Imbalanced Hormones can cause
- Hot flashes/night sweats/flushing
- Fatigue
- Difficulty concentrating or processing information
- Decline in alertness
- Depression
- Anxiety
- Difficulty falling sleeping or staying asleep
- Loss of appetite
- Weight gain despite exercise
- Changes in libido
- Skin or vaginal dryness
- Pain with intercourse
- Muscle loss
- Increased headaches
- Decreased bone density
As people age, their levels of hormones like progesterone, estrogen, testosterone, dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA), and pregnenelone begin to decrease.
These changes can have devastating, substantial impacts on a person’s overall quality of life that are often left overlooked. This is particularly disturbing because declines in hormone levels don’t just affect mood — they can lead to physical changes that pose a real, medical risk if left unaddressed.
Hormonal Changes
Perimenopause
Perimenopause occurs between mid-thirties to early fifties. It is when the body transitions to menopause and can last for years. Estrogen and progesterone levels drop or fluctuate during this period, causing the menstrual cycle to become irregular or erratic.
Menopause
Menopause typically occurs between mid-forties to mid-fifties. During menopause, menstruation stops completely, and ovulation no longer occurs. This results in low levels of progesterone and estrogen.
The lack of estrogen can cause hot flashes and night sweats, these can occur for several years following menopause. Moreover, lowered estrogen levels can cause bladder incontinence or lack of voluntary control over urination.
Other symptoms experienced during menopause include weight gain, hair loss, vaginal dryness, dry skin, depression, and change in sex drive.