Symptoms of Hormonal Disturbances
Hormones are biological chemicals produced by different glands in the body. They function as messengers targeting different parts of the body to produce a reaction or control certain bodily functions such as metabolism, reproduction and growth.
While changes in hormone levels are natural, there are certain hormonal disturbances that may disrupt the hormonal process at various stages from synthesis to release and transport. Hormonal disturbances can potentially affect the organs targeted by hormones such as the reproductive system, thyroid glands, immune system and central nervous system.
For this reason, hormonal disturbances may lead to several different complications from infertility to hyper/hypothyroidism, diabetes and other conditions. In general, treatment of hormonal disturbances may include changes to one’s lifestyle and diet, using synthetic hormones, herbal medicines and acupuncture.
Hormonal disturbances in women are common during puberty and menopause although imbalances can occur at any age. The main hormones affected are the ones produced by the ovaries, which are progesterone, estrogen, and testosterone as well as the hormones produced by the brain that trigger ovarian hormone production. The common resulting conditions of hormonal disturbances in women are irregularities in the menstrual cycle, breast diseases, and polycystic ovarian syndrome.
The chief male hormone, testosterone, is produced mainly by the testes. The male body also produces estrogen in small amounts. The production of these hormones in turn, just like in women, is triggered by pituitary hormones produced by the brain. With age, the level of testosterone falls while the level of estrogen increases. However, when estrogen is high in relation to the testosterone level, this may result to prostate diseases. In addition, a low testosterone level may also affect the density of the bones, sex drive and muscle strength.
Symptoms of hormonal disturbances include: sleep disturbances, night sweats, poor concentration, lapses in memory, mood swings, irritability, depression, low libido, bone less, and hot flashes. In females, hormonal disturbances are also associated with weight gain, vaginal dryness, urinary incontinence, tender breasts, nervousness, hair loss, and loss of muscle mass, irregular periods, heavy and painful periods, bloating, acne, excess body or facial hair. Symptoms of hormonal disturbances specific to men are decreasing muscle strength and stamina, decrease in urine flow, gaining fat around the abdomen and erectile dysfunction.
If you have two or more of the symptoms above and if they have persisted for quite some time, that is a strong indication of a hormonal imbalance. A hormone test, either saliva testing or blood spot testing, is necessary in order to properly assess symptoms.
Assessing the symptoms of hormonal disturbances is important in order to properly identify if there is indeed an imbalance to the hormones and to restore the natural balance of these vital elements of the body.
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