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Hormone Balance Supplements For Women
Delve into the impact of hormones on daily life. Explore foods and Hormone Balance Supplements for Women to elevate your health and foster holistic wellness.
Key Takeaways
- Hormones can affect everyday processes, such as mood regulation, energy balance, sleep patterns, appetite, cognitive function, and reproductive health.
- A holistic approach is encouraged to help promote good hormone regulation. This includes good nutrition, exercise, stress management, and adequate sleep.
- When in need, supplements such as magnesium, vitamin D, probiotics, licorice root, and DIM can help with hormone regulation.
Several factors can affect hormone imbalance. Poor lifestyle choices, medications, and underlying conditions can all affect women’s hormones. The problem is that these tiny changes can affect a woman’s overall health, reproduction, mood, metabolism, and sexual function.
Fortunately, there are several ways to support hormone balance, and one of them is by using supplements.
In this article, we will explore the role of natural ways to help balance hormones. We will go through foods that can help balance hormones, as well as the best hormone-balancing supplements available.
How Do Hormones Affect Daily Life?
Hormones are chemical messengers that play a crucial role in helping regulate several bodily functions and processes. They have a profound impact on our daily lives since they influence mood, energy levels, appetite, and even our focus.
But, what exactly is the role of hormones in the body? Here is a brief overview of the role of hormones in the body.
- Mood and emotions: Hormones have a direct effect on our emotional state. For example, serotonin (the happy hormone) has an important role in regulating mood. Research shows that low levels of serotonin are associated with feelings of sadness and depression. In addition, women who have fluctuations in estrogen and progesterone levels tend to have more mood swings and irritability. (Source)
- Energy levels: Hormones can significantly affect our energy levels. Cortisol, which is known as the stress hormone, increases in response to stress and helps the body mobilize energy reserves. However, when the body cannot handle the cortisol levels (chronic stress), it can lead to fatigue and burnout.
- Sleep patterns: Hormones also play a crucial role in regulating the sleep-wake cycle. Melatonin (sleep hormone) is responsible for promoting sleep and helping regulate the circadian rhythm. When melatonin levels are disrupted, it can increase the risk of insomnia and irregular sleep patterns. (Source)
- Appetite and weight: Hormones can influence how much we eat. Leptin is a hormone that signals the brain when you are feeling full, making you stop eating. On the other hand, ghrelin (hunger hormone) stimulates hunger. Imbalances in these hormones can lead to overeating or persistent feelings of hunger, increasing the risk of weight gain.
- Cognitive function: Hormones also play a crucial role in cognitive function and brain health. For example, estrogen has neuroprotective effects, which have been associated with better cognitive function in women. That is why changes in estrogen levels may lead to cognitive decline, memory problems, and trouble focusing. (Source)
- Reproductive health: Hormones are important to sexual health. They influence fertility, sexual desire, and the menstrual cycle. Changes in sex hormones can affect libido and sexual hormones.
What Is A Hormonal Imbalance?
Before we go over the best foods and supplements to help with hormone balance, it’s important to understand what a hormonal imbalance is.
A hormonal imbalance happens when hormones are either too low or too high compared to the average. The most common hormones that are off balance in women are estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone. However, there are other hormones, such as thyroid hormones, cortisol, and melatonin, that may also be thrown off balance.
To determine which hormone is causing you to have symptoms, make sure you are having regular checkups. A health professional can provide the right tests to figure out which hormone is causing your symptoms.
Symptoms Of Hormonal Imbalance
Hormonal imbalances can manifest in a wide range of symptoms. These symptoms may vary depending on the specific hormones affected and the underlying cause.
Common symptoms of hormonal imbalance include:
- Irregular menstrual cycles (changes in length and frequency)
- Mood swings (experienced heightened emotions, irritability, or anxiety)
- Fatigue (persistent tiredness and low energy levels)
- Weight changes (unexplained weight gain or difficulty losing weight)
- Hot flashes (sudden, intense waves of heat and sweating)
- Acne (skin breakouts)
- Hair loss (thinning hair or hair loss)
- Breast tenderness (soreness or swelling of the breasts)
- Sleep disturbances (difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep)
- Changes in libido (decreased interest in sex or changes in sexual function)
If you experience any of the following symptoms, speak with a health professional to determine the root cause of the problem.
What Causes Hormonal Imbalance?
Hormone imbalances can arise from several factors, and they may happen at different stages in a woman’s life.
Some of the most common causes for hormonal imbalances include:
- Puberty: The start of a menstrual cycle can result in irregular cycles and hormonal fluctuations. This can often lead to mood swings and physical changes.
- Pregnancy: Pregnancy involves significant hormonal changes to support the baby’s development. These changes can lead to symptoms such as morning sickness, mood swings, and fatigue.
- Menopause: Menopause is marked by a significant decrease in estrogen and progesterone production. Hormonal imbalances during this time can lead to hot flashes, mood disturbances, and changes in bone density.
- Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS): This is a common disorder in women of reproductive age. It is characterized by high androgen levels (male hormones), cysts in the ovaries, and irregular periods.
