Sex hormones are produced in the body via the following assembly line:
- Cholesterol
- Pregnenolone
- Progesterone
- Androstenedione
- Testosterone
- Estradiol (one form of estrogen)
Estradiol is our end product, and when there is the right amount of our end product, it’s the liver’s job to take any extra and break it down through a series of steps known as Phase I and Phase II liver detoxification.
It is important to remove any excess estrogen so that these waste products don’t accumulate and do harm, such as promoting reproductive cancers. There are several ingredients required for the successful breakdown and clearance of estrogen and of chemicals, pollution, pesticides, etc. that can act like estrogen.
How Does Estrogen Breakdown Work?
[pullquote]Intake of cruciferous vegetables, flaxseeds, soy, and rosemary supply substances like indole-3-carbinol can help in this step.[/pullquote] The first step in estrogen breakdown is the conversion of estradiol to estrone. Estrone is then metabolised through Phase I liver detoxification (hydroxylation) into 2-hydroxyestrone.
[pullquote]This step requires vitamin B6, B12, and active folic acid (5MTHF).[/pullquote] The next step in estrogen breakdown is Phase II detoxification (methylation), which converts 2-hydroxyestrone to 2-methoxyestrone. The active folic acid is important as most of the folic acid from supplements is inactive.
Some people have a defective gene that doesn’t allow them to process folic acid properly. As a result, they cannot produce 5MTHF. This leads to sluggish liver detoxification.
Important Ingredients Required For The Breakdown
There are 3 final procedures the liver can do to 2-methoxyestrone to ready it for elimination. And certain ingredients are required for these procedures:
- Glucuronidation requires glucaric acid
- Methlyation requires active folic acid (5MTHF)
- Sulfation requires sulfur
What Are The Possible Health Issues?
Absence of any of these ingredients results in an incomplete estrogen breakdown. This results in a build-up of estrogen, estrogen breakdown products, and other similar wastes in your system, resulting in multiple health problems:
- Endometriosis1
- Acne
- Fibroids
- Painful and heavy periods
- Hormone-related cancers
- Infertility and other hormone imbalance conditions
To treat these conditions, it is of utmost importance to supply the necessary components (in the form of supplements) for the successful completion of phase I, phase II, and the final packaging steps.2
What Are The Benefits Of Enhancing Estrogen Metabolism?
- Reduced risk of hormone-related cancers
- Lighter periods
- Less cramping
- Less breast tenderness
- Reduced fibroids
- Improved fertility
- Clearer skin
When Should You Do An Estrogen Detox?
The timing depends on each individual and his or her particular symptoms. However, in general, I’d suggest such a detox for the average person once per year.
Should Men Do This Too?
Yes! Men produce estrogen as well! Excess estrogen and accumulation of estrogen-like chemicals such as bisphenol A can bind to estrogen receptors in men and promote diseases such as prostate cancer.3
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