If you suffer from anxiety, you know all too well what it’s like to feel on edge for no apparent reason. You also know how small stressors can trigger outsized reactions. And you likely know what’s it’s like to be kept awake at night by unstoppable anxious thoughts.
You’ve also probably tried the various strategies meant to combat anxiety, like deep breathing, meditation, and maybe even therapy or medication.
But for many, anxiety will persist, even after implementing these kinds of solutions.
But what if the anxiety you’re experiencing isn’t a psychological issue per se? What if your anxiety’s root cause is hormonal?
For many people—especially those who are over 40—anxiety is not rooted in external stress or unresolved emotional issues. Rather, it’s a symptom of imbalanced hormones.
The Hormone-Anxiety Connection
Your hormones don’t just regulate bodily functions like reproduction. They profoundly impact your brain chemistry, nervous system, and emotional state.
When hormones become imbalanced, anxiety often follows. In fact, people who have never experienced anxiety previously can develop this symptom for the first time as age-related hormone decline sets in (often during the 40s and 50s). And for those who have struggled with anxiety during earlier years, it can become more pronounced when hormones are out of balance.
Hormones That Impact Anxiety
Progesterone
For women, progesterone has powerful calming effects because it interacts with GABA receptors in the brain—the same receptors that are targeted by anti-anxiety medications.
When progesterone levels drop during perimenopause and menopause, anxiety often appears for the first time or worsens.
Testosterone
Testosterone is mood stabilizing for both men and women, with low testosterone causing anxiety, irritability, and lower stress tolerance.
For men, declining testosterone after age 30 often coincides with increased anxiety. For women, testosterone typically diminishes during perimenopause and can trigger anxiety.
Estrogen
Estrogen influences the production of serotonin, dopamine, and other neurotransmitters that regulate mood and anxiety. When estrogen is outside of optimal, anxiety can result—and not just for women, but also for men. While men need far less estrogen than women, it is nevertheless an important hormone for the emotional wellbeing of both women and men.
Thyroid
Hypothyroidism (underactive thyroid) can result in anxious depression, feeling overwhelmed, and increased stress sensitivity.
Cortisol
Cortisol is meant to rise and fall in specific patterns that follow your circadian rhythm. But when this rhythm is disrupted—often as a consequence of chronic stress—anxiety can follow.
Cortisol that is elevated when it should be lower often results in a feeling of being “wired and tired”. Alternatively, cortisol that is lower when it should be higher (as a consequence of adrenal fatigue) can result in feeling overwhelmed by normal daily demands.
Why Hormone-Related Anxiety Often Gets Missed
Far too many people suffer unnecessarily as a consequence of hormone-related anxiety being misdiagnosed.
Stress Frequently Gets the Blame
When someone who never struggled with anxiety previously becomes anxious in their 40s or 50s, hormones are often the culprit. And yet, doctors who aren’t well-versed in age-related hormone decline may attribute anxiety’s onset later in life to stress.
Mental Health Treatments Are Often the Go-To Solution
Psychotherapy and stress management—while valuable—will not resolve anxiety that is related to imbalanced hormones. When these approaches fail to provide relief, too often people feel like they’re doing something wrong—when the underlying issue simply hasn’t been addressed.
Labs Tests Often Come Back As “Normal”
Many doctors use improper reference ranges when evaluating hormone levels. Meanwhile, someone can have suboptimal hormone levels that cause significant symptoms while still falling within a lab’s reference ranges.
Unfortunately, what’s even more common, is that hormones don’t get tested at all.
Signs Your Anxiety Is Caused by a Hormone Imbalance
Certain patterns can point to hormones being involved in a person’s anxiety:
- Therapy helps but doesn’t resolve symptoms
- Multiple medications have been tried with limited success
- Anxiety persists despite mastering coping skills
- No anxiety history before age 35-40
Addressing Hormone-Related Anxiety
Get Comprehensive Hormone Testing
Work with a provider who will test estrogen, testosterone, progesterone, thyroid, and cortisol.
Testing should be interpreted based upon optimal ranges and your symptoms, not just lab reference ranges.
Consider Bioidentical Hormone Therapy
For many people, hormone optimization provides dramatic relief.
For women, progesterone supplementation often produces rapid improvement in anxiety symptoms. Many describe feeling calm for the first time in years.
For both men and women, optimizing testosterone, estrogen, and thyroid can stabilize mood and reduce anxiety.
Support Your Hormones Naturally
While lifestyle changes alone may not resolve significant hormone imbalances, they can help to support overall hormone health:
- Prioritize 7-9 hours of quality sleep each night
- Manage stress through relaxation strategies
- Exercise regularly but avoid overtraining
- Eat adequate amounts of protein and healthy fats
- Limit caffeine and alcohol
- Consider supplements like magnesium, B vitamins, omega-3s, and GABA
Work With the Right Provider
It’s important to work with a provider who takes hormone-related anxiety seriously, who will order the right tests, who has experience with bioidentical hormone therapy, and who will adjust treatment based upon your results.
It’s Not All in Your Head
If you’re struggling with anxiety, listen to your body. Hormone-related anxiety is real, it’s common, and it’s treatable.
With proper hormone evaluation and optimization, dramatic reductions in anxiety can be achieved—perhaps for the first time in years.
Are you ready to see if imbalanced hormones are causing your anxiety? Renew Youth provides comprehensive hormone testing and personalized treatment plans. Call us at (800) 859-7511 or use our easy contact form to schedule your complimentary 30-minute consultation.