How To Determine Hormone Imbalance

Supplement With Vitamin D

A Vitamin D deficiency is more common than you may think, with over a billion people worldwide suffering from either a deficient or insufficient supply of this critical vitamin. Vitamin D plays an extremely important role in a number of bodily functions, such as immune function, cell differentiation, and inflammatory response. Low levels of Vitamin D have been associated with an increased risk in colon, prostate, and breast cancer, as well as tuberculosis, influenza, and heart disease. A relationship has also been found between hypothyroidism and a vitamin D deficiency.

Ideally, we would get our daily dose of Vitamin D from 10 to 30 minutes of uninterrupted sun exposure, but this is unrealistic for most. Thats why its important to take a Vitamin D3 supplement and eat foods rich in Vitamin D, such as pastured eggs and wild salmon. Its also important to note that as we age, our production of Vitamin D decreases, so make sure youre monitoring your levels and getting them checked by your primary care provider.

Incorporate Healthy Fats Into Your Diet

Adding healthy polyunsaturated fats to your diet, such as omega-3 and omega-6 may help reduce your appetite and. Fatty acids signal the production of leptin, a hormone that reduces appetite by suppressing the area of the brain that controls our appetite and signals to us its time to eat. Without adequate healthy fats in your diet, youre more likely to have low leptin levels, which can induce overeating and an inability to feel satiated. That may be one reason women have been experimenting with seed cycling for hormone balance.

Which Test Should I Choose

i-screen offers a number of hormone tests, and it can be confusing to decide which test is right for you.

• If you believe you have a sex hormone imbalance, then i-screens Female Hormone Check can verify this
• If you think your thyroid may be to blame, then a Thyroid Check or Advanced Thyroid Check is a good place to start
• Or if cortisol could be the problem, then i-screens Adrenal Fatigue Check can provide further insight

If your blood tests or saliva tests do reveal that you have a hormone imbalance, then our team of qualified doctors can recommend how you can take steps to improve your health and wellbeing.

If you need further guidance on which test is right for you, then contact us and one of our medical professionals will be in touch to work through your symptoms.

Don’t Miss: Tubal Ligation Cause Early Menopause

Testing For A Hormonal Imbalance

Although a hormone imbalance may bring some obvious symptoms, thatâs not always the case. For example, it can be challenging for someone to decipher whether the depression theyâre experiencing is related to a life event or if itâs instead because of hormone levels that are affecting their mental health. Thatâs why consulting with a healthcare provider is a good idea any time you arenât sure whatâs going on with your health.

Hormone testing may also be worth considering if youâre curious to learn whether you have a hormonal imbalance. Everlywell makes testing your hormones easy with at-home test kits that come with everything you need for collecting your sample and sending it to a lab . Plus, you can view your results on our secure, online platform in an easy-to-understand format. This can be a simpleâbut powerfulâway to see if hormones are balanced in your body and learn your personal levels.

As an example, consider a Womenâs Health Test to check for a hormonal imbalance in women.

How And Why Do Men And Women Experience Hormonal Imbalances Differently

Hormones impact men and women differently, particularly when you’re dealing with those specific to the reproductive system. Men and women also go through different developmental stages. Women will experience hormonal changes with their menstrual cycle, pregnancy, and menopause, which men do not experience. Women may experience hormonal imbalances that present through:

• Vaginal dryness or discomfort

• Erectile dysfunction

Recommended Reading: Hormonal Imbalance After Tubal Ligation

Urine And Kidney Testing

The oldest method, urine testing, is easily performed and can be more accurate because urine contains larger amounts of hormone than blood or saliva. Unfortunately, however, it can be tedious and inconvenient, as it requires the collection of all urine over a period of 24 hours. Anything less will have bearing on the accuracy of the results, as will any type of kidney malfunction. Kidney function tests are often conducted at the same time as urine hormone testing so that more accurate results can be achieved.

Hormones in the urine are generally identified using mass spectroscopy and identifies each of the individual hormones as they are available, though it is not precise enough to identify highs and lows of daily fluctuations.

More Information About Hormone Testing

Hormone levels change as you agesome change throughout the day. We use hormone testing to detect and evaluate hormone imbalances that may be making you sick. We often conduct hormone testing using a blood sample, but some tests require urine or saliva samples.

We frequently test levels of:

• Estrogen and testosterone
• Adrenal gland hormones, such as cortisol
• Growth hormone, prolactin and other pituitary gland hormones
• Thyroid hormones, such as thyroxine

Also Check: Does Nugenix Have An Estrogen Blocker

How Does A Hormone Balance Test Work

Hormone levels are typically measured through small samples of blood, urine, and/or saliva. Depending on what symptoms you experience, these samples will be evaluated by a lab to measure a variety of hormones, including:

• Human growth hormone

The lab results will show a snapshot of your current hormone levels at the time the samples were taken. Many of these hormones fluctuate over the course of a day, or throughout the month, so you may need to fast prior to testing, get tested at certain points in your menstrual cycle, and/or get multiple tests to get an accurate picture of your hormonal health.

