Hormonal Imbalance - All you need to know.

Guess what? There are actually more than 50 different hormones orbiting inside your body. And each of them has its own function. For example, your thyroid hormones and cortisol hormones control your metabolism, energy levels and fetal development respectively. From heart rate to appetite to sexual function, each and every hormone plays an important part. You have or will likely experience a hormonal imbalance at some point in your life.

What is Hormonal Imbalance?

Hormones are produced in the body's endocrine glands, they travel around the bloodstream informing the various organs and tissues on what to do. Hormones control metabolism and reproduction. Hormonal imbalance has to do with either having too much or too little of a certain hormone in the body. It can have an adverse effect on the body.

Symptoms of hormonal imbalance

Your symptoms will depend on which hormones or glands aren’t working properly. These are well-known hormonal conditions affecting both men and women :

• Fatigue
• Increased sensitivity to heat or cold
• Weight gain
• Puffy face
• Dry skin
• Weight loss
• Muscle weakness
• Joint pain
• Stiffness or swelling in the joints
• Increased thirst
• Frequent urination
• Decreased sex drive
• Depression
• Infertility

Symptoms of Hormonal imbalance in women

• Irregular periods
• Acne on the chest, face or upper back
• Weight gain
• Vagina dryness
• Vagina atrophy
• Night sweats
• Pain during sex, etc.

Symptoms of Hormonal Imbalance in men

When a man does not produce enough testosterone, it can result in the following symptoms:

• Decreased sex drive
• Erectile dysfunction
• Breast tenderness
• Infertility
• Osteoporosis (loss of bone mass)
• Hot flashes
• Loss of muscle mass, etc.

Symptoms in children

The period whereby boys and girls produce sex hormones is called puberty. Children with delayed puberty might experience a condition called hypogonadism.

Symptoms of hypogonadism in boys include:

• Lack of development of body mass
• Voice refuses to deepen
• Body hair growth is slow
• Impaired penis and testicular growth
• Excessive growth of arms and legs
• Development of breast tissues (Gynecomastia).

Symptoms of hypogonadism In girls:

• Menstruation takes time to begin
• Breast tissues don't grow
• Slow growth rate

Causes of hormonal imbalance

There are several causes of hormonal imbalance, it all depends on which glands are affected:

• Diabetes
• An underactive thyroid (hypothyroidism)
• Overactive thyroid (hyperthyroidism)
• Hypogonadism
• Tumors
• Cushing syndrome
• Hormone therapy
• Medication
• Stress
• Eating disorders
• Adrenal insufficiency
• Cancer treatments
• Trauma
• Injury

Causes of hormonal imbalance in women

These causes are usually related to reproductive hormones. Common causes include:

• Menopause
• Breastfeeding
• Pregnancy
• Premature menopause
• Birth control pills
• Primary Ovarian insufficiency

Test and Diagnosis

1. Blood test

A sample of your blood will be taken to the laboratory for a test. Hormones can easily be detected in the blood when tested. Estrogen, thyroid, cortisol and testosterone levels can be tested.

2. Pelvic Examination

For females, a pap smear will be done to check for cysts, unusual lumps and tumors. For males, the doctor checks the scrotum for any abnormalities or lumps.

3. Ultrasound

An ultrasound machine is used to look inside the body. Images of the Ovaries, Uterus, Testicles and thyroid will be clearly seen. Other tests include MRI, X-ray, Thyroid scan, Biopsy, Sperm Count.

Treatments of Hormonal Imbalance 

The symptoms of hormonal imbalance can vary widely, as each hormone is uniquely responsible for its role.

Sleep

When it comes to managing hormonal imbalance, Sleep is very important. It plays a major role in maintaining and balancing your hormones. About 7-9 hours of sleep can do the trick.

However, to optimize your sleep you can,

• Go through a bedtime routine
• Try going to bed and waking up at the same time.
• Reducing blue light at night
• Drinking a glass of water first thing in the morning

Diet

Diet is the most effective instrument to balance your hormones. It allows you to directly change the levels of hormones by the meals you consume. Always attempt to eat healthy especially aiming for fatty fish, proteins, and vegetables. The Keto diet which has a lot of alkaline foods (vegetables like cabbage, cauliflower, Brussel sprouts, avocado and so on) has been reported to improve hormonal imbalances in many individuals and even infertility in some women.
Additional supplementary drinks like green tea and this SPECIAL REVOLUTIONARY DRINK can also help with insulin and various other problems. Get it at my Jumia store if you're in Nigeria or here if you live outside Nigeria. Overall, nothing beats a healthy diet to sort out major issues in the body.

Exercise

We can't stress this enough. One of the major symptoms of hormonal imbalance is weight gain and regular exercise is important when it comes to hormonal imbalance. It helps regulate our metabolism, and it has an effect on how much cortisol is released in our bodies. Losing weight has been shown to help improve conditions. For further information, read this article to get the best out of your health.

Several health conditions are associated with hormonal imbalance. If you notice any of the above symptoms listed in this article, go for a proper check-up. If you have a hormonal imbalance and you are not properly treated, you can be at the risk of suffering from any of these complications:

• High Blood Pressure
• High Cholesterol
• Diabetes
• Obesity
• Neuropathy
• Kidney Damage
• Sleep Apnea
• Loss of muscle mass
• Bone loss
• Infertility
• Breast Cancer
• Goitre
• Sexual Dysfunction

Do not self medicate, see a doctor as soon as possible to avoid complications. Until then take care of yourself.