Hormonal Imbalance: Symptoms, Causes, and Treatments

Wondering how hormones play their part? These chemicals are ejected within the human body with a specific purpose. These are secreted into the flowing stream of blood which carries them to their function-specific tissues and organs. The endocrine glands in the body are the hormone manufacturing centres. Some of the main endocrine glands include the thymus, adrenal gland, pituitary gland, thyroid and pancreas. The production of hormones in the human body proceeds in the same parts except for the sex organs. Male sex hormones are produced in the testes and those of females are produced in the ovaries. A big difference is made when any single hormone is produced in slightly fewer or more amounts.

When can hormonal imbalance be noticed?

The level of hormones needed by the human body changes from childhood to puberty and these changes are natural in both men and women. Hormone imbalances can cause over 6,000 disorders, but only a few have a greater likelihood of occurrence. In men, the production of hormones stabilizes once they hit puberty. However, this is an on-and-off phenomenon in the case of women and most women suffer from this imbalance in the later years of their lives. There may be three particular stages that are marked by such imbalances in women- puberty, pregnancy and menopause.

Hormonal Imbalance Causes in Women

The human body is the workhouse of hormones and is all their play. Every hormone in the body is related to a certain function and thus, even a slight imbalance can be a hit to the proper functioning of the body. Some of the causes of hormonal imbalance in women are:

• Pregnancy or Menopause
• Careless way of life with improper diet, lack of exercise and irregular sleeping habits
• Mental or physical stress
• Some sort of medication
• Diabetes or thyroid problems
• Unsupervised intake of birth control pills

Hormonal Imbalance Symptoms in Women

When hormones go out of whack, they start showing easily recognizable symptoms:

• The menstrual cycle starts showing irregularities in terms of frequent onset and heavy flow
• There are considerable mood swings that may be a result of pre-menstrual or pre-menstrual disorders
• Consistent anxiety and loss of appetite
• Losing the power of concentration and lack of sound sleep during the night
• Weight gain and minimized sex coercion
• Sweating at night and hot flashing

These are some of the most substantial signs that depict some sort of imbalance in hormonal activities in the body. If any such symptoms are noted, the doctor should be consulted immediately.

Read Also: Effects of Soy Foods in Menopause

Treatments for Hormonal Imbalance in Women

Treatment depends on the level of hormone imbalance. If it is intolerable and is affecting the health drastically, the doctors may prescribe some medication. However, if it is within the tolerance limits of women and they can live with the discomfort it causes, there is no need to go for regular medical treatment. There are some doctor-specified natural methods to control the hormonal imbalance developing in the human body.

• Cut down the caffeine levels and try for alternatives like herbal tea
• A daily diet should comprise 1/4th cup of coconut oils
• Regular sleep tends to stimulate the proper flow of hormones
• Exercises should be mild and rigorous stressing of the body may only deteriorate the existing condition
• Lifting weights under proper inspection can provide great relief but take care that it is within the specified limits
• The toxins in household chemicals, mattresses, plastics and pesticides tend to replicate the natural hormones in the body thereby reducing the production of natural hormones