Are you suffering from a hormone imbalance?
Do you have unexplained weight gain; trouble falling and staying asleep; skin issues like dry patches, rashes, acne, loss of libido, or infertility?
We get it! There are so many things to think about.
How long does it take to restore hormone balance? How do I bring my hormones into balance? Is there anything else you can do to start feeling better?
This comprehensive article will explain the science behind hormonal imbalances and help you understand the best supplements for managing your symptoms.
Let’s dive in!
Table of Contents
What Are Hormones?
Hormones are the body’s communication system to tell your body how to be healthy. They communicate to organs, skin, muscles, and tissues and are essential for many bodily functions, from reproductive health to things like mood, metabolism, and more.
Common Hormonal Imbalances In Women Are:
- Estrogen Dominance: a result of overproduction of estrogen in the body or exposure to endocrine disrupting chemicals in your environment.
- Low Testosterone: is a common occurrence in peri and post-menopause women and is, unfortunately, a standard part of aging. It can also indicate issues in the ovaries or adrenal glands.
- Thyroid: hormone fluctuations in the thyroid gland can have a significant impact and is a fairly common occurrence in women over 40.
- Insulin: controls the amount of glucose (sugar) in the bloodstream at any moment. Imbalances with insulin can damage the gut and lead to diagnosed medical conditions.
Do You Have A Hormonal Imbalance?
Women’s health and hormones are sensitive and complex topics. We always recommend working with a professional who can guide you to understand your hormones and test for any imbalances you may have.
The most apparent signs and symptoms that something is off are:
- Unexplained weight gain (or loss)
- Trouble falling asleep
- Skin issues: dry patches, rashes, acne
- Low libido and fertility problems
- Mood swings
- Heavy, irregular, or absent periods
- Hair loss
- Anxiety
- Fatigue
Test Your Hormones From Home
If you’re like me (and most women reading this post), you’re going through the symptom list above and checking nearly every box. Great news! Now you can test your hormone levels in the comfort of your home and get to the roots of your health concerns… today.
At-home weight management test kits use advanced technology to test your:
- Reproductive hormones
- Adrenal hormones
- Blood sugar metabolism
- Vitamin D
- Thyroid hormones
Optimizing this information, our holistic nutritionists create targeted care plans to bring your hormone levels into balance. Our health coaches keep you accountable and break down the care plans into daily action steps allowing your changes to become successful life-long habits.
What Causes Hormonal Imbalance?
Women often experience fluctuations in their hormones at predictable and naturally occurring points in their lives (menstruation, puberty, pregnancy, and menopause); however, some lifestyle habits, medical conditions, and environmental factors can lead to a long-term imbalance.
Endocrine glands are cells that create, store, and send hormones into the bloodstream and are found throughout the body. When these glands are disrupted, bio-markers in the blood rise and flag an imbalance in your lab test results.
Common Causes of Hormonal Imbalances In Women:
- Poor diet
- Excessive stress
- High body fat %
- Medical conditions
- Infections
- Environmental toxins
- Gene mutations
- Overactive/underactive Thyroid
- Phytoestrogens (natural plant estrogens in soy products)
- Birth Control
- Medications
- Sedentary lifestyle
What Supplements Will Balance My Hormones?
As you can see, hormones are essential to a healthy body, and an imbalance could be your hidden answer. While nothing will outweigh the benefits of a good diet and lifestyle, research has shown that hormone balance supplements can ensure you get the proper nutrients.
It is a good idea to know that supplements are not as tightly regulated as food quality, and we cannot stress enough the importance of sourcing high-quality supplements that opt for third-party testing for quality control. Below you will find links to our approved supplement partners.
Let’s take a look!
The Top Supplements That Balance Hormones:
Magnesium
- Magnesium deficiency is common in women and often depleted by stress and hormonal birth control pills (yes, stress and birth control pull minerals out of the body). Magnesium has been shown to lower inflammation, promote sleep, and keep hormones in balance.
- We recommend this brand for magnesium supplementation.
B Vitamins
- B vitamins are an excellent source of hormone-balancing nutrients for women. They help to create neurotransmitters that impact your mood and affect melatonin production (the hormone that helps you sleep at night).
- We recommend you use a high-quality, B-complex formula that contains more than one b vitamin and the active form of B vitamins for maximum benefit.
Probiotics
- Support of the digestive tract is essential to the aid of hormones. When our gut microbiome is negatively impacted (from things like toxin exposure, medications, alcohol, stress, processed foods, etc.), our cells are unable to extract nutrients from our food thoroughly.
- This can lead to malabsorption issues, intestinal permeability (aka leaky gut), and nutrient deficiencies which, as you’ve learned, is a root cause of many hormone imbalances.
- We recommend a high-quality, multi-strain probiotic to support the digestive tract.
Vitamin D3
- Although technically a hormone, vitamin D3 is essential for maintaining hormonal balance. Vitamin D3 helps create estrogen, and low estrogen levels are linked to irregular menstrual cycles, low sex drive, and infertility.
- Most women are Vitamin D deficient. Your skin can convert sunshine to vitamin D, but your liver and kidneys need good health to convert it to its active form. We recommend testing your levels in our at-home test kit and choosing a high-quality, trusted supplement.
Siliphos
- The active compound found in the milk thistle herb is Siliphos. Research has shown its antioxidant properties and supports the liver’s ability to metabolize and detox hormones, so you don’t have to worry about congestion. Learn more about minimizing environmental toxins and their effects on your health.
- If the liver is congested with gallstones, toxins can accumulate and sometimes recirculate throughout the body. We have a simple and effective gallstone flush protocol to prevent this, but supplementation with Siliphos may also be beneficial.
Bottom Line: How Do I Bring My Hormones Into Balance?
Hormones are the body’s essential messenger system, and they can become imbalanced by certain medical conditions, medications, sedentary lifestyles, excessive stress, and poor dietary choices leading to nutrient deficiencies.
While research is still ongoing, there is evidence to show supplements that balance hormones can treat nutrient deficiencies that can lead to hormone imbalances. However, these interventions are not as effective as diet and lifestyle changes.
We recommended getting your hormone levels tested to get to the root cause of your unwanted symptoms such as weight gain, skin issues, low energy, and infertility. You can complete a full hormone panel in your home using our easy-to-use home test kit.
Once you know what hormones need to be brought into balance, then a targeted care plan can be created to address your unique diet and lifestyle needs to generate harmony and ultimately optimal health. In your care plan will be your detailed recommended supplementation (if needed).
Vanessa Harris, MNT
Oncology Nutritionist
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