Achieving hormonal balance is fundamental to overall well-being. Hormones impact nearly everything, from mood and energy levels to metabolism and reproductive health. Yet, in today's fast-paced world filled with fast food, stressors, and environmental toxins, many individuals struggle with hormonal imbalances.
Fortunately, numerous natural approaches are available that can help restore equilibrium to the body's hormonal systems, promoting optimal health and vitality. From dietary adjustments to stress management techniques and herbal remedies, exploring these natural methods offers a holistic approach to harmonizing hormones and enhancing overall quality of life.
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What is Hormonal Imbalance?
Hormones are produced by various glands throughout the body, such as the thyroid, adrenal, and reproductive glands. They travel through the bloodstream and act as chemical signals that regulate and coordinate different bodily functions.
To better explain hormones, let’s utilize this analogy. Imagine your body as a city, with various organs and systems representing different neighborhoods and districts. The hormones act as messengers, much like couriers or delivery people, traveling throughout the city to deliver necessary instructions and information.
The message varies based on the type of hormone acting as the messenger. It could be instructions to regulate metabolism, control growth, manage stress, maintain fluid balance, or influence mood and behavior.
In this article, we will explore reproductive hormones specifically. Still, there are many more hormones at play within the body, such as thyroid, cortisol, melatonin, insulin, and growth hormone, to name a few. Each hormone has a finely tuned feedback system that can be thrown off, resulting in symptoms of hormonal imbalance.
Estrogen and progesterone play a more significant role in women’s health, but imbalances can present in both genders. When estrogen is too high in relation to progesterone or too high in general, symptoms of heavy bleeding, menstrual cramps, irritability, anxiety, weight gain, breast tenderness, headaches, and fatigue.
Low progesterone can result in irregular or missed menstrual cycles, insomnia, hair loss, anxiety, and bloating, as well as contribute to symptoms that mimic high estrogen.
Testosterone is essential for both men and women, albeit typically associated more with men due to higher levels. It serves pivotal roles in sexual development, muscle mass, bone density, motivation, and overall vitality.
Signs of testosterone imbalance, particularly deficiency, include decreased libido, erectile dysfunction, fatigue, reduced muscle mass, increased body fat, mood changes, decreased bone density, anxiety, and depression.
While the list of symptoms above can make it seem simple to diagnose imbalances, there can be a significant overlap. It is always important to test rather than guess imbalances prior to initiating any treatment plan or strategy.
There are many options for testing hormones, but the most commonly used include Estrone, Estradiol, Progesterone, Free & Total Testosterone, DHEA-S, Cortisol AM & PM, free T3, free T4, Vitamin D 25-OH, fasting insulin and pituitary hormones, including FSH, LH, TSH, ACTH, Prolactin.
Utilize these guides for female hormone, male hormone, adrenal, and thyroid testing.
What Causes Hormonal Imbalance?
Hormone imbalances can stem from a multitude of factors, ranging from lifestyle choices to medical conditions.
- Chronic stress, stemming from various sources such as work pressure or personal issues, can disrupt hormone levels, particularly cortisol, which consequently affects other hormones like progesterone, estrogen, and testosterone.
- Poor dietary habits, characterized by high consumption of processed foods, sugar, and unhealthy fats, can also contribute to hormonal imbalances by resulting in poor nutrient uptake, insulin resistance, and promoting inflammation.
- Insufficient sleep or irregular sleep patterns disrupt the body's hormonal equilibrium by affecting hormones like cortisol, growth hormone, and leptin, a hormone that regulates appetite.
- Environmental toxins and exposure to endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) in plastics, pesticides, mycotoxins, and household products can interfere with hormone function.
- Excessive exercise with a lack of recovery (overtraining) can result in hormone imbalances.
- Other factors include genetics, menopause, the microbiome, and medical conditions.
Addressing these underlying causes through lifestyle modifications, stress management techniques, proper nutrition, and medical interventions when necessary can help restore hormonal balance and promote overall health and well-being.
