In this article, we will talk about symptoms of hormonal imbalance in men and as well as women, what are the causes? and about natural remedies too. These symptoms of hormonal imbalance will let you know if your body is out of sync.
Hormones are our body’s chemical messengers. Hormones are produced in endocrine glands, they are powerful chemicals that travel around your body with the help of bloodstreams and they tell your tissues and organ what to do. Hormones help you in controlling your body’s major processes like metabolism, growth, development, and reproduction.
Due to various reasons, your body might find itself struggling from hormonal imbalance sometimes there may be too few hormones and sometimes there might be more hormones than you need. Even a tiny change in your hormones can have effects on your body. Hormonal imbalance occurs throughout your life sometimes it can be due to natural aging or sometimes due to the endocrine gland because of the wrong input.
Symptoms of hormonal imbalance in women
women can be affected by an imbalance in steroids, insulin, growth hormones, adrenaline, they might also experience an imbalance in estrogen and progesterone levels. I have highlighted the cause of hormonal imbalance in each symptom.
- skin darkening
Out of nowhere, your skin darkening starts but you have been taking good care of your skin yet somehow you’re suffering from pigmentation. There are some chances that your hormones are causing it or lack of balance. Pigmentation occurs in women due to hormonal imbalance and it’s called ‘hormonal pigmentation. It causes a change of skin color in form of different patches that can be easily noticed as they are brown in color. They can be mostly spotted on women’s faces.
This is due to a change in levels of melanocyte-stimulating hormone, an increase in estrogen level, or hormonal change caused by pregnancy.
2. Skin tags
Skin tags are also known as acrochordon, are just soft extra skin growth hanging outwards. Skin tags can occur on any part of your body but they mostly occur in the fold or in the places where the skin is constantly getting rubbed like armpits. The hormonal change caused by pregnancy can be the reason behind the skin tags or a low level of estrogen due to menopause can cause the skin to become thin and loses its elasticity. This change in the skin along with hormonal imbalance can cause skin tags. Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), which is also caused by hormonal imbalance can be a factor.
3. Excessive body hairs
It is natural to have body hairs but if you notice there is excessive growth without explanation there is a good chance that your hormones are responsible. It can be characterized by thick, dark, and coarse hair growth on female body parts where hair isn’t common your face, chest, inner thighs, and back are some of these places. There are various reasons behind hormonal imbalance, women with PCOS have an imbalance in sex hormones which can cause excessive hair growth, irregular periods, and obesity. Another cause can be if your body has been exposed to a high level of cortisol, it would lead to the condition Cushing syndrome this will also result in excessive body hairs.
Another reason would be abnormal production of steroid hormones ‘Cortisol’ and caused by the inherited condition congenital adrenal hyperplasia. Androgen-secreting tumors and medication like minoxidil will also lead to excessive hair growth.
4. Hair loss
Sometimes hormonal imbalance can cause hair to lose. Some of the hormones that can cause imbalance will be estrogen, testosterone, insulin, and thyroid. Estrogen is responsible to make your hair growth phase last longer but too much estrogen can cause hair thinning. Estrogen levels can increase and decrease due to weight gain, perimenopause, and pregnancy. While testosterone is male hormone females do produce it in small quantities, when testosterone is converted into DHT, it can suppress hair growth on the scalp.
5. Weight gain
You have been eating healthy and trying to lose weight but nothing seems to be working. Other symptoms of hormonal imbalance will be weight gain. An imbalance in hormones can cause unintentional weight gain. Estrogen, cortisol (the stress hormone), thyroid, and aldosterone is the cause of this. estradiol (Form of estrogen) regulates metabolism and body weight after menopause estrogen production in women decreases due to this metabolism is also affected and women gain fat. Another cause would be increased production of cortisol (stress hormone) it is responsible for many functions like regulation of blood sugar, inflammation, and metabolism.
6. Acne
Sudden acne on the face, back, and the chest is a symptoms of hormonal imbalance. Testosterone causes hormonal acne, as androgen level, there is an increase in the production of sebum (Type of oil body naturally produces to save the skin from drying), that can lead to bacterial colonization this occurs on the chest, face, and back. Increase sebum along with dead skin gets clogged in pour of your skin further logging leads to acne at the base. When clogged pores become inflamed they progress to become papules, pustules, nodules, and cysts, they can be painful and leave a scar so that’s how you get acne due to hormonal imbalance.
7. Heavy or irregular periods
If your menstrual cycle is longer or shorter than the average time you could be having an irregular period. if your next period is less than 24 days or more than 38 days you are having an irregular period Irregular periods are common at starting of your menstruation and the last few years of menstruation. If you’re bleeding heavily and it is painful to carry out through the day you may be having a heavy period. There are various hormones that can cause heavy or irregular periods. Check in with your doctor to get proper guidance.
8. Night sweats
Night sweats can be caused by hormonal imbalance, It is caused by an increased level of estrogen accompanied by decreased level of progesterone. Stress, lack of exercise, and diet can also affect night sweats. With help of a proper diet, reduction in stress, and proper medication to control hormone imbalance and you can get rid of night sweats.
9. Infertility
There are several factors responsible for infertility but PCOS is one of the leading cause this endocrine condition interferes with ovulation. PCOS causes multiple ovarian cysts that do not release eggs. To overcome this you need proper treatment from the doctor.
