Hormone Balancing & PMS - what you need to know
Hormone balancing is all the rage online. It has long been something that women have been seeking to fix: PMS, period cramps, fibroids, heavy periods, endometriosis, etc.
The pesky hormones that are said to be wreaking havoc? Estrogen & progesterone. With the main culprit = estrogen.
This is what is meant by the term “estrogen dominance” - that estrogen levels are “too high” and progesterone is “too low” and that is why these concerns are happening. The idea being that once the hormones are put back into balance, the symptoms resolve.
Here’s the thing.
Your estrogen levels have N-O-T-H-I-N-G to do with PMS.
WHAT?!
We’re going to focus on PMS for this blog (& can circle around to the other ones later).
Yup, it’s true and research backed my friends - estrogen isn’t the PMS villain.
Your hormones don’t need to be “balanced” to improve / get rid of your PMS.
You don’t need an “estrogen detox”.
Your hormone levels are just fine.
So why does PMS happen then?!
Stress.
Your brain finds the change from the follicular phase to the luteal phase of your cycle as a stressful event.
We’re not entirely sure why it happens to some women and not others (the research is still unfolding for this).
So, next time someone is telling you that your estrogen levels are why your PMS is awful, I hope you remember this post.
Your hormones are doing what they’re supposed to do. You don’t need to be scared of them, and you don’t need to “balance anything” to feel better.
You need someone who gets it and can steer you in the right direction.
I’m here when you’re ready!
Dr. Stacy Burke, ND
References:
Azoulay, M., Reuveni, I., Dan, R., Goelman, G., Segman, R., Kalla, C., Bonne, O., & Canetti, L. (2020). Childhood Trauma and Premenstrual Symptoms: The Role of Emotion Regulation. Child Abuse & Neglect, 108, 104637. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chiabu.2020.104637
Dean, B. B., Borenstein, J. E., Knight, K., & Yonkers, K. (2006). Evaluating the Criteria Used for Identification of PMS. Journal of Women’s Health, 15(5), 546–555. https://doi.org/10.1089/jwh.2006.15.546
Gudipally, P. R., & Sharma, G. K. (2020). Premenstrual Syndrome. In StatPearls. StatPearls Publishing. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK560698/
