Hormones are natural chemicals produced by your body. Humans have nearly 50 different types of hormones, and they control body functions from metabolism and weight to libido and sexual reproduction.
Hormone levels ebb and flow as you move through life, sometimes fluctuating significantly from one day to the next. It’s normal for hormone levels to change over time, but life events — like pregnancy, menopause, and simply getting older — can leave you with a condition that isn’t normal: hormonal imbalance.
For women and men alike, prolonged hormonal imbalance becomes increasingly common with age. It can lead to a range of bothersome symptoms that affect your quality of life and leave you feeling less than your best.
Treating hormonal imbalance starts with recognizing the signs. Daniel Moghadam, MD and our team at Modern Aesthetica specialize in hormone optimization and hormone replacement therapy for adults, and today we’re taking a closer look at some of the most common symptoms of hormonal imbalance.
Hormonal imbalance happens when your body produces too much or too little of a certain hormone. While it’s possible for any hormone to get out of balance, sex hormones are some of the most common culprits.
Low estrogen is common among women following pregnancy, as well as before, during, and after menopause. For men, low testosterone becomes more common with age.
Whether you’re male or female, low hormone levels can trigger some telltale signs like:
Sex drive, or libido, is your interest in engaging in sexual activity. Your sex drive is unique, and some people naturally have higher (or lower) sex drives than others. Your sex drive naturally changes over time, but a sudden drop in sex drive could indicate a hormonal imbalance.
Estrogen is an important hormone in female sexual reproduction. Low estrogen not only contributes to low sex drive, but it can also cause vaginal dryness, discomfort, and pain with sex.
For men, low testosterone can cause erectile dysfunction (ED). ED is common, but many men are embarrassed to seek treatment. If you have ED due to hormonal imbalance, you may struggle to get or keep an erection that’s strong enough for sexual intercourse.
Hormones influence your mood, and a hormonal imbalance can make you feel like you’ve lost emotional control. You might feel more irritable than usual, or find yourself lashing out in anger more often.
Hormonal imbalance can also cause foggy-headedness, difficulty concentrating, or forgetfulness. For some, hormonal imbalance is linked to depression and anxiety.
Hormones affect your energy level, and hormonal imbalance can leave many people feeling exhausted all the time. Plus, hormonal imbalance may also cause insomnia, which is the persistent inability to get a good night’s sleep.
If you struggle to fall asleep or stay asleep, or if you feel tired no matter how much you rest, it could be chronic fatigue caused by hormonal imbalance.
Your metabolism is the process by which your body converts food into energy. Metabolism naturally slows down as you get older, making it more difficult to maintain a healthy body weight.
Men and women alike may find that they start gaining more weight with age, even if their habits remain the same. Hormonal imbalance can worsen this process by contributing to increased body fat and decreased muscle mass.
Do these symptoms sound familiar? You could be suffering from a hormonal imbalance.
Stop suffering the symptoms of hormonal imbalance, and learn about hormone optimization with Dr. Moghadam and our team at Modern Aesthetica. We specialize in hormone therapy for men and hormone therapy for women.
If we find that your hormones are out of balance, we propose a customized treatment plan for you. Hormone replacement therapy generally involves taking a synthetic hormone supplement to rebalance hormone levels, helping you feel better.
Once you start hormone therapy, you can expect to see an improvement in symptoms within a few weeks. Our team continues working closely with you to adjust your dose and ensure you’re getting the best possible results from your program.
It’s time to feel like yourself again. Schedule a hormone optimization consultation at Modern Aesthetica to get started. Call our Santa Monica, California office at 310-975-3918 or send us a message online now.
