Lowering Estrogen with DIM and possibly Improving Egg Quality

Lowering Estrogen with DIM and possibly Improving Egg Quality

One common problem I treat is estrogen dominance (ED).  The ED I discuss in this article will focus on ovarian produced estrogen.   ED arises from 2 common scenarios: 

• Over producing ovaries leading to high levels of estrogen in the blood.  The biggest culprit is ovarian cysts – such a PCOS or functional cysts (functional cyst produces estrogen – something not all cyst do).  In this case the ovarian cysts manufacture estrogen which can suppress FHS and stop ovulation.  This presentation will have clinically high levels of estrogen in their blood work.
• Poorly functioning corpus luteum leading to the under production of progesterone.  The corpus luteum -a sack containing the hormone progesterone acts like a pump after ovulation- secreting enough progesterone to offset the estrogen produced by the maturing follicle in the follicular phase.  Progesterone is important to decrease estrogen’s proliferated effect (encourages cells to grow and thus often linked to cancer) on cells and helps to keep the reproductive system balanced.  When the corpus luteum has not matured properly, the luteal phase is short, unstable or close to the cover line in BBT charting.  Women in their 30 to 40’s present with issue, but often their blood work indicate within range progesterone and estrogen levels.

High estrogen not only effects the breasts, bones, brain and uterus, but can impact egg quality.  Estrogen is one of the many hormones which signal follicles to grow and mature to dominance.  When in excess, estrogen may improperly trigger molecular pathways in the maturing occoyct resulting in lowered DNA integrity.  Possibility explaining one of the several reasons why PCOS women miscarry.