Estrogen Dominance, Rheumatoid Arthritis and Hypothyroid

There are 3 main types of human estrogen: estrone, estriol, and estradiol . They occur at a ratio of 15:15:70, according to Dr. Michael Lam, a famous physician specializing in nutritional and anti-aging medicine. Estradiol has the strongest effect on stimulating tissue growth. Estrone is the second strongest; and the weakest is estriol, which has an anti-carcinogenic effect. Birth control pill have an estrogen ratio of 75:15:10. In this artificial combination, estrone has been increased from 15% to 75%, while estriol, the weakest and the best estrogen has been reduced from 70% to 10%. Simply put, birth control pills dramatically increase the stimulating effect of estrogen compounds while decreasing the amount of beneficial estrogen, estriol, by 60%.

Birth control pills are designed to stop ovulation. Without ovulation, the production of progesterone drops tremendously. Because of the much more intense estrogen stimulation from the birth control pill, the endometrium grows thicker and thicker, but the period becomes very light and short. Consequently, during each cycle, the uterus cannot cleanse its internal membrane completely. Gradually, conditions such as fibroids can develop from the accumulation of the endometrium. Ironically, when young women are first diagnosed with fibroids and severe cramps, they are prescribed birth control pills. Although their cramps are initially reduced, and their periods much lighter, after five to ten years on the pill, most of these young women end up having surgery for their conditions. I have been tracking many young women who have been taking birth control pills for over five years; they are not cured of either fibroids or endometriosis. Instead, they often receive an hysterectomy after 10 years of taking this magic pill.

Birth control pills also influence the absorption of vitamin and minerals in women’s bodies; this could also reduce the production of progesterone, leading to estrogen dominance. Estriol is called the ‘pregnant estrogen’ because it increases dramatically during pregnancy. Very few women get cancer during pregnancy because of higher estriol levels, so it is said that this hormone is anti-carcinogenic. In conclusion, there are good and bad types of estrogen; women increase their bad estrogen and decrease their good one by taking birth control pills.

That is why young women tend to develop mood swing, irritability and depression when they are taking birth control pill because the relaxing hormone such as progesterone and serotonin drop dramatically. Boston Chinese Acupuncturist also noticed that young women tend to develop hypothyroid condition when they are taking birth control pill. Some researches indicated that there is a link between thyroid cancer and long term usage of birth control pill. Furthermore, when progesterone is too low, the immune system can be hyperactive, leading to MS, Hashimoto’s disease, ALS, Crohns’s disease, rheumatoid arthritis and other kinds of autoimmune diseases and allergies such as asthma, allergic rhinitis and sinusitis.