20 Signs and Symptoms of Hormone Imbalance in Men and Women

Do you feel tired all the time, regardless of how many hours of sleep you get or how many cups of coffee you drink? Have you noticed a decline in your sexual desire or ability to perform? Are you struggling to lose weight no matter how hard you try? If you answered "yes" to any of these questions, there's a good chance your symptoms are caused by a hormonal imbalance.

What Do Hormones Do?

Hormones are produced by our bodies to control and regulate the functions of our organs and tissues, making them crucial for maintaining optimal health and function of our body's major bodily process.

Hormones are essential for optimal functioning of many body processes, including:

1. Metabolism and Weight Loss
2. Libido/Sex Drive
3. Sexual function and Reproductive Health
4. Mental Clarity and Memory
5. Energy
6. Mood and Mental Wellbeing

What Causes Hormone Imbalances?

There are many different factors that can negatively impact the body's natural production of a certain hormone. Two of the most commonly affected (and coincidentally also the most important) hormones in men and women are the thyroid hormones and Testosterone.

When the production of either of these two essential hormones declines, the body processes listed above are impacted the most and their ability to keep the body happy and healthy becomes less impactful, then undesirable symptoms begin to present themselves and a person's quality of life can begin to diminish.

Most Common Causes of Low Hormone Levels:

• Aging
• Stress
• Medical conditions that effect the Endocrine System
• Poor diet and low physical activity
• Puberty
• Menopause, Menstrual Cycle, or Pregnancy (Women)
• Environmental toxins, pollutants, and free radicals

How Do I Know if I Have a Hormonal Balance?

It's important to be mindful of your body and recognize any unexpected changes, especially when they changes have a negative impact on your energy levels, weight, sexual desire and/or satisfaction, and mental clarity. These tend to be the most significant and frustrating changes noticed.

Bloodwork

Bloodwork is a great way to check your hormone levels and determine if you have an imbalance in one.

Make sure you're having your hormone labs done under the care of a provider that specializes in hormones! They are your best choice when it comes to potential Hormone Replacement Therapy because they will order the lab tests that will tell the most detailed information about your body's natural production and utilization of various hormones and how each of them affect you.

Hormone Requirements can Vary

It's also important to see a provider specializing in hormones because they understand the fact that optimal hormone levels can vary drastically from patient to patient, there is no "one size fits all" number. Even though your numbers may be within the reference range, that doesn't always mean that your body is producing enough to fulfill its individual needs.

If your body requires more than it is able to produce naturally, regardless of the fact that your level is within the exceptionally wide reference range, you'll still experience the symptoms associated with low hormone levels.

20 Signs and Symptoms of Hormone Imbalances for Men and Women

What Should I Do if I Suspect I Have a Hormone Imbalance?

The first step is to talk to a medical professional about how you're feeling and what can be done to change that. Recharge Clinic is North Central Florida's premier hormone therapy clinic, so if you'd like to speak to someone regarding your hormones please give us a call or fill out and submit the form located to the right!