Hormonal Imbalance And Men
You may think that women are the ones facing hormonal imbalances. But this is not the case. Men, as well as womens bodies, produce several hormones that are essential for wellbeing. One very well-known male hormone is testosterone. But, did you know that men, also, produce estrogen? Testosterone is mainly produced in the testicles; and, a small amount is produced in the adrenal glands. It is responsible for ones manly characteristics, such as:
- Facial and Body Hair
- Muscle and Bone Density
- Deeper Voice
It also stimulates the production of sperm and affects your desire for sex. It also plays a major role in the way one gains weight ; and, how and where the body will end up accumulating these fat cells. Finally, red blood cells production is linked to testosterone levels.
Estrogen is made from testosterone with the help of an enzyme known as aromatase. As you age, not only do your testosterone levels naturally drop, but your estrogen levels go up simultaneously. The loss of testosterone with age is referred to by some professionals as andropause male menopause.
However, testosterone levels can drop, even in young men, from several causes, such as:
- Injuries to Scrotum or Testicles
- Mumps
- Testicular Cancer
- Liver Disease
But, testosterone and estrogen arent the only hormones that can get out of balance in men. You can suffer a decrease in cortisol levels if you are under a lot of stress, or even an imbalance in the thyroid hormones.
Cortisol Imbalance
Thyroid Imbalance
What Is An Estrogen Test
An estrogen test is a way for your doctor to help check on concerns with puberty, fertility, menopause, and other conditions.
Your doctor may also call these estradiol, estrone , estradiol , estriol , or estrogenic hormone tests.
Estrogen is the hormone that plays a key role in many aspects of a womanâs health, such as bone and reproductive health. There are several forms of estrogen?
If your doctor needs to check to see if you might have a condition caused by too much or too little of a certain estrogen type, they may recommend that you take an estrogen test. Itâs a simple blood test, and it can measure up to three types of this estrogen:
- Estrone, or E1, the main hormone women make after menopause
- Estradiol, or E2, the main hormone women make when they arenât pregnant
- Estriol, or E3, a hormone women make more of when theyâre pregnant
What Causes A Hormone Imbalance
There are a variety of factors that can cause a hormone imbalance, including illnesses such as thyroid or other endocrine gland conditions, diabetes, eating disorders, cancer treatment, hormone therapy, environmental toxins, a nutritionally poor diet that is rich in refined foods, and certain medications.
For women, a hormone imbalance often occurs in relation to the female reproductive system polycystic ovary syndrome , birth control pills, pregnancy, breastfeeding, hysterectomy and menopause can all cause issues.
There may be a genetic tendency, says Dr. Eccles, but most commonly an imbalance is related to lifestyle and less healthy lifestyles that are more often associated with hormone dysregulation .
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How To Get Your Hormones Tested And What To Do Next
Last updated on by Alisa Vitti
So, youve been feeling less than great lately maybe the first sign was irregular or heavy and painful periods, or maybe it was some weight gain and acne either way, you know something is wrong and you want to feel better. Youre thinking it might be hormone-related. What now?
Many women take a trip to their OBGYN and ask for a hormone test. This is a great first step towards treating your health issues. But the results can be confusing and concerning without a little background information and preparation. Knowledge is power! Theres no need to be mystified.
Remember: no result received is static, the diagnosis you get can and will change with the right kind of treatment.
When Do I Need Hormonal Blood Work
Since blood tests for hormones are not a part of routine blood tests that might be done at an annual check-up, women are recommended to report any persistent, severe, or alarming symptoms to their doctors to be properly evaluated with a blood test and other diagnostic hormone tests, if necessary.
During pregnancy, on the other hand, hormonal blood work will be ordered at specific points throughout gestation or when additional needs as part of adequate prenatal care.
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What Is The Difference Between Treatment You Can Get With And Without Blood Test Results
Dr Aziz-Scott: GPs follow the NICE guidelines which state that if a patient is over 45, blood tests are not mandatory and HRT can be initiated, depending on symptoms. It is only if a patient is under 45 that an FSH blood test is required. LH levels will also be checked, but estrogen will not be. This means that patients may be getting a one-size-fits-all treatment.;
At the Marion Gluck Clinic, all patients are required to undergo blood tests to allow us to provide bespoke, personalised treatment tailored precisely to your bodys requirements.
Youll note that:
- We will complete a detailed hormone analysis and provide the correct hormones in the appropriate dosages for your individual needs. We know that estrogen, progesterone, testosterone and DHEA all interact, and that a balance of hormones is essential for optimum health and controlled symptoms. It is therefore the gold standard to have all hormones analysed before treatment.
- The free testosterone that we can measure in the private sector is not usually available on the NHS. We can check total testosterone and SHBG to work out the free androgen index, which tells us how much testosterone is bioavailable in the body.
- We monitor our patients hormone levels and adjust treatment accordingly. We are always monitoring the treatments efficiency and efficacy.
Are There Any Other Factors That Might Affect The Outcome Of The Test
The blood level of several hormones changes significantly with the time of day.; For example, cortisol and testosterone are highest in the early morning. The response of glands to hormones given to patients during dynamic tests may also show this diurnal variation; for example, the response of the adrenal gland to synacthen is higher in the morning.
