Good Oestrogens vs Bad Oestrogens

Some of you may have heard about oestrogen dominance or oestrogen being associated with certain conditions such as cervical changes, breast changes, endometriosis, polycystic ovary disease and other hormonal ailments. When looking at things such as cancer there are different processes involved in the development of the disease. Substances or factors that cause genetic damage are called initiators because they initiate disease.
This means that something has to mutate the DNA of a cell in order for the disease to start; asbestos is an example of an initiator. For the disease to develop and continue, a promoter is required. Promoters enable the cell with the DNA damage to proliferate. These substances are not necessarily the cause of cancer but they do work hand-in-hand with the initiators as part of the whole disease process. Certain types of oestrogenand cigarette smoke are promoters.

This newsletter focuses on how to keep the oestrogen profile healthier and which nutrients assist this. Oestrogen itself is a lovely hormone, as it is a natural mood stimulant, keeping tissue plump and hydrated and preventing the drying and thinning of the vaginal wall and the urinary tract. A lack of oestrogen in a woman can lead to a flat mood, symptoms of urinary tract infection, even though there is no bacterial growth, and thinning and drying of the wall of the vagina. The oestrogen profile, however, is very important for optimal health and disease prevention.

There are three types of oestrogen in the body as we have mentioned in previous newsletters. However oestrogens can be metabolised through different pathways in the body to produce different end products (metabolites). Some of these metabolites of oestrogen are more potent and promote the proliferation of unhealthy cells. Other oestrogen metabolites (considered to be the ‘healthy oestrogens’) can be either neutral, weakly proliferative or anti-carcinogenic. There are certain foods and nutrients that encourage oestrogen to be metabolised through the more favourable pathways that produce the more desirable types of oestrogen. The more favourable oestrogens include: 2-hydroxy oestrogens, 2-methoxy-oestrone, 4-methoxy-oestrone, oestrone (E1). The less favourable (more potent and/or proliferative) oestrogen metabolites are: 16-hydroxy-oestrogens, oestriol (E3) and 4-hydroxy oestrogens.

Healthy metabolism relies on: folate, vitamin B6, vitamin B12, flax fibre, rosemary, indole-3-carbinol (found in sulphurous vegetables such as broccoli, cauliflower, kale and brussels sprouts), curcumin (found in turmeric), resveratrol (found in plant food), kudzu (Japanese arrowroot) and progesterone. The body produces di-indole methane (DIM for short) from indole-3-carbinol and the supplement form of is int he DIM form. We encourage you to incorporate these foods into your daily diet as much as possible. Kudzu can replace other thickeners and turmeric can be added to all curries and fritters. B12 is high in meat, eggs and tempeh and green vegetables are high in folate.