How to check if you have a hormonal imbalance
When your body’s hormone levels get out of balance, it can cause some troubling symptoms. From fatigue to depression to digestion issues, hormonal imbalances can cause real trouble in your day-to-day life.
However, getting a test to check your hormone levels and seeing where they are can help put you back on track to better health.
What are the symptoms of hormonal imbalance?
If you suspect a hormonal imbalance, check out the following symptoms. Most of these symptoms appear for both genders. Still, some are more common in women, like:
- Acne
- Weight gain
- Leptin resistance
- Insulin resistance
- Loss of libido
- Fatigue
- Anxiety
- Bloating
- Mood swings
- Depression
- Hair loss
- Infertility
This can be an unpleasant condition that affects you, not only physically but also mentally and emotionally. If you experience any of these symptoms daily, it could indicate a hormonal imbalance.
How to test your hormones
A hormonal imbalance is a chemical imbalance involving one or more of the body’s hormones. Testing for a hormonal imbalance is a matter of analyzing the chemical makeup of your blood and saliva. Hormonal imbalances can be treated, usually through hormone therapy.
However, there are some essential hormones to test if you think you have a hormonal imbalance which includes.
Progesterone levels test
Decreased Progesterone levels can result in early menopause, PMS (premenstrual syndrome), ovarian cysts, infertility, and miscarriage. Not enough progesterone causes the body to retain fluid, and not enough estrogen can cause blood sugar imbalances which may affect energy, sleep quality, and moods.
Growth hormone levels test
Growth hormone (GH) is one of several hormones produced by the pituitary gland in your brain. If your doctor suspects that you have declined GH levels, they’ll typically start by ordering tests to measure the levels of GH in your blood. Identifying any issues related to GH will help you to get a diagnosis and get HGH prescription required for legal treatment.
Estrogen levels test
Estrogen is one of the hormones most often associated with a woman’s menstrual cycle. Still, it may surprise you to know that men need estrogen, too. Estrogen is produced at varying levels throughout your life and even within a day.
Hormonal imbalance occurs when too much or too little of a hormone is in the bloodstream. This can cause changes in your mood or body and may become problematic.
Luteinizing hormone (LH) levels test
Luteinizing hormone (LH) is a hormone that plays an essential role in the female menstrual cycle and pregnancy and follicle stimulation for egg maturation. LH is produced in the pituitary gland and stimulates ovulation.
There are three major types of ovarian function tests in women. Hormonal imbalance is most often caused by an excess of luteinizing hormone (LH), as it is not balanced by follicle-stimulating hormone.
Thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) levels test
The most common cause of hormonal imbalance is an under-active thyroid called hypothyroidism. This means the thyroid gland isn’t producing enough of the vital hormones we need to maintain good levels of energy, proper mood and good overall health.
How does the hormone test work?
A hormone balance test will help your doctor to figure out how healthy your hormones are and what that means for you. It’s a simple blood test you can do in the comfort of your own home with a convenient kit.
And show how effectively your body produces and utilizes hormones like estrogen, testosterone, and progesterone. Stress, changing nutritional habits, alcohol consumption, and weight gain can contribute to hormonal imbalance.
Where to get your hormones tested?
The reason why you’re not having your period, or you’re having terrible periods every month, is because of a hormonal imbalance. The only way to know for sure whether you’re dealing with low progesterone or any other hormonal imbalance is to get a proper hormone balance test.
A hormone balance test is a saliva test that can be done at home and sent off to the lab. You can also order it online and have it shipped directly to your door. Once the results are in, they will send them to you, and then you can take them to your doctor.
We recommend a saliva test because it gives a better picture of what your hormones are doing throughout the day, rather than just one snapshot in time (like a blood test).
This is important because if you have low progesterone, it may be shallow in the morning, but as the day goes on, it might increase slightly, allowing you to ovulate but not enough for your body to sustain a pregnancy.
This is why there is no one-size-fits-all when it comes to balancing hormones naturally. It depends on what your tests say, so don’t skip this part.
The only way to know that you have a hormonal imbalance is to see your doctor. Though you can get a lot of information online, it would be hard to diagnose something as subtle as this on your own.
If you’re concerned about what might be causing your symptoms, schedule an appointment with your doctor and bring all of the information you’ve gathered so far. This way, they can help you figure out how to address the issue at hand.