07/11/2026
Could estrogen dominance be the reason you have stubborn weight settling around your hips and belly despite your best efforts? Or perhaps your periods are getting heavier and your mood feels unpredictable.
I’m Dr. Malaika Woods, a double board-certified physician in obstetrics and gynecology and obesity medicine. After treating women in perimenopause and menopause for more than a decade, and navigating my own hormonal and metabolic challenges, I have seen how often this pattern is misunderstood or missed.
Estrogen dominance does not always mean estrogen is high. It can mean estrogen is too high in relation to progesterone, creating symptoms even when your lab results appear “in range.” This imbalance is especially common during the stage called the “zone of chaos,” when estrogen becomes unpredictable while progesterone steadily declines.
In this video, I explain what estrogen dominance really means, the overlooked factors that can make it worse, and how it may affect your sleep, mood, metabolism, thyroid function, and inflammation.
What I find most encouraging is that estrogen dominance is not something you simply have to live with. Once the full hormonal picture is understood, there are practical ways to address the drivers and support your body more effectively.
Subscribe for more evidence-informed hormone education, and comment below: which symptom has been the most difficult for you?
