10 Signs of Hormone Imbalance Most Women Ignore

Hormones are essential for our growth, development, repair, reproduction, digestion, and metabolism since they act as chemical messengers of the body that enable the organs to perform their functions.

Therefore, a hormonal imbalance in the body is a serious health issue which can affect physical and mental health.

Women are more prone to hormonal changes than men, but they should be addressed on time and one should do all necessary to restore their balance in order to prevent unwanted side effects.

According to Medical News Today:

“Everyone will experience natural periods of hormonal imbalance or fluctuations at particular points in their life.

But hormonal imbalances can also occur when the endocrine glands are not functioning properly. Endocrine glands are specialized cells that produce, store, and release hormones into the blood.

Men and women can be affected by imbalances in insulin, steroids, growth hormones, and adrenaline. Women may also experience imbalances in estrogen and progesterone levels, while men are more likely to experience imbalances in testosterone levels.

Everyone experiences periods of hormonal imbalance at certain points in their life, but these can also occur when the endocrine glands are not functioning properly.”

The symptoms of a hormonal imbalance depend on which glands and hormones are affected. Symptoms associated with the more common causes of hormonal imbalances include:

• unexplained weight gain or weight loss
• unexplained or excessive sweating
• difficulty sleeping
• changes in sensitivity to cold and heat
• very dry skin or skin rashes
• changes in blood pressure
• changes in heart rate
• brittle or weak bones
• changes in blood sugar concentration
• irritability and anxiety
• unexplained and long-term fatigue
• increased thirst
• depression
• headaches
• needing to go to the bathroom more or less than usual
• bloating
• changes in appetite
• reduced sex drive
• thinning, brittle hair
• infertility
• puffy face
• blurred vision
• a bulge in the neck
• breast tenderness
• deepening of the voice in females

The following 10 signs of hormone imbalance should never be ignored:

1. Headaches

Hormonal headaches and bad migraines re easily treated with painkillers, but if they are chronic and intense, you might need to take birth control pills to balance the estrogen levels.

2. Sleep issues

While sleeping the body releases progesterone from the ovaries to regulate your cycle, and in the case of low levels of this hormone, one experiences difficulties to stay or fall asleep. Menopausal women have lower estrogen levels and suffer from night sweats and hot flashes.

3. Irregular period

Irregular menstruation is often caused by a hormone imbalance, but a doctor should specify if the woman suffers from amenorrhea, menorrhagia, dysmenorrhea, or oligomenorrhea, and thus prescribe the needed treatment.

4. Brain fog

Brain fog is a colloquial term for forgetfulness or memory lapse, and in many women, it is caused by hormonal imbalance. As their estrogen levels decrease, women in perimenopause and menopause are prone to it.

In this case, women can benefit from relaxation techniques, adequate sleep, coffee avoidance in the afternoon, reading, puzzles, and word games, learning something new, socializing with friends, limited intake of sweets and carbonated drinks, and regular exercise.

5. Digestive issues

IBS and symptoms like diarrhea, gas, cramps bloating, abdominal pain, and constipation, might be caused by a hormonal imbalance in the body.

Namely, there are a few reasons for it: these disorders usually occur in the case of low serotonin levels, digestion is changed when the hormone changes change, and hormone receptors are deep within the cell linings of the gastrointestinal tract.

6. Weight gain

Hormonal imbalances often lead to weight loss resistance. Conditions like diabetes, Cushing’s syndrome, thyroid disorder, and polycystic ovarian syndrome (POS) are linked to hormonal imbalances and weight gain.

7. Mood swings

In the case of a hormonal imbalance, people often suffer from mood swings, irritability, and anger and cry episodes, due to the excess in estrogen and a lack of progesterone. In the opposite case, one feels anxious and depressed.

8. Food cravings and appetite changes

Hormonal changes lead to the increased production of ghrelin, the hunger hormone, which stimulates appetite and leads to food cravings.

On the other hand, one can also experience increased leptin levels, the satiety hormone, and suffer from appetite loss.

9. Low sexual drive

A lack of desire for intimacy is another sign of a hormonal imbalance. In the case of low estrogen levels, women suffer from pain during intercourse, breast soreness, and tenderness, or dryness in the groin area.

10. Acne

When hormones are out of balance, testosterone levels increase and stimulate increased production of oils that can clog the pores and lead to acne.

A cystic acne breakout due to hormone imbalance is painful and irritating but can be treated with suitable medications.

Yet, before you turn to pills, there are a lot of beneficial changes in your diet and lifestyles you can make and this address this issue. Try a healthy and balanced diet, relaxation techniques like yoga and meditation, regular exercise and adequate sleep.

Share this post