Early Warning Signs You Have a Hormone imbalance (and how to tell which one)

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There are many types of hormones that act on different aspects of bodily functions and processes. Therefore, some send signals to the organs which regulate your mood, some regulate energy levels, some act on temperature, weight, and many other aspects of your health. When hormones are not working properly, many health issues occur as a result.

How are Hormones Produced?

Hormones are produced by the body` major endocrine glands, such as the brain, thyroid, pancreas, reproductive glands, adrenals, and more.

How it all Works?

To operate effectively, hormone levels must be at the right level, not too high or too low. In order words, hormonal imbalance affects the overall body and can lead to various health issues.

Conventional medicine usually runs basic labs for hormone health. If those tests don’t come back normal, the patient is given synthetic hormone medications. On the other hand, if the tests come back normal but the symptoms don’t go away, you may be told that you are overweight, getting old, or depressed.

Common Hormone Problems

Below, there are some of the most prevalent hormone issues. Check them out!

1. Insulin

Insulin resistance is a hormonal resistance pattern. Even though most people know it when it comes to type 2 diabetes, it is seen in people who are not in the full-blown disease yet.

The pre-diabetic metabolic syndrome is marked by insulin resistance, meaning that the body IS producing insulin but it doesn’t use it properly.

What You Might Experience:

– Cravings for sweets
– Irritableness if meals are missed
– Dependence on coffee
– Become lightheaded if meals are missed
– Feel shaky, jittery, or having tremors
– Agitated, easily upset, or nervous
– Poor memory
– Blurred vision
– Fatigue after meals
– Eating sweets doesn’t relieve sugar cravings
– Waist girth is equal or larger than hip girth
– Frequent urination
– Increased thirst and appetite
– Difficulty losing weight

The Labs: Serum insulin, c-peptide, fasting blood sugar, and HgbA1c.

2. Cortisol

Cortisol is the body`s major stress hormone and an imbalance in cortisol rhythm typically causes adrenal fatigue. This issue is a dysfunction of your brain`s communication with the adrenals, not the adrenal glands themselves. Given the fact that adrenal fatigue is a brain stress issue, minimizing chronic stressors is the key to solving it.

What You Might Experience:

– Dizziness when standing up quickly
– Afternoon headaches
– Blood sugar issues
– Chronic inflammation
– Nails are weak
– Often moody
– Difficulty losing weight
– You’re slow to start in the morning
– Cravings for salty or sugary foods
– Low sex drive
– You’re fatigued in the afternoon but get a “second wind” in the evening
– Can’t stay asleep

3. Thyroid

Thyroid hormones are important for each cell of the body. There are various underlying thyroid issues that fail to show on standard labs. For instance, thyroid conversion issues, thyroid resistance or autoimmune attacks against the thyroid (Hashimoto’s or Graves’ disease).

What You Might Experience:

– Depression or lack of motivation
– Morning headaches that wear off as the day progresses
– Outer third of eyebrow is thin
– Thinning of hair on scalp
– Excessive hair falling out
– Dry skin
– Mental sluggishness
– Feeling tired
– Feeling cold in your hands, feet, or all over
– Requiring excessive amounts of sleep to function properly
– Weight gain, even with a low-calorie diet
– Difficult, infrequent bowel movements

4. Estrogen

The ratio of the three forms of estrogen [estrone (E1), estradiol (E2), estriol (E3)] is critical for both genders. According to a research, estrogen imbalance is linked to mortality rates in those with heart disease as well as a progression of some types of cancer.

What You Might Experience With Not Enough Estrogen:

– Feeling puffy and bloated
– Rapid weight gain
– Breast tenderness
– Mood swings
– Heavy menstrual bleeding
– Feeling anxious and/or depressed
– Migraine headaches
– Have had cervical dysplasia (abnormal pap smear)
– Insomnia
– Brain fog
– Gallbladder problems
– Weepy and emotional

The Labs: A full blood and salivary female hormone panel, including all estrogen isomers.

5. Progesterone

Again, both genders need healthy progesterone balance. This hormone helps to neutralize the effects of excess estrogen, which becomes harmful and out of control without optimal progesterone.

What You Might Experience:

– PMS
– Insomnia
– Unhealthy looking skin
– Painful breasts
– Stubborn weight gain
– Cyclical headaches
– Anxiety
– Infertility

The Labs: A full blood and salivary female hormone panel

6. Testosterone

Low testosterone is very common in both men and women. Low testosterone in women is associated with low sex drive, breast cancer, and heart disease while men with low testosterone have a higher death rate.

What Women Might Experience With Too Much Testosterone:

– Acne
– Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS)
– Excessive hair on the face and arms
– Hypoglycemia and/or unstable blood sugar
– Thinning hair
– Infertility
– Ovarian cysts
– Mid-cycle pain/cramping

What Women Might Experience With Not Enough Testosterone:

– Weight gain
– Fatigue
– Low sex drive

What Men Might Experience:

Men don’t produce estrogen like women but convert it through a process called aromatization. Excess activity of the enzyme aromatase can cause low testosterone and high estrogen in men, which in turn results in the following:

– Erectile dysfunction
– Low sex drive
– Weight gain
– Irritability

Breast enlargement

The Labs: Blood and saliva testosterone and DHEA panel.

7. Leptin

Fat cells play a very important part of the hormonal system by producing leptin. This hormone controls how the body stores its fat for energy use. If not recognized by the body, it creates leptin resistance and causes the body to store more fat.

What You Might Experience:

– Being overweight
– Difficulty losing weight easily
– Constant food cravings
– Stressed