Some important benefits of balanced hormones include improved mood, increased energy, better skin, and improved metabolic and cognitive function. We’ll discuss five ingredients found in supplements to balance hormones and recommend one of the best supplement brands on the market.
It’s easy to blame those mood swings, stomach pains, and acne outbreaks on PMS (premenstrual syndrome). This monthly hormonal imbalance can lead to weight gain, hair loss, forgetfulness, and fatigue. However, PMS is not the only factor that sends hormones askew, and women are not the only ones who suffer from hormonal imbalances. Fortunately, there are supplements to help balance hormones.
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Causes of hormonal imbalance
Hormones are part of the endocrine system and they are produced by different tissues and glands in the body. An imbalance means you have too much or too little of one of the essential hormones to keep your body running smoothly. Several factors can cause an imbalance, including:
- Autoimmune disorders: Graves disease, type 1 diabetes, Hashimoto’s disease, and Addison’s disease cause your immune system to attack your thyroid gland, causing it to make more thyroid hormones than your body needs.
- High insulin levels: Insulin is a hormone made by the pancreas that is essential for regulating blood sugar levels. High insulin levels tell the ovaries to make more testosterone, often causing acne. Too much insulin also lowers the SHBG (sex hormone-binding globulin), which can lead to excess estrogen. Too much insulin in men can lead to a loss of libido, mood swings, and coronary artery disease.
- Puberty: Both genders experience hormonal changes as they reach adolescence. Insulin, cortisol, progesterone, estrogen, and testosterone levels consistently change during this stage.
- Menopause: Those night sweats, anxious moments, and loss of libido in women are often the result of a drop in estrogen and insulin levels. In men, the testes may start producing fewer or no hormones, leading to higher stress levels, lower libido, and what many call a “mid-life crisis.” Instead of a new car or hobby, investigating supplements to balance hormones may be worthwhile.
- Stress: Prolonged stress can cause elevated insulin, cortisol, and adrenaline levels.
- Certain Medications: Some antidepressants and steroids create a hormonal imbalance by raising serotonin levels and lowering the body’s insulin levels. Birth control pills can sometimes increase these hormones and decrease other vital hormones. You may want to consider taking supplements to balance hormones if these medications are necessary.
- Poor nutrition: High amounts of low-nutrient carbohydrates, such as processed foods, sugary drinks, and fast food, force your body to produce extra insulin to keep blood sugar levels balanced. Over time, excess secretion of insulin leads to insulin resistance.
- Lack of exercise: A sedentary lifestyle inhibits the release of serotonin, dopamine, estrogen, and testosterone levels.
Dangers of a hormonal imbalance
In addition to the mood swings and weight gain, some side effects of insulin resistance and other hormonal imbalance are life-threatening, such as:
- Type 2 diabetes: Insulin resistance can lead to elevated blood glucose levels (hyperglycemia).
- Coronary disease: This is also due to the body’s ability to resist insulin, which can lead to metabolic syndrome.
- Risk of stroke: A lack of estrogen or testosterone can reduce blood flow, leading to blood clots, increasing the risk of a stroke.
- Reproductive system problems: While this is not life-threatening, issues like Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) can lead to infertility in women.
Sometimes the estrogen supplements to balance hormones are just as dangerous and lead to stroke. That could be why 55,000 more women than men suffer strokes each year. Doctors attribute this to the difference in hormones, pregnancy, and some hormonal supplements. That’s why searching for safe supplements to balance hormones is crucial.
Five great ingredients in supplements to balance hormones for optimal health
- Aloe vera: Whether taken in juice or powder form, aloe vera increases estrogen levels and regulates periods without cramping your style. Aloe vera is a natural substitute for insulin that the body will not resist when glucose levels rise. It also regulates your metabolism and improves gut health.
- Holy basil: Also known as tulsi, holy basil controls blood sugar levels and balances stress hormones. This herb has been used in Ayurvedic medicine for centuries before the term “premenstrual syndrome” was invented.
- Bitter melon extract: This fruit has been used for years to treat diabetes. It contains a chemical like insulin to lower blood sugar without adverse side effects.
- Ashwagandha root: This herb, often called Indian ginseng, balances the endocrine system and reduces the amount of estrogen by limiting the aromatase enzyme. It also normalizes cortisol levels and eases stress.
- Green tea extract: Researchers found green tea reduces the free testosterone level in women with PCOS. It can also lower stress hormones and delay the onset of breast cancer in postmenopausal women.
The best supplements to balance hormones
Your first instinct to fight that hormonal imbalance may be to grab a piece of chocolate to combat your low blood sugar. However, eating chocolate may have the opposite effect since that only raises your body’s resistance to insulin. Medicine Man Plant Co.’s The Blood Sugar Pill contains aloe vera, holy basil, and bitter melon extract – the top three natural ingredients to lower your blood sugar. Using these supplements to balance hormones will not interact with other medications and will decrease those sugar cravings.
For those struggling with lower libido, there’s The Libido Pill. It contains goldenrod, maca root, and burdock root. Goldenrod helps support both male and female reproductive health. For men, it contains borneol, flavonoids, phenolic acids, triterpenoids, saponins, and phenolic glycosides, which can open and strengthen male hydraulic tissues. For women, it increases blood flow for optimal function. Burdock root specifically may help support a healthy hormone balance, as it helps the liver to process an excess of hormones like estrogen. Maca root contains hormone regulators that help with both mental and physical reproductive functions.
Medicine Man Plant Co uses a combination of ethnobotany and chemistry to reap the benefits of the plants that our ancestors relied on years ago before processed foods, pharmaceuticals, and sugars interfered with our hormonal systems. The brand claims, “Your specific genetic past is unique. By bringing you key plants from around the world there is a much better chance your body will get the specific compounds with which you co-evolved.” They promise a full refund if you don’t notice a difference in the first 45 days.
Achieve optimal health by using supplements to balance hormones
While people often make light of PMS, a hormonal imbalance can lead to more severe problems if left untreated. Hormones are your body’s messengers, so listen to what they are trying to tell you. If you are struggling with a hormone imbalance, you may want to try these ingredients to support your hormone health. Now that you know how to support your hormones safely, hopefully you can choose the best supplement for your hormone needs.
Further reading for additional reference:
Cleveland Clinic: Hormonal Imbalance
MedicineNet: How Can a Man Tell if He Has a Hormonal Imbalance?
National Library Medicine: Stress and hormones
National Library of Medicine: How our food affects our hormones
eMedihealth: Is Aloe Vera Good for Menstruation?
Important Note: The information contained in this article is for general informational purposes only, and should not be construed as health or medical advice, nor is it intended to diagnose, prevent, treat, or cure any disease or health condition. Before embarking on any diet, fitness regimen, or program of nutritional supplementation, it is advisable to consult your healthcare professional in order to determine its safety and probable efficacy in terms of your individual state of health.
Regarding Nutritional Supplements Or Other Non-Prescription Health Products: If any nutritional supplements or other non-prescription health products are mentioned in the foregoing article, any claims or statements made about them have not been evaluated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, and such nutritional supplements or other health products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
