Estrogen dominance refers to a condition where a woman has excess estrogen in relation to progesterone. This hormonal imbalance can develop due to various factors like high estrogen production, impaired progesterone production, or poor estrogen detoxification and clearance. Some potential causes contributing to estrogen dominance include obesity, stress, pregnancy, exposure to xenoestrogens (estrogen-mimicking compounds), and certain medical conditions. Symptoms associated with estrogen dominance may include irregular periods or spotting, heavy, painful, or long periods, PMS symptoms like bloating, headaches, mood swings, fibrocystic breasts, weight gain, fluid retention, fatigue, foggy thinking, memory lapses, and low libido. To treat and prevent estrogen dominance, focus on losing weight if overweight, managing stress through self-care, avoiding xenoestrogens from plastics and personal care products, increasing fiber intake to support estrogen clearance, taking progesterone/progestins as needed, and using botanicals like vitex to balance hormones. Additionally, diet and lifestyle changes can help the body better metabolize and excrete estrogen: