Estrogen Dominance: The Silent Saboteur of Metabolism
Hormone Series #2: Clean, Bioenergetic, and Root-Cause Focused
Estrogen gets a lot of PR as the hormone of femininity, curves, fertility, and emotional depth. What it doesn't get enough press for? Its starring role in wrecking thyroid function, slowing metabolism, driving serotonin excess, and making women feel bloated, brain-fogged, and cold despite eating "healthy."
Estrogen dominance isn’t just a hormone imbalance, it’s a full-blown metabolic chokehold.
What Is Estrogen Dominance?
Estrogen dominance doesn’t necessarily mean you have too much estrogen. It means you have too much relative to progesterone, and often too much hanging around un-detoxed and re-circulating.
Common Causes:
Poor liver clearance (low B1/B2, alcohol, low protein)
Synthetic estrogens (birth control, plastics, fragrances)
Progesterone deficiency (stress, aging, low thyroid)
Gut dysbiosis (reabsorbing estrogen instead of excreting it)
Estrogen builds up. Progesterone vanishes. The result? Chaos masquerading as "normal female experience."
Symptoms of Estrogen Dominance:
PMS, heavy periods, or endometriosis
Breast tenderness and fibrocystic lumps
Anxiety, irritability, or depressive episodes
Cold hands/feet, low body temp, low pulse
Weight gain (especially hips/thighs), water retention
Low libido
Fatigue and brain fog
No, you're not crazy. You're just estrogen-dominant in a culture that treats this as baseline.
How Estrogen Slows Metabolism
Estrogen has a down-regulatory effect on the thyroid, both directly and indirectly.
Suppresses T3 (active thyroid hormone)
Increases Thyroid Binding Globulin (TBG), making less T3 available
Impairs mitochondrial respiration
Retains water and sodium, worsening edema and fatigue
Estrogen isn’t just a reproductive hormone. It’s a mitochondrial suppressant and metabolic antagonist when left unchecked.
The Serotonin Connection
Estrogen stimulates serotonin production and slows its breakdown. That might sound good until you realize:
High serotonin is linked to fatigue, sluggish digestion, and brain fog
SSRIs (which boost serotonin) mimic estrogen’s effects in many tissues
Estrogen + serotonin = stress-cocktail masking as calm
"Feeling flat but not panicked" is not peace. It's sedation by serotonin.
Why It’s Getting Worse
Modern diets: Low protein, low B vitamins, seed oils
Hormonal birth control: Chronic exposure to synthetic estrogens
Environmental xenoestrogens: BPA, phthalates, pesticides
Chronic stress: Cortisol steals from progesterone, letting estrogen run wild
Undiagnosed hypothyroidism: Estrogen builds up if the liver and metabolism can't keep up
What to Do About It
1. Support Liver Detox
Prioritize protein (liver needs amino acids to conjugate estrogen)
Supplement B1 and B2 (thiamine & riboflavin)*
Avoid alcohol, seed oils, and low-calorie diets
2. Balance with Progesterone
Natural bioidentical progesterone (topical or oral)
Avoid synthetic progestins (they’re not the same thing)
Reduce stress, support adrenal recovery
3. Fix the Gut
Raw carrot salad: binds endotoxin and excess estrogen
Reduce antibiotics, eat gelatin-rich foods
Avoid constipation (estrogen is reabsorbed when transit time slows)
4. Restore Thyroid Function
Get labs: TSH, Free T3, Free T4, reverse T3
Track temps and pulse
Consider thyroid support (nutrition, desiccated thyroid, etc.)
Bottom Line
Estrogen dominance isn’t your destiny, it’s a consequence of modern living, poor nutrient status, and chronic stress. Rebalancing your hormones starts with restoring metabolism, not shutting down ovaries or numbing symptoms with antidepressants.
Your mitochondria are begging for mercy. Give them progesterone, B vitamins, light, and real food.
Citations / Footnotes
Biskind, M.S., & Biskind, G.R. (1944). The role of the liver in the metabolism of sex hormones. Endocrinology, 35(3), 218-225. https://doi.org/10.1210/endo-35-3-218
Haidut. (2015). Vitamins B1 & B2 Are Required For Estrogen Inactivation By Liver. Ray Peat Forum.https://raypeatforum.com/community/threads/vitamins-b1-b2-are-required-for-estrogen-inactivation-by-liver.7640/
Peat, R. (2007). Female Hormones in Context. http://raypeat.com/articles/articles/female-hormones.shtml
Estrogen-induced changes in the hypothalamic-pituitary-thyroid axis: Evidence and mechanisms. Frontiers in Endocrinology (2019). https://doi.org/10.3389/fendo.2019.00616
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This post is for informational purposes only and is not medical advice.