Hormonal Imbalance: What are the Symptoms and Treatments?
Hormones play a vital role in the communication system of the body. They are essentially custodians of information needed by the cells in order to produce certain proteins or chemicals required in the proper functioning of the body. They are involved in every biological process of any organic life, from reproduction, to immune functions, to growth, and even in the controlling other hormones.
For many women, maintaining hormone balance is a problem. Since a woman's physic goes through many different changes in a whole lifetime, it inevitable that hormone levels in her body fluctuate, thus, affecting her moods, sexual desires and fertility.
In the monthly cycle of the female reproductive system, a woman body produces two kinds of hormones: estrogen and progesterone. When estrogen levels exceed the progesterone, the hormone balance of body is disrupted causing depression, fatigue and anxiety, hair loss, headaches, low sex drive, wrinkles and wait gain. This imbalance can also be the cause of allergies, osteoporosis, fibrocystic breasts, PMS, Endometriosis, urinary tract infections and uterine fibroids.
What are the causes of the disruption of the hormone balance of the body?
Since the female body produces progesterone hormones only during the ovulation period of her menstrual cycle, any failure in the production of ovules from the ovaries can cause failure in the harmony of hormone balance. There are many factors that cause such failure, amongst which are the use of drugs, dependence on stimulants such as coffee and alcohol and poor dietary habits.
The absence of the ovulation in the woman’s cycle, however, is not the only cause of hormone balance disruption. Other factors that affect the production of hormones in the body include tremendous stress, ovulation disorders and abnormal cervical mucus.
When a woman is under tremendous stress, her adrenal glands secrete an increased production of cortisol. Cortisol works to block progesterone receptors making the progesterone level inadequate. As a result, the hormone balance of the body is disturbed and the woman experiences major discomforts.
Ovulation disorders, on the other hand, are caused by high levels of androgens or "male sex hormones" in the female body. Excessive androgen hormones can cause irregularities in ovulation or can completelyupsetthe ovulation process. As mentioned earlier, such irregularities deprive the body from producing the progesterone necessary to balance out estrogen, which eventually leads to hormone balance deficiencies.
Abnormal cervical mucus can affect the hormone balance of the female body when it is treated. This irregularity is usually treated with a fertility drug called clomiphene. Clomiphene, generally, affects production of cervical mucus by altering estrogen levels in the body causing the imbalance of estrogen and progesterone levels.
Exposure to xenoestrogens can also be a reason for excessive estrogen levels in the body. Although, they are not estrogens, xenoestrogens mimic the effects of estrogen and the result of which is that the body recognizes an overflow of estrogen and reacts in the same manner when hormone balance is disturbed. Xenoestrogens were introduced into the environment by industrial, agricultural and chemical companies in products such as cosmetics, glue, plastic, and other modern materials. Other than simply being the causedisruptions in the hormone balance of the body, they have also been implicated as the cause of a variety of medical problems such as breast cancer, falling sperm counts in males and neural signaling failures in fetuses.
Treatments for Hormonal Imbalance:
Disturbance in hormone balance of estrogen and progesterone can happen to any woman at any age. The symptoms may only manifest, though, during her late twenties and all throughout her forties. When the symptoms, however, are ignored during the early stages, it is possible that the imbalance will increase later on in life and will create permanent damage to the body. This is the reason why it is very important that a woman who believes she is suffering from hormonal imbalances should consult with a doctor right away.
Depending on the type of hormonal imbalance there is, there are a variety of treatments that can restore the natural hormone balance of the body. The best there is, however, is still the most natural means, which is simply living theholistic and healthy lifestyle. This includes proper diet, exercise, sleep, and eliminating sources of stress.
Hormone Restoration Therapy (HRT) can another treatment that physicians may prescribe - this treatment, however, still remains to be controversial due to the existing side effects. For many years physicians have been prescribing HRT as a combat for symptoms of menopause and as a protective agent against osteoporosis and heart disease. In the year 2005, however, it found that the use of HRT methods could lead to greater risks of heart failure and breast cancer. This is the reason why most physicians have opted to drop this approach from the list of treatments for hormonal imbalance. The public is now warned of the risks involved when opting for this method.
The newest alternative currently being recommended to cure hormonal imbalance is the Bio-identical Hormone Replacement Therapy (BHRT). This therapy aims to restore hormone balance by replenishing the body’s hormonal deficiencies with bio-identical hormones. As the term implies, bio-identical hormones are hormones that have similar chemical structure and biological reactions to those hormones naturally produced by the human body. Since they are identicalto the natural hormones, they follow the body’s natural pathways and are therefore utilized by the body more effectively. As a result, the body’s hormone balance is restored with ease, making it easier to enjoy a quality life even during the process of therapy.
It is important when choosing the right approach to treating hormonal imbalance that consultation with a physician be the first and primal step. There are many herbal and synthetic medications and hormonal creams sold in the market that do are not necessarily accurate to every patients needs. Self-prescribed medication can often be harmful and lead to irreversible effects to the body. Before prescribing to any treatment, go take a test and consult with a doctor who holds the proper specialization. This way, you can be sure that what you are taking or applying to correct the hormone balance in your body is suited to your case.
Click here to read about the symptoms of PMS