Hormone imbalance is widespread in the female population. It is estimated that as many as 80% of women experience imbalanced hormones during their lifetime. In this blog post, we are going to talk about signs of hormone imbalance that most women often ignore.
But women mustn’t be blamed for ignoring the symptoms of hormone imbalance. They can be extremely confusing, even for medical doctors, and often creep up on a person so slowly that it’s difficult to discern if a change has actually occurred at all.
It’s really important to know what the key symptoms are so you can spot a problem during its early stages because imbalances can damage the body permanently if not attended to. Their effects can be widespread–being felt on a physical, emotional and mental level.
Hormones play such a key role in the body, yet they do their work silently. Until something goes awry, we may not even know they’re there, keeping our sleep/wake cycles regular, maintaining our energy levels and driving a healthy libido.
Here are the thirteen signs of hormone imbalance to keep an eye out for:
1. Insomnia
When your progesterone levels drop, your sleep may be affected. Look out for trouble getting, and staying, asleep.
2. Chronic Fatigue
Everyone gets tired sometimes, but feeling tired often and being unable to recover from your daily activities may point to a problem with your hormones. Progesterone being too high, thyroid being too low or a disruption in your adrenal hormones are common easily fixable causes of chronic fatigue.
3. Memory Problems
Changes in estrogen and progesterone levels can make it harder to think clearly and remember things. Your thyroid hormone levels may be to blame here but be sure to talk to your doctor about any memory problems you’re having so they can check thoroughly for the cause.
4. Stubborn Acne
Persistent acne can have a hormonal component. It may signal that there are too many androgens circulating in your bloodstream, causing your oil glands to produce too much oil, which then clogs your pores.
5. Headaches
Headaches that appear during the same time of the month may suggest your estrogen levels are dropping during that time.
6. Stomach Problems
If your hormones are fluctuating, it can cause stomach pain, bloating, queasiness or even diarrhea and constipation.
7. Irregular Periods
If you’ve been skipping periods or they are starting and finishing at different times each month, it can indicate that your estrogen or progesterone levels are not where they should be naturally.
8. Breast Changes
Breasts that feel denser and thicker than normal may suggest higher estrogen levels, just as less dense-feeling breasts may indicate the opposite.
9. Hot Flashes And Night Sweats
Hot flashes and night sweats are caused by low estrogen levels and may appear during the period before menopause, otherwise known as perimenopause (meaning around the time of menopause).
Sweating can also be caused by hyper- and hypothyroidism.
10. Increased Appetite
When estrogen levels are low, the hormone that controls appetite—leptin—can become dys-regulated. Cravings for salty and sweet foods and feelings of intense hunger when your body doesn’t really need to eat may also be caused by imbalances in the adrenals, thyroid, and pancreas.
11. Depression & Mood Swings
Sudden changes in your estrogen levels can also affect the brain chemicals dopamine and serotonin, scrambling your moods and leaving you feeling down.
12. Vaginal Dryness
As estrogen levels drop, it can prevent your vagina from lubricating effectively. It’s normal for this to happen from time to time, but if this problem recurs often, it may be a good idea to get your doctor to examine you and check your hormone levels.
13. Low Libido
When testosterone levels diminish, it can drastically affect how interested in sex you are.
The Bottom Line Is…
There are many natural solutions to hormone balance. Often, the first step is to get your hormone levels checked. From there, you can take advantage of the many nutritional, lifestyle and other treatments available to you.
Optimal hormones are one of the secrets to not just feeling great but also for protecting you from future disease like Alzheimer’s and heart disease. If your doctor dismisses your request to fully evaluate your hormones, find one who is well trained in hormones and will help you. Life is short and you deserve to feel amazing.
