about what's going on with estrogen dominance. 3:15 And so estrogen dominant in women happens from one of three primary causes. 3:20 First, estrogen levels are too high in the body relative to the counterbalancing hormone partner, progesterone. 3:27 So this might happen because of environmental estrogens, such as synthetic hormones. 3:32 A classic example would be birth control pills, but also estrogens from the environment such as xenoestrogenes like pesticides,
Environmental Estrogens and Endocrine Disruptors 3:40 the ones you get from plastics, for example. 3:43 Also, you can get excess estrogen from fat tissue. 3:46 So if you're overweight, have too much fat, your fat cells make excess estrogens. 3:50 As well, poor detoxification and elimination of estrogen in the body are big causes. 3:55 Now another major cause is low progesterone production by the ovaries. 4:00 Estrogen levels could be high, but the pro gesterones production is slow. 4:03 And a third reason could it be, well your estrogen levels are too high and then your pro-gesteron levels too low. 4:09 There can be different reasons as to why that happens. 4:12 But again, when you have estrogen dominance, you're more prone to auto-immunity. 4:16 We know you can get breast tenderness, fibrocystic breast disease. 4:19 You can be more proud of cervical dysplasia, which is a precancerous condition of the cervix. 4:26 Endometrial thickening or endometrial cancer. 4:28 It contributes to endo-metriosis. 4:31 Infertility and miscarriages, osteoporosis, polycyclic ovarian syndrome definitely has estrogen dominance as one of its issues. 4:39 PMS, premenstrual tension syndrome, which I've been describing here, can also contribute to thyroid suppression like hypothyroidism and contributes to 4:47 uterine fibroid so you can see how important it is. 4:50 Let's talk about these environmental chemicals though we know so much more about called endocrine disrupting chemicals or EDCs. 4:57 And these mimic estrogen at the cell receptor. 5:00 So pesticides, fungicides, plastics, plasticizers, industrial solvents, heavy metals, certain pharmaceuticals. 5:07 The majority of these environment disrupts chemicals are man-made, but some do occur naturally in the environment. 5:15 They get into the womb through the placenta in a growing baby. 5:19 and as of 2017 the endocrine disruption exchange database noted there's almost 1500 of these chemicals in the environment and again these lead to hormone 5:30 imbalance and more specifically the estrogen dominance that i'm talking about so this is a very very serious thing so these environmental disrupting chemicals 5:39 at the most cellular level what they do is they interfere with the body's hormone production uh they interferes with of hormones, 5:48 they affect estrogen transportation, metabolism, binding action, or elimination.
How Estrogen Detoxification Works 5:55 So you can see it's so key that we try and avoid these environmental chemicals as best we can, but also because we cannot get away from them totally, 6:02 we need to be able to detoxify them. 6:05 Let's talk about how to best understand estrogen detoxification, because if you get this down, you're really going to maintain a better estrogen balance. 6:14 But before I go into that, let's just remember estrogen is a very vital hormone for not only women, but men as well. 6:20 And men can have estrogen dominance too, and that'll be for another video sometime. 6:25 But when estrogen levels become too high or when it's metabolized down harmful pathways, again, it contributes to the conditions or health issues I talked about. 6:34 PMS, endometriosis, uterine fibroids, certain cancers, even mood disorders. 6:40 but the good news is our body has a sophisticated system for breaking down and eliminating excess or problematic estrogens. 6:48 And so estrogen detoxification is built into our bodies and we need to support that. 6:54 So this process primarily happens in your liver and it's completed with the help of your gut. 6:59 We can think of it as a three-phase cleanup operation if you will. 7:03 Phase one where we get the first breakdown. 7:06 In phase one, the liver takes estrogens and begins to break them down into smaller intermediate metabolites. 7:13 This is like taking a large piece of furniture, for example, and breaking it into small parts. 7:17 The process is carried out by a family of enzymes known as cytochrome P450 enzymes. 7:23 And basically in biochemistry, they add a hydroxyl group to the estrogen molecule, and this makes it more reactive. 7:29 However, some of these intermediate metabolites can be more toxic or damaging than the original estrogen if they aren't quickly processed in phase three 7:38 and two. 7:39 This is where certain nutrients can become critical. 7:42 Now in phase one, key nutrients that you should know about that are involved in estrogen detoxification include vitamins B2, 7:49 B3,B6, b9 known as folate and B12. 7:53 They're essential cofactors for the enzymes involved. 7:56 In estrogen, detoxication. 7:58 Also, we need antioxidants to protect against direct the byproducts of estrogen metabolism. 8:03 We know vitamin C and E are very important. 8:06 Minerals like selenium which is an antioxidant is very important and in addition magnesium is a vital cofactor for many of the enzymatic reactions involved
