Cruciferous veggies, like broccoli, Brussels sprouts, and cauliflower are incredible at helping our livers metabolize estrogen.
Cruciferous Vegetables
Packed within cruciferous veggies are phytochemicals that block the production of estrogen, allowing them to be an effective addition to an anti-estrogen diet. This group of vegetables includes kale, broccoli, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, and arugula.
The foods you need to avoid include: flax seeds, dried fruits, sesame seeds, garlic, peaches, berries, wheat bran, tofu, tempeh, dairy products, meat, alcohol, grains, and legumes.
Carrots actually contain unique undigestible fibres to help detox excess estrogen from the body. Raw carrots have been found to help by preventing the reabsorption of estrogen from the intestine, meaning the liver can more effectively regulate metabolism.
Cruciferous vegetables contain a chemical called indole-3-carbinol, a chemical that may have anti-estrogen effects. This means that they could reduce estrogen levels in men. However, research has not directly shown that eating cruciferous vegetables reduces the levels of estrogen in the human body.
What foods cause high estrogen? Foods that reportedly increase estrogen include flax seeds, soybean products, chocolate, fruit, nuts, chickpeas, and legumes. Before we delve into why these foods are said to increase estrogen, we need to look at two important definitions; phytoestrogens and lignans.
Your liver is the primary organ that breaks down and rids the body of excess estrogen, a common cause of hormonal imbalance. Therefore, you need to support the liver with supplements like turmeric, vitamin C, and alpha-lipoic acid. Eat plenty of vitamin C-rich foods like oranges and strawberries.
Green tea consumption, but not black tea, was also associated with reduced levels of estrone and estradiol among postmenopausal women20. Green tea's estrogen reduction activity may result from tea polyphenols inhibiting aromatase, the key enzyme converting androgens to estrone or estradiol21.
Cruciferous vegetables are among the most significant foods that lower estrogen because they contain indole-3-carbinol, a chemical with anti-estrogen effects. In other words, consumption of cruciferous vegetables such as cauliflower, broccoli, bok choy, and Brussels sprouts can reduce estrogen production in men.
Eat lots of diindolymethane (DIM) vegetables.
These vegetables, also called cruciferous vegetables, include broccoli, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, and cabbage. The DIM within these vegetables promotes the metabolism of stored hormones, and estrogen is one of those hormones.
Magnesium promotes healthy estrogen clearance
By supporting the COMT enzyme (catechol-o-methyltransferase) in the liver, magnesium promotes the healthy excretion of estrogen (9). This may reduce the risk of the estrogen excess conditions (such as fibroids) associated with low COMT function (10).
Research shows that avocados can help reduce the absorption of estrogen and boost testosterone levels. They also improve heart health and aid in satiety. We need enough healthy fats to make hormones, and avocados are a great source of hormone building blocks.
Vegetables of the Brassica genus, such as broccoli, contain a phytochemical, which may shift estrogen metabolism and increase the 2:16 ratio.
Spinach is composed of various active compounds, such as flavonoids and other polyphenolic active ingredients, acting synergistically as anti-inflammatory, antioxidative, and anticancer agents (7). No estrogenic or antiestrogenic activity was found by the assays utilized in our study.
A Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center study involving postmenopausal, overweight, and obese women who took 2,000 IUs of vitamin D daily for a year found that those whose vitamin D blood levels increased the most had the greatest reductions in blood estrogens, which are a known risk factor for breast cancer.
Less Hormone Binding: Zinc deficiency reduces the ability of testosterone to bind receptors making it less functional. Zinc deficiency also causes estrogen receptors to attract more estrogen. Changes in hormone receptor binding lead to symptoms of testosterone deficiency and estrogen excess.
The reason behind the link between refined carbohydrates and early menopause is that these carbs increase risk of insulin resistance. This can in turn affect activity of sex hormones and raise oestrogen levels in the body. This can increase the number of menstrual cycles leading to the egg supply running out faster.
Oats contain phytochemicals, including polyphenols and phytoestrogens. The polyphenols found in oats may help a man to experience an estrogen blocking effect. This would prevent their body from converting too many testosterone hormones into estrogen.
Another source of estrogen in foods is animal estrogen. Products like eggs or milk contain high estrogen levels because they are produced in parts of the animal's body that regulate its hormones. Eating high estrogen foods can help people who suffer from various conditions related to low estrogen levels.
Boron found in beetroot can boost the production of sex hormones in women, such as estrogen, progesterone, and a small amount of testosterone. According to studies, regularly consuming beet can metabolise estrogen and testosterone levels.
Calcium D-Glucarate reduces total estrogen levels and is found in brassica veggies, citrus fruits and cucurbitacease vegetables that like cucumbers, pumpkins, cantaloupe and squashes.
When you consider turmeric's anti-inflammatory properties and its ability to diminish excess estrogen, it's a go-to in my practitioner's toolkit for managing hormones. Curcumin has been shown in study after study to help manage just about every common chronic disease in the modern world.
Low estrogen levels can interfere with sexual development and sexual functions. They can also increase your risk for obesity, osteoporosis, and cardiovascular disease. Treatments have evolved over the years and become more effective.