Pop Quiz Time: How many hormone imbalance symptoms do you need before reaching out to somebody?
Answer?
Just one.
Only one.
One is enough.
Don’t wait.
Don’t ignore it.
This one is perhaps the most important piece of advice I could give anyone.
Don’t ignore the red flags that your body is giving you.
The top 10 signs that you may be experiencing a hormonal imbalance are:
1. A period that is absent, that fluctuates widely out of your normal range from month-to-month, OR if you are having your period every 25 days or less or more than every 35 days, it is considered irregular.
When reproductive-aged women don’t cycle, it can lead to long-standing estrogen deficiency that puts them at risk for low bone mineral density; sexual dysfunction (vaginal dryness and pain), and mood disorders such as relentless anxiety & depression.
The standard of care intervention is hormone replacement therapy (often, oral birth control), which while necessary for some, also masks the nutritional deficiencies that may continue unchecked.
Common reasons why a woman may not be cycling include PCOS, Functional Hypothalamic Amenorrhea (FHA), certain medications, a limited number of eggs remaining, or structural problems.
If you are still cycling, but it’s irregular, there can be a wide variety of reasons why and testing is the first thing to do.
2. A fluctuating mood (irritability, sadness, and/or anxiety) that feels out-of-control or outside of your norm. So many women explain PMS or PMDD in exactly those terms.
If you’re experiencing out-of-control moods every month, it’s time to dig deeper. Common reasons why extreme moods occur during certain times of the cycle include sensitivity to changing hormonal levels, progesterone withdrawal sensitivity, and serotonin deficiency.
3. Hair loss or hair growth where you don’t want it.
Hair loss isn’t just something that happens because of age. It’s usually a sign of something bigger going on. It is usually present with other hormonal symptoms as well such as: fatigue, acne, and digestive troubles.
Hirsutism, excess hair growth — especially in places you don’t want, is commonly associated with PCOS and elevated levels of androgens.
4. Skin that feels dry, dull, or blemished.
Your skin is an outside reflection of what’s going on inside your body. Common root causes of skin irritated skin include elevated testosterone levels, elevated cortisol levels, gut imbalances, food sensitivities, nutrient deficiencies, and a sluggish liver.
5. Difficulty concentrating; foggy thinking.
This is one of the top things that my current patients are struggling with, as there are so many things happening in the world right now. Common reasons for brain fog include fatigue (due to poor sleep), some medications such as antihistamines, metabolic disorders, thyroid imbalances, nutrient deficiencies, low estrogen, and environmental toxicity.
6. Very light or very heavy bleeding, AND/OR any bleeding outside of a period.
If there isn’t a structural cause, irregular bleeding patterns during menstrual cycles are usually due to imbalanced hormones — and it is typically due to either a deficiency or excess in estrogen and/or progesterone.
7. Vaginal dryness either with or without arousal.
Vaginal dryness will affect most women at some point in their lives, however, you don’t have to live with it. There are a number of causes for vaginal dryness, including estrogen deficiency, certain medications, emotional or psychological issues, other skin conditions such as generalized dermatitis.
8. Chronic vaginal infections.
When things always seem “off down there”, whether that’s recurrent vaginal infections or UTIs it’s definitely not something to be ignored. Some infections can go from just bothersome to having serious health consequences such as infertility, or in rare cases, fatality.
Abnormal discharge, pelvic pain (with sex or otherwise), bloating, and/or fever could be signs that your body is fighting an infection. Talk to your doctor if you feel like something is off.
9. Hot flashes and night sweats.
While common in perimenopause and menopause, hot flashes & night sweats can occur in younger women as well. Two common causes of hot flashes include:
- Increased noradrenaline, which disturbs the thermoregulatory system.
- Estrogen deficiency, which reduces hypothalamic endorphins in the brain, which release more norepinephrine and serotonin. This leads to inappropriate heat loss mechanisms.
10. Low libido.
Low libido, or interest in sex, can be for many reasons. Hormonal changes such as during menopause, postpartum, or periods of high stress are often the main reasons I see for loss of libido in women. By addressing the imbalances through a multifaceted approach, the powerhouse women I work with often regain their interest and enjoyment in this aspect of their life.
If you are experiencing one or more of these, I want you to know that you are not alone.
I can tell you after treating 1,000+ women for many of these concerns that there are natural solutions that don’t involve medications or invasive procedures.
Our hormonal biochemistry is fascinating, but also complex. Don’t get down on yourself if trying to get to the root cause of your concerns is overwhelming or the things you thought would help didn’t.
I think it is important to find ways to implement better interventional tools that can help restore natural hormone balance as a 1st line approach and/or alongside hormone replacement if given.
My advice as a Women’s Health Naturopathic Physician if you are experiencing any of the above symptoms?
- Don’t ignore it. Your body is trying to tell you something.
- Get a complete hormonal workup because other hormones can be related to this (thyroid, insulin/glucose, prolactin).
- Understand that birth control does not address underlying causes
Ask around and seek out multiple opinions until you feel like you’ve identified someone who is a good fit for you as a collaborative partner in hormonal health.
So how to get your hormones back on track while working with a practitioner?
That might look like:
- Undergoing specialized lab testing to uncover the root cause of your symptoms, as well as monitoring levels along the way.
- Lifestyle changes such as nutrition (specific to you), movement, and stress reduction.
- Taking targeted nutrients, botanicals, and/or amino acids to help the body stay balanced. This changes over time.
- Monitoring your cycle monthly + hormonal symptoms.
If you’re motivated and willing, I can guide you through these changes and offer targeted support to help address the underlying root causes.