Phase 1 and Phase 2 Nutrients 8:15 in phase 1 detoxification of estrogen. 8:18 Now in Phase 2 our liver is going to make estrogen more water soluble and this is helping with the intermediate metabolites that need to be excreted out. 8:28 And so there are what we call conjugation pathways where your body attaches a water soluble molecule to the estrogen metabolite. 8:36 And again, this is kind of like putting all those furniture pieces into clearly labeled sealed boxes ready for transport. 8:42 Now this phase ensures the estrogens become less toxic and can be easily flushed out of the body. 8:47 So key nutrients or foods for phase two include number one, the cruciferous vegetables, broccoli, cauliflower, kale, Brussels sprouts. 8:57 They all contain powerful compounds like indol-3-carbinol and its metabolite di-indole-methane, also known as DIM. 9:04 And these substances help to promote healthy estrogen metabolism, so you need to get them in your diet on a regular basis. 9:10 Also, sulfur compounds are involved in sulfation and the breakdown of estrogen, as you get in garlic, onions, for example. 9:18 Again, in cruciferous vegetables. 9:20 You also need amino acids like glycine, taurine and methionine to help in these different conjugation pathways. 9:26 And then we need glucuronic acid. 9:29 This is a major component for estrogen elimination. 9:33 You can get this in a diet that's rich in plant foods. 9:37 Now in phase 3, we have the final elimination. 9:40 So after being conjugated in Phase 2, these water soluble estrogen metabolites are secreted in your bile and your urine to be excreted out of the body. 9:49 For efficient elimination though, a healthy digestive system is absolutely critical. 9:54 You see the processed estrogens are primarily eliminated through your stool. 9:59 And this is where the health of your gut plays a final crucial role. 10:03 You need fiber, both soluble and insoluble fiber from foods like flax seeds, chia seeds fruits, vegetables and whole grains because the fiber binds the 10:12 estrogen in your digestive tract, the excess estrogen and prevents it from being reabsorbed and ensuring that it leaves your body through the stool. 10:20 If not, it gets re-absorb in the large intestine back into the bloodstream. 10:24 Also, your got microbiome is very, very important.
Phase 3 Elimination Through Gut Health 10:27 Your gut bacteria produce an enzyme called beta-glucuronidase. 10:30 And if you have an imbalance in your gut flora, this enzyme can become overactive. 10:34 When that happens, it breaks the bond on those conjugated estrogens, releasing them back into your body to be reabsorbed. 10:41 This undermines all the hard work your liver did in phases 1 and 2. But eating fermented foods like yogurt, kefir, kimchi, 10:50 or taking a probiotic supplement can help maintain a healthy gut balance and keep the beta-glucuronidase enzyme levels in check. 10:58 So understanding these three phases shows just how interconnected your diet, liver health, and gut health are to maintaining optimal estrogen balance. 11:07 By supporting these pathways with the right foods and nutrients, you can significantly improve your hormonal health and help to prevent or alleviate that 11:15 estrogen dominance. 11:16 There's another factor I want to talk about and it goes back to the digestion and detoxification, and that's bowel production and flow. 11:24 We use herbs that increase bile production and bile flow. 11:28 Choluretic herbs are those that stimulate the liver to produce more bile, which is essential again for digesting fats and eliminating waste products like 11:36 the estrogen metabolites. 11:38 A good example is artichoke leaf. 11:40 It's one of the most well-researched choluretics. 11:43 The active compound synarin has been shown to significantly increase bowel output from the livers, aiding in fat digestion, 11:50 but also again helping to eliminate those estrogen metabolites. 11:54 Turmeric is also very effective. 11:56 It's anti-inflammatory and a choleretic. 11:58 it stimulates the liver cells to produce more bio, which again will help to eliminate those estrogens metabolite. 12:05 Dandelion root is another one you can find commonly in teas or in supplements, traditionally used as a liver tonic, and it gently stimulants bio production. 12:14 So besides helping with digestion, again, dandelions root has been used in European and naturopathic medicine for estrogen dominance. 12:22 And then we have the herbs which also stimulate bile flow. 12:24 So you have production and then the bile flows. 12:27 And the herb that stimulate the bowel flow are known as Cologog herbs. 12:30 They stimulate gallbladder to contract and release stored bile into the small intestine. 12:35 There are many herbs, especially bitter herbs that have this effect.
