Seed Cycling While on HRT: How It Works, Why It Helps, and How to Start

One of the most common questions we’re asked is:

“Can I seed cycle while on HRT?”
Closely followed by,
“Is it safe?”
and sometimes,
“Could seed cycling replace my HRT altogether?”

These are important questions and in this article, we’ll unpack them clearly and factually.

In Australia, hormone replacement therapy now called menopausal hormone therapy (MHT) is one of several approaches women may choose to manage menopause.

Some women use MHT under medical guidance, others prefer to support their hormones naturally, and many combine both.

Our role isn’t to tell you which approach to take. We hope to help you understand how your body processes hormones whether they’re naturally produced or prescribed and how nutrition can support that process safely and effectively.

Because regardless of how estrogen enters the body, one thing remains true:
it must be metabolised, balanced, and cleared efficiently by your liver and gut for hormonal harmony to be maintained.

That’s where seed cycling can play a supportive, complementary role helping your body’s natural detoxification and elimination systems work at their best.

What Is Menopausal Hormone Therapy (MHT)?

In Australia, MHT is one of several evidence-based options for managing menopausal symptoms and supporting bone health.

Most MHT prescribed today uses body-identical (bioidentical) hormones particularly estradiol (E2), which is chemically identical to the estrogen your ovaries once produced.

Once absorbed, this estrogen follows the same metabolic and elimination pathways as the hormones your body used to make primarily through the liver and gut.

That’s why the health of these systems directly affects how well your hormones whether natural or prescribed are balanced and cleared.

⚠️ Important: Seed cycling is a nutritional support, not a medical treatment or replacement for MHT. Always follow your healthcare provider’s advice when using prescribed therapies.

How Estrogen Is Metabolised

Your body processes estrogen through a series of enzyme-driven steps that occur mainly in the liver and intestinal tract.

Step 1 – Phase I (Hydroxylation)

Estrogens (estradiol, estrone) are first transformed by enzymes such as CYP1A1, CYP1B1, and CYP3A4 into intermediate metabolites — 2-hydroxy, 4-hydroxy, and 16-hydroxy estrogens.

Step 2 – Phase II (Conjugation)

These metabolites are then bound to molecules like glucuronic acid, sulfate, or methyl groups, which makes them water-soluble and ready for excretion via bile or urine.
This step depends on nutrients including B vitamins, magnesium, zinc, and selenium — many of which are abundant in seeds.

Step 3 – Gut Elimination and Recirculation

Once estrogen metabolites reach the gut, they are meant to be excreted in stool.
However, if digestion is sluggish or the gut microbiome produces excessive β-glucuronidase, estrogen that was “packaged” for removal can become unbound and reabsorbed into the bloodstream.

This process, called enterohepatic recirculation, can raise circulating estrogen levels — even in women taking medically prescribed doses of MHT.

📚 Studies such as Adlercreutz et al. (1984) and Kwa et al. (2016) have demonstrated the gut–liver–hormone connection in estrogen metabolism.

Why This Matters for Women on HRT or Going Natural

Whether you’re taking MHT or managing menopause naturally, your body still depends on liver and gut efficiency to maintain hormonal balance.

When estrogen is metabolised and cleared efficiently, it supports energy, skin, mood, and bone health.

When it’s recycled due to sluggish detoxification or poor gut function, symptoms such as bloating, breast tenderness, and mood changes can persist — regardless of hormone source.

That’s where nutritional support for estrogen metabolism becomes valuable for both groups of women.

How Seed Cycling Supports Hormone Metabolism

Seed cycling is a simple, food-based rhythm using flax, pumpkin, sesame, and sunflower seeds to naturally support hormone metabolism and liver detoxification.

Each seed contributes specific nutrients and phytochemicals that enhance detoxification, gut function, and hormone receptor balance.

Evidence for Nutritional Support

While “seed cycling” as a named protocol has not yet been studied in clinical trials, the mechanisms behind it are well-documented in nutrition science.

Flaxseed lignans modulate estrogen metabolism and improve estrogen balance (Lampe et al., Am J Clin Nutr, 1994; Brooks et al., Br J Nutr, 2004).

Sesame seed lignans and fibre lower β-glucuronidase activity and enhance estrogen clearance (Chen et al., Nutrients, 2019).

Zinc and selenium are essential cofactors for hepatic detoxification enzymes (Burk & Hill, J Nutr, 2015).

Dietary fibre improves estrogen excretion and lowers circulating estradiol (Gaskins et al., J Nutr, 2009).

Together, these findings show that liver and gut support can help the body handle both natural and supplemental hormones efficiently.

How to Seed Cycle — With or Without a Period

This information is based on an average 28-day menstrual rhythm, divided into two phases of roughly 14 days each. However, “regular” cycles can vary widely — anywhere from 21 to 35 days is considered normal — and it’s also common for your cycle length to change slightly from month to month.

