Natural Supplements for Estrogen

Natural Supplements for Estrogen
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Your estrogen levels can fluctuate according to a number of factors. Smoking and drinking can reduce the estrogen in your body, as can aging in women. Men, on the other hand, develop more estrogen as they age and accumulate more fat. The most significant influence on the estrogen levels of a women occurs during menopause when estrogen takes a steep dive. This is a natural and unavoidable process, but if you are interested in maintaining your estrogen levels--either due to menopause or other reasons--there are several natural supplements available to you.

Black Cohosh

According to the National Center for Complimentary and Alternative Medicine, no herbal remedy has received as much attention for its impact on estrogen levels as black cohosh. Some research suggests that black cohosh can act like estrogen in the body and help stimulate estrogen in the body, although various studies disagree with one another. Still, black cohosh is a widely-used supplement to increase estrogen in the body, particularly for the purposes of treating menopause. But it does have potential side effects that when experienced, should cause the user of black cohosh to stop taking it. These side effects include abdominal pain, dark urine, hepatitis and/or liver failure. Women with liver conditions should not take the medication.

Chasteberry

The chasteberry herb works to stimulate estrogen production by sparking activity in the pituitary glands, which produce sex hormones. Chasteberry comes from the chasteberry tree and helps ease menstrual problems in women. It can be taken several different ways, including as a dried herb or a tea, but a health care professional should be consulted before taking the herb.

Red Clover

Red clover is found throughout Europe and the United States, and it works to balance hormones in the body and regulate problems associated with menstruation and menstrual periods. The active ingredients in red clover that boosts estrogen are phytoestrogens, which are very similar to estrogen and help stimulate the production of the human hormone. Red clover helps bring estrogen levels back into proper balance with other hormones, which is the best end result of boosting estrogen hormone levels in the body.

Ginseng

Ginseng may be helpful at treating or relieving menstrual symptoms because of its hormone-balancing effects. However, it is only beneficial to some of the symptoms associated with menopause.

Dong Quai

Dong quai is a traditional Chinese herb that helps to balance and regulate your body's estrogen. However, it poses a health risk to some women because of its blood-thinning qualities. As a result, it should not be taken by any individual while taking blood-thinning medications.

References

Article reviewed by Mia Paul Last updated on: May 19, 2010

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