Understanding Hormonal Imbalance Treatment Options

Imbalances in your hormones can cause both physical and psychological challenges, but there are many hormonal imbalance treatment options available.

Do your moods swing without warning? Is your sex drive in neutral? Has it been a while since you got a good night’s sleep?

If you answered yes to any or all these questions, you might have a hormonal imbalance. And you are not alone.

A survey of 2000 women between the ages of 30 and 60 found that nearly half of them experienced the effects of a hormonal imbalance. If you fall in the percentage of those who have experienced symptoms of imbalanced hormones, then you know just how debilitating they can be, creating both physical and psychological challenges.

The good news is that there are multiple hormonal imbalance treatment options available. But before you seek help, it’s essential to understand how they can affect both men and women and their causes.

What Are Hormone Imbalances?

The endocrine glands produce hormones in the body. They don’t use them right away, though. The hormones are stored and, when needed, are released into your bloodstream. They help the body function as it should. They are the body’s way of sending messages to tissues and organs, telling them what to do.

Hormonal changes will happen throughout your lifetime, especially as you age. Your body will naturally adapt to these changes. Other times, you may experience too little or too high of a hormone in your bloodstream. This imbalance can cause adverse effects on different parts of your body.

There are numerous types of hormones. Some of the most common include:

• Estrogen
• Cortisol
• Adrenaline
• Ghrelin
• Growth hormone
• Leptin
• Melatonin
• Testosterone
• Progesterone
• Insulin

The symptoms you experience are related to the hormone that is out of balance.

Symptoms of Hormone Imbalances for Men and Women

Men and women can have similar symptoms of hormone imbalance. Symptoms can become overwhelming, and what once seemed like simple bumps in the road now seem like oversized boulders.

For both men and women, symptoms can include:

• Weight gain
• Alump of fat between the shoulders
• Fatigue
• Depression
• Anxiety
• Mood swings
• Digestive problems such as frequent urination, constipation, and diarrhea

Men and women may also experience mood swings, excessive sweating, decreased sex drive, infertility, thinning hair, and muscle pains and weakness.

Now, let’s look at symptoms unique to each gender.

Symptoms of Hormone Imbalances for Women

Polycystic ovary syndrome is common among women with hormonal imbalances. Irregular periods, excessive hair growth on the face or chin, night sweats, pain during sex, and vaginal dryness are also common.

In addition, women have reported bloating, blood sugar changes, and brain fog. You may find yourself feeling frustrated when you diet and exercise but can’t lose weight. Or when you find yourself easily distracted, forgetful, and excessively tired.

Symptoms of Hormone Imbalances for Men

In men, testosterone is the primary hormone that creates negative symptoms when out of balance.

Men may develop breast tissue, tenderness in the breast area, erectile dysfunction, loss of muscle mass, hot flashes, and decreased hair growth, especially on the chin.

Just as there are various symptoms, there are also multiple causes of hormonal imbalances.

Causes of Hormone Imbalances

Both men and women can experience hormone imbalances if they have unmanaged stress, eating disorders, injuries, and benign or malignant tumors.

Other causes are associated with conditions like diabetes, thyroid disease, Cushing syndrome, Addison’s disease, and certain medications.

Women who go through pregnancy and menopause, take birth control pills, and breastfeed may have hormone imbalances in the reproductive system.

Fortunately, there are many ways to improve hormone imbalances in both men and women.

Hormone Imbalance Treatment

For both men and women, a treatment called bio-identical hormone replacement therapy (BHRT). These are artificial hormones that come from plants, but they are identical chemically to the hormones produced by the human body.

The goal is to use replacement hormones to reverse the adverse effects produced by your hormone imbalance. The most common BHRT hormones are estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone.

BHRT is completely different from HRT or traditional hormone replacement therapy. HRT hormones are made from the urine of pregnant horses and other synthetic methods.

Some prescription forms of BHRT are pre-made by a manufacturing company. Anytime something is mass-manufactured, it is a one-size-fits-all treatment. But your body and your symptoms are unique. Using a mass-produced product could cause unexpected side effects.

For this reason, many choose to use bio-identical hormones that are created through a compounding process by your local pharmacist.

How to Get Bio-identical Hormone Replacement Therapy

The process of compounding BHRT begins with your doctor creating a treatment plan based on the analysis of your saliva, blood, and urine. It would be best to get proper feedback on which hormones are out of balance before you can begin treatment.

Your doctor will prescribe a specific dose based on lab results and symptoms and give you instructions on how to take the replacement hormones. You will then take the prescription to your local pharmacist, who will gather information for compounding.

Compounded BHRT

There are many ways you can take bioidentical hormones, including pills, patches, creams, gels, shots, and implanted pellets. Your pharmacist can explain each format so you can make a decision that is best for you.

Your pharmacist will avoid using ingredients to which you may be allergic and will check for interactions with current medications.

Studies have shown women choose compounded bio-identical hormone replacement medicines for several reasons: they were fearful of the safety of traditional hormone therapies, and a distrust of doctors seem less concerned about their personal needs and over-reliant on pharmaceuticals.

Also, compounding BHRT was chosen by female participants because they perceived BHRT as safer since it is tailor-made to meet their personal needs.

The best way to determine if compounding BHRT is to talk to your pharmacist. This is a big decision. It’s okay to take the necessary time to fully understand hormone replacement therapy and all options available. Making the right choice on how to balance hormones can get you back to enjoying life.