Symptoms of hormonal imbalance in men
These are some of the signs/symptoms of hormonal imbalance in men so they can help you identify if you’re suffering from hormonal imbalance. As women experience an imbalance in estrogen for men they will experience an imbalance in testosterone level. I will highlight the causes.
- Breast enlargement
Testosterone is a male hormone that is responsible to give us male masculine fractures and appearance But if you have symptoms of hormonal imbalance your testosterone level decreases and estrogen female sex hormone increases that causes breast enlargement you won’t notice it as it takes time slowly like a poison you may think you’re gaining weight and might restrict yourself from eating but all that won’t help if you’re suffering from hormonal imbalance.
2. Erectile dysfunction
When testosterone is not working properly it can cause other hormones to react negatively like thyroid hormone. Abnormal levels of these hormones combined can cause erectile dysfunction. Prolactin is another hormone that can be affected that is produced by the pituitary gland. This hormone can cause problems for men when testosterone level falls causing erectile dysfunction. You might need to visit a doctor because you will need medical help to get your testosterone level back on track.
3. Poor memory
It is one of the other symptoms of hormonal imbalance. If you have a problem remembering or have a lack of concentration these signs can mean that your hormones are out of balance specifically cortisol. When you’re stressed for a long period of time your adrenal gland fatigues and can no longer produce an adequate amount of cortisol. When cortisol levels are low it can affect your cognitive function like memory and focus.
4. Insomnia
Insomnia can be linked to dysregulated hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) which is your central stress response system. It is a place where your central nervous system and endocrine system interacts. It is also responsible for regulating your sleep-wake cycle through hormones, such as cortisol and melatonin. Melatonin works on the part of the brain that controls our circadian rhythm (allowing us to fall asleep faster and longer). Lack of melatonin release may result in difficulty falling asleep. When your cortisol level is too high you may have trouble falling asleep even though you feel tired.
5. Belly fat
If you’re working out and still can get rid of the fat there might be a chance of hormonal imbalance. in men, progesterone level starts to fall in their forties. This decrease in progesterone level causes estrogen dominance which leads to getting excess fat getting stored around the waist, belly, spare tires, and man boobs. fat cells produce even more estrogen that leads to even greater estrogen dominance. In addition, your thyroid gland function can be impaired causing your metabolism to slow down or your pancreas to release extra insulin (a fat-storage hormone).
6. Excessive sweating
Some people sweat a lot more than others, some might wake up in the middle of the night due to excessive sweating for no reason. These are other symptoms of hormonal imbalance, hormones manage your body temperature if it is not balanced you can experience unusual temperature changes like everyone might be freezing but you won’t be. If you’re experiencing this it’s time to pay your doctor a visit.
7. Hair loss
If you are experiencing hair loss or hair thinning it can be due to an enzyme called dihydrotestosterone, DHT for short. This enzyme is extremely powerful and is caused by a low level of testosterone. If your hair loss isn’t caused by genetics then there is a good chance it has happened due to hormonal imbalance.
8. Low libido
Low libido (Sexual drive) can be a sign of hormonal imbalance. Usually, testosterone works with the luteinizing hormone to maintain a healthy reproductive system but when you’re testosterone level falls it can result in a lower sex drive. Sperm production can be also affected and may lead to infertility if not treated especially if you’re under a high level of chronic stress you should get checked to ensure that your cortisol hormones aren’t causing problems, too.
9. Depression
It can be due to a hormonal imbalance or low testosterone level, If you’re experiencing mood swings, lack of motivation, or sudden sadness it is because of your testosterone level. It could be underactive thyroid causing these issues which can be easily treated with medication. Talk to your friends, doctor as soon as you notice signs of depression. Depression can be deadly when not treated properly.
Natural treatment for hormonal imbalance
Now that you know all the symptoms of hormonal imbalance there are many medications and treatments to balance your hormones but if you want to naturally balance your hormones here are some ways that may prove helpful to you.
- Eat a nutrient dense diet – A good diet can be helpful in many aspects and balancing your hormones can be one of them, eat diet that is rich in anti-oxidants, leafy green, and healthy fat is must if you want to balance your hormones. Cut out unhealthy snacks and replace them with healthy fruits and vegetables. Eliminating certain food from your diet can make your hormones happy, dairy are common offenders when it comes to hormones.
- Keep you sugar level in check – Keeping your sugar level in check can help balance your hormones naturally. Swapping high-glycemic food like white flour/Desert with complex carbohydrate like whole grain/fruits will help keep you blood sugar stable.
- Manage your stress – Stress can bring breakout and migraine these are some examples of effect of stress on your hormones. managing your stress is one of the most effective way to balance your hormones. Incorparte healthy habits that can improve your mental health like working out or mediatation.
- Rest – Who doesn’t like to rest? Sleep as always been a great means of recovery and it helps strengthening diet effects on your body that in turn reduces your stress level. If you don’t get enough sleep cortisol and insulin are negatively impacted that will keep hormonal imbalance always at the bay. So sleep for atleast 7 hours a day more is better. Some breathing exercises can help you fall asleep faster.
Conclusion
These simple changes in your daily life can help you reduce your chances of suffering from hormonal imbalance. Hormonal imbalances are common during puberty, pregnancy, and menstruation sometimes external factors also come into play like stress or some medication. Due to one of these things, you might notice symptoms of hormonal imbalance. If these symptoms are long-term that cause pain and discomfort then you need to check in with your doctor.
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