13 Proven Ways to Balance Your Hormones Naturally
Here are the top 13 proven strategies for balancing hormones:
#1. Eat a diet rich in fruits & veggies
A Harvard Study recommends at least 2 servings of fruit and 3 servings of vegetables per day.
An array of fruits and vegetables within the diet affect hormone balance in many ways:
- Microbiome Support, through ingesting a wide variety of prebiotic fibers and exposure to actual bacteria residing on the plants, promotes a diversity of healthy bugs in the gut. Research has discovered that the gut microbiome has a significant impact on sex hormones such as estrogen and testosterone metabolism. As a result, our microbiome plays a role in endocrine-related disorders such as endometriosis, Polycystic ovarian disease, and ovarian cancer.
- Improved Fiber intake through fruits & vegetables promotes bowel regularity and, therefore, proper hormone clearance. In women, constipation should be viewed as a determinant of health because excess hormones and toxins cannot properly be eliminated when the bowels are not moving. Women who suffer from constipation are at an increased risk of endometriosis, estrogen-dominance symptoms, and even breast cancer.
- Liver Support through plant-based foods can help modulate hormones. The compound Indole-3-carbinol, found in cruciferous vegetables, activates enzymes in the liver that help the body get rid of excess estrogen and other toxins that may otherwise perpetuate inflammation in the body.
- Antioxidants can help balance hormones by reducing inflammation. These antioxidants can directly impact our adrenal gland, which is prone to oxidative stresses and has a massive impact on the rest of our hormonal pathways.
#2. Get Adequate Sleep
A healthy adult requires 7-9 hours of sleep for optimal health. To create a normal sleep routine, try to go to bed and wake up at the same time in support of optimal hormone balance.
After one week of sleep restriction from 8 hours per night to 5 hours per night in young, healthy men, research showed testosterone levels, energy, libido, and focus significantly declined. In addition to a decline in testosterone, thyroid hormones decreased with poor sleep quality.
#3. Get Outside
Lack of vitamin D has a significant impact on fertility, as receptors are located on female reproductive organs. Studies suggest a range from 10-30 minutes of midday sun per day to optimize vitamin D levels within the body. If unable to get vitamin D through sunlight, supplement 2,000-4,000 IU daily
#4. Exercise, but not too much
- Improved testosterone was seen in men with 90 minutes of aerobic exercise three times per week.
- In healthy or overweight individuals, 30-60 minutes of exercise improved ovulation, fertility, and menstrual regularity was seen. In addition, it also improved insulin sensitivity, reduced free androgens, reduced free estradiol, and reduced body fat, leading to a reduction in PCOS and endometriosis. 60 minutes or more of high-intensity training per day or exercising in underweight individuals per day led to hormone imbalance or reduced ovulation.
- Weight Lifting regimens with high volume and stress large muscle mass tend to produce the greatest hormonal elevation in testosterone. Exercises that contribute to high testosterone elevation are squats, deadlifts, lunges, pushups, and pull-ups.
- Overtraining is different per individual and is based on various factors, including genetics, sleep hygiene, medical conditions, toxin exposure, outside stressors, gut health, and overall workout design. However, overtraining leads to chronic inflammation, chronically elevated cortisol & adrenaline, and imbalanced hormones. Some overtraining symptoms include fatigue, muscle pain, frequent injuries, frequent cold or flu, missed menstrual cycles, and stomach pain.
#5. Eat Enough Protein
- The Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA) recommends the minimum daily intake of protein for most healthy adults is 0.8 g/kg of body weight. If you weigh 165 lbs, this equals 75 kg, which would require 60 grams of protein per day to support the proper function of the body. However, to optimize function, athleticism, and hormones, it is suggested that 1 gram of protein per pound of desired body weight is ideal. A higher protein diet supports lean muscle mass, testosterone production, and insulin sensitivity and has a downstream effect on health hormone balance.some text
- Animal-based proteins include chicken, turkey, fish, beef, lamb, eggs, and dairy products. Focus on pasture-raised or wild-caught sources when possible!
