Common Conditions Associated with Hormonal Imbalance

Written By Lila Samperton
 

hormonal imbalances

It can be extremely frustrating when you feel you are doing everything right when it comes to their health, but not getting the results you’re working toward, still don’t feel well, and have a ton of unwanted or unexplained symptoms symptoms. This is often an indication of one or more underlying hormonal imbalances.

There are several hormone-related conditions, such as those listed below, that can cause a variety of negative side effects. Outside of those specific conditions, hormone imbalances can also be caused by food allergies or sensitivities, environmental triggers or toxins, chronic stress, or medications.

Hormonal imbalances are often a “chicken or egg” situation - it’s hard to know whether the hormonal imbalance caused the condition, or whether the condition caused the hormonal imbalance. A hormonal imbalance can throw your entire body off balance because every system in our bodies is connected and our hormones play a big part in regulating metabolism, hunger, sleep, weight, and energy - lots of important stuff that we need to function well in order to feel good.

Some people don’t know if they have a hormonal imbalance or not, so I thought it might be helpful to provide details on some conditions and their associated symptoms and causes. If anything below resonates with you, I encourage you to reach out to me, because there are so many safe, effective, and holistic solutions that you can do to help rebalance your hormones! I would love to help.

Common Conditions Associated with Hormonal Imbalance

Condition: HPA-Axis Dysfunction a.k.a. “Adrenal Fatigue”

Description: Overproduction of cortisol, adrenaline, and norepinephrine. It affects every hormone and neurohormone, especially: Cortisol, Estrogen, Progesterone, Testosterone, and DHEA.

Common Symptoms:

  • Depression, anxiety

  • Food sensitivities, food cravings

  • Fatigue

  • Dry skin, hair loss

  • Diarrhea, constipation

  • Difficulty sleeping

  • Dizziness

  • Lowered immunity

  • Lowered libido

  • Brain fog

Linked To:

  • Stress (mental, emotional, physical)

  • Nutrient deficiencies

  • Environmental toxins

  • Pregnancy

  • Postpartum

  • Autoimmunity

Condition: Hypothyroidism

Description: Underactive thyroid, which means too little thyroid hormone is produced.

Common Symptoms:

  • Fatigue

  • Depression

  • Constipation

  • Rapid weight gain

  • Dry skin, thinning hair

  • Irregular/heavy menstruation

  • Intolerance to cold

  • Enlarged thyroid

Linked To: Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, an autoimmune condition, which is the most common cause in the U.S.

Condition: Hyperthyroidism

Description: Overactive thyroid, which means too much thyroid hormone is produced. This is far less common than hypothyroidism.

Common Symptoms:

  • Weight loss

  • Anxiety, irritability

  • Fatigue

  • Irregular heartbeat

  • Difficulty sleeping

  • Diarrhea

  • Enlarged thyroid

  • Irregular/light menstruation

  • Eye problems

Linked To:

  • Most commonly seen with Graves’ disease, an autoimmune disorder

  • Stress (mental, emotional, physical)

  • Nutrient deficiencies

  • Environmental toxins

  • Genetics

  • Lifestyle

  • Pregnancy

  • Smoking

  • Autoimmunity

Condition: Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS)

Description: This affects 1 in 15 women in U.S. Mainly affects 3 hormones: High androgens, Low progesterone, Insulin resistance.

Common Symptoms:

  • Weight gain

  • Inability to lose weight

  • Male-pattern baldness

  • Hair growth on face/other body parts

  • Aggression

  • Acne

  • Irregular/absent periods

  • Infertility

Linked To:

  • Insulin dysregulation

  • Birth control use

  • Inflammation

  • Nutrient deficiencies

  • Exact cause unknown

Condition: Premenstrual Syndrome (PMS) or Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder (PMDD)

Description: Physical & emotional symptoms that arise in cyclical pattern during menstrual cycle. Mainly affects estrogen & progesterone. PMDD is a more severe version of PMS that interferes with everyday life.

Common Symptoms:

  • Fatigue

  • Bloating, cramping

  • Irritability, depression, anxiety

  • Headaches, menstrual migraines

  • Brain fog

  • Breast tenderness

Linked To:

  • Stress (mental, emotional, physical)

  • Nutrient deficiencies

  • Environmental toxins

  • Poor detoxification

  • Genetics

  • Lifestyle

Condition: Endometriosis

Description: Endometrial cells form lesions/growths outside uterus & respond to menstrual cycle. Women with endometriosis have excess estrogen.

Common Symptoms:

  • Pelvic pain, severe cramping

  • Long, heavy periods

  • Nausea, vomiting

  • Bloating

  • Fatigue

  • Anxiety, depression

  • Pain during sex

  • Infertility

Linked To:

  • Genetics (7-10x more likely to develop if a close relative has it)

  • Alcohol

  • Low body weight

  • Irregular menstrual cycles

  • Pregnancy at older age

Condition: Dysmenorrhea

Description: Symptom of painful menstruation. Women with dysmenorrhea have higher prostaglandin.

Common Symptoms:

  • Pain, pressure, cramping

  • Nausea, vomiting, diarrhea

  • Extreme fatigue

Linked To:

  • Chronic infections and/or inflammation

  • Primary: Occurs with menstrual cycle, not related to other conditions

  • Secondary: Caused by other condition (endometriosis, etc.)

Condition: Oligomenorrhea

Description: Irregular/lighter periods. Very common.

Common Symptoms: Irregular/lighter periods

Linked To:

  • Use or discontinuation of hormonal birth control

  • Low body weight/ percent fat

  • Excessive exercise

  • Excessive physical or emotional stress

Condition: Amenorrhea

Description:

  • Absence of menstrual periods

  • Primary: Menstruation hasn’t begun by age 16

  • Secondary: Normal menstruation stops for 3-6 months, or 9 months if previously irregular

Common Symptoms: Absence of period

Linked To:

  • Primary:

    • Chromosomal or genetic abnormality

    • Hypothalamus or pituitary problem

    • Lifestyle factors (extreme exercise, eating disorder, stress)

  • Secondary:

    • Natural causes (pregnancy, breastfeeding, menopause)

    • Medications

    • Hormonal contraceptives

    • Medical therapies

    • Scar tissue buildup

    • Hypothalamic amenorrhea

    • Low body weight/fat

    • Eating disorder

    • Physical/emotional stress

    • Other conditions (e.g., PCOS)

Condition: Infertility

Description: Lack of ovulation, inability to conceive

Common Symptoms: Lack of ovulation, inability to conceive

Linked To:

  • Structural damage or abnormalities

  • Ovulation issues, due to:

    • Low body weight/fat

    • Thyroid disease/dysfunction

    • Obesity

    • Stress

    • Infection

    • Reproductive diseases

Condition: Perimenopause

Description: Drop in estrogen, or sporadic increase & decline. Can last from a few months to a few years. Ends at the onset of menopause.

Common Symptoms:

  • Irregular periods

  • Lighter/heavier periods

  • PMS

  • Breast tenderness

  • Hair growth/loss

  • Weight gain

  • Headaches, muscle aches

  • Low libido

  • Brain fog

  • Frequent infections

  • Infertility

Linked To: Natural hormonal shift.

Condition: Menopause

Description: End of female reproduction. Ovaries don’t produce enough estrogen for menstruation & egg release.

Common Symptoms:

  • Hot flashes

  • Night sweats

  • Depression, anxiety, irritability, mood swings

  • Insomnia

  • Fatigue

  • Dry skin

  • Vaginal dryness

  • Frequent urination

Linked To: Natural hormonal shift.

Lila Samperton
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