Hormonal Imbalance

Many people unknowingly suffer from hormone imbalance. A host of medical problems can be caused by imbalanced hormones and should be dealt with as soon as possible. 

Types of Hormone Imbalance

Hormone imbalance is a general term that can refer to upset levels of any variety of your body's natural regulatory substances. 

Hormones that are commonly imbalanced include:

• Estrogen, which regulates secondary sexual characteristics in females.

• Testosterone, which regulates secondary sexual characteristics in males.

• Melatonin, which regulates sleep.

• Ghrelin and Leptin, which regulate appetite and fat storage.

• Thyroid, which regulates metabolism in every cell in the body.

• Aldosterone, which regulates salt and water levels

• Cortisol, which regulates stress and energy.

• Progesterone, which regulates pregnancy and menstruation.

• DHEA (dehydroepiandrosterone), which is a potent precursor to other androgen hormones.

Symptoms of Hormone Imbalance

Some of the signs of hormone imbalance are:

• Estrogen: Weight gain, breast cancer, hot flashes, joint pain, migraines

• Testosterone: Low sex drive, male pattern baldness, irregular menses, acne

• Melatonin: Lack of sleep, insomnia, depression

• Ghrelin: Excessive hunger, overeating

• Thyroid: Fatigue, hair loss, muscle cramps, constipation, heavy menses, anxiety, irregular heartbeat

• Aldosterone: High blood pressure

• Cortisol: Weight gain, Excessive stress, high blood pressure

• Progesterone: Low sex drive, mood swings, cramps, urinary tract infections

• DHEA: Adrenal fatigue, joint pain, frequent sickness, loss of muscle mass

Since many people typically experience an imbalance of more than one hormone, you may experience any number of these symptoms as a result of imbalance.

Hormone Imbalance Treatment

Hormone imbalance is a complex medical issue. As such, a variety of options are available to treat or help. 

Treatments for imbalanced hormones can include:

• Changes in lifestyle, such as increased exercise, healthier diet, better sleep and reduced stress.

• Vitamins & supplements, such as vitamin D, B, magnesium, dandelion, melatonin, zinc, and black cohosh.

• Hormone replacement therapy (HRT), including Bio-identical hormone replacement therapy (BHRT).

• Gynecological exams to assess the health of vaginal tissue as well as PAP testing as necessary.

Take Control

Hormonal imbalance can cause debilitating and even life-threatening problems.