If you’ve been struggling with heavy periods, mood swings, stubborn weight, or feeling completely off hormonally — you’re not alone. Many women today are dealing with estrogen dominance, a hormonal imbalance that can affect your mood, fertility, metabolism, and long-term health.

In this post, we’ll break down:

• What estrogen dominance actually is
• The most common causes
• Symptoms to watch for
• How functional medicine addresses estrogen dominance at the root

Let’s get into it!

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What Is Estrogen Dominance?

Estrogen dominance occurs when the level of estrogen in your body is high relative to progesterone. It doesn’t always mean that your estrogen levels are too high — sometimes progesterone is too low, or both hormones are technically within normal range but no longer balanced.

There are actually three main scenarios that can lead to estrogen dominance:

1️⃣ High estrogen + low progesterone
2️⃣ High estrogen + normal progesterone
3️⃣ Both hormones within normal range but out of balance relative to each other

This is why you can have “normal labs” but still feel completely off hormonally.

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The Types of Estrogen

You actually have three different types of estrogen in your body:

• Estradiol (E2): The strongest and most active form (and usually what your doctor tests for).
• Estrone (E1): A weaker form of estrogen.
• Estriol (E3): The weakest form, primarily important during pregnancy.

When we run functional lab testing like the DUTCH test, we look at all three types, not just estradiol — giving a much more complete picture of your estrogen health.

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Why Estrogen Is Actually a Good Thing

Before we demonize estrogen, it’s important to remember: your body needs healthy estrogen levels for many vital functions, including:

• Building up the uterine lining for a healthy menstrual cycle and pregnancy
• Bone density and strength
• Insulin sensitivity and metabolism
• Sleep quality, mood stability, and cognitive function
• Healthy hair, skin, and vaginal tissue
• Cardiovascular protection

The problem starts when estrogen becomes dominant or out of balance.

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Symptoms of Estrogen Dominance

Some of the most common signs and symptoms of estrogen dominance include:

• Heavy periods or prolonged bleeding
• Painful menstrual cramps
• Breast tenderness or fibrocystic breasts
• Mood swings, anxiety, or irritability
• Weight gain (especially in hips, thighs, or abdomen)
• Weight loss resistance despite diet and exercise
• Acne or hormonal breakouts
• Headaches or migraines
• Fibroids
• Fatigue
• Poor sleep
• Bloating
• Gallstones or clotting issues
• Increased risk of endometrial cancer if left unaddressed long term

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What Causes Estrogen Dominance?

There are many potential contributors, and often it’s a combination of multiple factors working together. Common root causes include:

• Chronic stress and elevated cortisol
• Insulin resistance or blood sugar dysregulation
• Poor liver detoxification
• Gut dysbiosis (imbalanced gut bacteria)
• Exposure to endocrine-disrupting chemicals (plastics, fragrances, personal care products, etc.)
• Perimenopause hormone shifts
• PCOS or elevated androgens
• Being on synthetic hormone replacement or DHEA supplementation
• Alcohol intake
• Chronic inflammation
• Nutrient deficiencies, especially minerals

Every woman’s body is different — this is why functional medicine takes a customized approach based on your specific root causes.

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How We Fix Estrogen Dominance (The Functional Medicine Approach)

Here’s the 3-step approach I use with my clients to address estrogen dominance at the root:

1️⃣ Nourishment, Blood Sugar & Minerals

• Ensure you’re eating enough to support hormone production.
• Build balanced, blood sugar-stabilizing meals.
• Correct any underlying mineral deficiencies (HTMA testing helps identify these).
• Avoid chronic under-eating or over-exercising which can worsen hormone imbalance.

2️⃣ Nervous System & Stress Resilience

• Implement daily nervous system regulation tools to manage stress more effectively.
• Support cortisol balance to prevent hormonal snowball effects.
• Recognize that stress management isn’t about “stressing less” — it’s about having tools to help your body adapt.

3️⃣ Gut & Liver Detox Support

• Support healthy, daily bowel movements to excrete excess estrogen.
• Strengthen gut function to support estrogen metabolism.
• Reduce toxic burden from endocrine disruptors in your environment.
• Use targeted liver support strategies to enhance estrogen detoxification (Phase 1 & 2 liver detox pathways).

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Why Functional Lab Testing Is So Helpful for Estrogen Dominance

While symptoms can provide strong clues, functional lab testing gives us the exact data to build your personalized plan.

• DUTCH testing tells us exactly where your estrogen, progesterone, and cortisol levels are, along with how your body is metabolizing hormones.
• HTMA (Hair Tissue Mineral Analysis) helps us identify mineral imbalances, adrenal dysfunction, and hidden contributors like heavy metals or nutrient deficiencies.

When we have the full data, we’re not guessing. We know exactly where to start, what to target, and how to create sustainable improvements.

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Can Estrogen Dominance Be Fixed?

✅ Yes — but it takes time, consistency, and a targeted plan.

Hormone balancing isn’t a quick fix. What you do today impacts your hormones 90-100 days from now. But many of my clients begin noticing improvements within 1-2 cycles once we start addressing the root causes.

With functional medicine, you’re not stuck managing symptoms forever — we focus on true healing.

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Ready to Dig Deeper?

If you’re ready to finally get to the root of your hormone imbalance and see real progress, functional medicine testing and support can help.

👉 You can apply to work with me.

👉 Don’t forget to also grab my free Hormones 101 Secret Podcast if you’re just starting out on your hormone healing journey.

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Final Thoughts

Estrogen dominance is one of the most common hormone imbalances I see, but it’s 100% possible to fix it when you address the right root causes for your body. You don’t have to settle for feeling tired, irritable, or stuck in painful cycles.