We’ve all heard of hormones. We know the effect that hormones can have during pregnancy, during a women’s cycle, and how unwanted, unexplained weight gain can be frustrating to those trying to lose weight. Did you also know that you can have a hormone imbalance and that it can affect you for the long term? But first what are hormones?
What exactly are hormones? Plainly put, hormones are the “body’s chemical messengers”1. It is their job to travel throughout the body, and deliver messages from various organs to other parts of the body. They are vital to the body’s health and survival and ensure that the body functions as it should. Hormones control bodily functions such as metabolism, energy levels, and reproduction. Balanced hormones are necessary for disease prevention and good health as we age. Without the chemical communication from hormones, our bodies become out of sync.
What is hormone imbalance?
Hormones are produced by different organs in our bodies. When too much or too little of a particular hormone is produced, an imbalance occurs in the body. This is called hormonal imbalance. When there is a hormonal imbalance, the bodily systems that the hormones are responsible for become affected. This can lead to negative side effects and health issues. As highlighted in our previous article, too little release of a particular thyroid hormone results in hypothyroidism, a condition in which weight gain, low energy, mood, and thinning hair are experienced.
Did you know that the body has over 50 hormones? That’s a lot of chemical messaging going on in the body on a daily basis. These hormones are all vital, and play a role in maintaining the stable functioning of the body. And although that makes it seem like a lot could go wrong with that many different hormones, in reality, there are a few particular hormones that commonly cause problems for people. The most common hormones to have an imbalance in are cortisol, testosterone, estrogen, progesterone, and insulin. Cortisol is responsible for actions on the metabolism, sleep cycle, and blood sugar levels. Testosterone, which is the main male sex hormone in men, is also present in smaller quantities in women. Estrogen is the main female sex hormone, and while present in smaller amounts in men, it does not usually cause the effects that estrogen imbalance would cause in women. Progesterone is present in both men and women, assisting men with fertility, and women with menstruation cycles. Finally, insulin, a hormone many are aware of, acts on the body’s blood sugar (glucose) levels, and imbalances in insulin levels could result in diabetes. Too much or too little of these hormones affect the areas of the body they act on (i.e. sexual hormones result in sexual side effects such as low libido, infrequent menstruation in women, etc.), and occasionally these symptoms overlap (low energy, weight management difficulties), so it can be difficult for you to determine exactly which hormone is under/overproducing on your own.
What are the early signs and symptoms of hormone imbalance?
Since each hormone in the body is responsible for a particular function or set of functions, it is difficult to pinpoint signs and symptoms of hormonal imbalance in general. However, there are a few tell-tale signs.
EndocrineWeb lists these symptoms as a good starting place when assessing if you think you may have a hormone imbalance2:
- weight gain or loss
- fatigue
- skin problems
- mood problems
- high levels of stress and anxiety
- sexual libido and function issues
It is important for a provider to assist you in determining what the exact hormone imbalance is, as well as possible causes. A provider will reveal your medical history, and perform necessary tests (blood draws, XRays) to determine exact hormone levels in your body. Some hormone imbalances are medical conditions and affect you for life, others are as a result of external factors (age, environment, stressors, diet, and lifestyle) and can be managed with treatment and may no longer be a problem for you once treatment has occurred. Other hormonal imbalances are “normal” for everyone over a period of time (such as menopause) and may need to be monitored and will resolve with time.
What treatment is available to me?
Ensuring you have a consultation with a provider who will look at you and your body holistically is key in treating hormone imbalance. Synthetic and natural hormone therapies are available.
Several medical experts feel that hormone imbalance needs to be addressed both with treatment and with lifestyle management. They feel because hormones affect bodily functions such as metabolism, sleep, and energy levels, you need to be addressing these factors too when addressing hormone imbalance.
In other words, ensure that you are getting good quality sleep, eating a healthy diet rich in green vegetables and minerals (magnesium supplements for example), and getting regular exercise when trying to improve or manage a hormone imbalance. These activities will go a long way in setting you up for success long term, while you are treating the hormone imbalance therapeutically.
Treatments at Natural Bio Health for both men and women
At Natural Bio Health, we offer hormone therapy for both men and women. We offer thyroid replacement therapy where the goal of this therapy is to cover the lack of hormones secreted by the thyroid gland.
For men and women, when it comes to hormone imbalances relating to testosterone, estrogen, or progesterone, we offer Bioidentical Hormone Replacement (BHRT). This is a natural solution to restore hormone balance, regain your quality of life, and help you feel like you did before the side effects of aging and hormone decline. Bioidentical hormones are a natural plant-based replica of the hormones that our bodies produced when we were younger. They have very few side effects, unlike synthetic hormones. You may have been recommended synthetic hormone therapies, however synthetic therapies do not offer the same benefits as natural bioidentical hormone replacement.3
Our therapies are offered in customized plans to ensure that you are getting the treatment that YOUR body needs. With our recommended hormone therapies, our patients receive the many health advantages to bringing their hormones back into balance; better sleep, increased energy, headache relief, improved sex drive, increased muscle strength, relief of depression and anxiety, and reduction of menopausal symptoms.
Contact Natural Bio Health Today
Our hormone therapy programs are designed with your overall well-being in mind.
Learn more about taking control of your well-being with Natural Bio Health. Join the wellness journey to achieve optimal health, fight disease and boost immune health to combat viruses.
Our team of specialists understands our patients’ concerns about office safety during the time of COVID-19. We are proud to offer telemedicine services through video and phone calls. We are also seeing patients in person at our offices, but are abiding by new, strict safety precautions. To schedule your appointment, contact us here. We serve patients in Austin, Houston, San Antonio, Round Rock, and College Station.
References:
- https://www.healthline.com/health/hormonal-imbalance#Understanding-hormonal-imbalance
- https://www.endocrineweb.com/hormone-imbalance
- https://naturalbiohealth.com/wellness-services/hormone-therapy/thyroid-hormone-therapy/
Sources: (see links in the article for exact reference)
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