Estrogen Detoxification - Detoxify To Prevent Potential Health Problems

Estrogens play an important role in bone formation and maintenance. They exert protective effects on the heart and influence behavior and mood. You MUST DETOXIFY ESTROGEN to prevent potential health problems such as breast or prostate cancer.

Estrogens circulate around the body bound to other proteins called sex hormone binding globulins (SHBG). Only unbound estrogens can enter target-tissue cells and induce biological activity - some good, some bad. So, any changes in these proteins (SHBG's) will alter estrogen metabolism.

The ultimate effect of estrogen depends on how it is metabolized. Metabolism takes place primarily in the liver through detoxification that includes hydroxylation, methylation, glucoronidation, sulfation, and ends with excretion in the urine and feces.

There are 3 different pathways which estrogen can be metabolized within the liver. Only one is a healthy, happy choice. The other two cause cardiovascular issues and cancer. Unfortunately, there are many environmental and dietary reasons that push the detoxification down the wrong pathways. Many adult bodies do not detoxify properly - often because of dietary insufficiency and environmental overload of toxins and stresses. For some, the problem lies in the methylation, or failure to methylate properly, for others, glucoronidation and sulfation. If it's not the healthy pathway, you are setting up your body for future cardiovascular disease or cancer.

What Happens When Estrogen Goes Down The Wrong Pathway?

• Estrogens are recycled rather than excreted. Without proper metabolism, excess estrogens are created. This can lead to cancer in hormone sensitive tissue, such as breast or prostate.
  
  
• Your body will produce high levels of quinones - which have potential carcinogenic effects.
  
  
• Your body will store estrogens in target tissues, primarily the breast and prostate - with the ultimate potential - development of breast and prostate cancer. FACT: women who send estrogen down the wrong pathway have significantly elevated risk of breast cancer.

What Would Cause Your Body To Send Estrogen Down The Wrong Pathway?

Relief is available!! You do not have to live with uncomfortable PMS, menopause flashes, backaches, joint, and muscle pain, feelings of depression, bloating, swelling, or even weight gain. Clean up your diet, and detoxify your body by including high amounts of flaxseed, soy and kudzu, along with B complex vitamins. Eliminate any environmental estrogens and pollutants Pesticides found on produce, sodium lauryl sulfate and other chemicals in hair and body care products should be eliminated and switched out for healthier, non chemical laden products. Those pollutants found in air are challenging to eliminate, but use of air filters in the home can help. Use the following guidelines when making dietary choices:

• Fiber: Eat adequate fiber every day. Fiber can bind to estrogen and prevent re-circulation. Fiber also influences healthy intestinal bacteria.
  
  
• Fats: A proper balance among types and amount of dietary fats can prevent cancer. Breast cancer cells exposed to EPA (omega 3 fatty acids) promotes detoxification down the correct pathway.
  
  
• Protein: Inadequate protein may prevent adequate SHBG to bind the estrogens, and additional negative complications.

Take action now. DO NOT wait, particularly if you have a family history of breast or prostate cancer. You can prevent these debilitating and devastating diseases.

By Julie Eltman, MPH, RD