Bile Flow, Herbs, and Exercise 12:39 Milk thistles, one of the more well studied ones, not only is it liver protective thanks to its compounds known as psyllium iron, 12:45 but also again acts as a colar garg and again, it'll help to release that bile and help get rid of those estrogen metabolites. 12:53 Now, the other factor which is very simple in helping to improve estrogen dominance is just plain old exercise. 13:00 Exercise is a powerful tool for improving estrogen balance through several interconnected mechanisms, from reducing fat tissue in the body to enhancing 13:11 detoxification and elimination. 13:12 So here again are some of the key ways that exercise helps to regulate estrogen. 13:17 Number one, it reduces estrogen-producing body fat. 13:20 Fat tissue, also known as adipose tissue is not just inert storage, but the cells actively produce estrogen An enzyme in fat cells called aromatase converts 13:32 androgens into estrogen The mechanism is that the more body fat a person has, the you're going to have the aromatase activity, 13:40 leading to higher overall estrogen levels. 13:43 And this is a primary driver of estrogen dominance. 13:46 This is what happens in overweight women. 13:48 Hey everybody, I want to take just a quick moment and invite you to my website drstengler.com. 13:53 Here we have the supplements that we've been using with our patients for many, many years. 13:57 High quality and high potency supplements, very pure. 14:01 So, if you're looking for high quality supplements where you can notice a difference, both in how you feel and on your lab tests, 14:07 go to our website at dr.stegler dot com. 14:11 How does exercise help? 14:12 Well, besides, you know, using cardiovascular and straight strength training exercise, obviously it's going to reduce body fat and then that's gonna help 14:21 with the decreased production of these excess estrogens. 14:25 But exercise also enhances liver detoxification and the liver is the primary organ again for breaking down estogens and requiring the lever function for, 14:34 uh, metabolizing them and eliminating them. 14:38 So if you have an overworked or sluggish liver, you cannot efficiently process hormones. 14:43 While regular physical activity increases blood flow, not only throughout the body, but also including the liver which enhances liver function. 14:53 And so not only does it help to prevent liver diseases, but again, it's going to improve liver metabolism and activity, and it is going peak its function 15:01 to metabolize estrogen. 15:03 There's another factor you have with exercise in relation to estrogen dominance, in that exercise improves insulin sensitivity. 15:12 Now insulin resistance and high blood sugar levels are closely linked to hormone imbalances, including estrogen dominants. 15:18 And so high insulin levels can lead to increased fat storage and lower levels of sex hormone binding globulin. 15:25 And that's the protein that binds up estrogen in your bloodstream. 15:30 So exercise, especially resistance training and high intensity interval training, make yourselves more sensitive to insulin. 15:38 So then this helps lower circulating blood sugar and insulin levels. 15:41 That in turn helps to increase sex hormone buying glybulin, which is going to attach the estrogen. 15:47 And then that supports a healthier estrogen to progesterone ratio. 15:51 Exercise also promotes regular bowel elimination. 15:54 So again, the liver is working better, you get better elimination from the bowel being produced, and then you're not going have the constipation which 16:03 leads to estrogens being reabsorbed back into the bloodstream from So physical activity, especially moderate aerobic exercise like brisk walking or jogging, 16:13 stimulates peristalsis, the muscular contractions of your intestines. 16:18 And that again will promote regular bowel movements, ensuring that harmful estrogen metabolites are efficiently moved from the body. 16:24 Now I mentioned sex hormone binding globulin. 16:27 Again, that's a protein that binds to hormones, including estrogen in the blood. 16:32 So when estrogen is bound to sex-hormone binding globulin, it becomes inactive. 16:37 So low levels of sex hormone binding glybulin mean more free or active estrogen is available to exert its effect on your body tissues, 16:45 which can contribute to estrogen dominance.
Boosting Progesterone and Closing Advice 16:48 So the Night Sting Mode exercise has been shown to consistently increase your levels. 16:52 Of this sex, hormone, binding, glybalin, and that will effectively manage your estrogen supply by ensuring less of it is free and active at any given time. 17:02 So by addressing these five key areas with exercise, with a regular exercise routine, you're going to have much better balanced hormones. 17:11 Now, there are some women who their body weight is good, they have good detoxification, but for other reasons, their progesterone levels are too low and 17:20 that's leading to estrogen dominance. 17:21 And you can naturally boost pro gestion levels with the herb Vitex in premenopausal women. 17:27 And again, we always can use bioidentical progesterone as a hormone if need be for really severe cases of estrogen dominance, 17:34 and that does work well. 17:36 Well, hope you found this information helpful. 17:38 If you did, hit the like button and subscribe for more evidence-based health information. 17:43 Thanks for watching. 17:45 Thanks for listening to Health Breakthroughs with Dr. 17:47 Stengler. 17:48 If today's episode resonated with you, please follow the show, share with someone who needs it, and leave a review. 17:54 It helps more people find us. 17:56 For more resources and wellness support, visit DrStenglar.com.
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