Can you reverse boob growth resulting from years of estrogen dominance?

[messylttlfoodie]

I'm 37 yo and I remember a time in my 20s when I had what I would consider normal sized boobs, I could wear a B-D cup no problems, and running wasn't a big deal. Fast forward a decade later and my boobs are monstrous. I have to wear HH+ bras and I can't find bras that work for me and forget running / jogging / doing any kinds of jumping activity without discomfort or pain. I'm convinced it's hormonal due to years of estrogen dominance and it developed slowly over years and years of crappy lifestyle, veganism, keto phase, and generally not knowing what I'm doing lol, and I already am doing things to remove excess estrogen from my system now and trying to improve my overall thyroid function but I really want to know if fixing estrogen dominance will reverse my boobs to a normal size or am I stuck like this for the rest of my life? I absolutely hate it because clothes don't fit right, they make me look fatter than I actually am (though I could still stand to loose a bit of body fat I already lost 11kg since last year, but my boobs are so wide set and low hanging (almost down to my belly button, cringe) they make me look wider than my actual rib cage and waist actually are), people stare at me, if I try to dress modestly I look ginormous, if I wear skin tight I draw too much unwanted attention, I really can't stand my oestrogen boobs it makes me want to cry. Sorry for rambling, but bottom line: is it possible to "shrink" your boobs by balancing hormones, nutrition / supplementing specific nutrients etc I'm desperate, any advice will be greatly appreciated.

 

[youngsinatra]

I think it can be possible to an extent. A lot of estrogen dominance comes down to poor liver detoxification.

Sluggish bile flow is a big part. How’s your digestion / bowel movements? Anything irregular?

 

[Nicole W.]

I'm 37 yo and I remember a time in my 20s when I had what I would consider normal sized boobs, I could wear a B-D cup no problems, and running wasn't a big deal. Fast forward a decade later and my boobs are monstrous. I have to wear HH+ bras and I can't find bras that work for me and forget running / jogging / doing any kinds of jumping activity without discomfort or pain. I'm convinced it's hormonal due to years of estrogen dominance and it developed slowly over years and years of crappy lifestyle, veganism, keto phase, and generally not knowing what I'm doing lol, and I already am doing things to remove excess estrogen from my system now and trying to improve my overall thyroid function but I really want to know if fixing estrogen dominance will reverse my boobs to a normal size or am I stuck like this for the rest of my life? I absolutely hate it because clothes don't fit right, they make me look fatter than I actually am (though I could still stand to loose a bit of body fat I already lost 11kg since last year, but my boobs are so wide set and low hanging (almost down to my belly button, cringe) they make me look wider than my actual rib cage and waist actually are), people stare at me, if I try to dress modestly I look ginormous, if I wear skin tight I draw too much unwanted attention, I really can't stand my oestrogen boobs it makes me want to cry. Sorry for rambling, but bottom line: is it possible to "shrink" your boobs by balancing hormones, nutrition / supplementing specific nutrients etc I'm desperate, any advice will be greatly appreciated.

Question: we’re you thinner in your 20’s than you are now? In my experience, the boobs are the first place you gain weight and the first place you lose weight when dieting, as they are comprised of a lot of fatty tissue.
I think attributing the enlargement of your breasts to “estrogen dominance” (entirely) might be misguided. There are many factors that affect the breasts, simply getting older and gaining weight being two. Having children has a tremendous impact on the breasts as well.
Estrogen causes swelling but I am not convinced it causes breast enlargement. In my experience, very estrogen dominant women are skinny, weak and deflated looking, not busty or robust.

 

[Peatful]

I'm 37 yo and I remember a time in my 20s when I had what I would consider normal sized boobs, I could wear a B-D cup no problems, and running wasn't a big deal. Fast forward a decade later and my boobs are monstrous. I have to wear HH+ bras and I can't find bras that work for me and forget running / jogging / doing any kinds of jumping activity without discomfort or pain. I'm convinced it's hormonal due to years of estrogen dominance and it developed slowly over years and years of crappy lifestyle, veganism, keto phase, and generally not knowing what I'm doing lol, and I already am doing things to remove excess estrogen from my system now and trying to improve my overall thyroid function but I really want to know if fixing estrogen dominance will reverse my boobs to a normal size or am I stuck like this for the rest of my life? I absolutely hate it because clothes don't fit right, they make me look fatter than I actually am (though I could still stand to loose a bit of body fat I already lost 11kg since last year, but my boobs are so wide set and low hanging (almost down to my belly button, cringe) they make me look wider than my actual rib cage and waist actually are), people stare at me, if I try to dress modestly I look ginormous, if I wear skin tight I draw too much unwanted attention, I really can't stand my oestrogen boobs it makes me want to cry. Sorry for rambling, but bottom line: is it possible to "shrink" your boobs by balancing hormones, nutrition / supplementing specific nutrients etc I'm desperate, any advice will be greatly appreciated.

