Relieving Yourself of Excess Estrogen

Women eating vegetarian may have lower breast cancer rates because they have larger bowel movements.

September 23, 2011
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  • Michael Greger M.D.

    Please feel free to post any ask-the-doctor type questions here in the comments section and I’d be happy to try to answer them. Be sure to check out the other videos on estrogen. Also, there are 1,449 subjects covered in my other videos–please feel free to explore them!

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  • Eatyourveggies

    Great website and info! Thanks Dr. Greger.

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  • CapeBreton

    Great stuff as always!

    Did the data on the nutritional profile of the paleolithic diet come from one of the cited studies? If not, could you provide the reference.

    Thanks :-)

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  • yurple

    I am confused about how this relates to another one of your videos. This implies high estrogen levels coincide with breast cancer. But another video says it’s good to eat soy – which produces estrogen (or does it?) – to prevent breast cancer. Can you please clear this up?

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  • Jennifer Eldred

    Soy and all plants have phytoestrogen. Phyto comes from Greek, meaning “plant”. Phytoestrogen doesn’t do anything in the body of anything that is not a plant. The human body DOES detect phytoestrogen and then thinks it has too much and cuts its own estrogen production. That’s why soy and probably most plants can help slow or reverse breast cancer. Dr. Greger can probably clear it more than I can ;)

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  • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1802871133 Karen Hyde

    That is fascinating. Can you please explain if this has an effect on the perimenopause and menopause when hormone levels fluctuate and eventually stabilize at reduced levels.

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  • http://www.facebook.com/idan.hollander Idan Hollander

    First of all this site is awesome, Great job keep it going forever :) , I have a question not about this video i hope you can do another video about grains in general and corn specifically .

    The question is : Is corn good for us? (if so is it very good ,medium ,low ect.)

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  • yurple

    Thanks, Jennifer. Am I understanding correctly that you are saying that the higher estrogen levels are naturally produced by the body – and coincide with breast cancer – not added from the soy, and that the soy can reduce those levels (b/c of phytoestrogen detection)? So where did all the talk about soy possibly increasing cancer risk come from due to its causing estrogen levels to rise? Dr. G, are you answering these questions? AND — what about estrogen and ovarian cancer and the connection to eating soy or other food? Thanks, All.

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  • yurple

    Dr. G, are you responding to these? I so appreciate this website and all the fabulous info on it, and I am sure you are super busy. But it would be great to be able to get some feedback when there is confusion about the videos since we make important decisions based on them! :-)

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  • HereHere

    I see the good doctor has not had time to respond. I wonder if someone with expertise in this area can respond. I’ve heard that phytoestrogens are not harmful, but why? The last I heard (10+ years ago) we still have difficulty proving other xeno-estrogens are harmful (i.e. from the pulp and paper industry discharges, etc.). I guess I really should go to pubmed and search for phytoestrogen AND cancer.

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    • Marina

      Some of the confusion stems from the fact that the vast majority of studies that initially hinted at potentially harmful effects were conducted on rodents, using dosages well beyond what the average person consumes in a life time. Clinical and epidemiological data, on the other hand, have generally failed to show similar risks.

      In fact, some have shown benefits, such as a 2010 study on menopausal women, who were administered soy isoflavones for two years, which concluded that “soy and soy isoflavones may provide a mild benefit to hot flashes, lipids, and bone health for some menopausal women” (Clinical outcomes of a 2-y soy isoflavone supplementation in menopausal women Am J Clin Nutr February 2011 93: 356-367)

      Another 2009 study of over 68 thousand women concluded that soy foods appear to protect against colorectal cancer risk (Prospective cohort study of soy food intake and colorectal cancer risk in women. Am J Clin Nutr February 2009 vol. 89 no. 2 577-583).

      Similarly, a Japanese population study of over 75 thousand men and women found a decreased risk of lung cancer among people who consumed soy products on a regular basis (Isoflavone intake and risk of lung cancer: a prospective cohort study in Japan. Am J Clin Nutr March 2010 vol. 91 no. 3 722-728 ).

      Given the existence of (weak) evidence that postmenopausal therapy with oral estrogen may increases breast cancer risk, it is recommended that women at risk of, or who already have been diagnosed with breast cancer, should avoid soy products just to be on the safe side. For more information on phytoestrogens and their benefits, see: http://nutritionfacts.org/?s=phytoestrogens

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  • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=676800493 Benjamin Stone

    Another great video review of research I would otherwise not have seen, thanks for sharing this!

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  • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1019683751 Allison Grose-Reece

    Dr. Greger,
    Is this your voice on the videos?
    Allison

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    • Michael Greger M.D.

      All me! (though sometimes you hear my dog Lilly barking in the background :)

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      • angie

        HI DR GREGER,  MY DAUGHTER GOT BREAST CANCER AT 29YRS OLD AND DIED AT 32YRS LAST YEAR.  SHE WAS INITIALLY TOLD MISDIAGNOSED AND TREATED.  SHE WAS TOLD THAT SHE DIDNT HAVE THE BRCA GENE.  SEVERAL YEARS LATER HER NEW PHYSICIAN SAID THAT SHE  HAD TRIPLE NEGATIVE RECEPTOR GENE AND HAD  THE BRCA GENE.  I HAVE BEEN VEGETARIAN FOR EIGHT YEARS AND IM NOW VEGAN  FOR ABOUT 4YRS.  WE STILL HAVE OTHER DAUGHTERS AND A SON TO BE CONCERNED ABOUT GETTING CANCER TOO.  IS THIS CANCER DESTINED TO EFFECT MY OTHER CHILDREN TOO(SOME EAT MEAT AND DAIRY LIKE THEIR SISTER DID)?  THANKS

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  • chewy

    how does eating 2TAblespoons of ground flaxseed daily effect estrogen levels in women??any risk/danger of consuming it?

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    • Toxins

      phytoestrogens are different from xenoestrogens. phytoestrogens, found in only plants, do NOT raise estrogen levels while xenoestrogens, found in milk, significantly raises estrogen levels.
      http://nutritionfacts.org/videos/just-the-flax-maam/

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