Why Is Estrogen Everywhere?

The Marketing Machine Behind Hormone Therapy

If you’ve spent any time scrolling social media or listening to health podcasts lately, you’ve probably noticed a surge in the promotion of (HRT) estrogen therapy. Suddenly, it seems like every celebrity and doctor is pushing the idea that menopause is an “estrogen deficiency” that must be corrected. But WHY the big push for estrogen, and why isn’t progesterone getting the same attention?

Estrogen = Big Business

Estrogen therapy, especially for menopause and anti-aging, is a multi-billion-dollar industry. Pharmaceutical companies have long-established patents on various estrogen products, from pills to patches to creams. These patented formulations mean exclusivity, which translates to higher profits. In contrast, progesterone—particularly bioidentical progesterone—is widely available as a generic medication and in over-the-counter (OTC) forms, making it harder for drug companies to control the market and cash in.

Beyond the business side, estrogen also has a stronghold in regulatory approvals. While synthetic progestins (not the same as natural progesterone) have been part of mainstream hormone replacement therapy (HRT), bio-identical progesterone hasn’t received the same level of pharmaceutical backing. This keeps estrogen at the forefront of conventional menopause treatments.

Changing the Narrative on Menopause

One of the biggest marketing strategies behind estrogen is redefining menopause as a hormone deficiency rather than a natural transition. The idea being sold is that once women hit menopause, their estrogen levels drop, and they need to replenish it to stay youthful, healthy, and vibrant.

Social media influencers, celebrities, and even some doctors have jumped on this trend, promoting HRT as the ultimate solution to aging. And let’s be honest—estrogen is an easy sell when it’s linked to benefits like better skin, bone health, and staving off dementia. Women looking for anti-aging solutions are being told that estrogen is the key, even though the science on this is far from clear-cut.

Where’s Progesterone?

If estrogen is getting all this attention, why isn’t progesterone? There are a few reasons:

1. Less Profitability – Unlike estrogen, bioidentical progesterone (like Prometrium) is available as a generic drug and in OTC forms, so there’s less money in it for Big Pharma.

2. Misunderstood Role – Many doctors still think of progesterone only in terms of pregnancy, ignoring its crucial role in balancing estrogen, supporting brain health, and promoting healthy blood sugar regulation.

3. Compounded vs. Pharmaceutical Control– A lot of women use compounded bioidentical progesterone from specialized pharmacies, which makes it harder for large drug companies to dominate the market like they do with estrogen. ...which may explain the increasing regulatory scrutiny on compounding pharmacies—but that’s a discussion for another time.

4. Medicalizing Menopause – The current mainstream approach treats menopause as a problem that needs estrogen to "fix" it. Since progesterone is often seen as unnecessary unless a woman has a uterus (to protect against estrogen-driven uterine growth), it gets pushed to the background.

The Missing Piece: Metabolism and the Pro-Metabolic Approach

One of the biggest oversights in mainstream HRT is the role of metabolism and thyroid health. Your thyroid is the master regulator of hormone balance, and when it’s sluggish, estrogen can accumulate in the tissues rather than being properly metabolized and cleared. Yet, most doctors don’t test thyroid function thoroughly, let alone consider its impact on estrogen dominance.

Instead of jumping straight to estrogen therapy—especially when testing for it is unreliable (since estrogen collects in tissues, not just the blood)—it makes more sense to focus on boosting metabolism first. When your metabolism is functioning optimally, hormones naturally regulate themselves, and symptoms of estrogen dominance often resolve without the need for risky interventions.

Progesterone: The Safer, Metabolism-Boosting Alternative

Unlike estrogen, bioidentical progesterone supports metabolism, protects the brain, and balances excess estrogen. It’s one of the safest ways to promote healthy hormone levels without the well-documented risks of estrogen therapy, like blood clots, stroke, and breast cancer. Yet, progesterone gets far less attention because it’s not as profitable for the pharmaceutical industry—most forms are available as generics or compounded formulations rather than patented, high-dollar prescriptions.

Lack of Adequate Testing: Are You Really Estrogen-Deficient?

Another major flaw in the estrogen-first approach is how doctors determine if you’re “low” in estrogen. Most rely on serum (blood) estrogen tests, which tell us little about how much estrogen is actually stored in the body. Estrogen is a tissue-loving hormone, meaning it accumulates in fat cells, organs, and even the brain—so just because your blood test shows “low” estrogen doesn’t mean you need more. In fact, many women already have excess stored estrogen, which is why they struggle with symptoms like weight gain, breast tenderness, PMS, and fibroids.

A Smarter Approach to Hormone Balance

Rather than blindly supplementing estrogen, it’s better to support the body’s natural hormone balance by:

✔️ Boosting thyroid function (temperature & pulse tracking are great tools for this)

✔️ Using bioidentical progesterone to safely balance estrogen and support metabolism

✔️ Supporting liver detox pathways to help clear excess estrogen

✔️ Eating pro-metabolic, nutrient-dense foods that nourish the thyroid and adrenals

If you’re ready to take a pro-metabolic approach to hormone balance, there are resources to help:

➡️ Join the Estrogen Dominance Support Group on Facebook

➡️ Follow me on Instagram @healthygutgirlofficial

➡️ Check out the Healthy Gut Girl Vault on [healthygutgirl.com](https://healthygutgirl.com) for courses like The Couples Hormone Reset and The Detoxification Course to guide you toward true hormone and gut health.

Take the safer, smarter route—support your body before jumping on the estrogen bandwagon.