12 Common Indications of a Hormone Imbalance in Both Men And Women
We don’t frequently think about hormones as an essential to the day-to-day functioning of the body, as they are “chemical ‘messengers’ that impact the method your organs and cells function,” states WebMD.com.
Women have a tendency to be more commonly associated with hormone imbalances due to menstruation and menopause, however men also experience hormone changes throughout their lives, especially as they age. While each gender has its own distinct set of signs that occur with a hormonal imbalance, they share the following 12 in common.
1. Libido Changes
If you suddenly find you’re not in the mood to be intimate, a hormonal imbalance could be the cause. In women, this tends to be due to lower-than-normal estrogen levels, which is often because they have hit menopause. Low estrogen can trigger women to experience vaginal dryness or discomfort throughout sexual intercourse, which can be uncomfortable and in turn impact their desire for intimacy.
For men, low libido is due to low levels of testosterone and, in some cases, high levels of prolactin, which Livestrong.com says is “a hormone responsible for breast milk production.” In addition to lacking sexual desire, the source says that too much prolactin in men can cause erectile dysfunction as well.
2. Infertility
Hormonal imbalances can also impact a person’s ability to have children. For women, infertility is often linked to polycystic ovarian syndrome, those with the condition tend to have “high amounts of androgens (including testosterone) as well as insulin resistance,” says Women’s Health Network, both of which “contribute to increased estrogen, along with lack of ovulation and infertility.”
In men, infertility can be the outcome of “low sperm counts or low sperm quality,” which may be triggered by a shortage in a gonadotropin-releasing hormone. This shortage can result in low levels of two other hormonal agents (low follicle-stimulating hormone and luteinizing hormone) that are accountable for testosterone and sperm production.
3. Mood Changes
Not feeling rather like yourself recently? Mood modifications prevail amongst those with hormonal imbalances. As estrogen affects brain chemicals like serotonin, dopamine, and norepinephrine– which are mainly accountable for how we feel– a sudden boost in this hormone can lead to mood swings, whereas anxiety can be due to lower progesterone and depression might be due to lower estrogen levels.
And, according to Healthline.com, low testosterone in men can lead to mood changes as “testosterone influences many physical processes in the body, it can also influence mood and mental capacity, ” which increases the likelihood of them struggling with lack of focus, irritability, or depression.
4. Weak Bones
Bone health is seldom related to hormonal agents, however they do play an essential function in keeping your skeletal system strong. The parathyroid hormone, for example, “helps manage the amount of calcium in the blood,” states Reader’s Digest, therefore low levels of it may trigger the bones to become fragile, perhaps causing osteoporosis.
And while osteoporosis is largely associated with women, it can also affect men who have low testosterone (especially seniors), as the hormone “helps produce and strengthen bone,” indicates Healthline.com.
5. Modifications in Weight
If there’s been an obvious change in your weight recently, but you have no description as to why, it may be because hormone imbalance. In women, weight gain can be triggered by excess estrogen or low thyroid hormones, while weight reduction may be due to excessive thyroid hormones.
Men might also experience abrupt weight gain due to excess estrogen. And in many cases, they may establish gynecomastia, where the breast tissue becomes bigger. Unusual weight loss in men, however, can be the outcome of low testosterone.
6. Fatigue
A hormonal imbalance may be to blame if you’re getting plenty of sleep however cannot appear to shake symptoms of fatigue. For women, Rocky Mountain Analytical discusses that this may be due to “low thyroid hormone, adrenal fatigue, or another type of hormone imbalance.”
It can also be thyroid and adrenal fatigue in men that might be triggering relentless tiredness or decreased energy levels. If you’re finding it harder to remain awake throughout the day, or lacking the energy to get up and workout, it might be best to reserve a visit with your physician to validate the cause.
7. Hair Loss
Hair loss is a typical (although oftentimes feared) part of aging, specifically for men. or some balding might be hereditary, for others it can also be due to elevated levels of DHT caused by high testosterone. In addition to losing hair on their heads, men with low testosterone levels may also “experience a loss of body and facial hair, too.”
For women, unusual or premature loss of hair might be because of “Imbalances in thyroid or adrenal functions, or an imbalance between estrogen and testosterone,” states Women’s Health Network. While high levels of testosterone can cause unusual hair development on the chin, face, or other body locations– a condition referred to as hirsutism.
8. Poor Sleep
We’ve all experienced nights where you crawl into bed after a long day, however all you can do is toss and turn. While it’s regular for this to happen from time to time, if it’s taking place regularly, it may be a sign that your hormones are out of whack. In women, this might be because of low levels of progesterone, a hormone the ovaries produce to assist with implantation during the menstrual cycle but it also assist with calming the body and assisting with sleep. Too much progesterone on the other hand can cause the body to feel too sedated or tired.
In men, however, an absence of adequate shut-eye might be because of low testosterone levels. Regardless of gender, getting less sleep than typical as an outcome of hormone modifications is more common over the age of fifty.
9. Night Sweats
Another element that can make it challenging to get an excellent night’s sleep is night sweats, which can be brought on by an imbalance in the body’s hormones. In women, low levels of estrogen or progesterone might be the cause, although other hormone imbalances in your body that come from the adrenals, ovaries, thyroid, pancreas or gastrointestinal system might also be the source of the issue.
And while night sweats are frequently connected with women going through menopause, men can experience them as well, particularly those with low testosterone levels.
10. Acne
The cause might be a hormonal imbalance if you’re well past the age of adolescence and unexpectedly discover yourself breaking out in pimples. While it’s typical for women to experience moderate acne right before or throughout their menstruation, it has the tendency to clear up fairly rapidly.
If it continues, however, it could be due to excess androgens. In both men and women, androgens (” male” hormones) “can cause your oil glands to overwork” and “affect the skin cells around your hair follicles.”
11. Brain Fog
With such hectic way of lives these days, it’s not surprising that we experience forgetfulness on occasion. If you see it takes place routinely, it might point to a hormonal imbalance. For women memory loss and impaired brain function might be due to low levels thyroid hormones, along with low levels of estrogen and progesterone.
In both genders, nevertheless, the perpetrator of this brain fog may be a high level of cortisol, which can arise from experiencing excessive life stressors. In the short term, elevated cortisol levels can impact memory and learning capability, and in the long term can begin triggering real damage to the brain tissue, and ultimately lead into genuine dementia.
12. Digestion Issues
While food digestion concerns can indicate that we have consumed something that doesn’t agree with us, or that we’re coming down with a bug, they may also signal that our hormones are imbalanced. WebMD shows that this is because “Your gut is lined with small cells called receptors that react to estrogen and progesterone,” so if these hormone levels are low, you may experience modifications in food digestion like nausea, bloating, and diarrhea.
In both women and men, high cortisol levels from persistent stress may also be the culprit, which may contribute to irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), due to irregular levels of serotonin.