4 Tips on How to Tell if You Have a Hormone Imbalance
Hormones play a vital role in the body as they ensure that the different organs are performing their functions well. Hormones like estrogen, oxytocin, cortisol, and testosterone regulate the organ functioning and respond to the body’s needs. A hormonal imbalance can occur when there is either an excess or a deficiency of any hormone, which disrupts the body and the mind. This imbalance can lead to a number of physiological and psychological issues including fertility issues, mental health problems, sleep disorders, and other similar problems.
What Causes Hormone Imbalance?
Hormonal imbalance can be caused by prolonged stress, unhealthy lifestyles, medical conditions like Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOD) or Polycystic Ovarian Disorder (PCOD), thyroid issues, diabetes, and autoimmune disorders. When the body is not getting its required nutrients in the form of a balanced diet, or the body is subjected to extensive stress and abnormalities in a normal lifestyle, there is a disruption in the hormone production leading to hormonal imbalance.
Symptoms of Hormonal Imbalance
Often, it is easy to detect whether you are experiencing a hormonal imbalance because there are some clear indicators. However, sometimes due to the complexity of the symptoms, it is difficult to determine the underlying condition that is causing that imbalance.
The following are some evident signs that indicate you could be facing an imbalance of hormones.
Changes in the Menstruation Cycle
Individuals who are assigned the female sex at birth undergo a menstruation cycle starting from puberty to the menopausal stage. This cycle is based completely on the production of their hormones, namely, estrogen, progesterone, and others. In case there is a hormonal fluctuation, there will either be an irregular menstruation cycle or an absence of the cycle altogether.
Changes in Body Weight
Sudden weight gain or weight loss can also indicate hormonal issues since hormones help in metabolism. If you are unable to digest food properly or fight against the increase of sugar in your body, it can lead to insulin resistance. Insulin resistance is then manifested in hormonal imbalance and weight gain or loss.
Constant Fatigue
Fatigue is quite common in men and women both if they have a decreased level of sex hormones. The imbalance can cause tiredness and sleep disorders, which results in constant exhaustion and muscular fatigue. If you feel constantly tired, there might be an issue with the thyroid gland and a disturbance of the hormone produced by it.
Other General Symptoms
Hormonal imbalance can cause different physiological and psychological changes since the regulation of hormones ensures the proper functioning of our organs. These changes include an increased or decreased appetite, mood swings, hair loss, muscular weakness, vision issues, depression or anxiety, changes in bowel movement, and many similar symptoms.
Management of Hormonal Imbalance
A report published in The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism states that metabolic diseases are among the most common contemporary human afflictions, particularly in the United States. Moreover, a survey of 2,000 American women aged 30-60 years, revealed that 47% of them have experienced symptoms of hormonal imbalance. This is an alarming number given the fact that women are already severely undertreated.
Since the symptoms of hormonal imbalance are different for everyone, it becomes quite difficult to diagnose and monitor it for treatment. The best course of action as noted by general practitioners is to conduct a series of blood work and hormonal tests at different points of time, which are then analyzed to determine the type of hormonal imbalance.
For this purpose, people might prefer getting in touch with a family nurse practitioner that can diagnose the patient regularly, without them having to make multiple visits to the hospital. Family nurse practitioners or FNPs who can undertake online FNP programs can play a crucial role in providing such support and diagnosis. They can provide longtime, extensive care to patients with hormonal imbalances, and prescribe regular tests to help them manage and treat this issue.
