Estrogen Dominance At 16

[dutchmiss]

Hello everybody,

I am new to the forum. I am a 16 year old Dutch girl who found Peat after a history of extreme exercise and dieting.

I feel like Peat has helped me a lot. However, when I stopped with the extreme exercise, my menstrual issues increased.

I was on holiday this summer in England and got chronic diarrhea, muscle wasting, I couldn't get out of bed and was walking with my stomach bend and head down so I would not feel the stomach pain. I recently went to England again (Oxford, with school), and basically my entire trip was ruined by my period. I kept on vomiting, had no hunger, was grumpy all the time and my classmates and all of my teachers did not like being around me.

Yesterday I started my period again. I have no stomach pain but I keep on vomiting; it is so bad that I now have to skip tests in school so I can stay home. I have no hunger and my muscles feel non existent.

I am so done with all of this. My mother is going to plan an appointment with a GP. I said I absolutely do not want to start the pill at this age, I noticed that a lot of my female friends their behaviour changed went they started to use those pills. My mom thinks I keep exaggerating how bad the pill is. But I really don't want to take it. I keep crying about it and she does not understand it.

My diet is certainly not how I want it to be exactly, also because of my parents because they believe my eating habits are strange so I just conform to their wishes now.

I was hoping to find some advice here. If any of you have a more natural way to fix primarily the vomiting, and how you deal with muscle wasting and such. Anything is welcome, I am so done with all of it. Greetings.

 

[Peater]

I'm a man so can't offer you any advice (But there are loads of very knowledgeable females on here, they'll post soon I'm sure)

Just to confirm that, from my point of view, the pill does indeed have bad effects on women. You've made a sensible choice.

And that England has that effect on most people. (walking with my stomach bend and head down)

 

[Dolomite]

I jogged for years to help keep migraines and nausea away. I was not extreme but I am old now and if I could do it over I would only jog 2 to 3 times per week and no more than 2 to 3 miles at a time. That isn’t Peat type advice. Work on avoiding PUFA and get lots of calcium and avoid hunger.

Like Peater said there are lots of people with good experiences and advice.

 

[Blossom]

How long has it been @dutchmiss since you stopped the extreme exercise and dieting? It does usually take some time for the body to settle after being put through all of that stress. There's nothing wrong with having a check up and sharing your wishes with the doctor about taking birth control. I'd hope they would be respectful of your choice.

 

[lampofred]

I think the vomiting might be due to excess estrogen (lots of protein like 100g per day, salt, calcium should help with that). The muscle wasting might be due to excess cortisol. Both excess estrogen and excess cortisol are caused by low progesterone. A daily carrot salad (grated carrot, olive oil or coconut oil, salt, and vinegar), or even just a raw carrot if the whole carrot salad thing would be too weird for your parents, can also help greatly increase progesterone and decrease cortisol/estrogen by cleaning your gut. If that fails, maybe you could try Progest-E?

Also, probably not something you want to hear, but I think there is something really harmful in the environment in Western Europe + United States, especially in the UK and in London. Maybe radiation, maybe birth control in the water, not exactly sure. Maybe I'm just being paranoid, but it's known that radiation increases cortisol and decreases progesterone, and birth control increases estrogen and decreases progesterone... Regardless of what the cause is, progesterone levels are really getting hammered everywhere.

 

[baccheion]

Fix any nutrient deficiencies. Intermittent fasting. Iodine protocol. Vitamin D3 + K2 MK-4. Magnesium. Etc..

I think the vomiting might be due to excess estrogen (lots of protein like 100g per day, salt, calcium should help with that). The muscle wasting might be due to excess cortisol. Both excess estrogen and excess cortisol are caused by low progesterone. A daily carrot salad (grated carrot, olive oil or coconut oil, salt, and vinegar), or even just a raw carrot if the whole carrot salad thing would be too weird for your parents, can also help greatly increase progesterone and decrease cortisol/estrogen by cleaning your gut. If that fails, maybe you could try Progest-E?

Also, probably not something you want to hear, but I think there is something really harmful in the environment in Western Europe + United States, especially in the UK and in London. Maybe radiation, maybe birth control in the water, not exactly sure. Maybe I'm just being paranoid, but it's known that radiation increases cortisol and decreases progesterone, and birth control increases estrogen and decreases progesterone... Regardless of what the cause is, progesterone levels are really getting hammered everywhere.

