Fertility Naturopath Perth: Homeopathy and Naturopathic Treatment of Oestrogen Dominance

Oestrogen Dominance underlies most of the hormonal issues affecting a woman’s health and it is a leading cause of infertility. Pre-menstrual syndrome (PMS), fibroids and endometriosis, fibrocystic breast disease, menstrual cycle irregularities, fluid retention and weight gain, depression and mood swings and hormonal migraines are all due in part to Oestrogen Dominance.

Restoring hormonal balance is one of the key strategies in treating fertility at this Perth naturopathic clinic. As we are a general practice, treating all conditions and age groups, you do not have to be infertile to seek our assistance with these common female complaints. Most symptoms of oestrogen dominance respond fairly quickly to homeopathy and naturopathic dietary and lifestyle modification, usually from the first menstrual cycle.

The role and interaction of the female reproductive hormones is complex. Oestrogen dominance does not mean you have too much oestrogen. In fact levels are usually normal or even low. It occurs because of a relative lack of progesterone in the luteal phase, the second half of the cycle, when progesterone should peak and then fall, resulting in menstruation. Progesterone helps keep the effects of oestrogen in check, but if it remains low the result is known as oestrogen dominance, and any one of the problems we have mentioned may ensue.

Because ovulation is needed to stimulate the rise in progesterone, anovulation, or failure to ovulate, is a cause of oestrogen dominance and low progesterone. It becomes a vicious cycle, because oestrogen dominance itself inhibits ovulation and therefore conception. The normal fall of oestrogen also initiates the next cycle, so in some cases the cycle may be suppressed. Because the drop in progesterone initiates menstruation, the deficiency in progesterone may lead to heavy, prolonged periods or breakthrough bleeding throughout the cycle.

The following is a summary of some of the results of oestrogen dominance. They are also signs of progesterone deficiency.

• INFERTILITY: The most obvious cause of infertility due to oestrogen dominance is failure to ovulate. However we believe all the other disturbances to the menstrual cycle, all of which are so common, also contribute to fertility issues. So many cases of “unexplained infertility” may be due to oestrogen dominance, at least in part.

Poor health in general will reduce the chances of conception; but any change from a perfectly healthy hormonal pattern can affect fertility. In the modern world, it is hard to say that many women experience a completely healthy menstrual pattern. In any case, most will benefit from naturopathic treatment and homeopathy.

• PRE-MENSTRUAL SYNDROME (PMS): The common symptoms of PMS/PMT are due to oestrogen dominance. Breast tenderness and swelling, fluid retention and weight gain are common effects. As oestrogen affects brain chemistry, reducing levels of dopamine, common results are anxiety, depression, mood swings and even panic attacks. By contrast, progesterone has a tranquillising effect.

• HEAVY BLEEDING (MENORRHAGIA): Progesterone prevents the breakdown of the uterus lining, known as the endometrium. The normal fall in progesterone towards the end of the luteal phase (the second half of the cycle) brings on the period; but where levels are abnormally low, heavy and prolonged bleeding and breakthrough bleeding can occur.

• ENDOMETRIOSIS: Oestrogen promotes the growth of endometrial tissue. In endometriosis this tissue can spread beyond the uterus into other areas of the body. It is thought that oestrogen dominance, where the effects of oestrogen are unopposed by progesterone, is one of the contributing factors in this complaint.

• FIBROIDS AND FIBROCYSTIC BREAST DISEASE: The situation is similar to what occurs in endometriosis. Oestrogen, unopposed by progesterone, stimulates the endometrium of the womb and breast tissue, leading to thickening and hardening.

• HORMONAL MIGRAINES: Under the influence of oestrogen, the blood releases substances that constrict blood vessels, thereby increasing the risk of pre-menstrual and menstrual migraines.

• MENOPAUSAL COMPLAINTS: While it is true that oestrogen levels decline with menopause, relative oestrogen dominance still contributes towards many of the difficulties of the peri-menopause, and relative levels of oestrogen and progesterone remain an important consideration into the menopausal phase of life. In fact, a woman who has

As always, we treat oestrogen dominant disorders holistically. A woman is more than the sum of her hormones.

From a naturopathic perspective, a poor diet aggravates hormonal problems. Also, the modern world provides many sources of exposure to environmental oestrogens, known as xeno-oestroegens. Pesticides and herbicides, many plastics and the breakdown products of personal care products and detergents also have oestrogenic effects and reduce fertility in both men and women. The widespread use of plastic bottled water has probably contributed towards many cases of unexplained infertility.

The most essential homeopathic approach is to identify the woman’s “constitutional remedy”. This is the same for any condition we treat. For a woman, however, the symptoms of her menstrual cycle are the most important indicator of her constitutional remedy, regardless of the complaint being treated.

In addition, there are many herbal remedies from the American indigenous tradition that are so useful for female complaints, and we may use them in their homeopathic form or in low dose tinctures.

Homeopathy and Naturopathic Treatment of Oestrogen Dominance Perth