- Plant-based sources include tofu, beans, lentils, nuts, and seeds. Focus on organic or regeneratively grown sources when possible!
#6. Eat Healthy Fats
Eating healthy fats is associated with high ovulation rates and improved testosterone in women. Twenty percent of our daily caloric intake should come from unsaturated fat sources such as: olive oil, avocados, walnuts, chia seeds, flaxseed, pumpkin seeds, and pecans.
Polyunsaturated fats from sources like salmon, mackerel, sardines, trout, and scallops should be consumed several times per week for their omega-3 fatty acid content, which is essential to help reduce inflammation and promote healthy hormone balance.
#7. Stay Hydrated
Ideally, men should consume ~ 15.5 cups (3.7 liters) and women should consume ~ 11.5 cups (2.7 liters) of fluid per day for optimal health.
Adequate hydration promotes bowel regularity (noted above) and reduces perceived bodily stress, which promotes better sex hormone balance.
#8. Limit Environmental Toxins
- Avoid pesticides, organophosphates, fluoride, chlorine, plastics, and BPAs.
- Eat organic when possible. Organophosphates act as significant hormone disruptors through inhibition of a major enzyme, cholinesterase, within the body. Blocking this enzyme results in a cascade of inflammatory events that can place the body in a state of stress.
- Fluoride reduces thyroid function and chlorine reduces estrogen, consider use of a simple water filter to prevent over ingestion of these chemicals which are elevated in our municipal water systems.
- Utilize sources such as apps like Environmental working group or Yuka to help remove toxin inputs into your life via cleaning products, personal care products, food, & water sources.
#9. Take Time for Breathwork
Stress hormone reduces with deep breathing and breathwork. Dr. Weil recommends 3-5 cycles of 4-7-8 breathing twice daily to shift the body out of a “fight or flight” pattern and reduce overall stress hormone levels.
#10. Connect
Loneliness and social isolation can trigger a stress response in the body, leading to elevated cortisol and adrenaline levels. Chronic loneliness can result in sustained high levels of cortisol, which significantly impacts overall hormone balance.
Make sure to make time to connect with friends, loved ones, pets or even nature.
#11. Limit Caffeine and Alcohol
- Caffeine levels over 200 mg per day (~2 cups of coffee) increase estrogen levels in some populations. Try to reduce or limit alcohol to 3 or fewer drinks per week for women and 5 or fewer drinks per week for men. Alcohol is often made of plants containing phytoestrogens, which, when consumed in excess, can result in estrogen-dominant patterns in women and the “feminization” of men.
#12. Reduce added sugars and processed foods
- Insulin resistance is a major cause of infertility, PCOS and anovulation in women. In men, high insulin and low testosterone often accompany each other, but it is still being evaluated which one causes the other.
- The American Heart Association (AHA) recommends 24 grams or less of added sugar per day for women and 36 grams or less of added sugar per day for men. Utilize food labels or food tracking apps to track sugar consumption.
#13. Manage Stress
- Stress can be caused by a variety of factors, and many are controllable. Examples include lack of sleep, dehydration, lack of nutrient intake, exercise, lack of connectivity, and high toxin burden. Other stressors are harder to control, such as relationships, workload, grief, trauma, and medical conditions.
- High levels of cortisol result in a decline in thyroid hormone levels and elevations in insulin. This cascade then results in anovulation in women and may contribute to low testosterone in men.
Prior to determining which specific options may benefit you, remember, always work with your provider to test hormone levels and create an individualized program to fit your specific needs.
