There are times when you don’t know what seems to be wrong with your body. As you age, your body tries to keep up, but it can’t perform as it once was. But it may be more than aging. You might be suffering from a hormonal imbalance. These can greatly affect your physical health and fitness. Here’s a look at some potential imbalances you might be suffering from and how you can treat them.
Diabetes
Many people don’t understand that diabetes is a hormone imbalance. Insulin is one of the body’s essential hormones. The pancreas produces it, but there are several reasons why your body might not be producing enough of it. There are two ways this happens. First, there is type 1 diabetes, and this is when your pancreas is malfunctioning and does not produce the needed insulin. Second, there is type 2 diabetes. While your body is producing enough insulin, it is experiencing resistance to it. The result is that you need more insulin than you have. Age can also be a factor as your pancreas weakens and your body naturally builds up insulin resistance.
Both types of diabetes have nasty symptoms. The main job of insulin is to regulate the blood sugar level in your body. Without the effects of insulin, the sugar remains in your blood and can cause dizziness, dehydration, hunger, and weight loss. It can affect you mentally, too, as it has been linked to anxiety and depression.
Proper treatment includes insulin injections and better control over sugar intake.
Andropause/Menopause
Another effect of age is the lower production of testosterone and estrogen. Low testosterone is often associated with men while low estrogen with women, but people need them both. Testosterone helps protect the nervous system and helps fight off depression, and estrogen helps with a variety of cognitive functions. If you are low in both, then you will have problems. The main culprit for the decrease in these hormones is aging. This is why the general terms for this happening are andropause and menopause.
Both of them share similar symptoms. Mood swings and fatigue are usual. But each gender also faces unique challenges. Women experiencing menopause face hot flashes and tenderness in their breasts. Men face the chance of anemia and smaller testicles. Hormonal replacement therapy is the best option for those who are looking to improve their condition.
Adrenal Insufficiency
Your body’s adrenal glands produce a variety of hormones when you are stressed. These include adrenaline, cortisol, and more. Their main aim is to help you cope with the stress. However, the problem is that a lot of people face stress continually. The result is that your body is working overtime to produce all these stress hormones. This can be bad for your body as it is always on high alert. This is a big problem when it comes to cortisol levels. This hormone is in charge of various functions in your body. When your adrenal glands end up overproducing, they can eventually run out. This means a lack of cortisol in your body. Your adrenal glands could also end up damaged in an accident, so it doesn’t produce as much.
When your body lacks cortisol, you will feel fatigued, loss of appetite, and more. Your doctor usually recommends a blood test to see whether there are any signs of adrenal insufficiency. If it is confirmed, your doctor will usually recommend medicines that will help cope with the lack of cortisol. Additionally, a diet focused on calcium, vitamin D, and sodium is necessary to make up for the lack of cortisol.
Hyperthyroidism/Hypothyroidism
Your thyroid is another gland that produces hormones that your body needs. It can affect you whether it produces too much or too little. Thyroid hormones affect your metabolism, so your body might change a lot depending on what is happening. If your thyroid is not working well, then you might need to take supplements. As for overproduction, some doctors might even recommend complete removal of the thyroid, but medication can also lessen the efficiency of the gland.
Hormonal imbalances can change your life for the worse. If you don’t get the right treatment, then you will face a lot of problems as you grow older. It is better to identify and handle the issue early than to let it get worse. The issues above are the most common, but there are others out there. With more than 50 hormones in your body, one of them being too much or too little can greatly affect your life. Check with your doctor to see whether you need any extra help.