8 Factors that Can Disrupt Hormonal Balance at Any Age
Learn what lifestyle factors must be addressed to support the effectiveness of hormone replacement therapy
We all know that with age, the production of certain vital hormones will decline in both men and women, triggering a chain reaction that can dramatically affect health and wellness. However, aging is by no means the only factor that can cause hormonal imbalance. Many other factors contribute to this problem, which may be why we are seeing men and women enter andropause and menopause at younger ages, and why many older individuals seem to have more severe symptoms.
Here are the top 8 factors (besides aging) that can disrupt your hormonal balance:
Stress: When you’re under stress, the body releases a hormone called cortisol. In small amounts, cortisol is beneficial. But when chronic stress results in high cortisol levels, you can end up suffering from accelerated skin aging, cognitive decline, compromised immune function, weight gain, and, eventually, adrenal fatigue.
Nutritional Deficiencies: Without a well-balanced diet including sufficient “good” cholesterol from healthy fats, Vitamin D, zinc, and B vitamins, your body will not be able to manufacture or use hormones like testosterone and thyroid properly.
Fasting: When you restrict your calorie intake too dramatically, the body responds by altering hormone levels to slow your metabolic rate. Testosterone, estrogen, and thyroid will all drop.
Long Term Low-Carb Dieting: Over the short term, a low-carb diet can be very effective in lowering insulin so you can burn fat quickly. However, over the long term, eating less than 50 grams of carbs per day can cause insulin resistance and reduce thyroid and androgen hormones.
Lack of Exercise: The organs that regulate hormonal release (the hypothalamus, the pituitary, and the adrenals) change when we adopt a sedentary lifestyle. Exercise is needed to keep the stress response in check, balance reproductive hormones, and control insulin.
Too Much Exercise: If you exercise too strenuously without giving your body time for rest and recovery (and/or without proper nutrition), this will stress the body and cause it to deprioritize certain functions like reproduction. This means hormones like estrogen and testosterone will decline.
Lack of Sleep: Poor sleep raises your cortisol levels and slows your metabolic rate. You’ll feel hungry and tired, so you’ll eat more and move less, which will only make matters worse for your hormonal balance.
Chemical Exposure: Many different chemicals can mimic the action of hormones in the body, resulting in imbalances. One common example is BPA, which mimics estrogen and can lead to estrogen dominance in men and women.
Addressing these 8 factors is of course essential for restoring balance to your body. However, depending on how severe your imbalance is, you may need additional help. At Renew Youth™, we can test your levels of estrogen, testosterone, and other vital hormones and then come up with a personalized hormone replacement program designed to bring your hormones into a healthy, youthful balance and keep them there.
To learn more about our programs for men and women, please contact us at 800-859-7511 today.
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