Understanding oestrogen Dominance: what it is, why it happens, and how to bring balance

Let’s talk about a hormonal imbalance that wears many hats and shows up in sneaky ways: oestrogen dominance.

You might be sailing through regular cycles and still feel like something is "off." This blog is here to unpack what oestrogen dominance actually is, how it affects your cycle, and what you can start doing today to support balance with a sprinkle of Chinese medicine wisdom and no unnecessary fluff.

What is Oestrogen Dominance?

Oestrogen dominance is a hormonal imbalance where the level of oestrogen outweighs the level of progesterone in the body. It doesn’t necessarily mean you have "too much" oestrogen, but rather that it’s not balanced appropriately by progesterone. This can occur even if your oestrogen levels are within the "normal" range.

Think of progesterone as the calm, steady best friend who keeps oestrogen in check. When that friend doesn’t show up, oestrogen can throw a bit of a party and not the kind with hors d'oeuvres and good music.

Symptoms of Oestrogen Dominance

Oestrogen dominance can present differently for each woman, but common signs include:

• Breast tenderness, especially pre-period

• Heavy, clotty, or painful periods

• PMS (mood swings, irritability, anxiety)

• Bloating or water retention

• Headaches or migraines

• Weight gain around hips and thighs

• Fatigue or brain fog

• Fibroids, endometriosis, or ovarian cysts

• Spotting before your period

  
  

Yes, you can have a regular 28-day cycle and still be experiencing hormonal imbalance. A "regular" period doesn't always mean an optimal one.

Why So Many Women Experience It

Our modern lives set the perfect stage for oestrogen dominance. Chronic stress, poor sleep, exposure to endocrine-disrupting chemicals, alcohol, poor gut health, and over-exercising can all contribute. And let’s not forget the high-pressure, always-on culture that glorifies productivity over rest. The result? Low progesterone, impaired detoxification, and a backlog of oestrogen the body can’t efficiently clear.

How It Affects the Menstrual Cycle

Oestrogen is crucial in the first half of your cycle, helping to build the uterine lining and trigger ovulation. But when it's too high (or not balanced by progesterone), you may notice:

• A shorter luteal phase

• PMS that feels like a personality transplant

• Heavy or clotty bleeding

• Spotting before your period

• Ovulation pain or missing ovulation signs altogether

  
  

The Chinese Medicine Perspective

While TCM doesn’t label things as "oestrogen dominance," it recognises the patterns behind the symptoms. The most common patterns linked to this imbalance are:

• Liver Qi Stagnation: emotional PMS, breast tenderness, irritability

• Spleen Qi Deficiency with Damp: bloating, weight gain, puffiness

• Blood Stasis: clots, sharp pain, fibroids, cysts

• Yin Deficiency with Heat: anxiety, night sweats, early periods

TCM views hormones as an expression of Qi, Blood, Yin, and Yang, so we treat the root pattern, not just the symptom.

Five Things You Can Start Doing Today

1. Support Liver Detox: Add bitter greens like rocket and dandelion, drink plenty of water, and go easy on alcohol. Your liver is your hormone-clearing queen.

2. Eat Cruciferous Veggies: Think broccoli, cauliflower, and Brussels sprouts. These support your body in metabolising oestrogen.

3. Stress Less (But Really): Incorporate daily breath-work, yin yoga, or walks in nature to calm cortisol, which can rob you of precious progesterone.

4. Balance Blood Sugar: Eat balanced meals with protein, fat, and fibre. Stable blood sugar = stable hormones.

5. Minimise Endocrine Disruptors: Ditch plastic containers, switch to natural skincare, and be choosy with household cleaners.

   
   

Oestrogen dominance isn’t something to fear, but it is something to understand. With the right support, lifestyle shifts, and if needed, treatment tailored to your body balance is absolutely within reach. Whether you lean into Chinese medicine, functional medicine, or a blend of both, you don’t have to put up with symptoms just because they’re common.

Common is not the same as normal.

And your body? It’s speaking to you. Let’s make sure you know how to listen.