How do I order Metagenics nutritional products?
Metagenics formulas are only available through licensed healthcare practitioners. Patients may find a practitioner.

How do I find a Metagenics practitioner near me?
Simply click here to locate a health care practitioner near you who offers Metagenics nutraceuticals and medical foods or to find a certified FirstLine Therapy practitioner who offers therapeutic lifestyle changes programs.

How do I contact Metagenics?
If you have questions about a specific Metagenics product or how to use it, please consult your health care practitioner. For other questions or comments, please Contact us Online.

What makes Metagenics different from most nutritional supplement companies?
A lot of things make us stand above other companies—a focus on patient health, quality manufacturing, ingredient testing, safety reviews, clinical testing, scientific research, unique formulas, and more. For specifics, check out the Quality Difference section.

Why is it important to support my body's ability to excrete or remove estrogen?
The ebb and flow of a woman's sex hormones have a natural rhythm, and a woman may experience as many as 500 menstrual cycles from puberty to menopause. A woman's menstrual rhythm may be influenced by factors that include her lifestyle, genetics, chemical exposures, current and past health, history of pregnancy and childbirth, and even her mother's health in pregnancy. The phases of a woman's menstrual cycle depend on certain hormones (such as estrogen and progesterone) triggering one another as their levels naturally rise and fall in a carefully orchestrated fashion. However, in modern times of high stress, pollution, and unbalanced diets, many women's menstrual cycles lose their delicate hormonal balance.

Does estrogen balance affect how I feel?
For premenopausal women (generally under the age of 45), problems with estrogen balance may manifest as premenstrual syndrome, irregular menstrual cycles, fibrocystic breast disease, endometriosis, dysmenorrhea (menstrual cramping), and/or menorrhagia (heavy menstrual bleeding). During perimenopause (generally between the ages of 45 and 55) women can also experience problems with estrogen balance, but at this time it may manifest as hot flashes, night sweats, anxiety attacks, and/or heart palpitations.

How important is my diet and regular exercise?
Estrogen balance is crucial in the cycle. Lifestyle and other previously mentioned factors can influence estrogens in various ways. Estrogens normally circulate through the body and influence various activities at a cellular level. After a time, they are broken down (detoxified) and excreted. The body can detoxify estrogens in various ways, which may increase or decrease their hormonal strength. A woman's diet, physical activity, stress level, and chemical exposures influence the way her body detoxifies estrogens. Therefore, our lifestyle choices can influence our hormone cycles! A key example of a lifestyle choice is the consumption of foods or beverages that contain saturated fats, alcohol, pesticide residues, or hormones. These can overload our organs responsible for detoxification and excretion or increase our exposure to "foreign" sources of estrogen. However, we can eat in a way that helps us detoxify and excrete estrogens safely. For some women, supporting natural hormone balance through diet, nutrition, and lifestyle modification may provide many health benefits. That's what the Estrium Program is all about.

What are the best choices when eating out?
Eating out can be a challenge. Try to stick to organic dairy and meat because of the potential hormone residues. It can be difficult, although not always impossible, to find organic beef, poultry, eggs, and dairy products. Lamb, even when not organic, might be a safer option as it is often grass fed. Vegetarian meals are another healthy option. Ethnic Indian restaurants have many lamb choices and delicious vegetarian meals, as do many Asian restaurants. Seafood restaurants are easy to find and offer cold-water fish, such as salmon, as a healthy alternative. Fast food restaurants should be a last choice; salad bars would be a safer bet here.

Can men follow this program?
This program has been designed especially for women, but men may also benefit from following the Estrium dietary plan and/or consuming Estrium. Estrium and the dietary guidelines were studied in relation to women's health concerns, but some research suggests that they might also provide nutritional support for men's health. A man's health care practitioner should determine if he could benefit from the product or dietary plan.

Is this program safe for children and adolescents?
The nutritional content of Estrium is based on adult Recommended Daily Allowances, and it has not been tested with children or adolescents. However, under the supervision of a health care provider, Estrium may be appropriate as a supplement for adolescents. Your clinician must help you decide if and how the product may be used by adolescents.

I am allergic to soy. Can I still follow this program?
Yes. Estrium is a rice-based medical food and is free of soy protein. The Estrium dietary plan can be adjusted to be soy-free as well. Estrium is manufactured without soy, wheat, gluten, dairy, egg, corn protein, artificial colors, and artificial flavors.