If your cycle isn’t exactly 28 days, simply adjust the timing to match your body:

• Take The Seed Cycle Phase 1 (Flax + Pumpkin) from Day 1 of your period until ovulation.

• Switch to The Seed Cycle Phase 2 (Sesame + Sunflower) after ovulation and continue until your next period begins.

You can identify ovulation through changes such as:

• a rise in basal body temperature,

• mid-cycle cervical mucus that becomes clear and stretchy, or

• ovulation predictor kits (if you use them).

🌸 This information is educational and not a substitute for medical advice. Always consult your healthcare provider if you have concerns about your menstrual cycle or hormone health.

If your menstrual cycle is regular, follow your natural rhythm:

If you’re perimenopausal, post-menopausal, or using continuous MHT (and no longer bleeding), use the moon phases to guide your rhythm:

This gentle rhythm maintains connection to your body’s natural cycles and provides consistent nutritional support.

How to Use The Seed Cycle Products

Each Seed Cycle blend contains freshly ground, bioavailable seeds in the right ratios for each phase.

Directions:

Take 1 Seed Cycle Scoop or 2 tablespoons daily, added to smoothies, yoghurt, porridge, or salads.

Switch from Phase 1 to Phase 2 after about 14 days (or at the Full Moon).

Continue rhythmically through each month, whether you menstruate or not.

🌸 Seed cycling can safely complement MHT or a natural menopause approach, supporting hormone metabolism through whole-food nutrition.

Seed Cycling + Protein for Menopause

We love our Seed Cycling + Protein blends for women in menopause because protein becomes even more important during this phase of life. Adequate protein supports muscle strength, metabolism, and hormone balance, yet many women find it harder to digest or include enough in their day.

Featuring complete, bioavailable proteins like Inca Inchi and Hemp Seed, it provides a rich amino acid profile that’s gentle on digestion supporting your body with clean, purposeful fuel every day of the month. Perfect for those who want balanced hormones, sustained energy, and a simple way to meet their protein needs naturally.

What Our Community Experiences

Many women find that seed cycling is a gradual, cumulative practice and the benefits build over time. Within the first month, it’s common to notice subtle but encouraging shifts such as brighter skin, improved digestion, and more balanced energy.

By around three months, as the body adjusts to a consistent rhythm of nutrients and healthy fats, women often report steadier hormone balance, fewer hot flushes, better sleep, and feeling more satisfied after meals thanks to the fiber and essential fatty acids naturally present in the seeds.

While everyone’s experience is unique, most find that three months of consistent seed cycling allows their body to truly respond restoring a sense of balance, nourishment, and connection with their natural rhythm.

🇦🇺 The Australian Context

In Australia, MHT is prescribed following Australasian Menopause Society (AMS) and RACGP guidelines, which recommend:

Using TGA-approved, body-identical hormones (such as transdermal estradiol).

Prescribing the lowest effective dose for symptom relief.

Avoiding compounded, unregulated “bioidentical” preparations unless medically indicated.

MHT remains a valuable medical option, but it is not the only way to support hormonal health.

Nutrition, lifestyle, and gut support all play important complementary roles.

Seed cycling fits safely alongside either approach supporting the liver and gut pathways that manage hormone metabolism, naturally.

Important: Always consult your healthcare provider before changing your MHT plan or introducing new supplements.

The Takeaway

Whether your hormones are natural, prescribed, or a mix of both your liver and gut are the foundation of hormone balance.

Seed cycling supports these systems through simple, evidence-based nutrition helping your body metabolise and clear hormones efficiently, and maintain steadier, more balanced energy, mood, and wellbeing.

It’s a natural rhythm that can complement any phase of life.

References

Adlercreutz H, et al. J Steroid Biochem. 1984;20(4B):1033–1038.

Kwa M, Plottel CS, Blaser MJ, Adams S. The Intestinal Microbiome and Estrogen Receptor–Positive Female Breast Cancer. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2016;101(4):1814–1821.

Lampe JW, et al. Modulation of urinary estrogen metabolites by dietary flaxseed in premenopausal women. Am J Clin Nutr. 1994;60(5):605–611.

Brooks JD, et al. Dietary flaxseed alters estrogen metabolism in postmenopausal women. Br J Nutr. 2004;91(2):239–248.

Chen L, et al. Effect of sesame seed supplementation on gut β-glucuronidase and estrogen metabolism. Nutrients. 2019;11(4):853.

Gaskins AJ, et al. Dietary fiber and circulating estradiol levels among premenopausal women. J Nutr. 2009;139(3):474–481.

Burk RF, Hill KE. Regulation of Selenium Metabolism and Transport. J Nutr. 2015;145(4):839–844.

Australasian Menopause Society. Guide to MHT/HRT Doses – Australia (2025 Update).

RACGP. Pharmacologic approaches to menopause management. Australian Prescriber. 2025.