As we age, we naturally have lower overall hormone levels, chemicals produced by glands in the endocrine system. But hormones that are too low or too high than optimal can also be caused by poor diet, stress, medications, allergies, and illness.
For most people, there is discomfort from hormone imbalance, but this can be treated in a variety of ways. For many others, however, their lives can be made miserable by the experience, since hormones regulate many body processes, from blood pressure to fertility.
Depending on the glands affected, both genders can experience symptoms such as:
- Noticeable lack of normal energy performing routine tasks, such as cleaning house, taking care of the yard, being at work, shopping, and exercising.
- Inability to focus and concentrate effectively on what one should be doing, a kind of “brain fog.”
- Moodiness, anxiousness, irritability, even depression in situations where one is usually cheerful, calm, and not reacting negatively to circumstances of the moment.
- Lower sex drive, which might manifest as lack of desire and discomfort during intercourse for women and erectile dysfunction or lower sperm count in men.
- Weight gain and loss of muscle tone.
Younger women with excessive estrogen often experience irregular and painful periods, headaches, trouble sleeping, and hair loss. As they approach menopause, the reduced production of hormones often causes them to have hot flashes and night sweats. An imbalance can be due to dysfunction of the master hormone progesterone, which is responsible for helping to produce estrogen (the primary female hormone), testosterone (a small amount is needed by women), DHEA (secreted by the adrenal glands and affecting hormonal balance), and cortisol (which helps us deal with stress).
Men who lack the optimal hormone levels may find their body fat increasing, especially in the waist area, while losing muscle mass. They are more prone to stress and elevated blood sugar, which can lead to diabetes type 2. They may also lose bone density, which is likely to evolve into osteoporosis, potentially resulting in fractures. According to studies, a high concentration of “free” testosterone (circulating in the blood and not bound to other molecules) and the insulin-like hormonal growth factor IGF-I have a significantly greater risk of prostate cancer.
Traditionally, hormonal imbalance in both men and women has been treated with restrictions in diet, medications, synthetic hormones, and recommendations to increase exercise and decrease stress. The development of “bioidentical hormones” (a customized formula that mimic’s the individual’s natural hormones) means a more natural method of managing the imbalance is now available with far fewer side effects. Contact Barbara Mack, M.D. to have a saliva, urine, or blood test to determine whether your hormones are in balance or need the appropriate therapy for symptom relief and to turn back the lock on aging.
So I’ve been on hormone therapy for a few years and but hated having to constantly inject myself every 2 weeks and the hormone fluctuations were rough sometimes. I decided to look around from pellet therapy and found Dr. Mack provided what I was looking for. When I finally got a chance to meet her, she was so sweet and really attentive, not only that, she noticed my hypothyroidism from my blood test (something I totally forgot to ask her about when I was there!)
I started my journey to better health in January of 2015. Since then I’ve lost 60 pounds and feel great. As well, I’ve started working with their functional medicine doctor, Dr. Mack. She is compassionate, kind and oh so knowledgeable. Every step of the way I’ve been monitored physically and nutritionally… I cannot express it enough that if you are looking for a journey to better health this is definitely the place you should start!
