Hormones are chemicals that coordinate different functions in your body by carrying messages through your blood to your organs, skin, muscles and other tissues.

Hormonal imbalances occur when the body produces too much or too little of a hormone. Hormonal conditions can affect both men and women. Women may also have oestrogen and progesterone imbalances, while men may have imbalances related to testosterone and other male hormones.

Ready for a challenge? Click here to take our quiz and show off your knowledge!

Symptoms of hormonal imbalances

Producing too much or too less of a hormone may cause the body to go out of control. There are certain symptoms of hormonal imbalance including anxiety, difficulty in losing weight, headaches and migraines, insomnia, skin and hair changes, low sex drive, muscle weakness, joint pains, puffiness of face, digestive issues among others.

Causes

Ready for a challenge? Click here to take our quiz and show off your knowledge!

There are certain lifestyle triggers that can also cause hormonal imbalance in women like stress, obesity and digestive health.

  • Stress

Everybody has to go through stress, but if the stressor situation remains for a long time then it can result in anxiety, weight gain, insomnia, chronic body aches and loss of confidence. Under stress, the brain releases CRF, a hormone, into the bloodstream. Cortisol helps you cope with stress. Cortisol or the stress hormone can lead to weight gain.

  • Gut health

There is a definite connection between unhealthy gut and imbalances in the hormones. An imbalance of the gut microbiota might cause a trigger to develop some immunological diseases like psoriasis and rheumatoid arthritis. The symptoms of poor gut health can be gas, bloating, migraines, insomnia and weight gain.

·       Obesity

Excesses or deficits of hormones can lead to obesity and on the other hand, obesity can lead to changes in hormones. This can lead to the development of type II diabetes and metabolic syndrome.