The day of the menstrual cycle also has a major impact on hormone levels.; In general, blood samples are best taken in the first half of the cycle when normal and abnormal hormone levels are more clearly separated.; However, progesterone may be deliberately measured on day 21 in the middle of the second half to see if ovulation has occurred.
It is human nature to ignore doctors advice.; Not taking medication as prescribed, or taking extra the week before the test in an effort to make up for doses missed previously, will give misleading results and the patient may miss out on a full return to health.
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Treatment For A Hormonal Imbalance
There are many different treatment options for hormonal imbalances. The treatment you ultimately be given will depend on which hormone exactly is unbalance as well as the underlying cause of the imbalance. Sometimes, a life event might cause such a fluctuation in your hormones, such as menopause. In that case, your treatment would be short term one. However, if you have a genetic disorder that causes a lifelong hormonal imbalance, you will need to pursue a more prolonged course of medications.
Hormone therapy is a common treatment for hormonal imbalances. Women who are witnessing uncomfortable menopausal symptoms may choose estrogen therapy. Testosterone therapy is a common choice for men with low testosterone levels or adolescents facing delayed puberty. Taking thyroid hormones can help individuals with hypothyroidism. Such hormone replacement therapies may come in the form of pills, patches, or even injections. Your doctor will help you choose the appropriate dosage by checking your hormone levels test results. This is how he will determine the right amount of supplemented hormone you will need to recreate the balance.
Bioidentical hormones can be produced by pharmaceutical companies using different doses. Examples include bi-estrogen which is 50 to 80 percent estriol combined with estradiol, or tri-estrogen which is 10 percent estrone, 10 percent estradiol, and 80 percent estriol.
How Can I Find Out If I Have A Hormone Imbalance
The only way to confirm a hormone imbalance is to test your hormone levels. Both blood tests and saliva tests are proven techniques in assessing a hormone imbalance. i-screen uses blood tests to accurately determine sex hormone and thyroid hormone levels, but prefers saliva testing to assess cortisol levels. This is because cortisol levels follow a diurnal pattern which means tests must be conducted throughout the course of the day this makes blood testing inconvenient.
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What Should The Patient Expect When They Visit The Hospital For A Test
Bring a fully filled-in request form . ;It is important to make sure that the patients name, date of birth, and date and time of collection are written on the container if urine or faeces has been collected.
Most samples can be taken in the family doctors surgery.; However, some hormones last such a short time in the sample that the test must be taken in hospital. ;Most blood tests in hospital are taken in a phlebotomy unit without having to make an appointment, although some, such as a glucose tolerance test, may;require an appointment.
Dynamic tests are more detailed and usually involve resting in bed while blood samples are taken over a period of time.; An overnight stay is not usually needed and patients should come with details of their medicines and prepare as instructed, for example, without having eaten breakfast.;
Any queries about the details of individual tests should be discussed with the patients doctor.
How To Check Estrogen Levels
This article was medically reviewed by Aimee Eyvazzadeh, MD, MA. Aimee Eyvazzadeh is a Fertility Specialist and the Founder of The Egg Whisperer Show, a fertility care program focusing on fertility education based in the San Francisco Bay Area. Her work has been featured in magazines such as People, Forbes, and Marie Claire, and she has been featured on the Today Show, Good Morning America, and CNN. She earned an MD from the University of California, Los Angeles in 2001, completed an OB/GYN residency at Harvard Medical School in 2005, and finished a fellowship in Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility at University of Michigan, where she also completed an MPH. This article has been viewed 9,443 times.
Estrogen is a hormone that affects the reproductive system and the development of secondary sex characteristics . Estrogen levels can also impact your mood and the health of your skin, bones, liver, and heart.XResearch source Whether you are pregnant, trying to conceive, concerned about a possible hormone imbalance, or taking hormone-based medications, you may need to keep an eye on your estrogen levels. Visit your healthcare provider to get your levels tested, or ask your healthcare provider to order an at-home test kit for you.
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Estrogen Testing In Men
Men also have estrogen, although their levels are usually lower than they are in women. Estrogen levels that are too low or too high in men can lead to health problems.
A man might have an estrogen test to:
- Check if puberty is delayed
- Diagnose enlarged male breasts, a condition with doctors call gynecomastia
- Find if high estrogen levels are due to low levels of testosterone or androgen –two key hormones in men
- Find tumors that make estrogen
Why Take A Womens Hormone Test
A hormone level test can tell you a lot about your bodyâs well-being. The test results can point you to a hormone imbalance, which can affect your health. This is because hormones regulate many vital functions in the body by acting as âchemical messengers.â So out-of-balance hormones can disrupt your bodyâs normal, healthy functioningâand result in a variety of symptoms.
For example, if your thyroid hormones are out of balance, you might experience symptoms like fatigue, cold sensitivity, irregular periods, dry skin, thinning hair, and more.
Or if your steroid hormones are imbalanced, you could have symptoms like increased body fat, lowered sex drive, loss of strength, and so on.
