Hormonal fluctuations are a part of a normal cycle, but what symptoms could be experienced when hormones are not well regulated? Our hormones act on receptors that are present all throughout the body, meaning symptoms effect many different bodily functions that can appear unrelated, but when viewed through a hormonal lens are much more understood.
Before we get into the changes that occur with each hormone, it is important to understand a few key points.
1. Firstly, hormones have a happy level where function is optimized, and this number changes depending on the day of your cycle if you are a menstruating female or someone with a uterus and ovaries. If a hormone is too low or too high outside of that range that is specific for that day of your cycle, you begin to see symptoms. To better to understand how your hormone levels fluctuate throughout your cycle, click here. As you will see below, occasionally the same symptom can appear when that hormone is too high OR when it is too low. In these circumstances, hormonal testing can be very helpful!
2. Secondly, there are interconnected relationships between many hormones, meaning their levels influence each other and this can make things more complicated than simply treating one hormone that is out of balance. Often when one hormone is outside of its healthy range, other hormones and body systems begin to be affected and we see a bit of a domino effect.
3. Lastly, when we are unsure how each hormone is influencing you, comprehensive hormone testing options are available, including DUTCH and CHI, that allow us to ensure treatment options are targeted to your specific needs. When many hormones begin to influence body function and symptoms are no longer straight forward, testing may be right for you! Tracking your cycle may also be an important part of treatment, click here to start tracking your cycle and the symptoms you experience to better understand how your hormones are changing throughout your cycle.
Now let’s get into this overview of changes in hormone levels:
ESTROGEN
Low
– Absent or irregular menses
– Low mood, irritability
– Fatigue, low energy
– Low libido, dry vaginal tissue, painful intercourse
– Weight gain in abdomen
– Brain fog, poor concentration
– Headaches, migraines
– Insomnia, night sweats
– Looser stools
High
– Heavy menstrual bleeding
– Fibrocystic breasts, fibroids
– Irritability, anxiety
– Headaches, migraines
– Water retention
– Lower body weight gain (thighs, hips) in women
– In men: prostate enlargement, erectile dysfunction, breast growth, abdominal weight gain
PROGESTERONE
Low
– Short or irregular cycles, extended bleeding, spotting between cycles
– Anxiety, irritability
– Low libido, painful intercourse
– Fibroids, fibrocystic breasts, endometriosis
– Insomnia, hot flashes
– Feeling cold
High
High progesterone is rare, usually this is seen with oral or topical progesterone administration.
– Heavy irregular menses
– Irritability, anxiety, mood swings
– Acne
– Weight gain
TESTOSTERONE
Low
– Low libido, painful intercourse, erectile dysfunction
– Fatigue, poor memory and concentration
– Poor exercise tolerance, muscle loss
– Weight gain
– Low mood, anxiety
– Low motivation, loss of competition
High
– Irregular or absent menses
– Hair loss from head, abnormal hair growth (face & body in women)
– Irritability, aggression
– Weight gain
– Sugar cravings, ravenous hunger
– Acne
– High stress or insulin levels
These lists of symptoms are far from exhaustive and vary greatly from person to person, these are just the most common symptoms observed. As mentioned in the opening paragraph, testing options are available to better guide treatment in supporting your specific hormone levels if your symptoms are not straight forward.
If you are interested in working with a naturopathic doctor on your hormone health, or if you are interested in functional medicine testing, I would recommend you begin learning about your cycle if you are not already aware of how your hormones fluctuate throughout the month. To learn how to track your cycle click here. Keep a record of your symptoms and on what day of your cycle they are experienced to better understand if your hormones may be involved. It is also important to track your cycle before performing single day hormone testing, because these tests need to be performed in the mid-luteal phase for best results. Book an appointment with your naturopathic doctor to gain a better understanding of your hormonal health and to begin a treatment protocol specific to your needs.
