Imbalances Can Alter Bodily Functions

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The brain signals the release of these chemical messengers that travel through the circulatory system. With over fifty identified hormones, the human body relies on them for communication via the autonomic nervous system, without requiring cognitive actions.

Produced by various glands, once they are released into the bloodstream, hormones regulate and influence your organs and tissues to modify both bodily functions and your emotions. Good news, restoring balance can impact your body and your mind. Hormones facilitate two types of communication in your body.

The first type involves glands stimulating each other to regulate your hormone levels. The second type of communication occurs between your glands and target organs. The pituitary gland, positioned near the hypothalamus, works closely with it through a blood system. Hormones have widespread effects, influencing changes throughout your body, but most only affect cells in certain organs.

Hormone Testing Can Identify Problems

Hormonal imbalances are common in women due to predictable life stages such as menstruation, puberty, pregnancy, and menopause. So, simple hormone testing can help identify problem areas early on. Listed below are hormones that affect balance, including:

Estrogen: Estrogen hormone regulates menstruation, menopause, reproduction, and sex drive. It's the key player in bone formation, blood clotting, and maintaining healthy skin and nails. A decrease in estrogen can lead to issues for women like weakened bones and weight gain.

Progesterone: Progesterone hormone is a natural anti-inflammatory agent that helps reduce inflammation in your body and brain. In turn, it supports the release of the satiety hormone leptin making it easier to maintain a healthy weight.

Testosterone: When testosterone production drops below normal, muscle mass decreases, which leads to a slower metabolism and weight gain. However, testosterone therapy has been found to increase metabolism, helping the body burn calories more efficiently.

Insulin: Insufficient insulin production or the body's poor utilization of it can result in the accumulation of blood sugar, leading to diabetes. In fact, over 30 million people in the US suffer from diabetes, making insulin imbalance a major concern.

Cortisol: Cortisol is essential for your body's natural alert system. Although it can be helpful in times of immediate danger, high levels of cortisol over the long-term can lead to anxiety, weight gain, migraines, irritability, brain fog, and sleep disturbances.

Thyroid Hormone: If you've been experiencing unexplained changes in weight, it could be a sign of a thyroid disorder. Weight gain may indicate hypothyroidism, while weight loss may suggest hyperthyroidism. In either case, it's important to address these hormonal imbalances.

Excess estrogen can throw other hormones off balance, worsening symptoms. Not surprisingly, the results of a recent study estimated women with PMS eat 275% more refined sugar than those without PMS. So, it’s important to limit processed foods, added sugars, and unhealthy fats to maintain hormone health.

At Metabolic Research Center, we work closely with our clients to test their hormones levels and identify any deficiencies. From there, we personalize a plan for healthy living that may include bioidentical hormone therapy, lifestyle changes, and optimizing adrenal and thyroid functions for improved hormonal balance. Visit us online to learn more about hormone testing.