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There Is A Similar Test Advertised On The Internet Can This Test Be Taken At Home
Samples of urine, saliva, faeces and finger-prick blood, which can be collected at home, are currently used by the NHS for specific tests, especially in relation to children.
It is recommended that all tests are overseen by the patients GP and/or endocrinologist.; This is because it is important that a doctor has carried out a full examination of the patient and talked to them face-to-face to ensure that they can properly interpret the results of any tests.; The advantage of a professionally collected sample , eg, blood from a vein, is that enough is taken to allow double-checking of extreme results, repeating the analysis after dilution, investigating possible human or biological interference, allowing additional tests to be carried out if required without the delay and discomfort of taking another sample.
Some internet laboratories are acceptable, but the small volume of self-taken samples creates limitations.; With hormones, it is often best to measure more than one at once in order to get the full-picture.
It can be difficult for internet laboratories without full knowledge of individual medical details, for example, the drugs being taken, to appreciate the significance of the results, or fully interpret them.
It is important to take care when comparing results from different laboratories because significant variation can arise from differences in the measurement technology.
What Is High Estrogen In Men
Too much estrogen in the male body can interfere with fertility, sexual function and even raise the risk for chronic diseases. One cause of hormone imbalance in aging men is that is testosterone is converted to estrogen, which can result in an excess of estradiol. Lab testing can reveal hormonal imbalances of estrogen and testosterone.
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What Are The Different Types Of Hormones
Endocrine glands are located throughout the body. These glands include the:
- Hypothalamus: controls thirst, hunger, sleep, sex drive, moods, body temperature, and the release of other hormones
- Parathyroid: controls calcium
- Ovaries, in women: controls female sex hormones
- Testes, in men: controls male sex hormones
There are several different types of hormones in the body. When you have a hormonal imbalance, you may have a problem in one of more of these glands. The specific hormone that’s imbalanced will determine the signs and symptoms that you experience as a result. Some of the major hormones found in the body include:
- Estrogen: controls sex drive in both men and women, and regulates the menstrual cycle in women
- Progesterone: influences the body’s changes through pregnancy
- Testosterone: controls sex drive in both men and women
- Cortisol: controls stress
- Melatonin: control’s the body’s circadian rhythm and sleep cycles
- Serotonin: controls sleep cycles, appetite, and mood
- Growth hormone: controls the reproduction of cells and their subsequent growth
- Leptin: controls appetite, signaling when you’re full
- Ghrelin: controls appetite, signaling when you’re hungry
- Insulin: responds to sugar in the bloodstream
If your hormones are well-balanced, you will thrive. An imbalance, however, is something you cannot afford to ignore.
When To Test Testosterone
Testosterone is highest in the morning and best tested between 7 a.m. and 10 a.m.
Yes, testosterone is a key hormone to test for women. When testosterone levels are low, this is often when we see low libido, fatigue, and even depression. And when theyre high, as we often see in polycystic ovarian syndrome , women experience acne, irregular periods, and hair growth on the chin, chest and abdomen. Elevated testosterone can also lead to hair loss on the scalp.;
Testosterone levels vary by age so results have to be interpreted accordingly. You have to test BOTH total and free testosterone and sex hormone-binding globulin to get a clear picture of what exactly is going on.;
You can get your testosterone levels measured any time of the month. This test is best done in the morning because that is when levels are highest.
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Treatment Of Womens Hormonal Imbalance
In most cases, female hormones balance can be improved or corrected with treatment. Often, changes in diet and lifestyle are sufficient to improve female hormonal imbalance and offer some protection against its potential health complications. Among the common changes recommended are:
- Weight control
- 30 minutes of exercise daily, including resistance and aerobic exercise.
- Dietary changes that include replacing processed, fatty and sugary foods with lean proteins, low-fat dairy and a wide range of fresh fruits and vegetables.
- Limit alcohol consumption
- Eliminate tobacco consumption
Female hormonal imbalance that cannot be resolved with lifestyle changes is most commonly treated with hormone replacement therapy. Conventional HRT uses hormone drugs to normalize levels of estrogens or progesterone in the system, while bioidentical hormone replacement therapy enhances hormone levels as needed with plant-derived supplements. HRT has been associated with health risks with long-term use, so women considering this treatment should discuss risks and benefits carefully with their doctors.
Serum Or Blood Testing
Most serum hormone tests define the normal range of hormones very broadly, which is a distinct disadvantage to their use. After a womans blood has been drawn, a portion of the blood sample is used to measure hormone levels. Most serum testing measures the level of free hormone , the level of the total hormone , or a calculated combination of both free and total levels of hormone. It is not an accurate reflection of the bioavailable hormone . In addition, the results of the serum hormone tests are often inconsistent, especially if the hormone value indicated is in the low-normal range. Serum testing is less helpful in monitoring women using transdermal forms of hormones, as the hormone is bound to the red blood cell surface and does not register in the serum in very high amounts.
Many women whose serum hormone test results are normal cannot understand why they continue to experience the symptoms of hormone imbalance.
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