What Is Phase 3 Hormone Detox?

Aug 26

One of my absolute favorite topics in all of science is the detoxification of your hormones, specifically estrogens. Estrone (E1) and estradiol (E2) generally go through 3 phases of breakdown in order to render them water soluble. This means you can then eliminate them through your kidneys into your urine or through your intestines into your stool. This is final step is known as phase 3 detoxification. It’s important this phase is working well as it gets your hormones OUT of the body similar to your sewer line drawing all the waste from your house.

If I focus in on your intestines, it’s made up of trillions of microbes known as your microbiome. They play a huge role in how your intestines functions, how you do or don’t absorb nutrients, how you do or don’t make neurotransmitter hormones, and even how you detoxify!

A subset of your microbiome is known as the Estrobolome. It’s a play on the words “estrogen” and “microbiome” squished together. These are the microbiomes that very specifically dictate if your estrogen leaves in your poop or gets reabsorbed into your body.

When you are getting rid of estrone or estradiol, it gets attached to one of two molecules that make it water soluble. Think of it like your body putting your estrogens in a box with a lid and taping it shut so it’s all ready to be mailed off.

The estrobolome microbes make an enzyme known as beta-glucuronidase (BG). BG has a few roles, but mainly it acts like scissors. If you have a lot of BG, then those scissors are going to cut open the box and allow estrogens to fly free and get pulled back into the body instead of going out in your poop in the box.

Research in this area is very cool as it clearly shows how your gut health plays a role in your hormone health.

They have linked the estrobolome to PCOS, estrogen-related cancers, visceral weight gain, endometriosis and more. It may even play a role in your PMS and fibroids.

There are several functional stool tests available that evaluate the enzyme, beta-glucuronidase; however, there is conflicting evidence in the literature of their accuracy even though the very research evaluating the estrobolome use stool tests themselves. I’m confused too.

Regardless, what can you do?

Thankfully, your microbiome is VERY modifiable everyday through your daily habits and diet.

For example, things that can worsen your microbiome include:

Antibiotic and antimicrobial agents
Alcohol
Going through the menopausal transition (it’s not fair)
Infections - bacteria, viruses, parasites, etc.
Poor oral health such as gum disease/periodontitis

Things that support a healthy microbiome:

Take care of your oral health - see a dentist regularly
Minimize or avoid alcohol
Prebiotic fibers in foods (Jicama, apple pectin, fermented foods, asparagus, leeks, onions, green bananas, etc.)
Probiotics
Postbiotics such as butyrate (best in organic butter or as a supplement)
Hormone replacement therapy (specifically, estradiol)
Certain supplements such as berberine
BG inhibitor supplements such as Calcium-d-Glucarate
Food diversity - stop eating the exact same thing on rotation every day!

In the end, your microbiome plays a massive role in your health through every decade of your life, especially as you move through your mid-life years. Helping to support your microbiome as best you can will only help with appropriate estrogen detoxification through phase 3.