Is supplementing with hormones recommended/problematic at such an age? Wouldn't blood work to potentially identify/verify issues be a better approach? A comprehensive hormone panel, thyroid panel, genetic testing, maybe microbiome testing, and a nutrient test (NutrEval, SpectraCell, etc) may be more insightful than guessing.

 

[lampofred]

Intermittent fasting. Iodine protocol.

Not saying these won't help, but since this is raypeatforum.com, just wanted to mention that Dr. Peat explicitly warns against these things

 

[baccheion]

Not saying these won't help, but since this is raypeatforum.com, just wanted to mention that Dr. Peat explicitly warns against these things

Melatonin (maybe even 300 mcg) also raises progesterone. Is he against that?

 

[somuch4food]

I did vomit a few times during my period as a teenager. I still suffer from painful cramps that force me to use ibuprofen to get through the day. I can certainly relate. I would strongly advise not to take the pill. Anything that messes hormones should be avoided.

Your body was stressed. You need to relax. Don't take any supplements, they might further imbalance your body. The golden rule really is to eliminate PUFA oils. Apart from that, enjoy anything that makes you feel good.

For more specific advice, I would need to know what your diet look like at the moment.

 

[lampofred]

Fix any nutrient deficiencies. Intermittent fasting. Iodine protocol. Vitamin D3 + K2 MK-4. Magnesium. Etc..

Is supplementing with hormones recommended/problematic at such an age? Wouldn't blood work to potentially identify/verify issues be a better approach? A comprehensive hormone panel, thyroid panel, genetic testing, maybe microbiome testing, and a nutrient test (NutrEval, SpectraCell, etc) may be more insightful than guessing.

True, hormonal supplements should definitely not be a first resort. That's why I suggested it as a last resort if the first two changes fail. And OP already mentioned she is going to see a GP, so I assumed they would already be doing blood work and didn't think it needed to be mentioned that she should get blood work.

Melatonin also raises progesterone. Is he against that?

Not sure what you're trying to do with this or if it's some rhetorical question. But BTW I actually think he mentioned it increases progesterone only in rats but increases estrogen in humans.

 

[somuch4food]

Also, don't be too quick with a diagnosis.

Have you been tested?

Is your digestion ok? Bloating, gas, constipation, diarrhea, pain?

 

[baccheion]

True, hormonal supplements should definitely not be a first resort. That's why I suggested it as a last resort if the first two changes fail. And OP already mentioned she is going to see a GP, so I assumed they would already be doing blood work and didn't think it needed to be mentioned that she should get blood work.



Not sure what you're trying to do with this or if it's some rhetorical question. But BTW I actually think he mentioned it increases progesterone only in rats but increases estrogen in humans.

Was his opinion based on the following study: Melatonin and serotonin regulate the release of insulin-like growth factor-I, oxytocin and progesterone by cultured human granulosa cells. - PubMed - NCBI?

Here are a few others:

Stimulation of progesterone secretion by cultured human granulosa cells with melatonin and catecholamines. - PubMed - NCBI

Direct action of melatonin in human granulosa-luteal cells. - PubMed - NCBI

The circadian pattern of melatonin and its positive relationship with progesterone in women. - PubMed - NCBI

 

[dutchmiss]

Wow. Thank you all for your comments and advices! I really appreciate it :)

 

[dutchmiss]

How long has it been @dutchmiss since you stopped the extreme exercise and dieting? It does usually take some time for the body to settle after being put through all of that stress. There's nothing wrong with having a check up and sharing your wishes with the doctor about taking birth control. I'd hope they would be respectful of your choice.

Thank you for your comment, I stopped exercising (running specifically) in March I believe. I drank my first cup of coffee in years on my Birthday (may 7th), I was too afraid of caffeine. And my parents really do not believe birth control is bad. My dad said with dinner ''if 75 percent of the women in our country are on birth control, and they are fine, why would you not take it?'' and I started crying I am really afraid that the GP will prescribe me birth control but I will see.

 

[Herbie]

I would recommend reading: Progesterone in Orthomolecular Medicine by Ray Peat.

 

[dutchmiss]

I think the vomiting might be due to excess estrogen (lots of protein like 100g per day, salt, calcium should help with that). The muscle wasting might be due to excess cortisol. Both excess estrogen and excess cortisol are caused by low progesterone. A daily carrot salad (grated carrot, olive oil or coconut oil, salt, and vinegar), or even just a raw carrot if the whole carrot salad thing would be too weird for your parents, can also help greatly increase progesterone and decrease cortisol/estrogen by cleaning your gut. If that fails, maybe you could try Progest-E?