I am allergic to rice. Can I still follow this program?
Estrium WHEY is a whey protein-based alternative for individuals who are allergic to rice protein. In addition, the rice protein in this product is made through a patented process that appears to decrease the allergic potential of rice protein. Consult with your health care practitioner.

Does this program work if I am in menopause?
This program offers nutritional support for pre- and perimenopausal (before menopause) women when there are wide fluctuations in estrogen levels. Women in menopause have specialized nutritional needs that may not be fully satisfied by the Estrium Program.

Can I use Estrium or this dietary plan as a preventive measure for maintaining hormonal balance?
Estrium and the Estrium Program have not been tested in this way. However, long-term use of either the product or the dietary plan may benefit women with these tendencies. Your health care practitioner should decide whether or not this is a good option for you.

Should I take supplements during the Estrium Program?
Because this product contains therapeutic levels of carefully selected nutrients that provide strategic nutritional support, and because some supplements contain substances that could interfere with hormone detoxification, we suggest that you follow the recommendations of your health care practitioner.

For how long will I need to follow this program?
Clinical experience suggests that patients usually show benefits within four to eight weeks (or one to two menstrual cycles) on the program. Your health care practitioner may, after further assessment, suggest that you continue the program to obtain or sustain these benefits.

Can I follow this program if I am diabetic or hypoglycemic?
Probably, but Estrium has not been tested under these conditions. You should make this decision only with the guidance of your health care practitioner, discussing integration of this program into your prescribed diet.

Can I follow this program if I am pregnant or nursing?
No. Estrium has not been tested under these conditions and it is not recommended for use at these times.

I seem to experience increased gas or bloating while taking Estrium. Why is this?
Some patients experience minor symptoms of gas or bloating, which may be due to the fiber or mineral content of Estrium. Generally your body will adjust to this dietary change within one to two weeks. If you experience symptoms as you increase your serving size, you can return to your previous comfortable serving size for a few days before increasing it again. Be sure to drink additional water to help with the increased level of fiber in your diet, and bring any unusual symptom to the attention of your health care practitioner.

Do I need to follow this dietary plan or can I just use Estrium alone?
Estrium can be used without the accompanying dietary plan. However, for best results, they have been designed to be used together.

Why does this dietary plan specify organic meat and dairy products for those who choose to consume animal products?
Livestock that are not raised organically are often administered hormones to increase their weight more rapidly. Unfortunately, small amounts of these hormones may be passed on to those who consume these non-organic animal products. In women with symptoms related to hormone cycles, exposure to "foreign" (not naturally produced by the body) hormones may be undesirable. By consuming organic animal products, you may reduce your exposure to "foreign" hormones found in today's food supply.

What are the brown flecks left in the bottom of the glass after I consume Estrium?
This is ground defatted flaxseed, an important ingredient in Estrium. Be sure to drink all of the product.

My digestive system doesn't handle legumes very well. What can I do?
Legumes are high in protein and fiber and low in fat. To increase your tolerance for legumes, increase your intake slowly over the course of two to three weeks. You can try cooking the beans with one or two pieces of kombu seaweed, or try soaking the bean

I've heard that soy raises estrogen levels. Why is soy in this dietary plan?
Soybeans and soy products are often referred to as "phytoestrogens," though they do not raise estrogen levels. In the body, phytoestrogens ("phyto-" means plant) act as weak estrogens that, under some circumstances, compete with or complement the body's stronger estrogens in performing estrogen-related function. Phytoestrogens can behave like the body's estrogens in some ways, but with a fraction of their strength. Therefore, phytoestrogens may actually decrease the "estrogen message" that the body receives. This may be beneficial for women with symptoms related to hormone cycles. Phytoestrogens found in flax, rye, kudzu, and in other legumes have similar properties. These foods nutritionally support hormone detoxification and excretion as well.

I take oral contraceptives (birth control pills). Can I use Estrium?
This product has been formulated to support female patients who have been medically determined to have symptoms related to their hormone cycles. Our clinical experience suggests that women who use oral contraceptives and have hormone cycle-related symptoms may benefit from using Estrium. However, in a clinical study we performed, some women using oral contraceptives while using Estrium experienced menstrual bleeding at times other than their usual menstrual period. This product has not been tested for interactions with oral contraceptive medications, and the effectiveness of oral contraceptives for birth control cannot be ensured during use of Estrium. If you are using oral contraceptives as a means of birth control, you may want to consider using an additional method of birth control while you are using this product and for one month after discontinuing use of this product. Please discuss this important concern with your health care practitioner.