The body produces some precise amount of each hormone necessary for different processes to ensure your health. Basically, hormones are chemical signals that have a powerful impact on your mental, physical and emotional well-being. The sedentary lifestyle and Western diets can affect the hormonal balance of your body. Moreover, the hormone levels decrease as you age, certain individuals experience an unusual imbalance. 

This imbalance can drive dozens of medical issues and for the majority of hormones present, too much or little can cause symptoms and problems regarding your health. Although most imbalances need medical treatment, some are temporary and disappear by themselves.

Hormones are chemical substances created by different glands and tissues that form an integral part of the endocrine system. Hormones reach all of the organs and tissues in the body through the bloodstream as they transmit messages to organs informing them about the function to be done and when.

The working mechanism of the hormones include regulation of various bodily processes, including regulating appetite, metabolism, sleep cycles, stress levels and other similar activities. Since they influence a variety of functions, imbalances in specific hormones can cause discomforting symptoms.

A hormonal imbalance is when an individual has too much or less of a specific hormone, like cortisol, insulin or androgens, thyroxine and progesterone where even a slight change can cause significant changes to the body. Certain hormonal imbalances are temporary, while others can be persistent. Additionally, certain hormonal imbalances require treatment to ensure your physical health, while others might impact your overall health.

Conditions Caused By Hormonal Imbalance

Mentioned down here are some conditions that a female body may undergo when they experience hormonal imbalance:

So many hormones play a role during the cycle of menstruation which is the reason an imbalance in hormones can lead to irregular menstrual periods. Certain hormone-related disorders that can produce irregular periods are polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS) and amenorrhea.

Hormonal imbalances become the primary reason for infertility among women causing hormone-related disorders like PCOS and anovulation.

Obviously getting tired is a very common thing but if you’re always tired, you may be suffering from an issue in the thyroid gland as the constant fatigue is a sign of issues with thyroid hormone Thyroxine. Additionally, an imbalance in hormones can lead to insufficient sleep and increased stress, resulting in increased fatigue.

Acne:

A hormonal imbalance could explain the appearance of acne prior to your period. The hormonal changes can cause acne and can exacerbate skin issues.

The most common endocrine hormone-related disease is diabetes where the pancreas doesn’t produce enough insulin, or the body doesn’t make it in a proper way. The common types of diabetes include Type 2, Type 1 diabetes, and gestational diabetes.

The two most common kinds of thyroid diseases include hypothyroidism- low thyroid hormone levels and hyperthyroidism- high levels of thyroid hormone, and each one of them has a variety of possible reasons which definitely requires treatment.

Obesity:

A variety of hormones influence the way your body communicates that you require food and the way your body utilizes energy and an imbalance in certain hormones could cause weight gain through fat accumulation. 

Common Symptoms

Listed below are some common symptoms that a woman may face if there is Hormonal Imbalance in her body:

mood swings

constipation or diarrhea

irregular menstrual cycle

infertility

Severe abdominal pain during menstruation

low sex drive

insomnia

unexplained weight gain or weight loss

brittle bones

hirsutism, or excessive hair growth

rashes on the skin

Every person experiences natural cycles of hormonal imbalances or fluctuations at certain times throughout their lives, but hormonal imbalances could be a result when  endocrine glands in the body aren’t functioning well. These are basically the cells which store and produce hormones and release them into blood. 

There are a variety of glands of the endocrine system throughout the body, which control various organs including:

adrenal glands

Gonadods (testis and Ovaries)

pineal gland

pituitary gland

Hypothalamus gland

thyroid glands and parathyroid glands

Pancreatic islets

Tests To Determine The Cause of Hormonal Imbalance

Hormonal imbalance can occur because of natural life changes, including puberty, pregnancy and menopausal changes and sometimes due to numerous medical conditions can also alter hormones. It is therefore important to visit a physician to determine the root of the problem when you suffer specific symptoms.

Estrogen Test: to help identify infertility, menstrual issues, and ED

Progesterone Test: To help diagnose abnormal bleeding, infertility and adrenal gland problems

FSH Test: To help diagnose infertility and problems with the Ovaries.

TSH Test: To see how well your thyroid is performing.

DHEA Sulfate test: Tests the adrenal gland’s function, conditions of the ovaries, testicles and body hair that is excessive in females.

Some medical conditions causing hormonal imbalances, like thyroid and diabetes, may require medical attention immediately. There are many nutritional supplements that advertise that they can treat various hormonal imbalances, however only a few have been tested scientifically to be beneficial. Thus, it is important to talk with your doctor before taking supplements.

In addition to medical treatment, your doctor may suggest specific lifestyle modifications to control a hormone imbalance, like reducing your stress levels and engaging in regular exercise.

Listed below are some altercations that a person may make in their routinely life to manage their hormone imbalance:

Following exercise routine is a major factor for balancing hormones as apart from increasing blood flow to muscles, exercise enhances the sensitivity of hormone receptors and thus increases the flow of nutrients and hormone signals.

Manage Stress

When you are in a stressful condition, the body releases various hormones like adrenaline and cortisol that trigger the fight or flight response. Some management approach to lessen stress includes:

Being in nature

Deep breathing exercises

Meditation

Yoga

When an individual suffers hormonal imbalance, reducing the sugar intake can help in optimizing the function of hormones, while preventing developing diabetes, obesity and other ailments. Moreover, sweetened drinks are the most significant sources of sugar added to the Western diet and fructose found in soft drinks, fruit juices, energy drinks, etc. Thus, reducing the consumption of drinks containing sugar can boost your hormone health.

Whatever diet you consume routinely or how regular exercise you do, getting adequate restorative night sleep holds equal importance to ensure good health as sleep deprivation can cause problems with several hormones, including cortisol, insulin and HGH. Thus, to maintain a healthy hormonal balance, you should aim for seven hours of quality sleep every night.

Conclusion

The symptoms involving unusual changes in weight, irregular menstrual cycles and skin conditions can majorly occur due to hormonal imbalance. Thus, it is possible to treat hormonal imbalance, however it’s essential to visit a physician to determine the cause. The results of blood tests will usually tell you whether your levels are within normal levels.

If you suspect a hormone imbalance or have particular concerns, visit Shanti Super Speciality Hospital immediately to check with the experts for more details. With years of expertise, the doctors here offer individualized advice and conduct tests, while suggesting appropriate treatment plans to correct the hormone issues in your body.