What is Hormonal Imbalance? The endocrine system of the human body produces chemical messengers called hormones. These hormones have effects on all of your body’s systems, more or less.
Hormonal imbalance is something that can occur in the life of a man or a woman at any age, but it is more frequent at middle age.
A body that is balanced hormonally is a healthy body.
Hormones have an important role in your life, as they can regulate your metabolism. When there is an imbalance, your health and your quality of life can be affected severely. In some cases, the balance can be restored.
You know that your hormones are out of balance when you are experiencing certain symptoms.
There are many symptoms for both men and women, from which the most common are presented below.
Signs of Hormonal Imbalance in Men
The male body produces the following main types of hormones: estrogen, prolactin, and testosterone.
Whenever one or more of these hormones increase or decrease in levels, imbalance can occur.
The most common signs of hormonal imbalance for men are these:
- Low Sex Drive: Sex drive or libido refers to sexual desire. Men can completely lose their desire in bed when the levels of testosterone are low and the levels of prolactin are high. It seems that two thirds of men have high levels of prolactin. If you feel you have no sexual desire, you may have a hormone imbalance.
- Erectile Dysfunction: You have erectile dysfunction when you have a problem with maintaining your erection. Erection is usually lost at some point in time during sexual intercourse. This can be extremely frustrating for men.
- Breast Enlargement: When the estrogen levels in your body increase, you can experience what is called the enlargement of your breasts. Breast enlargement is caused not only by an increase in the levels of estrogen, but also a decrease in testosterone levels.
- Breast Milk Production: High blood levels of prolactin in combination with low levels of testosterone can cause the production of breast milk. Men can have milk just like women can have after they deliver a baby.
- Infertility: When the quality of sperm decreases, this is the first sign of infertility. It means that the man with infertility cannot have children through regular sexual activity. The problem seems to be the hormones that are responsible for sperm production.
- Hot Flashes (Night Sweats): Hit Flashes and night sweats are caused by an increased internal temperature. When the male hormones are out of balance, the internal temperature can increase.
- Loss of Hair: Baldness can be a sign of hormone imbalance in men. The good news is the loss of hair is temporary.
The thyroid gland can be responsible for hormonal changes.
Signs of Hormonal Imbalance in Women
The hormones of a woman can have the perfect balance for a very long time, but the balance can be ruined at a certain point in life.
The menopause is the best example, but many women can have these symptoms earlier in life.
Women can have an imbalance of the following types of hormones: estrogen, testosterone and progesterone.
- Weight Gain: Weight gain can sometimes be attributed to hormonal imbalance. Maintaining a healthy weight and a nice body shape is very hard in this case. You can still do something about it: changing your lifestyle.
- Low Libido: Just like men, women can also have a decreased sexual desire due to a change in hormone levels. This usually begins with a disturbed sleep.
- Insomnia: Insomnia is preceded by increased levels of cortisol and physical stress. You will have difficulties sleeping and different activities in life can be affected.
- Depression, Anxiety and Irritability: If you are going through depression or anxiety and you have some irritability, these can be symptoms of a hormonal imbalance. You may have to nourish your body properly.
- Hot Flashes and Night Sweats: Hot flashes and night sweats are among the most common signs of imbalance. Your internal temperature is increasing. Hot flashes are common symptoms for women, especially around the menopause.
- Extreme Fatigue: If you cannot get through mid-mornings or mid-afternoon without feeling really tired, then something is obviously wrong.