Did you know about oestrogen detoxing and why it’s important in midlife? No? Well fear not, because we have got the A-Z of it right here, courtesy of our Hip & Healthy health experts – notepads at the ready everyone!

What is Oestrogen Detoxing?

If you think you need to hold onto every single drop of oestrogen in your body – think again. Dr Caitlin Hall, a Neuroscientist and Registered Dietitian specialising in the gut-brain axis and women’s health explains  “Oestrogen detoxing” refers to the process of how the body metabolises and eliminates excess or used oestrogen, which is a completely normal and an essential biological function”. 

How does it work?

In short, it’s all about the liver and the gut. The liver breaks the oestrogen down into different metabolites, so they can be excreted.  The gut microbiome, or “the estrobolome” as it is known, refers to specific gut bacteria that help regulate oestrogen levels. These microbes produce an enzyme called beta-glucuronidase, which can either help remove oestrogen from the body, or reabsorb it if overactive. A healthy estrobolome supports the balance of oestrogen in the body by keeping the right bacteria in check and helping eliminate excess hormones through our bowel movements. 

Why should we care?

When used or excess oestrogen isn’t cleared properly, it can recirculate in a more potent form, increasing the risk of hormone-related symptoms and conditions.  Nadine Bowen Price is a registered nutritionist and naturopath she says “By supporting oestrogen detoxification, we can ease symptoms, improve energy, and protect our future health, after all, Midlife can be a time of empowerment not chaos when we work with our bodies, not against them”. As a result, supporting this process in midlife is so important not just for symptom relief, but for long-term health, including breast, bone, and heart health.

Living a life in balance
Cassandra Hawthorne (MSc, Lic Ac, MBAcC, CHM Dip) is a licensed Chinese medicine practitioner and views oestrogen detoxing more through the lens of yin and yang with yin being the cooling, nourishing, and inward-moving, while yang is warming, active, and outward. Ideally we want a harmonious balance and if there is oestrogen dominance, it is not seen as a surplus of yin, but rather as a yin-yang imbalance. The therapeutic goal is to support the movement of Qi (vital energy), in order to restore yang energy, and ensure smooth circulation of blood and fluids in the body which is achieved through both dietary and lifestyle practices.

She recommends staying physically active, avoiding long hot baths, and keeping the lower back, abdomen, and legs warm. Choose warming cooking methods like roasting or slow cooking, that include warming herbs like dried ginger, cinnamon, cloves, basil, grains and seeds such as oats, spelt, quinoa, and reducing raw, cold, or overly cooling foods such as cucumber, mint, and iced drinks.

Ultimately, she says, oestrogen balance is achieved not by forcing detox, but by gently restoring the body’s natural rhythm and supporting the flow of energy through thoughtful, harmonising choices.

Prioritise your Gut and Liver

Midlife is a time when our metabolism slows down and we can see a decline in the beneficial gut bacteria that are key to oestrogen detoxing and essential for the maintenance of a healthy gut barrier, and for regulating immune functions, and also have anti-inflammatory effects, so when their levels drop, it can make our metabolic and hormonal issues worse. As a result, supporting a healthy gut microbiome and healthy liver in midlife is essential. This can be done via diet and lifestyle changes:

Our Experts’ Recommendations:

• Eat plenty of cruciferous vegetables like broccoli, cauliflower and kale, which may help favour the production of more protective oestrogen metabolites
• Include lots of prebiotic dietary fibre, which helps with excretion of oestrogen via the gut and also acts as food for your gut bacteria like onions, leeks, garlic, oats and bananas.
• Add ground flaxseeds to meals – they contain lignans that may help modulate oestrogen levels
• Support your gut with fermented foods rich in probiotics like kefir or sauerkraut, and live yoghurt 
• Make sure your diet contains enough B vitamins, magnesium and other nutrients that support liver detoxification pathways
• Minimise alcohol and ultra-processed foods, which can interfere with liver function and increase inflammation and hydrate well.
• Up your fibre intake through vegetables, flaxseeds, oats, and legumes, will help bind excess oestrogen in the gut and promote daily bowel movements.
• Ensure you are moving everyday.

Products to help with detoxing

• Magnesium to support liver cleansing – Bare biology Ready & Rested which is a magnesium bisglycinate supplement formulated to balance energy, reduce fatigue and muscle soreness, and calm the nervous system
• Make your own sauerkraut and kefir/kombucha – Emma Ellice Flint runs fermented foods masterclasses which I can thoroughly recommend.
• Prebiotics to optimise your gut microbiome – try the Gut Fibre Cleansing Powder from supplement brand Swiish which is a soluble fibre that’s incredibly gentle on the body, that helps strengthen and diversify the gut microbiome creating a balance of healthy bacteria to help deactivate oestrogen and other hormones that have been used by the body..
• If you are unsure as to where you are in your hormonal journey check out Hertility Health which is an online platform setting a new standard of scientific rigour and education in female health where you can find hormone tests, nutritional advice and talk to experts.