Let’s talk about something most women don’t realize during perimenopause and menopause:
your liver and your hormones are best friends.
When that relationship gets strained — say your liver is a little sluggish — estrogen starts hanging around longer than it should. And that’s when things start to feel off.
Why Estrogen Dominance Can Still Happen in Menopause
You might think estrogen dominance only happens when estrogen is high, but here’s the catch: it’s all about the ratio.
If estrogen isn’t being cleared well, or if progesterone is super low (which it naturally drops during menopause), you can still have estrogen dominance symptoms — even when total estrogen levels are lower.
That’s why you can have hot flashes and breast tenderness… mood swings and belly weight. So. Much. Fun.
Your Liver: The Unsung Hormone Hero
Your liver doesn’t just filter toxins — it’s your hormone processing plant.
Every day, it takes used-up estrogen molecules, tags them for removal, and sends them out through bile or urine.
But when it’s overwhelmed — maybe from stress, lack of sleep, alcohol, sugar, medications, or just plain midlife overload — it starts to fall behind.
That’s when estrogen can get recycled instead of released.
Those estrogen metabolites can circulate again and again, turning into the stronger, more stimulating forms that trigger symptoms like:
- Heavier or erratic bleeding
- Breast tenderness
- Puffy, water-retaining feeling
- Mood swings or irritability
- Weight gain around hips and belly
Sound familiar?
The Liver–Gut Connection
Your gut plays a role too. If digestion is sluggish or your microbiome is off balance, an enzyme called beta-glucuronidase can actually reactivate estrogen your liver tried to get rid of — sending it right back into circulation.
It’s like cleaning your house and having someone dump the garbage bag back on the floor.
How to Support a Tired Liver Naturally
Here’s the good news — your body knows how to restore balance when you give it the right tools.
- Food that helps: Load up on cruciferous veggies (broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, kale) — they contain sulfur compounds that help your liver neutralize excess estrogen.
- Add fiber every day: Fiber binds to estrogen in the gut so it can leave the body instead of being reabsorbed. The doTERRA Fiber is a super tasty and effective way to get your fiber in!
- Stay hydrated & move your body: Water and movement keep bile and lymph flowing.
- Ease the liver’s load: Cut back on alcohol, refined sugar, and processed oils — simple but powerful.
- Use natural helpers: The Revitazen capsules and oil are incredible at reviving your cleansing organs, lemon in your water, and castor oil packs over the liver can gently boost circulation and detox flow.
A Word About Castor Oil Packs
I love these. They’re simple, ancient, and surprisingly effective.
Castor oil increases lymphatic flow and helps bile move — two major pathways your liver uses to clear estrogen. I usually recommend applying it over your liver area (upper right abdomen) for about 45–60 minutes, a few nights a week. You might notice better digestion, more regular elimination, and even deeper sleep.
It’s like giving your liver a little TLC so it can do its job again.
Bottom Line
Estrogen dominance during peri-menopause and menopause doesn’t mean you have to accept it and the symptoms that come with it! — but your detox pathways are needing some love.
Your liver, gut, and hormones are in constant conversation. When you support one, you support them all.
So if your body’s been giving you those “slow liver” signals — bloating, irritability, or that foggy, heavy feeling — take it as a nudge, not a flaw.
Your body’s whispering, “Hey… I just need a little help keeping up.”
And when you listen, everything starts to flow again. 💛
If you would like to learn more about supporting your body during PeriMenopause, you’ll like this video: