Condition Guide

Hormone Imbalance: When Your Chemical Messengers Go Haywire

Hormones orchestrate nearly every function in your body. When they're out of balance, you feel it — from your energy and mood to your weight and sleep.

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Understanding Your Hormones

Hormones are chemical messengers that regulate metabolism, growth, mood, reproduction, and virtually every physiological process. Even small imbalances can cause significant symptoms.

Energy & Metabolism

Thyroid, cortisol, and insulin directly control your energy production and metabolic rate.

Sleep & Circadian

Melatonin, cortisol, and progesterone regulate your sleep-wake cycle.

Mood & Emotions

Estrogen, progesterone, testosterone, and thyroid all profoundly affect mood.

Weight & Body Comp

Insulin, cortisol, thyroid, and sex hormones control fat storage and metabolism.

Common Hormone Imbalances

Estrogen Dominance

High estrogen relative to progesterone — common in both women and men. Driven by poor estrogen metabolism and environmental xenoestrogens.

Weight gain (hips/thighs)
PMS, heavy periods
Breast tenderness
Mood swings, anxiety
Fibroids, endometriosis
Water retention

Low Progesterone

Progesterone balances estrogen and promotes calm. Low levels cause anxiety, insomnia, irregular periods, and infertility. Common in perimenopause and chronic stress.

Low Testosterone

Affects both men and women. Increasingly common due to stress, obesity, and environmental factors.

Low libido
Fatigue and low motivation
Depression
Loss of muscle mass
Weight gain
Brain fog

Thyroid Dysfunction

Your metabolic thermostat. Low thyroid causes fatigue, weight gain, cold intolerance, brain fog, and depression. Often underdiagnosed with standard testing.

Cortisol Dysregulation

Your stress hormone. Should be high in the morning, low at night. Chronic stress disrupts this pattern.

Can't wake up in the morning
Afternoon energy crashes
"Wired but tired" at night
Weight gain around middle
Anxiety, overwhelm
Salt or sugar cravings

Insulin Resistance

When cells stop responding to insulin, blood sugar rises and your body produces more insulin. This promotes fat storage, inflammation, and disrupts other hormones.

The Interconnected Web

Hormones don't exist in isolation — they affect each other. High cortisol lowers progesterone. Low thyroid affects sex hormones. Insulin resistance impacts everything. This is why comprehensive assessment is crucial.

Proper Hormone Testing

Standard testing often misses hormone imbalances. Comprehensive testing includes:

Full thyroid panel: TSH, Free T4, Free T3, Reverse T3, antibodies
Sex hormones: Estradiol, progesterone, testosterone (free and total), SHBG, DHEA-S
Cortisol: Four-point salivary or DUTCH test for daily pattern
Metabolic markers: Fasting insulin, glucose, HbA1c
DUTCH test: Comprehensive hormone metabolite testing

Natural Hormone Balancing

1

Support Liver Detox

Your liver metabolizes hormones. Cruciferous vegetables, adequate protein, and limiting alcohol help your liver process and eliminate excess hormones.

2

Balance Blood Sugar

Unstable blood sugar stresses adrenals and disrupts sex hormones. Prioritize protein and healthy fats with every meal to maintain stable energy.

3

Manage Stress

Chronic stress steals pregnenolone from sex hormone production. Stress management is non-negotiable for hormone health.

4

Optimize Sleep

Hormones are produced and regulated during sleep. Poor sleep = poor hormone balance. Aim for 7-9 hours in a dark, cool room.

5

Reduce Toxin Exposure

Xenoestrogens in plastics and products disrupt hormones. Switch to clean personal care products, avoid plastic food containers, and filter your water.

6

Support Gut Health

The gut metabolizes hormones and affects their recirculation (estrobolome). Heal the gut to balance hormones.

Helpful Supplements

DIM: Supports healthy estrogen metabolism
Vitex (chasteberry): Supports progesterone production
Ashwagandha: Balances cortisol and supports thyroid
Maca: Adaptogen that supports overall hormone balance
Magnesium: Essential for hundreds of hormone-related reactions
Vitamin D: Functions as a hormone; critical for balance

Ready to Balance Your Hormones?

Our AI can help you identify symptoms that suggest hormone imbalance and point you toward the right testing and support.

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