Also, probably not something you want to hear, but I think there is something really harmful in the environment in Western Europe + United States, especially in the UK and in London. Maybe radiation, maybe birth control in the water, not exactly sure. Maybe I'm just being paranoid, but it's known that radiation increases cortisol and decreases progesterone, and birth control increases estrogen and decreases progesterone... Regardless of what the cause is, progesterone levels are really getting hammered everywhere.

Thank you for your comment. I took the raw carrot for days sometimes and it completely bashed all of my symptoms. If I don't take it my heart rate is very high, and I come from a country where very high starch consumption is common. My gut becomes irritated from potatoes and bread but the carrot seemed to relieve all of that . I don't have access here to Progest-E but I'm thinking of buying the ProgesterAll crème.

And the days I ate very high protein (I think around 60 to 80 grams per day) all of my symptoms were gone. But I don't have a lot of control here over my eating habits. My mom is a nurse and used to work on the cardiology unit. She believes saturated fat is terrible and cholesterol will clog my arteries. She told me to stop using coconut oil (worked very well for me as well, actually). The only days I am able to eat 100% Peat approved is when my parents are not home because then I have time to cook proper meals. I think I have enough calcium. Milk helps me a lot. Salt my mother also believes is terrible, but I sometimes made a very salty drink in the past and I stopped hyperventilating altogether. She bakes all of our food in PUFA.

And you are not paranoid!! I actually agree with you :)

 

[dutchmiss]

Fix any nutrient deficiencies. Intermittent fasting. Iodine protocol. Vitamin D3 + K2 MK-4. Magnesium. Etc..

Is supplementing with hormones recommended/problematic at such an age? Wouldn't blood work to potentially identify/verify issues be a better approach? A comprehensive hormone panel, thyroid panel, genetic testing, maybe microbiome testing, and a nutrient test (NutrEval, SpectraCell, etc) may be more insightful than guessing.

Thank you for the advice. I will consider blood work but I don't think my parents will approve. I respond terrible to fasting. I think taking hormones at my age is a very bad idea. I think I eat enough idione. Vitamin D may be a bit too low, I know that when I eat an egg I always feel much better afterwards. Magnesium levels are prob OK .

 

[dutchmiss]

I did vomit a few times during my period as a teenager. I still suffer from painful cramps that force me to use ibuprofen to get through the day. I can certainly relate. I would strongly advise not to take the pill. Anything that messes hormones should be avoided.

Your body was stressed. You need to relax. Don't take any supplements, they might further imbalance your body. The golden rule really is to eliminate PUFA oils. Apart from that, enjoy anything that makes you feel good.

For more specific advice, I would need to know what your diet look like at the moment.

Thank you for responding. I feel you I hope you are alright right now!

PUFA is still relatively high because my mother uses them as cooking oil and I have to eat bread here.

I eat usually something like this:
Breakfast:
2x whole wheat bread, each with one whole slice of cheese
Fruit (like kiwi or tangerine usually)
One glass of milk
One cup of coffee

Then late morning more fruit and coffee. If nobody's home I will usually also make an egg and drink more milk.

Lunch:
2x whole wheat bread again with each one whole slice of cheese.
Milk. Sometimes fruit with it. If I have time I sometimes eat liver once a week with lunch.

5 o clock my mother brings me always an apple and a banana.

With dinner it depends, usually vegetables (beets, broccoli, carrots or some other vegetable) on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, with a piece of meat made of minced beef. Wednesday she usually makes us something with rice . Saturdays always vegetable soup with bread. Sundays some Italian meal, like pasta, spaghetti or lasagne.

Close to bedtime I usually eat raw carrots. Then before bed another glass of milk (sometimes I heat it and put honey in it mmmmmm).

 

[dutchmiss]

Also, don't be too quick with a diagnosis.

Have you been tested?

Is your digestion ok? Bloating, gas, constipation, diarrhea, pain?

I have not been tested. My gut becomes irritated from starch but I have no substitute for that right now. I had diarrhea sometimes in the past in the first week of my menstrual cycle but that is completely gone now. Sometimes bloating. Certainly now constipation. Pain not really. Sometimes brain fog but that is not related to digestion of course.

 

[dutchmiss]

*no, excuse me.

 

[dutchmiss]

I would recommend reading: Progesterone in Orthomolecular Medicine by Ray Peat.

Thank you for the recommendation. Will read more in it.