- Thyroid disorders: Hypothyroidism and hyperthyroidism can disrupt the balance of thyroid hormones, which can affect the metabolism and overall health.
- Stress: Chronic stress can lead to high cortisol levels, which can affect other hormones.
- Diet and lifestyle: Poor nutrition, lack of exercise, and other unhealthy lifestyle choices can lead to hormonal imbalances.
Foods That Can Help Balance Hormones
Our diet plays a crucial role in hormone regulation. What we eat can impact insulin, cortisol, thyroid hormones, sex hormones, and many others. Certain foods can help maintain optimal hormone balance naturally and promote overall wellness.
Here are some of the best foods to add that can help balance hormones:
- Omega-3 fatty acids: Fatty fish, hemp, chia seeds, and flax seeds are all high in omega-3 fatty acids, which can help reduce inflammation and support hormonal health. (Source)
- Complex carbs: Brown rice, lentils, chickpeas, oats, beans, and quinoa are great at promoting balanced blood sugar levels and reducing the risk of insulin spikes.
- Leafy greens: These are packed with essential vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants essential for hormone production.
- Berries: Strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, and blackberries are high in antioxidants, which can help reduce oxidative stress and reduce inflammation. This can help significantly improve hormone production.
- Fermented foods: The gut microbiome has an important role in hormone production. Probiotic-rich foods like yogurt, kefir, sauerkraut, and kombucha can help improve gut health, leading to hormone regulation.
- Herbs and spices: Certain herbs and spices, such as cinnamon and turmeric, can help reduce inflammation, supporting hormonal balance.
Remember that maintaining a balanced diet is essential for overall health and hormone regulation. While these foods can support hormonal balance, it’s important to adopt a healthy lifestyle that includes regular exercise, proper hydration, stress management, and enough sleep.
Best Hormone Balance Supplements
While nutrition is a key pilar in helping balance supplements, there may be times when it’s not enough. There are several supplements to balance hormones naturally. However, make sure that you consult with a health professional before you add any of them.
Here are some of the best supplements to help balance hormones, whether in menopause, perimenopause, or during your fertile years.
Magnesium
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Evidence suggests that magnesium supplements may help alleviate PMS symptoms, such as mood swings, bloating, and cramps. In addition, magnesium can help relax muscles, promote a good night’s sleep, and help reduce anxiety. (Source)
While several magnesium supplements are available, the best form is magnesium glycinate. It doesn’t have as many side effects as others, and it has a high absorption rate. When choosing the best option, there is no doubt that Magne Tonik can be your best ally.
Vitamin D
Vitamin D is one of the best vitamins for hormonal imbalance. Its main role is to help the body absorb calcium, which is essential for bone health. In addition, vitamin D helps regulate the parathyroid hormone, has an effect on mood regulation, and enhances immune function.
If you want to increase your vitamin D levels, try taking 10-15 minutes of daily sunlight. The skin can naturally synthesize vitamin D when exposed to sunlight.
Probiotics
The gut is the body’s second brain. As mentioned earlier, they can have a direct effect on hormone regulation. Good gut health can lead to decreasing the risk of estrogen dominance, help regulate cortisol levels, enhance immune function, and regulate mood.
If you struggle to get a daily dose of probiotics through foods, supplements such as Synbio Tonik can provide you with a consistent dose of probiotics to help restore gut health.
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Licorice Root
Licorice root contains compounds called glycyrrhizic acid and flavonoids, which have been seen to provide several health benefits. Evidence suggests that licorice root may help support adrenal glands, reduce cortisol levels, and promote estrogen balance. (Source)
Diindolymethyl (DIM)
Diindolymethyl, or DIM, is mostly found in cruciferous vegetables (broccoli, cauliflower, and Brussels sprouts). It is a metabolite of indole-3-carbinol, which can help support estrogen metabolism and hormone detoxification and improve hormonal acne.
For those who don’t include a daily dose of cruciferous vegetables, green powder supplements, such as Supergreen Tonik, may help you regulate hormone levels.
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Final Words
Achieving hormonal balance is essential for a woman’s overall health and well-being. While hormone balance supplements can be a valuable addition to your wellness routine, they should not be used as a stand-alone solution.
A holistic approach will always be encouraged. Make sure you have a healthy diet, regular exercise, stress management, and adequate sleep.
But if you are looking for the best supplements to help regulate hormone balance, the Tonik Stack offers a comprehensive approach to support this. To avoid having to worry about which supplements to take, the Tonik Stack offers a green powder, probiotics, and a red powder to promote the ultimate anti-inflammatory solution to help with hormone balance.
Embrace the Tonik Stack and empower yourself with the nutrients your body needs to maintain optimal hormonal health.
Brenda Peralta is an experienced Registered Dietitian (RDN) and Certified Diabetes Education (CDE). She is a freelance health and nutrition writer based in San Jose, Costa Rica. She has several certifications in sports nutrition, women’s health hormones, and gut health.