The Most Common Hormone Imbalances Explained

If youve ever spent time Googling symptoms like fatigue or mood swings or are interested in optimizing your health, youve almost definitely come across hormone imbalances being a factor that can keep you from feeling your best. But what is a hormone imbalance and which ones should you be looking out for?

Keep reading to learn about the most common hormone imbalances, what causes them, and how Parsley Health approaches hormonal imbalance treatment.

Recommended Reading: Does Nugenix Have An Estrogen Blocker

What Causes A Hormonal Imbalance

The causes of hormonal imbalances vary according to the specific hormone involved. However, in general, they are due to changes or dysfunctions of a hormone-producing gland. For instance, a thyroid gland that isn’t functioning correctly may produce too much thyroid hormone, accelerating your bodys metabolism or could produce too little. Thyroid dysfunction can be caused by autoimmune diseases, thyroid nodules, medications or, rarely, thyroid cancer, among other potential causes. Imbalances in male or female sex hormones, such as estrogen, progesterone and testosterone, can be caused by age-related changes, such as menopause and andropause, as well as genetic disorders, stress, nutritional issues, or medications. Excessive stress, poor diet, aging and certain medications can contribute to imbalances in cortisol and other adrenal hormones.

There are many different underlying causes that can result in a hormonal imbalance. Each cause relates to different glands and hormones and, does impact your body differently. Many diseases and other conditions can result in a hormonal imbalance.

Diabetes

Diabetes is characterized by an inability to properly use the insulin hormone. An insulin imbalance can lead to other related hormonal imbalances as well such as disrupting estrogen, testosterone, thyroid, progesterone, and cortisol.

Hypothyroidism or Hyperthyroidism

Congenital Adrenal Hyperplasia

Cushing Syndrome

Addison’s Disease

Turner Syndrome

Prader-Willi Syndrome

Pancreatitis

Pms And Low Sex Drive

Low testosterone, estrogen, and progesterone are all associated with a decreased sex drive in both men and women. This is especially common after age 50 when estrogen and testosterone production declines. Since estrogen is one of the main hormones regulating a womans menstrual cycle a decrease in production can also lead to irregular periods that are too long, too short, unpredictable, heavy, or painful, infertility, hot flashes, mood swings, or painful intercourse.

Recommended Reading: Does Melatonin Cancel Out Birth Control Implant

How To Test Cortisol Levels

Cortisol levels are measured with lab tests. These may be blood tests, which measure levels of the hormone in the bloodstream, or saliva tests, which measure cortisol levels in a saliva sample. Cortisol testing is typically done early in the morning, when levels are normally highest. Often, to produce the most accurate results, testing is repeated in the afternoon of the same day. Cortisol testing is often done in conjunction with ACTH level tests, since this pituitary gland hormone works to regulate cortisone levels. ACTH tests measure levels of the hormone in the bloodstream.

Getting tested can be done through your health care provider, who can order your tests for you, take your blood or saliva samples or send you to a lab to have them done. Then, your provider will let you know your results once they are delivered to his or her office.

You can also order these lab tests yourself online or over the phone from independent testing services, like Health Testing Centers. Ordering your own tests is generally less expensive, since you skip the cost of an office visit, and more efficient, since the results are delivered directly to you.

However, it is important to note that if your tests show that your cortisol and/or ACTH levels are abnormal too high or too low following up on those results with a visit to your healthcare provider is essential. Abnormal levels of these important hormones require further examination and testing.

Mood Swings Anxiety And Depression

A hormonal imbalance can cause you to experience mood swings and heightened anxiety just before your period or during the menopause.

Estrogen levels constantly fluctuate during the reproductive cycle. Researchers from Harvard found that women with low estrogen levels are more prone to feeling the effects of emotional stress. They found that in clinical trials, higher levels of estrogen helped to calm the fear response helping you to be less fearful.8

Other studies have found that fluctuations in the hormone cortisol and hormones produced by the pituitary, hypothalamic, and gonadal glands can cause depressive symptoms. Researchers found that low levels of the cortisol hormone were found in women who have fibromyalgia and symptoms of depression.9

If you suffer from mood swings and anxiety during the menopause, you can find some helpful advice in my article on 10 herbs and supplements for menopause. If depression and anxiety is a result of hormonal imbalances, then you can help relieve these symptoms naturally by trying some natural treatments for depression after consulting with your doctor.

Also Check: Does Blue Cross Blue Shield Cover Testosterone Therapy

Having Breakouts How To Tell If Your Acne Is Hormonal

What is Hormonal Acne and its causes?As the name suggests, hormonal acne is tied to fluctuations in your hormones. It does not only occur during puberty, but it can also affect adults of any age. Hormonal acne is specifically caused by an imbalance of the female hormones estrogen & progesterone and the male hormones testosterone & androgens. When the body is producing excessive amounts of testosterone, especially during a menstrual cycle, it can stimulate the sebaceous glands to produce more sebum.

