Hormones are the body’s chemical messengers. They are found in the bloodstream and throughout our tissues and organs, and they send signals to the cells to tell them what they should do and how to do it.
Hormones are essential for the body to function properly and to control bodily functions, such as growth, development, reproduction, and energy balance. Hormones affect everything, from our moods to how we digest food.
When hormones are in balance, the body is able to maintain optimal health. When our hormone levels become imbalanced, it can lead to a variety of health problems – causing physical and mental symptoms.
Hormone imbalance is often proactively treated by doctors today. Let’s talk about why you should take hormone imbalance seriously, and where you can go in Kennesaw for concierge family medicine to keep yourself and your whole family happy and healthy.
Effects of Hormonal Imbalances on Men and Women
Symptoms of hormone disorders will vary, depending on the type of disorder. For example, conditions that affect the production of thyroid hormones (which affect all aspects of your metabolism) can cause symptoms such as unexplained weight gain, weight loss, fatigue, and changes in mood.
Disorders that cause an overproduction or underproduction of sex hormones can lead to a variety of symptoms, including infertility, irregular periods, and excessive hair growth.
How Can a Hormone Imbalance Affect Women?
Hormonal imbalances are commonly associated with women due to menstrual cycles causing a drop in their estrogen and progesterone levels. This can cause the hallmark symptoms of a hormone imbalance, such as migraines, abdominal cramps, breast tenderness, and mood swings.
Menopausal women, or women who have ceased or are about to cease menstruating for good, also experience symptoms that are related to decreased estrogen levels. Menopausal women may experience night sweats, hot flashes, insomnia, vaginal dryness, and painful intercourse.
How Hormone Imbalances Can Affect Men
Men can also be affected by hormonal imbalances. Low testosterone (low-T) levels can cause symptoms in men such as loss of muscle mass, hair loss, fatigue, low libido, erectile dysfunction, cognitive issues, and depression.
As it can in women, hormonal fluctuations in men can cause weight gain – which increases the risk for diseases such as diabetes and heart disease. Hormone imbalances are therefore associated with many chronic health conditions.
