Your hormones control your metabolism, hunger, mood, reproduction and much more. When your hormones are out of balance, you can experience a range of dire symptoms. Read here the most common symptoms of hormonal imbalances in women, namely: high cortisol, low cortisol, underactive thyroid, excessive estrogen, low estrogen and low progesterone.
High cortisol
Whenever the body experiences stress, small or large, the adrenal glands pump out cortisol to help the body deal with what it perceives as a life-threatening event. Whether you’re being chased by a lion or stuck in traffic, your adrenals produce the same response. For many women, the alarm bells never go off, leaving them stuck in a constant state of stress and high cortisol levels.
Symptoms of high cortisol:
– The feeling of being tired
– Difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep
– Increased belly fat
– Craving for sugar
– Amenorrhea (absence of a period)
– Oligomenorrhea (irregular or lighter periods)
– Trouble concentrating
– Anxiety or nervousness
– High blood sugar
– Decreased fertility
Low cortisol
Low cortisol mainly occurs in people who have had high cortisol production for a long time, causing their adrenal glands to respond by reducing the production of cortisol. The adrenal glands simply can’t keep up with the chronic stress levels and are exhausted. This also occurs in people who have experienced extreme trauma.
Symptoms of low cortisol:
– Fatigue
– Trouble staying asleep
– Not waking up rested, even after a good night’s sleep
– Dizziness
– Low bloodpressure
– Decreased stress tolerance
– Crying for no apparent reason
– Feelings of negativity or depression
Underactive thyroid
An underactive thyroid can have two causes. First, it may be that the thyroid simply does not produce enough thyroid hormone. It is also possible that the thyroid gland pumps out the inactive form of thyroid hormone T4 and the body cannot convert it to the active form T3.
Symptoms of an underactive thyroid:
– Dry skin and hair
– Hairloss
– Cold hands and feet
– Sensitivity to cold
– Low libido
– Unexplained rapid weight gain
– Heavy periods
– Brittle nails
– Infertility or miscarriage
Excessive estrogen (estrogen dominance)
Estrogen dominance is an imbalance between the hormones estrogen and progesterone. Excess estrogen can lead to luteal phase dysfunction, irregular periods and early menopause.
Symptoms of excessive estrogen:
– Heavy periods
– PMS
– Endometriosis
– Menstrual migraines
– Tender breasts or cysts
– Fibroids
– Brain fog
– Moodiness
– Mid-cycle pain
Low estrogen
Due to a lot of stress, an eating disorder, vitamin deficiencies, too much training and hormonal contraception, the amount of estrogen in the body can be too low.
Symptoms of low estrogen:
– Amenorrhea (absence of a period)
– Oligomenorrhea (irregular or lighter periods)
– Vaginal dryness
– Hot flashes or night sweats
– Joint pain
– Dry skin and eyes
– Poor memory
– Low libido
Low progesterone
This may mean there is low production of this hormone, but progesterone levels may also be normal and still be considered low compared to estrogen. This hormonal imbalance is usually due to stress from high cortisol.
Symptoms of low progesterone:
– Difficulty getting or staying pregnant
– PMS or PMDD
– Breakthrough bleeding during the second half of the cycle
– Heavy periods
– Bloated feeling in the abdomen
– Painful and/or swollen breasts
– Irregular or more frequent cycles
The most common conditions associated with these hormonal imbalances are:
– HPA axis dysfunction (adrenal fatigue)
– Thyroid problems: hyperthyroidism (an overactive thyroid) or hypothyroidism (an under active thyroid)
– PCOS (polycystic ovarian syndrome)
– PMS (premenstrual syndrome)
– PMDD (premenstrual dysphoric disorder)
– Endometriosis
– Dysmenorrhea (painful periods)
– Oligomenorrhea (irregular or lighter periods)
– Amenorrhea (absence of a period)
– Infertility
If you have one of these conditions, it is important to address it from the source, which stems from a hormonal imbalance. Also, focusing on balancing your hormones can prevent you from developing one or more of these conditions later on.
