Hormone Imbalance Symptoms in Women

Hormonal balance is essential for good health and immunity. Especially for women, they play a very vital role in their health and well-being. There are different types of hormone imbalance which include high or low levels of estrogen, high or low levels of progesterone, and high or low levels of androgens. These symptoms in women vary depending on the type of imbalance.

There are numerous factors that disrupt the hormonal balance and a normal menstrual cycle. Some of which are conditions such as intake of birth control pills and stress and they result in hormonal imbalance.

Caffeine, alcohol, drug use, and poor nutrition, changes the proteins in the brain and affects normal ovulation as the brain can no longer send proper signals. Adrenal exhaustion, eating disorders, polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), and abnormal cervical mucus are the other major factors causing this dysfunction and affecting normal ovulation in women.

As mentioned above, there are different types of hormonal imbalance and each type has its own set of symptoms. These signs become evident in their late twenties and in women over the age of forty.

• Changes in menstruation
• Weight gain
• Acne

• Depression
• Premenstrual Syndrome (PMS)
• Anxiety
• Excessive hair growth
• Urianry tract infections (UTI)
• Oily Skin
• Fatigue
• Low-sex drive
• Headaches
• Endometriosis
• Water retention

This condition is also referred as estrogen dominance and is mostly prevalent in women over 35 and more so in those who have diabetes, high blood pressure, and are overweight. Here are the symptoms of high levels of estrogen:

• Mood swings and more anger
• Depression
• Insomnia

• Migraines
• Post Menstrual Syndrome (PMS)
• Excessive growth of facial hair
• Fatigue
• Unexplained weight gain
• High blood pressure
• Memory loss
• Skin disorders such as red flushes, acne, and psoriasis

• Cramps
• Osteoporosis
• Tender/sore/enlarged breasts
• Uterine fibroids
• Hair fall and thinning of hair
• Miscarriages
• Low-sex drive
• Irregular periods

This type mostly occurs during menopause and those women who undergo a chemotherapy or radiation therapy, hysterectomy, or have an autoimmune disease. Low levels of estrogen may also be experienced by women who have low body fat due to rigorous exercise.

This type of imbalance causes neurotransmitter fluctuations affecting the sleep, thinking and eating pattern, and also digestion. Besides, it could terribly affect the vagina causing dryness and thinning of wall.

This in turn can cause intense pain during sex and the body also becomes susceptible to infections such as UTI, as low estrogen levels cause thinning of urethra lining.

Here are the symptoms of this condition:

• Panic attacks
• Lack of concentration
• Memory lapses
• Joint pain
• Headaches
• Vaginal dryness and infection

• Low self-esteem and depression
• Night sweats
• Dry skin causing wrinkles and brown age spots
• Loss of libido
• Hot flashes
• Fatigue

Levels of progesterone rise with the intake of birth control pills and menopausal hormone replacement therapy. This condition is found in young women. Imbalance symptoms in young women because of high progesterone levels include the following

• Excessive sleep
• Breast tenderness
• Mood swings
• Susceptibility to yeast infections
• Dizziness
• Feeling dilated

Factors responsible in the fall of progesterone levels include chronic stress, insufficient or no exercise, diet high in sugar, resistance to insulin in the body, and also with the intake of certain medications. Female hormone imbalance symptoms due to low progesterone levels include the following

• Infertility
• Irregular periods/menstrual cycle
• Thyroid disorder
• Vaginal dryness
• Breast tenderness
• Fibrocystic breasts
• Depression
• Panic attacks
• Weight gain
• Water retention
• Low blood sugar

Although, androgens regulate the function of many organs, high levels of it can lead to serious health consequences such as diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, insulin resistance, and even heart disease. Symptoms of high androgen levels include the following

• Excessive hair growth on places such as chin and upper lip
• Acne
• Thinning of hair
• Infertility

• Irregular or no periods
• Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS)
• Low High Density Lipoprotein/HDL which means less good cholesterol and high Low Density Lipoprotein/LDL which means more bad cholesterol
• Excess fat around the abdomen

This is a condition that may affect women at any age and mostly occurs during perimenopause which is the transition to menopause. A common cause of low androgen levels include the absence of menstrual periods due to rigorous exercise and excessive dieting. Here are the symptoms of low androgen levels

• Fatigue
• Vaginal dryness
• Low libido
• Low self-esteem

Besides these, hormone imbalance symptoms in young women include irritability, mood swings leading to crying, depression, bladder infections, headaches, forgetfulness, low libido, insomnia, and painful intercourse.

Postnatal hormonal imbalance is a type that is definite to occur after pregnancy. Besides the bodily changes such as weight gain and changes in the body shape and breasts, a woman experiences other physical and mental changes.

Some of the hormone imbalance symptoms after pregnancy include anxiety and tension, crying for no particular reason, problem in sleeping, hair loss, overtly emotional and often upset, tired and sluggish appearance and movement, and low libido.

Hormonal imbalance in women is a common phenomenon and if you think you are experiencing any of the aforementioned symptoms, then without any further delay please visit your doctor. Right diagnosis and subsequent treatment can help you get rid of the problem.

Disclaimer: This story is for informative purposes only, and should not be used as a replacement for expert medical advice.