Hormone Imbalances Symptoms

Dr. Oz through Oprah.com lays out some of the most common signs of hormone imbalances–and what you can do about it.

Estrogen
If you are overweight, you may have elevated estrogen levels; fat cells actually produce the hormone, so extra weight can lead to too much estrogen in the body.

Exercise and watch your diet, especially if you’re carrying extra weight: Losing weight can improve your estrogen balance and simultaneously reduce your risk of cancer.

Testosterone
The slow the production of sex hormones may result in decreased testosterone levels in women in the years preceding menopause. This may explain why many women experience a drop in libido during this period of their lives. Excess testosterone, however, may be the result of a condition called polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS); possible symptoms include irregular periods, male-pattern baldness, a deepening voice, and excess body hair.

Incorporating more zinc-rich foods—like oysters and sesame seeds—have shown to increase testoterone levels, and ask your doctor about testosterone supplementation.

Melatonin
If you’re having problems with sleep and experiencing depression, it may be the result of low levels of melatonin, the hormone responsible for maintaining the body’s circadian rhythm. Our bodies may produce less melatonin as we age, which could explain why some older adults have more trouble sleeping than children do.

If you struggle to get enough shut-eye, try taking .5 milligram of a melatonin supplement one to two hours before bedtime. I’d also suggest drinking melatonin-rich tart cherry juice: In a pilot 2010 study published in the Journal of Medicinal Food, subjects who drank two cups a day experienced some relief from insomnia.

Ghrelin and Leptin
Ghrelin is the reason why your stomach growls. Produced in the stomach, ghrelin cues the brain that you’re hungry. After you eat, leptin swoops in to tell the brain you’re full. If these two hormones fall out of sync, you may lose the ability to recognize when your body is satiated and overeat as a result.

Try your best to get a full night’s sleep: A Stanford University study found that habitual sleep restriction (five hours a night as opposed to eight) raised a person’s ghrelin levels by nearly 15 percent, lowered leptin levels by 15.5 percent, and was directly associated with increased body weight. Other research has shown that exercise and stress reduction may help keep ghrelin levels in check.

Thyroid Hormone
Thyroid hormone regulates how fast you burn calories. One in ten women doesn’t produce enough of it—a condition known as hypothyroidism, which can lead to weight gain, depression, and fatigue. On the other end of the spectrum is hyperthyroidism, in which the thyroid gland releases too much of its hormone, causing symptoms such as anxiety, a racing heart, excessive sweating, even diarrhea.

If you have hypothyroidism, a daily thyroid hormone replacement pill can help correct the imbalance. You might also want to consider eating more onion. This veggie contains kaempferol, a compound that may kick-start production of the hormone. If you have an overactive thyroid, your doctor may prescribe one of several treatments, from radioactive iodine—to slow hormone production—to surgical removal of the gland; most patients respond well once they get the proper care.

Aldosterone
Aldosterone regulates your body’s sodium-to-water ratio. But a condition called renal artery stenosis—a narrowing of the blood vessels that supply the kidneys—can trigger the release of the hormone, causing a surge in blood pressure.

A heart-friendly lifestyle that keeps your blood vessels healthy can also be a kidney-friendly lifestyle. Minimize salt intake, follow a low-fat diet, get some exercise, and don’t smoke.

Cortisol
When you’re under pressure, your cortisol spikes to provide the body with a quick dose of energy. Chronic stress, however, can keep your cortisol elevated continuously—a dangerous state, since the hormone can suppress the immune system and has been linked to the accumulation of abdominal fat.

When stressed, Dr. Oz I closes his eyes and breathe deeply for two to three minutes with one hand on his chest and the other on his belly; my chest stays still while my abdomen rises and falls. As you calm down, your cortisol should drop to normal levels.

Different laboratory tests can determine the over or under production of various hormones which may be causing the unexplained condition you are experiencing. Functional Adrenal Cortisol Rhythm and Melatonin Biorhythm Profile from Great Plains Laboratory are good places to start.