Because of this hormonal imbalance, it causes an overproduction of oil on your skin and clogs your pores with dead skin cells and dirt, leading to an acne breakout.

There are a few signs that can help you to identify whether your acne is hormonal. These are as follows:

• Your acne might be hormonal if you have other hormonal symptoms too. Since hormonal acne is caused by an underlying hormonal imbalance, it usually doesnt present itself in isolation. Thus, with hormonal acne, you most likely go through a range of symptoms such as PMS, mood swings, irritability, bloating, massive facial hair growth, weight gain etc.
• It can recur once a month, especially near your period. It can come and go throughout your cycle or might just be present throughout. Acne breakouts commonly occur near ovulation or right before periods due to monthly fluctuations in their estrogen and progesterone levels

How to cure hormonal acne?

Risks Of Not Treating Hormone Imbalances

Hormone imbalances, when left untreated, are more than just annoying mood swings and bad PMS. They can be indicators that something more serious rarely, even cancerous is happening in your body.

Not getting your hormones back in balance could lead to other problems, like elevated cholesterol, osteoporosis, obesity, lack of sleep, and more.

Although truly identified hormonal imbalances often need medical or even surgical intervention, a healthy lifestyle can improve low-level symptoms.

Do your best to get:

• 6-8 hours of sleep each day
• 30+ minutes of vigorous exercise daily
• And a high-quality diet with enough protein and healthy fats and less sugar.

You May Like: Does Blue Cross Blue Shield Cover Testosterone Therapy

Skin And Hair Changes

Acne. A sudden increase in acne is one easy way to identify a possible hormonal imbalance. One of the few hormones involved is androgens. Androgens, typically referred to as male hormones, but found in both males and females, regulate your skins sebum production. If your body produces androgens in excess, sebum can build up in your pores and cause a pimple to surface.

Hair loss. The quality and vitality of your hair is also directly related to your hormones. Thyroid abnormalities, for example, may cause dry hair or skin, thinning hair, or brittle nails. Hypothyroidism, hyperthyroidism, and parathyroid disorder can also cause hair loss.

Fertility Problems Caused By Hormone Imbalances

Another common time women ask for a hormone checkup is when trying to conceive. Typically, 84% of women get pregnant after a year of unprotected sex. When conception doesnt happen, one reason could be a hormonal imbalance. To learn more, read our extensive article about fertility challenges here.

Again, its important to track your menstrual cycle, including the dates you have unprotected sex, to give your doctor a picture of what your reproductive cycle is doing. Keep in mind that your partner should also be tested for structural or hormonal issues if you have been trying to conceive for some time.

If youre having your period too often , then your uterus cant sustain a fertilized egg. If your periods are too far apart , your ovaries may not be releasing eggs often enough into your fallopian tubes.

Recommended Reading: Can You Take Unisom With Melatonin

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.

Hormonal Imbalance In Women

Symptoms of Hormonal Imbalance

Bloating, fatigue, irritability, hair loss, palpitations, mood swings, problems with blood sugar, trouble concentrating, infertility — these are just a few symptoms of hormone imbalance. These compounds affect every cell and system in the body. Hormone imbalance can debilitate you. Some hormonal shifts are normal, like monthly fluctuations of sex hormones responsible for menstruation and ovulation or the changes that occur during pregnancy. Menopause is another time for a normal hormonal shift in a woman’s life. Many women may experience weight gain, mood swings, night sweats, and diminished sex drive during this time. Other times these fluctuations may be due to a medication or a medical condition.

Balance Your Cortisol

Cortisol is an important hormone that may become imbalanced with stress or illness. Cortisol is secreted by the adrenal glands that lie on top of the kidneys. Low intensity exercise can help lower elevated cortisol levels. Stress impacts adrenal function and hormone levels. Get acquainted with hormone imbalance symptoms and signs so you can notice when things in your body and mind don’t seem right.

Don’t Miss: Can I Give My Cat Melatonin

Period Problems And Period

A common complaint of women who visit Madison Womens Health is irregular periods or unexpected changes to their periods. A period is considered irregular when it occurs more often than before or less often than before, or if the amount and duration of bleeding has changed significantly for repeated months. Is your period suddenly much heavier than it has been? Or are you not having a period at all?

Keep track of your cycles, when you begin to bleed, and for how long. A popular app among our patients for tracking cycles is Period Tracker Period Calendar , although there are many options. Let your doctor know how many days there are between your periods and what your typical flow is like. Discuss what is different and why you are concerned. Let them know if youre under more stress than before, if youve changed your diet or exercise recently, or if you have a family history of irregular periods.

These changes could have a structural cause having to do with your cervix or uterus or a hormonal cause. Your doctor will likely want to perform a physical exam and may also check specific hormones on a specific day of your menstrual cycle.