More Specific Hormone-Balance Tips for People Assigned Female at Birth (AFAB)
- For high estrogen/low progesterone: some text
- Eat 5-7 cups of cruciferous vegetables per day to reduce estrogen, if that seems like a lot you can supplement with the compound that makes cruciferous vegetables effective, indole-3-carbinol. Indole 3 Carbinol (I3C) gets converted to 3,3′-Diindolylmethane (DIM) to upregulate liver excretion of estrogen. Studies show 100-200 mg of DIM per day is effective at reducing estrogen levels.
- Limit caffeine to < 200 mg.
- Vitamin E: 400-800 IU daily to support hormone balance and improve estrogen/progesterone balance.
- For low estrogen:some text
- Increase organic forms of phytoestrogen-rich foods to ~45 grams per day, approximately ¼-½ cup. Below are some examples:some text
- Plum, pear, apple, grape, berries
- Beans, lentils, soybeans
- Chia Seeds, Flaxseeds
- Sprouts, Hops
- Garlic, onion
- Black cohosh: 150-200 mg can help alleviate symptoms of low estrogen.
- Increase organic forms of phytoestrogen-rich foods to ~45 grams per day, approximately ¼-½ cup. Below are some examples:some text
- For low progesteronesome text
- Reduce added sugar. Progesterone levels decreased by up to 55% in those with insulin resistance. Consider utilizing tools like a continuous glucose monitor to track how specific foods affect you as an individual.
- Chaste tree berry (Vitex agnus castus): 100-200 mg per day to help increase progesterone and support fertility.
- Evening primrose oil: 500-1000 mg twice daily to reduce symptoms of PMS correlated with estrogen:progesterone imbalances.
More Specific Hormone-Balance Tips for People Assigned Male at Birth (AMAB)
- Tongkat Ali (Eurycoma longifolia): In studies, 100-200 mg per day taken for 12 weeks reduced cortisol and improved testosterone, libido, muscle mass, and mood.
- Increased fat mass results in increased aromatase activity (conversion of testosterone to estrogen), putting overweight and obese men at higher risk of hormonal imbalances. Chrysin acts as an aromatase inhibitor, blocking the conversion of testosterone to estrogen, which results in higher testosterone.
Hormone-Balance Tips for Children
Children under 10-12 years old (or prior to puberty) typically do not have fluctuating sex hormones such as estradiol or testosterone. However, it is important to regulate growth hormone, thyroid hormone, and adrenal hormones like DHEA and cortisol. The following tips are specifically for children:
- Limit blue light & Get outside! Spending time outdoors exposes children to natural light, which helps regulate circadian rhythms and supports hormone balance, especially melatonin production, for better sleep.
- Adequate nutrients to optimize all enzyme & cellular processes, which will allow for proper hormone balance. Ideally, eating a whole-food diet with plenty of fruits and veggies, protein, and healthy fats can supply the body with the building blocks it needs to work efficiently. However, many children or family members are picky eaters or don’t eat enough nutrients. Make sure to talk with their doctor to ensure all nutritional needs are being met so that their body can function optimally.
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Key Takeaways
Achieving hormonal balance is crucial for overall well-being, as hormones play a vital role in regulating numerous bodily functions. In today's world, factors such as stress, poor dietary habits, inadequate sleep, environmental toxins, and lifestyle choices can contribute to hormonal imbalances.
- Learning to recognize the signs of hormonal imbalance, including disruptions in menstrual cycles and changes in mood, energy levels, and metabolism, is essential for addressing underlying issues.
- Test for hormonal imbalances rather than guess.
- Determine the root cause of the hormonal imbalances (e.g., gut health, nutrition, stress, toxins, lack of sleep, etc).
- Modify diet and lifestyle to try and achieve hormonal balance.
- If imbalances are severe, work with your doctor on specific recommendations for supplementation, botanicals, individualized nutrition, and hormone replacement options.
Overall, by addressing the root causes of hormonal imbalance and incorporating some of these holistic strategies into daily life, individuals can promote optimal hormone health and enhance their overall quality of life, often without the need for medications.
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