Symptoms of Hormone Imbalance
Most people will experience hormone imbalance at one point or another in their lives. For many, the symptoms of hormone imbalance occur during middle age as hormone levels naturally start to decline. In addition to natural factors, other factors can trigger hormonal imbalance symptoms. These include the high levels of stress associated with today’s world, our increasingly poor nutrition habits, and our lack of proper exercise.
Hormone imbalance symptoms can be difficult to distinguish from other symptoms and can be easily confused with other potential ailments. If you suspect that your symptoms indicate a hormonal imbalance, consult a doctor with extensive knowledge of treatment for hormone imbalance, like the experienced practitioners at Nava Center.
Most Common Symptoms of Hormone Imbalance
If you’re wondering whether your symptoms could be due to a hormone imbalance, here are a few symptoms to look out for:
- Weight gain
- Memory fog
- Muscle loss
- Hot flashes
- Night sweats
- Mood swings
- Anxiety
- Depression
- Insomnia or trouble sleeping
- Fatigue
- Low energy
- Erectile dysfunction
- Vaginal dryness
- PMS
It’s important to take a comprehensive, whole-body approach rather than treating your health concerns in isolation to truly understand and effectively address signs of hormonal imbalance. While conventional medicine might offer temporary relief through quick fixes, the key to finding lasting relief and restoring balance lies in identifying and treating the underlying causes of your symptoms.
What Causes Hormonal Imbalance in Men and Women?
The balance of hormone levels in your body is delicate and can be easily disrupted. Hormone imbalances are mainly caused by short periods of stress, chronic stress, hormonal disorders like polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) and diabetes, birth control or pregnancy, and aging processes like menopause or andropause.
- Poor diet and nutrition: A poor diet is a major contributor to a hormone imbalance. Eating a lower-quality diet, such as saturated fats from fried foods, fatty meats, and highly processed foods, can impact your insulin, cortisol, and sex hormones.
- Type 1 and type 2 diabetes: Hormonal imbalances can also be caused by diabetes. In type 1 diabetes, there is a lack of functioning beta cells, resulting in the absence of insulin and amylin hormones. On the other hand, type 2 diabetes is characterized by insufficient insulin production or impaired insulin utilization by the body, leading to an accumulation of glucose in the bloodstream.
- Stress: Chronic or prolonged stress triggers the production of cortisol. Cortisol is a hormone produced in the adrenal gland that raises your blood pressure, heart rate, and muscle tension.
- Underactive thyroid (hypothyroidism) and overactive thyroid (hyperthyroidism): As the thyroid gland stores and makes hormones that affect every organ in your body, hypothyroidism or hyperthyroidism will impact your metabolism, body weight, energy levels, and overall health.
- Polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS): This occurs when the ovaries don’t develop eggs properly or when the eggs aren’t released during ovulation. The cause of PCOS isn’t known, but it can lead to imbalanced hormones. Moreover, PCOS is a fairly common condition, affecting an estimated 10 percent of women.
- Natural aging processes like menopause in women or andropause in men:During middle age, men typically experience a decline in testosterone levels, while women experience a decrease in estrogen levels. This hormonal imbalance can lead to numerous symptoms that could impact both health and quality of life.
Treatment for Hormonal Imbalance
While the symptoms of hormone imbalance can range from mild to severe, there are solutions available. If you’re experiencing one or more of these symptoms, getting tested by an experienced bioidentical hormone replacement therapy (BHRT) doctor can help you find the cause of your symptoms and develop a safe, effective hormonal imbalance treatment plan. It’s more than just treating a symptom – it’s getting to the root cause of what’s really wrong.
Contact Nava Center today to schedule your BHRT consultation.