Hormones basically determine female physiology, or doesn’t it seem so? You likely learned about the concept of female hormones such as estrogen and progesterone and their role in the menstrual cycle through early sex education. But the extent to which these hormones affect the body’s whole body has been generally diminished.
Emotions swinging through the roof?
Menstrual cramps so unbearable that you are forced to “cancel life” for a week?
Waking up with a feverish headache many times?
A non-existent sex drive?
Sugar cravings that make you eat chocolate and cookies all day?
Gaining weight despite strenuous exercise and dieting?
Oh, the list has just begun ……
Guess what?! You’re not crazy, you don’t have low willpower, and your body isn’t broken. In fact, you are not alone, you are probably in the majority, as 70-80% of women experience some form of hormonal imbalance that often goes unaddressed. [1]
There is no single cause for one’s elevated hormones, which can be annoying, frustrating and tedious. Ever wonder why hormonal birth control is the holy grail of “fixing” hormonal imbalance symptoms?
In society, identifying and addressing the culprits of female hormonal imbalance is portrayed as an unpopular task compared to jumping straight to hormonal birth control, which is simply a solution for us. Or is it? …… That’s a topic for another day.
The first step to finding the root cause of female hormonal imbalance symptoms and taking control of your body is actually knowing what you’re looking for. If you don’t know where to start, then you’ve come to the right place. Today, we’re going to dive into the most common female hormone imbalance symptoms and their possible causes, and why they can make you feel like a crazy person!
Hormones and Their Role in Female Hormonal Imbalance Symptoms
First, let’s quickly review what hormones are, and which are the most important female hormones that need to be balanced.
Hormones are chemicals that affect the activity of another part of the body. Hormones act as messengers, controlling and coordinating activities throughout the body and influencing various processes such as growth and development, reproduction, and sexual identity. [2]
Now as a disclaimer, we will not delve into a group of hormones today. These include the thyroid hormones thyrotropin (TSH), free and total T4, free and total T3, and reverse T3. Thyroid hormones are a big puzzle because they have a big impact on all of the hormones discussed in this article; however, they are super complex and subtle and deserve a whole article on their own. Stay tuned!
Estrogen
Oh, there she is! Our most feminist female hormone! Basically, thanks to estrogen for your boobs, hips, and of course the monthly gift we want so badly, Aunt Flow (but really, periods = body happy!)
Now onto the details. There are technically 3 forms of the steroid hormone estrogen, which promote the development and maintenance of female characteristics as well as the reproductive function of the body.
The forms of estrogen include estrone (E1), estradiol (E2) and estriol (E3).
E1 – the most powerful and dominant of the three. E1 is what we are referring to when talking about low estrogen levels or “estrogen dominance” in women, and is most applicable to the body’s daily functions
E2 – Produced by the cells lining the follicles of the ovaries in response to FSH, E2 is highly involved in ovulation, or the release of eggs in the middle of the female reproductive cycle.
E3 – produced in higher concentrations in pregnant women
Excess estrogen can cause some rough, unfavorable symptoms, but low levels of estrogen can likewise upset the body’s internal homeostasis.
Our performance is also affected when estrogen is too low, as this hormone works in conjunction with growth hormone to form lean muscle during the follicular phase, which is the first half of the menstrual cycle before ovulation.
Progesterone
Luteinizing hormone is our female calming hormone. It is secreted after ovulation and helps maintain the lining of the uterus. Estrogen and progesterone work closely together and balance each other. In a way, this hormone has an anti-estrogenic effect, so when levels are low, estrogen can take over.
Follicle stimulating hormone (FSH)
Estrogen and progesterone are always trying to make a name for themselves when it comes to female reproduction, but follicle stimulating hormone must be present before these major hormones can take effect.
Follicle stimulating hormone dominates the follicular phase or the first few weeks of the cycle. It receives input from gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) in the brain, which signals the start of the development of follicles into eggs. These eggs develop for several weeks until one of them is fully mature and released from the ovary into the fallopian tube. This marks ovulation.
This hormone also stimulates the production of estrogen! Therefore, before using estrogen directly as a problem with a missed menstrual cycle, consider why the production of FSH may be impaired.
Women who suffer from infertility or irregular menstrual cycles can ask their doctor about FSH levels to better understand the cause of low estrogen levels
High FSH levels may indicate primary ovarian insufficiency (POI)
Low FSH levels may indicate hypothalamic amenorrhea or PCOS
I’ll give you a hint about stress. Stress of all kinds, including extreme exercise, lack of sleep, emotional stress/trauma, inadequate calorie intake, and excessive caffeine intake, can weaken the signals in the brain that enable the FSH pulse to occur.
Luteinizing Hormone (LH)
Another important contributor to hormonal balance is luteinizing hormone. lH must be present for estrogen and progesterone to function. Oh, and to get pregnant in the first place!
LH is produced in the pituitary gland, which also responds to gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) to control the menstrual cycle. Its pulse stimulates the release of eggs from the ovaries. When the GnRH pulse is not strong enough to produce a strong enough LH pulse, eggs will not be released and ovulation will not occur. [3]
Now, if nutrition is adequate, exercise is not excessive, and stress is properly managed, the LH will surge and release an egg. Once this egg is released, it moves to the fallopian tube to unite with sperm and make a baby, yay! (or not?)
If no sperm is present, the egg ruptures and forms a “corpus luteum” in the uterus, which is responsible for the production of our calming hormone progesterone.
Now, hopefully, you can better understand the need for whole body hormone balance, not just estrogen and progesterone.
