Vitamins and minerals that play a role in hormonal balance and managing estrogen deficiency symptoms include B complex, vitamin C, vitamin D, calcium, magnesium, and boron. Herbs and dietary supplements, including dong quai, black cohosh, astragalus, and DHEA, may have a more direct effect on low estrogen levels.
There is evidence to suggest that certain supplements can help to correct hormone imbalance and reduce high estrogen counts. These include iodine, magnesium, and vitamin D. It may also help to take broccoli extract, or diindolylmethane (DIM).
B6 for hormonal balance
Another reason B-vitamin supplementation helps estrogen dominance symptoms is because B6 can help increase progesterone and decrease estrogen — which for many women, is the sweet spot for hormonal balance.
Zinc can rebalance these hormone levels through its antiandrogenic activity which will raise estrogen and progesterone back to baseline.
If your estrogen levels are too high or too low, then magnesium can help bring them back to stable levels, which will positively impact testosterone and progesterone.
Some of the vitamins linked to better estrogen balance include vitamin D, the B complex, and vitamin C. Minerals such as calcium and boron may help protect against the effects of low estrogen, while some herbal supplements, including dong quai and black cohosh, are also known for their hormone-balancing effects.
Estrogen. Taking vitamin C with oral contraceptives or hormone replacement therapy might increase your estrogen levels.
Vitamin C - Increases the most potent estrogen (estradiol) in women on hormone therapy; Lowers aromatase (enzyme that converts testosterone to estrogen) in ovaries.
Vitamin B6 is also necessary for the liver to metabolize and break down Estrogen. Through these metabolic pathways, Vitamin B6 will help to increase Progesterone and reduce Estrogen dominance. Vitamin B6 is also important for helping our mood and significantly reducing anxiety.
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.
Ginger is also great for lowering excess levels of estrogen in the body. Eating more ginger is a positive action you can take in restoring healthy levels of estrogen and testosterone in your body. Remember, to experience the health benefits of ginger, you need to be consuming real ginger from the fresh root.
Caffeine and Estrogen: A Complex Relationship
In fact, if you're trying to balance your hormones, caffeine may be a no-go. Research shows that it can increase estrogen levels. While caffeine is known to give you a quick energy boost, it can also disrupt your hormones, particularly estrogen levels.
Selenium disrupts estrogen signaling by altering estrogen receptor expression and ligand binding in human breast cancer cells.
Oral estrogens.
Vitamin C may increase the levels of ethinyl estradiol in your body.
Additionally, the biological effect of vitamin E is explained by the finding that tocopherols and tocotrienols, as phytoestrogens, are the modulators of estrogen receptors.
Vitamin C. Research has shown that women who take vitamin C have significantly increased levels of progesterone in their systems, in fact, women who took 750mg of vitamin C per day had an increase of 77%. Foods which are high in vitamin C include: Yellow Peppers.
Vitamin C For Better Progesterone Levels
In one randomized control trial it was found that women who supplemented with vitamin C had increased progesterone levels compared to the placebo group.
Observations of very high levels of vitamin C in the adrenal gland as well as its release in response to adrenocorticotrophic hormone (ACTH) provides further evidence that vitamin C plays a role in the stress response (4).
Regular garlic consumption can help lower cholesterol, reduce blood pressure, and prevent clots — all heart disease risk factors. Research shows garlic can influence estrogen levels in the body, perhaps helping reduce age-related bone loss.