Hormones carry chemical signals through your bloodstream to your skin, muscles, organs, and other tissues. Most of the hormone production happens in the endocrine system. The body processes and functions they control include reproduction, mood, the circadian biological clock, metabolism, and growth and development. Your body’s functions can run without problems if there is a balance in the levels of your hormones. If you have a hormonal imbalance, you may need to seek the services of a New York bioidentical hormone specialist. Bioidentical hormones are artificial hormonal formulations that mimic the precise chemicals your body produces. Unlike conventional hormone therapy, bioidentical hormone replacement therapy comes with fewer complications.
Hormonal imbalance can result from aging and menopause. As you get older, there is a reduction in the production of hormones in the body, such as estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone. Hormone levels may also fluctuate due to being overweight, stress, having an unhealthy diet, chemotherapy, and diabetes.
Consequently, below are the common signs and symptoms of hormonal imbalance.
- Exhaustion
If you are over 30 years old and constantly tired, you may have a hormonal imbalance and thus may benefit from bioidentical hormone replacement therapy. According to numerous scientific studies, excess progesterone levels can make you tired and sleepy, while inadequate thyroid hormone can drain your energy.
Your doctor can perform a thyroid panel test to examine the functioning of the thyroid gland and determine if the level of thyroid hormones is too low.
- Anxiety
Potential causes of your anxiety include excess caffeine in the bloodstream, trauma, illness, mental health disorders, depression, medications, and excessive alcohol consumption.
Studies indicate women may be at higher risk of anxious feelings than men because of hormonal imbalance during pregnancy, puberty, menstruation, and menopause.
For example, more production of oxytocin, also called the love hormone, can help reduce your anxiety. Oxytocin release often happens when you are hugging, breastfeeding, having sexual activity, or cuddling.
High production of stress hormones like cortisol can leave you feeling anxious.
- Obese
You can be overweight or obese due to fluctuating levels of hormones. Health conditions that may cause hormonal weight gain include type 2 diabetes, Cushing syndrome, menopause, and polycystic ovary syndrome.
If you have polycystic ovary syndrome, which affects you during your childbearing age, you will have excess androgens and cysts on your ovaries and fail to ovulate. Therefore, you may have to deal with excess hair growth, weight gain, irregular menstruation, and infertility.
Hormonal imbalance can also make it difficult to achieve a healthy weight.
- Insomnia
Sleep experts recommend that adults sleep for more than seven hours every night. A good night’s sleep helps establish hormonal balance in your body, improving its functions and processes.
Naturally, your adrenal glands and circadian clock work together to maintain low levels of hormones that make you awake at night time. Therefore, you can have a good night’s sleep. But, a hormonal imbalance affects the circadian clock and adrenal glands.
- Loss of libido
According to research, hormonal imbalances cause about 70% of cases of low sex drive in men and women. Reduced levels of reproductive hormones in men and women cause low sex drive.
Contact Liondale Medical today to schedule an appointment with a bioidentical hormone replacement therapy specialist.
