6 signs your hormone levels are probably off

Various glands produce hormones in the body that make up the endocrine system. They serve as little messengers carrying out orders throughout the body, telling it what to do and when to do it. Hormones regulate many bodily functions, so when an imbalance arises, it can throw off all your cycles. If you’re experiencing the following health concerns, these may be signs your hormone levels are off.

Please note that all suggested solutions should be decided based on discussions with a healthcare provider first.

1. Weight change

There are numerous hormones that affect weight stability. Your frequency of hunger, metabolism, genetics, and lifestyle habits can all affect the likelihood of weight gain or loss. If you notice a substantial weight change, one of the following hormones may be the culprit.

Prolonged periods of stress can boost your hormone cortisol levels, causing you to gain more weight than normal. In addition, serotonin hormones play an important role in your hunger level and, if paired with stress, can cause a weight change.

Then there’s the thyroid gland, which regulates your metabolism and manages your ability to burn more calories. If you notice a change in weight and nothing drastic has changed in your lifestyle habits, this may indicate that hormone changes are the root cause.

Solutions: First, assess whether there has been a change in your lifestyle habits. If nothing has changed, it’s important to reflect if you’ve been feeling more stressed than normal.

Exercise and various relaxation techniques can be effective in helping balance hormonal imbalances in cortisol and serotonin. It’s also important to visit your doctor if you feel you can’t effectively manage your stress or to determine if it’s a thyroid issue.

2. Hormone levels and irregular periods

Every woman’s menstrual cycle is different. For some, it comes like clockwork every month, while for others, it’s a little unpredictable. You know your body better than anyone else, so when you notice your period starts to vary, a hormonal imbalance may be an underlying cause.

If your body’s levels of estrogen and progesterone start to change, this can disrupt your monthly flow. You may notice your period varies in length or comes more sporadically than normal. Common causes of irregular periods and hormonal imbalances include polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), stress, uterine fibroids, excessive exercise, or certain birth control methods.

Solutions: For some people, the solution may involve decreasing levels of stress. For others, the use of synthetic hormones to stabilize hormone levels may be required.

This can be done by visiting your healthcare provider to prescribe the best birth control option for you or by ordering hormonal birth control online. If you’re already on birth control and this is the problem for your imbalance, a doctor may suggest switching to a different kind to meet your body’s specific needs.

3. Extreme fatigue

Having an off day when you feel more tired than usual is normal. However, if you experience extreme exhaustion for a consistent time, this may indicate something’s off with your hormones. It might be time to consider using hormone balance supplements for energy.

Constant fatigue is often related to an imbalance in your thyroid gland, which makes the hormone thyroxin. Additionally, a hormonal imbalance of this type can cause interference with your quality of sleep, therefore, making you more tired than normal.

Solutions: There are various natural ways to improve thyroid health, like upping your B12 intake or taking up yoga. The thyroid gland is one of the essential parts of the human body; therefore, taking extra care of it is crucial. If you suspect a thyroid issue, visit your doctor to discuss your concerns and symptoms.

4. Hair loss and hormone levels

Your hair goes through a 4-stage cycle comprised of anagen, catagen, and telogen phases. During the anagen phase, your hair follicles grow consistently for a few years at a time.

Those follicles then transition into the catagen phase, indicating the end of the active growth phase. Finally, the telogen phase causes your hair follicles to go into a resting state, which is when you usually experience shedding.

The thyroid hormone thyroxin and the stress hormone cortisol play a huge role in excessive hair thinning. Hormone imbalances can affect growth and make hair dull rather than shiny.

On the other hand, when the adrenal gland produces elevated levels of cortisol, your body will feel like it’s in a high state of stress.

Solutions: Similar to hormone-induced weight change, the same solutions can be applied here. Additionally, to stop current hair shedding in its tracks, there are a few hair care tricks you can follow. First, try taking a multivitamin or Omega-3 supplement to strengthen your hair from the inside out. It’s also important not to wear tight hairstyles and consider using hair products designed to reduce shedding.

5. Acne

Most of us correlate hormonal acne to our puberty days. However, it can follow us far into adulthood. Hormonal acne is typically persistent and often appears on your cheeks, jaw, shoulders, and chest. Even if you didn’t experience acne as a teenager, it might develop later in life depending on the state of your hormones.

Hormonal acne arises when androgen hormones, like testosterone increase. This can lead to higher sebum (oil) production levels, clogged pores, and inflammation. Hormonal acne is a little more difficult to treat, but effective remedies exist.

Solutions: Since hormonal acne deals with an imbalance of the sex hormones, switching to or changing from hormonal birth control can be an effective treatment option. Changing your diet and skin-care routine can be helpful if you’d prefer the natural route.

For food, it’s important to avoid dairy and high glycemic foods, such as white bread, pasta, or rice. For your skin, you should use non-comedogenic products since these don’t block or clog pores. Additionally, try using products that regenerate skin cell growth, like an alpha-hydroxy acid serum.

6. Digestive problems

Sex hormones, such as estrogen, greatly affect your gut’s microflora. This can cause issues in your GI tract’s function, leading to stomach pain, bloating, constipation, or nausea. However, digestive issues may arise due to numerous factors such as stress, diet, activity level, or medications.

If you’ve been experiencing prolonged digestive problems, this may be an indicator that hormones are throwing off your microflora. You can try a few solutions to get your body back on track.

Solutions: Changing your diet to include more fiber and fluids may be necessary. Also, a daily probiotic will help maintain your gut health and boost your immune system. A probiotic might not work immediately, so give it some time to see full benefits.