Estrogen Dominance South Africa | Symptoms, Causes & Natural Fixes

Do you feel constantly bloated, moody, tired, and out of sync with your body—but blood tests keep saying “you’re fine”?
You might be dealing with estrogen dominance, one of the most common (and most misunderstood) hormone imbalances in South African women today.

At Ask Dr Olz, we see this every week—and it’s 100% treatable with the right root-cause approach.

What is Estrogen Dominance?

Estrogen dominance happens when your estrogen levels are too high relative to progesterone, your calming, balancing hormone.

⚖️ Think of it like this: You may not have too much estrogen, but you may have too little progesterone to keep it in check.

Symptoms of Estrogen Dominance

If you have 3+ of these, estrogen dominance could be your hidden issue:

• Hormonal acne (especially on chin/jawline)
• PMS, mood swings, heavy periods
• Breast tenderness or fibrocystic breasts
• Bloating and water retention
• Weight gain (hips, thighs, belly)
• Anxiety, irritability, or insomnia
• Fatigue or brain fog
• Low libido
• Endometriosis, fibroids, or PCOS symptoms

Common Causes in South African Women

South African women are especially prone to estrogen dominance due to:

1. Xenoestrogens – Chemicals from plastic water bottles, processed foods, perfumes, birth control, and even tap water mimic estrogen.
2. Chronic stress – Depletes progesterone and worsens hormonal imbalance.
3. Liver overload – If your liver can’t detox estrogen effectively, it builds up.
4. Poor gut health – Bad bacteria can recirculate estrogen back into your bloodstream (hello, bloating + fatigue).
5. Age 30–50 – Your natural progesterone drops, making estrogen dominance more likely even if estrogen stays “normal.”

Natural Treatment for Estrogen Dominance

Here’s where functional medicine shines.

1. Support Estrogen Detox Pathways

Your liver and gut are key to breaking down and clearing excess estrogen. These nutrients are game-changers:

✅ Calcium-D-Glucarate – Helps your liver remove “used” estrogen safely.
✅ Indole-3-Carbinol (I3C) & DIM – Breaks down estrogen into protective forms.
✅ Sulforaphane (from broccoli sprouts) – Boosts phase II liver detox enzymes.
✅ Milk Thistle – Heals and regenerates liver cells.
✅ Lignans (from flaxseed) – Bind to estrogen receptors and reduce the dominance effect.

📌 Dr Olz Tip: We combine these in custom protocols, often using Metagenics’ EstroFactors blend, designed for clinical estrogen detox.

Feel free to download Ask Dr Olz Estrogen Dominance Protocol for free