Your realness is refreshing



My boobs are bigger (aside from weight gain and or cyclically) when I have endotoxin “inflammation”

Endotoxin holds on to said estrogen

If your liver isn’t “clean” and or your bowels sluggish in general
This doesn’t allow you to rid the estrogen

Therefore
Look at what you’re eating
See how you are pooping
Adjust accordingly

Im out of time
But those are my first thoughts

 

[ivy]

Question: we’re you thinner in your 20’s than you are now? In my experience, the boobs are the first place you gain weight and the first place you lose weight when dieting, as they are comprised of a lot of fatty tissue.
I think attributing the enlargement of your breasts to “estrogen dominance” (entirely) might be misguided. There are many factors that affect the breasts, simply getting older and gaining weight being two. Having children has a tremendous impact on the breasts as well.
Estrogen causes swelling but I am not convinced it causes breast enlargement. In my experience, very estrogen dominant women are skinny, weak and deflated looking, not busty or robust.

I tend to agree. Estrogen dominance has given me excruciating pain and swelling, but never caused cup size changes. Anxiety and insomnia driven weight loss always reduces my breasts, so much so that they almost don't signal my period is about to come.

 

[actionhealthy]

My breast would reduce taking Dim and Calcium D Glucarate which help detox/down regular estrogen.

 

[tasfarelel]

I have female friends complaining about the same issue - and I also thought that estrogen dominance + bodyfat increase over time is the most likely explanation.

Would be good if you could get your estrogens tested, for example with haidut's nail test. Then if indeed high take "extreme" measures.

That said, if your breasts hang very low - you will unlikely get ever rid of the extra skin. This you will have to fix with surgery.

 

[golder]

Great question, I hope this thread gets more attention and replies. I’ve got a large amount of breast tissue from being hypothyroid most my life and estrogen dominant. Luckily I had very little hard tissue like gynocomastia, but still it’s like I have an A cup breast. Frustratingly as I’ve slowly improved my throid health over the years, this tissue doesn’t seem to have gone down. Really hope someone may have some ideas

 

[PeatyParty]

Do you take levothyroxine for thyroid issues? This also happened to me as well as my daughter. I’m now 127 lbs and have to wear a DDD now after 30 years on T4. Used to be B cup. My daughter who has been on T4 since 7 yoa is, I think, a HHH cup and she is only 5 foot. It is very frustrating to find clothing for sure!

 

[Amazigh]

I'm in the same boat. I was estrogen dominant per my bloodwork, and I had gone up from a D to an E after gaining 30 lbs. I lost some weight and have been taking anti-estrogenics for other issues, and my breasts have gone down one size, but I agree about the estrogen dominance, at this weight many years ago I did not have this size breasts.

 

[Peater]

Do you take levothyroxine for thyroid issues? This also happened to me as well as my daughter. I’m now 127 lbs and have to wear a DDD now after 30 years on T4. Used to be B cup. My daughter who has been on T4 since 7 yoa is, I think, a HHH cup and she is only 5 foot. It is very frustrating to find clothing for sure!

T4 only?

 

[GreekDemiGod]

@golder I assume you are a man?

 

[Hitchens]

Why would you want to? Who doesnt enjoy a nice pair of ***s.

 

[mostlylurking]

I'm 37 yo and I remember a time in my 20s when I had what I would consider normal sized boobs, I could wear a B-D cup no problems, and running wasn't a big deal. Fast forward a decade later and my boobs are monstrous. I have to wear HH+ bras and I can't find bras that work for me and forget running / jogging / doing any kinds of jumping activity without discomfort or pain. I'm convinced it's hormonal due to years of estrogen dominance and it developed slowly over years and years of crappy lifestyle, veganism, keto phase, and generally not knowing what I'm doing lol, and I already am doing things to remove excess estrogen from my system now and trying to improve my overall thyroid function but I really want to know if fixing estrogen dominance will reverse my boobs to a normal size or am I stuck like this for the rest of my life? I absolutely hate it because clothes don't fit right, they make me look fatter than I actually am (though I could still stand to loose a bit of body fat I already lost 11kg since last year, but my boobs are so wide set and low hanging (almost down to my belly button, cringe) they make me look wider than my actual rib cage and waist actually are), people stare at me, if I try to dress modestly I look ginormous, if I wear skin tight I draw too much unwanted attention, I really can't stand my oestrogen boobs it makes me want to cry. Sorry for rambling, but bottom line: is it possible to "shrink" your boobs by balancing hormones, nutrition / supplementing specific nutrients etc I'm desperate, any advice will be greatly appreciated.

