Dr. Ping's Blog
Many women patients in my clinic find it beneficial taking supplements rich in phytoestrogen such as lignans. The answer is dependent on your situation. Phytoestrogen has different effect on different situations. Phytoestrogen is a weaker form of estrogen. In structure, it is similar to estradiol. But in effect, it is a lot weaker. When the body has a lot of its internal estrogen supply, an addition of phytoestrogen from foods actually make the total estrogenic effect less in the body, because it occupies some of the estrogen receptors which would otherwise occupied by the real more potent estrogen. On the other hand, if the body's own supply of estrogen is scarce, eating more phytoestrogen actually enhances the estrogenic effect of to the body. Therefore, you can see it is all dependent on your situation. For example, for a menopausal woman, phytoestrogen may enhance your estrogen in the body, while for a younger woman who has sufficient supply of estrogen, phytoestrogen may weaken the effect. Since phytoestrogen, as opposed to phytoestrogen containing whole foods, may have meaningful impact on your hormone balance, you need to make sure it's done under detailed doctor supervision.
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