What do you know about hormonal imbalance?

Hormones are chemicals produced by endocrine glands that travel through the bloodstream to tissues and organs, delivering messages that tell the organs what to do and when. Hormones are needed to regulate basic bodily processes, so hormonal imbalances can affect many bodily functions.

Hormones help regulate.

• Metabolic processes (biochemical metabolism in cells).
• Blood sugar.
• growth.
• blood pressure.
• Reproductive cycles and sexual function.
• overall growth.
• Level of mood, stress and reactions.

Hormonal imbalance occurs when the concentration of one or more hormones is outside the normal range. Symptoms depend on:

• Type of hormone and its function.
• the gender of the person.

Common symptoms of hormonal imbalance include:

• weight changes
• Decreased sexual desire.
• young love
• diabetes.
• High or low blood pressure.
• Heart and kidney disorders.
• Bone pain.

Imbalances in the secretion of insulin, steroids, growth hormones and adrenaline can affect both men and women. Only females can experience imbalances in estrogen and progesterone levels, while males are more likely to experience imbalances in testosterone levels.

Symptoms of hormonal imbalance

As mentioned earlier, the symptoms of hormonal imbalance can vary depending on which gland is affected and whether the person is male or female. Symptoms, depending on gender, include:

First, symptoms in women

Symptoms in women include:

Second. Symptoms in men

When a man has low testosterone, his symptoms include:

• Decreased sexual desire.
• Erectile dysfunction (impotence).
• loss of muscle mass
• Hair thinning and poor growth.

Symptoms common to both sexes may include:

1. Acne

Acne can occur due to increased sebum production from the skin’s sebaceous glands at a higher rate than normal. Sebum can lead to clogging and clogging of pores, thus increasing the growth of bacteria that increase skin inflammation. Testosterone, estrogen and progesterone hormones can also affect the sebaceous glands of the human skin. Some of the ways these hormones affect acne include:

• Testosterone helps regulate sebum (oil) secretion. Excess sebum can clog pores, leading to breakouts.
• Women may experience acne after menopause due to changes in estrogen and progesterone levels.
• Additionally, females with PCOS are more likely to have frequent and persistent acne.
• Doctors believe that increased resistance to androgenic hormones, such as testosterone, can increase the risk of acne breakouts.

2. Weight gain

Hormonal imbalances can affect many processes in the body that lead to weight gain. Some examples include:

• Thyroid hormones regulate the body’s metabolism, or the rate at which it burns energy. Low levels of thyroid hormones can slow your metabolism and lead to weight gain.
• Low estrogen levels can lead to weight gain.
• Hormonal imbalances caused by PCOS can lead to weight gain.
• An imbalance in the body’s production of excess cortisol causes weight gain.

3. Pregnancy

Pregnancy causes a change in hormone levels. Hormones whose levels change during this period include:

• progesterone
• Estrogen.
• testosterone.

However, the level of these hormones may differ from the normal for a non-pregnant woman. This does not necessarily mean that it is not within the normal range given that a woman is pregnant, however, certain hormones that increase during pregnancy can affect how a woman’s body handles insulin. This can lead to insulin resistance and diabetes during pregnancy.

4. Hair loss

Male pattern baldness is associated with low levels of androgenic hormones such as testosterone. That’s why doctors call it androgenic alopecia in men. This condition leads to hair loss in the front and middle of the scalp.

However, not all men suffer from androgenetic alopecia, although their hormone levels change with age. Doctors explain this by the fact that the genetic factor plays a role in this hair loss.

Diagnosis of hormonal imbalance

The diagnosis of hormonal imbalance depends largely on the condition, which your doctor can diagnose after conducting some tests that help him in the diagnosis, such as:

• Blood test. checking the level of certain hormones, such as estrogen, testosterone, or thyroid hormones.
• Imaging. Imaging tests such as ultrasounds, X-rays, or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to identify cysts or tumors that may be causing excess hormone production.
• Urine test. Doctors use urine tests to measure the levels of certain hormones, especially those related to the menstrual cycle, such as follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH).

There are some test kits that allow a person to perform some of these checks at home. This may include urine or blood tests.

It should be noted here that you should ensure that the company is reputable and that it uses accredited laboratories to evaluate the samples.

Causes of hormonal imbalance

Everyone experiences natural periods or fluctuations of hormonal imbalance at certain times in their lives.

1. Disorders of endocrine glands

Hormonal imbalances can occur when certain endocrine gland cells malfunction. They are specialized cells that produce, store, and release hormones into the bloodstream. There are many endocrine glands located throughout the body that control various organs, including:

• Adrenal glands
• Gonads (testicles and ovaries).
• Pineal gland.
• the pituitary gland.
• Hypothalamus gland.
• Thyroid gland.
• pancreas.

Many medical conditions can affect the endocrine system. Certain daily habits and environmental factors can play a role in hormonal imbalance. Medical conditions that can affect hormone production include:

• Diabetes mellitus occurs when the body does not produce enough of the hormone insulin.
• Hyperactivity of the thyroid gland, or its deficiency and lack of activity.
• Addison’s disease, when the adrenal glands do not produce enough hormones.
• Cushing’s syndrome, when the adrenal glands secrete too many corticosteroids.
• Hyperglycemia, which is an overproduction of glucagon or a decrease in insulin production.
• Hypoglycemia, which is when the body produces more insulin than it needs to burn sugar.
• Pituitary tumors.
• Benign tumors and cysts (fluid-filled sacs) that affect the endocrine glands.
• Congenital adrenal hyperplasia (low cortisol levels).
• Cancers associated with endocrine glands.
• Chemotherapy and radiotherapy.
• Iodine deficiency (goiter).
• Hereditary pancreatitis.
• Turner syndrome, if women are born with only one X chromosome instead of two.
• Prader-Willi syndrome.
• Severe anorexia nervosa.
• Pituitary infection with hemorrhage and congenital genetic anomalies in a pregnant woman and her fetus.

2. Additional reasons

Other causes of hormonal imbalance may include:

• Chronic anxiety.
• Malnutrition.
• excess weight.
• Birth control drugs or hormone therapy.
• Abuse of stimulant drugs.
• Exposure to toxins, pollutants, and endocrine-disrupting chemicals, including pesticides and herbicides.
• Women naturally experience periods of hormonal imbalance throughout their lives, including:
  • puberty.
  • Menstruation.
  • Pregnancy, childbirth and breastfeeding.
  • Menopause and postmenopause.

3. Causes of hormonal imbalance in women

The main causes of hormonal imbalance in women include:

4. Causes of hormonal imbalance in men

Men also experience normal periods of hormonal imbalance in their lives, including:

• puberty.
• aging.
• and stress.

Men may experience different hormonal imbalances than women because they have different endocrine organs and cycles. Medical conditions that cause hormonal imbalance in men include, but are not limited to:

• Inherent problems.
• Prostate cancer that develops with the help of androgens or male sex hormones.
• Hypogonadism, which is insufficient production of testosterone.
• testicular injury
• Radiation or chemotherapy.
• Hormonal disorders such as pituitary tumor.
• Diseases such as type 2 diabetes and HIV.
• Genetic conditions such as Klinefelter syndrome, hemochromatosis, or Kallmann syndrome.

Sources:

(1). https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/321486