I was estrogen dominant for many years because I got a tubal ligation when I was 28. Not only did my boobs get way too big, they hurt all the time from the fibroids. I started taking progesterone about 8 years ago after learning about it from Ray Peat's work. I take about 40mg/day, half orally and half vaginally. I no longer have any pain from the boobs. They have decreased in size.

Liver function AND gut health/function are very important because that is how the body detoxes estrogen.

 

[golder]

@golder I assume you are a man?

Yes.

 

[PeatyParty]

T4 only?

Yes. Endo insists no T3

 

[Peater]

Yes. Endo insists no T3

That's not ideal as you are relying on T4 to T3 conversion. I think the liver does some of this, as well as estrogen 'detox'.

 

[PeatyParty]

That's not ideal as you are relying on T4 to T3 conversion. I think the liver does some of this, as well as estrogen 'detox'.

You are so right. Docs here in Michigan refuse to consider adding in T3. I may decide to do it on my own.

 

[messylttlfoodie]

Why would you want to? Who doesnt enjoy a nice pair of ***s.

Are you for real? Because of all the reasons I have listed in my post. Read. Would you enjoy a giant pair of balls that makes it hard for you to find pants that fit, or run without pain.

I think it can be possible to an extent. A lot of estrogen dominance comes down to poor liver detoxification.

Sluggish bile flow is a big part. How’s your digestion / bowel movements? Anything irregular?

I generally don't have huge issues with digestion, I have 1-2 normal bowel movements each day, but I do experience mild bloating sometimes in the evening, and I get the "period poops" lol

Question: we’re you thinner in your 20’s than you are now? In my experience, the boobs are the first place you gain weight and the first place you lose weight when dieting, as they are comprised of a lot of fatty tissue.
I think attributing the enlargement of your breasts to “estrogen dominance” (entirely) might be misguided. There are many factors that affect the breasts, simply getting older and gaining weight being two. Having children has a tremendous impact on the breasts as well.
Estrogen causes swelling but I am not convinced it causes breast enlargement. In my experience, very estrogen dominant women are skinny, weak and deflated looking, not busty or robust.

Yes, I was somewhat thinner but honestly not that much. I wasn't "skinny" by any means. I've always been more on the curvy side but it was within proportion. I gained a lot of weight after quitting keto, until I started tracking calories on a more prometabolic diet, walking and lifting weights. The first place I lost weight was my waist / belly. Boobs have remained the same although my chest circumference has gone down. I'm now down 11kg overall since starting fat loss on and off a year ago.

Your realness is refreshing



My boobs are bigger (aside from weight gain and or cyclically) when I have endotoxin “inflammation”

Endotoxin holds on to said estrogen

If your liver isn’t “clean” and or your bowels sluggish in general
This doesn’t allow you to rid the estrogen

Therefore
Look at what you’re eating
See how you are pooping
Adjust accordingly

Im out of time
But those are my first thoughts

haha thanks I think I definitely need to give my liver some love! Bowels are ok though far as I can tell ...

Do you take levothyroxine for thyroid issues? This also happened to me as well as my daughter. I’m now 127 lbs and have to wear a DDD now after 30 years on T4. Used to be B cup. My daughter who has been on T4 since 7 yoa is, I think, a HHH cup and she is only 5 foot. It is very frustrating to find clothing for sure!

No, I don't. I was diagnosed hyper at 13 but never got treated for it, and I was quite underweight. I went on the pill age 14, and quit the pill about 10 years later, and I think there may be a connection that my hyper went hypo due to hormonal havoc, and I have never been officially diagnosed hypo or treated for it. Saving up for medichecks well woman advanced blood test though cause I have zero trust in NHS.

I was estrogen dominant for many years because I got a tubal ligation when I was 28. Not only did my boobs get way too big, they hurt all the time from the fibroids. I started taking progesterone about 8 years ago after learning about it from Ray Peat's work. I take about 40mg/day, half orally and half vaginally. I no longer have any pain from the boobs. They have decreased in size.

Liver function AND gut health/function are very important because that is how the body detoxes estrogen.

Very interesting! I had progest-e but I never used it because I was worried I could do more harm than good not knowing my levels. Now I can't find where I put it But once I've done my medichecks test I will look into buying it again!

 

[messylttlfoodie]

I should clarify when I say I've always been on the curvy side I mean since developing / post puberty. As a kid / tween I was skinny.