Hormones play a crucial role in a woman’s overall health and wellbeing, affecting everything from mood and energy levels to reproductive health and bone density. While many women may experience symptoms related to hormonal imbalances, such as irregular periods, acne, weight gain, and mood swings, they may not always be aware of the underlying cause. This is where getting hormone levels checked via a blood test may be beneficial.
By getting a hormone panel blood test, women can get a better picture of their hormone levels and identify any potential imbalances. This can help them understand the root cause of any symptoms they may be experiencing and allow them to make informed decisions about their health.
Getting hormone levels checked can also be especially helpful for women who are approaching menopause. As women age, their hormone levels naturally decline, which can cause a range of symptoms including hot flashes, night sweats, and mood changes. By monitoring hormone levels through regular blood tests, women can better understand what is happening in their bodies and take steps to manage these symptoms.
- Breast tenderness
- Low back pain, muscle aches, joint pains
- Abdominal cramps
- Food cravings, can’t stop eating
- Bloating, fluid retention
- Headaches
- Sleeping too much or not enough
- Diarrhea or constipation
- Irritability, anger
- Anxiety
- Brain fog
- Sadness, crying spells
- Mood swings
The cause of PMS is unknown but it’s believed to be related to an imbalance in your hormones estrogen, progesterone and serotonin.
- Some studies suggest that too much estrogen triggers fluid retention, breast tenderness, bloating.
- Progesterone deficiency (leading to estrogen excess)
- Vitamin B12 deficiency
- Change in neurotransmitters: endorphins, serotonin.
- Acne or oily skin
- Hirsutism (excessive hair on face, chest, back, arms or buttocks)
- Hair thinning on forehead, hair loss along hair line
- Weight gain
- Irregular periods or no periods at all
- Ovarian cysts
The exact cause of PCOS is unknown but it leads to abnormal hormone levels in the body such as elevated insulin levels and/or androgens (male hormones including testosterone & DHEA).
High insulin levels. Insulin is hormone that controls the amount of sugar in your blood. Insulin resistance is when the body stops responding properly to insulin. This leads to your insulin blood levels to become higher than normal. Many women with PCOS have insulin resistance; and over time this can lead to type 2 diabetes.
High levels of androgens. Androgens are commonly known as “male hormones” but women make a small amount of androgens as well. Testosterone and DHEA are two types of androgens. Women with PCOS may have higher levels of androgens than normal. This can prevent the ovaries from releasing an egg every month triggering infertility. High androgen levels is what can trigger excessive hair growth and acne in women with PCOS.
Infertility means not being able to get pregnant after one year of trying (or six months if a woman is 35 or older). Women who get pregnant but are unable to stay pregnant may also be infertile.
There are many causes of infertility but in my practice, I help infertile women with PCOS, progesterone deficiency, thyroid issues and low ovarian reserve (low AMH blood test)
As with perimenopause, menopause may include hot flashes, night sweats, weight gain, brain fog, mood swings, low libido and other symptoms.
Menopause is defined as 12 months since your last period.
We will discuss options for hormone replacement therapy possibly alleviate your symptoms.
As with peri-menopause, menopause may include hot flashes, night sweats, weight gain, brain fog, mood swings and other symptoms.
Menopause is defined as 12 months since your last period.
Medications (Hormone Replacement Therapy) may be recommended & prescribed based on your individual presentation.
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