An understanding of the effects of hormone imbalance in women is vital for your sustained health and wellness, as the many hormones produced in your body are vital for the normal functioning of your body systems. Typically, the production of hormones fluctuates all through your life in response to puberty, pregnancy, perimenopause, and menopause. However, various other internal and environmental factors can also result in a hormone imbalance in women. Such factors can set off a chain of events inside the body eventually leading to various other health issues. But, if you can understand why these imbalances occur, you might be able to take the necessary steps to prevent or correct them in time.
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Causes of Hormone Imbalances in Women
Aside from the main sex hormones of progesterone, testosterone, and estrogen, you have other hormones circulating in your body such as those produced by your thyroid and adrenal glands. Each of these secretions are dependent on each other and can affect the production of the others. Many triggers can set off a hormone imbalance in women. For instance, frequent crash diets, long-term, chronic stress, and certain medications. You could be consuming artificial hormones like those present in birth control pills, or ingesting them along with the processed foods you eat – think growth hormones in dairy products. Many households and personal hygiene products contain xenoestrogens that you could be absorbing without being aware of it.
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Stress and Hormone Imbalances
When you go through chronic stress, the adrenal glands produce an excess of cortisol to deal with it. After a point, when this supply seems insufficient, the body uses the available progesterone and converts it into more of cortisol. Stress by itself can cause many adverse effects on your body such as weakening bones and muscles and lowered energy and stamina. Over time, you’ll also notice lack of libido and a higher susceptibility to getting diseases. As a result of lowered progesterone levels, estrogen becomes dominant. An excess of estrogen, in turn, sets off another chain of adverse events, some of which are obesity, irregular menstruation and a higher risk of cancer.
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Weight Gain and Hormone Imbalances
Obesity and a hormone imbalance in women are so closely linked that they can push your body into a vicious cycle. Without hormone replacement, this cycle can become very hard to break. The fat cells in your body create aromatase, an enzyme that converts testosterone into estrogen. And again, the added estrogen causes weight gain. Obesity can also lower the levels of SHBG, an acronym for sex hormone binding globulin. This protein can bind the estrogen in your body and pull it out of circulation. Without it, an excess of estrogen dominates the functioning of the body and leads to numerous other health issues.
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Other Adverse Effects of Obesity
Fat cells do a lot more than affect the hormone imbalance in women. They produce cytokines that can cause inflammations in your body. Leptin is yet another hormone that the fat cells produce that can lead to cancer. Further, the toxins that can cause cancer accumulate in the fat cells. ![]()
Hormone replacement therapy can help when combined with exercise and a diet rich in fiber. Fiber works to bind the toxins and push them out of your body naturally.
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Symptoms of Hormone Imbalance
Most women go through life without realizing that they have an excess of estrogen in their bodies. Typically, this condition causes symptoms like painful menstrual cramps, higher than normal flow, tenderness in the breasts, PMS mood swings, and depression and anxiety. You could also experience some other symptoms, both physical and psychological. You’ll feel irritable, depressed, and have trouble sleeping. Women also find it hard to remember things and notice acne and breakouts just before their periods. These skin issues are caused by an excess of testosterone in the body. An increased appetite, lack of stamina, and digestion issues are other physical symptoms. Some women also notice vaginal dryness and lowered libido.
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Correct Hormone Imbalance in Women for a Better Life
With age, perimenopause, and menopause, the ovaries begin to produce less of hormones until they stop altogether. But, if these signs appear early, they may be linked to hormone imbalance in women. You could correct these symptoms using conventional hormone replacement therapy which uses synthetic hormones derived from man-made and animal sources, but new bio-identical hormone replacement technology is better. BHRT hormones are sourced from plants and are very similar to the hormones produced by your body, making it safe and highly effective.
So if you suffer from hormone imbalance, don’t stress. There are products and services out there that can help you achieve balance, and life the quality of life you deserve.
Resources
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Author Bio
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Dan Holtz | BHRC Co-Founder
Dan Holtz is the co-founder of the ![]()
Beverly Hills Rejuvenation Center, and is known as the “Wellness Expert to the Stars.” After suffering and curing his own hormonal imbalance, Dan has dedicated himself to helping those like him get back to their old lifestyles through his proprietary hormone therapy and other state-of-the-art treatments.
SOUTHERN LACED™ 