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Hormone Imbalances for Men & Women

Hormones are powerful chemicals in the body that play a part in multiple critical factors to overall wellness. Hormones travel throughout your entire body and have multiple functions. Different types of hormones affect different tissues and organs throughout the body, essentially telling them to perform certain functions. For example, some hormones make your muscles tense, improve digestion, and even affect fertility.

 

Common hormone-related conditions for women include:

  • Irregular Menstruation

  • Infertility

  • Acne

  • Hormonal Acne

  • Diabetes

  • Thyroid Disease

  • Obesity

The most common female hormone disorders include:

  • Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS): This is the most common of the female hormone disorders. It causes irregular periods, ovarian cysts, weight gain, and fertility problems. PCOS affects about 1 in 10 women of reproductive age.

  • Thyroid disease: This includes hypothyroidism (too little thyroid hormone) and hyperthyroidism (too much thyroid hormone). Women are more than 5 times more likely than men to have a thyroid disorder.

  • Hirsutism: This hormone disorder triggers the growth of excess hair, especially in places where women do not usually have much hair.

  • Primary ovarian insufficiency: Also called premature ovarian failure, this disorder occurs when a woman’s ovaries stop working before the age of 40.

 

Types of Hormone Imbalance for men:

Testosterone is considered the primary male hormone, along with other hormones like cortisol, insulin, and thyroid hormones. Imbalance in any of these hormones may result in any of the 4 main types of hormonal imbalance in men.

  • Andropause: Low testosterone levels can cause andropause, which is popularly known as ‘male menopause’.

  • Adrenal fatigue: Low levels of cortisol, your stress hormone, can cause adrenal fatigue. Often resulting from long exposures to stress.

  • Hypothyroidism: Underactive thyroid gland leading to low production of thyroid hormones, can cause hypothyroidism. Learn more about what hypothyroidism can do to your body.

  • Hyperthyroidism: An overactive thyroid gland can increase your metabolism and produce high levels of thyroid hormone. It can be surgically removed if necessary.

 

Signs & Symptoms of Hormone Imbalance:

  • Slow heartbeat or rapid heartbeat (tachycardia).

  • Unexplained weight gain or weight loss.

  • Fatigue.

  • Constipation.

  • Diarrhea or more frequent bowel movements.

  • Numbness and tingling in your hands.

  • Higher-than-normal blood cholesterol levels.

  • Depression or anxiety.

 

What causes hormone imbalance?

Just as there are many types of hormones with many functions, a hormonal imbalance has many causes. Certain medications, stress, mental health disorders, injuries, or even tumors can lead to hormonal imbalance. The body depends on a precise balance of hormones to function properly, certain hormonal imbalance conditions, like diabetes and hyperthyroidism, can throw off the balance of other hormones as well.

 

Treatment for Hormone Imbalance

Treatment for a hormonal imbalance will depend on what’s causing it. If you have lower-than-normal hormone levels, the main treatment is hormone replacement therapy. Depending on which hormone is deficient, you may be prescribed to take oral medication or injection medication.

Our expertly trained staff can diagnose hormone conditions, develop treatment and management plans and prescribe medication. If you would like to schedule a consultation, please fill out the form below.