Hormones are chemical messengers synthesized in the endocrine glands that release them into the blood for transportation to targeted organs. They modulate vital body functions, including sleep, metabolism, appetite, sex drive, and growth.
Three different stimuli types, neural, humoral, and hormonal stimuli, stimulate specific endocrine glands to produce particular hormones for specific actions at other times. Therefore, hormone levels are constantly fluctuating.
However, hormonal imbalances occur when hormones fluctuate beyond a specified threshold, causing undesirable effects on the body. Fortunately, you can seek medical assistance or adopt lifestyle changes to reverse hormonal imbalances, as explained below.
1. Seek Medical Intervention
Hormonal changes are regular, and some periods of physiological changes like puberty, menstruation, pregnancy, and menopause trigger hormonal imbalances. The hormonal imbalance may manifest in symptoms like weight fluctuations, acne, fatigue, mood swings, low sex drive, insomnia, and hair loss. Nonetheless, the symptoms taper off as you transition from the physiological change.
However, besides physiological changes, hormonal imbalance may result from acute stress, endocrine gland malfunction, autoimmune diseases, or medications. Therefore, it is prudent to seek medical attention when the hormonal imbalance symptoms have no natural explanation.
Doctors can prescribe hormone replacement therapy, e.g., get test enanthate as testosterone therapy for men with abnormally low testosterone levels. Testosterone enanthate (test enanthate) is a synthetic version of the endogenous hormone testosterone and has the same effect on the body as natural testosterone. Patients administer it by injection to the gluteal (buttock) muscles in recommended doses for a recommended duration.
Other hormone replacement therapy types include estrogen therapy, anti-androgen medications, thyroid hormone therapy, and metformin for regulating blood sugar levels. The medications are available as transdermal patches, gels, capsules, and injections.
As stated above, hormonal imbalance symptoms may result from an underlying health issue, including autoimmune diseases like diabetes, cancer, and thyroid disease. Autoimmune diseases are non-communicable but manageable. Therefore, the doctor may recommend treating the underlying health issue to restore normal endocrine gland function and hormone levels.
2. Incorporate Complete Proteins and Healthy Fats Into Your Diet
Finding a blanket solution to hormonal imbalance is challenging because it has multiple causes. However, one research study established a link between blood sugar and hormone levels.
Nutrient intake, or lack of, influences hormonal function; therefore, you can adopt the following dietary recommendations to address hormonal imbalances and maintain proper hormone function.
Proteins top the list of nutrients that help counter hormonal imbalance because hormones feature a majority protein content, as proteins are necessary for hormone synthesis. Moreover, one research study established a link between protein deficiency and peptide hormone deficiency.
Petite hormones include growth hormones and thyroid hormones which control metabolism. Therefore, meeting the daily recommended protein dietary intake for your gender and physiological stage can help reverse the hormonal imbalance.
However, the protein quality matters; therefore, consider taking complete proteins containing all nine essential amino acids. Such include lean meat, fish, poultry, and dairy. However, vegans can opt for complete plant-based proteins like quinoa and soy.
Besides protein, healthy fats, mainly omega fatty acids, are essential for hormone synthesis. Second, omega-3 fatty acids have anti-inflammatory properties, which are helpful because one research study identifies inflammation among the causes of hormonal imbalance.
Inflammation triggers hormone overproduction, causing growth hormone IGF-1 and insulin resistance. Insulin resistance means elevated insulin levels, and high insulin over stimulates the endocrine glands that produce estrogen and progesterone. Therefore, protein and omega fatty acids intake is a suitable lifestyle adaptation for tackling hormonal imbalance.
3. Get Adequate Sleep
The human body utilizes an internal clock, the circadian rhythm, to regulate sleep-wake cycles. Moreover, the sleep-wake cycle is a hormone-dependent cycle meaning one set of hormones promotes wakefulness while another group promotes sleep.
Also, other hormones, including growth hormones, follow the circadian rhythm to execute their biological functions. Experts recommend that a healthy adult gets at least seven hours of sleep every night. Inadequate sleep causes the body to produce more wakefulness-inducing hormones like cortisol. Cortisol overproduction limits sleep hormone production and the release of growth hormones during sleep.
Therefore, going to bed early is if you have hormonal imbalance symptoms. You can establish a relaxing bedtime routine to help you fall asleep faster and enjoy a restful sleep.
4. Manage Your Stress Levels
Stress is the body’s natural reaction to potentially harmful stimuli and challenging situations. The stress response triggers the adrenal glands to produce steroid hormones like cortisol and adrenaline to facilitate energy production for the fight-or-flight response.
Although stress helps keep you safe, chronic stress causes steroid hormone overproduction, causing hormonal imbalance. Steroid hormones get priority over other hormones due to their protective survival role.
However, their overproduction disrupts the release of other hormones, including growth hormones, sex hormones, insulin, and glucocorticoids. For instance, high cortisol production impedes growth hormone production while increasing prolactin hormone release.
Prolactin is a lactating hormone that impedes estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone release in women and men, respectively. The plummeting sex hormone levels cause menstrual delays in women and low sex drive among both genders.
Also, elevated cortisol levels increase catecholamine production; catecholamines trigger physical stress symptoms like sweating, blood pressure elevation, and a tight chest. Therefore stress causes most hormonal imbalance symptoms, meaning stress management techniques are vital in restoring hormonal balance.
Conclusion:
Hormonal imbalance may seem like a passing tide, but it can cause serious health issues if unchecked or may indicate an underlying disease. However, it is treatable, so visit a doctor to get treatment recommendations.