Hormonal Disorder Symptoms

As women age, the processes needed to ensure a healthy hormonal balance become less effective. As a result, women who experience symptoms of hormonal disorder are the norm, rather than the exception. External factors like stress, diet, exercise and environmental pollutants work to further aggravate these symptoms. Both physical and psychological problems can occur as hormones levels change within the body.

Identification

• Hormones are chemical messengers that work on the cellular level of the body. These chemicals are necessary for normal body function, affecting growth, development and energy levels. Hormones are secreted by the glands that make up the endocrine system. They move through the bloodstream, lying in wait for nearby cells to recognize them. Each chemical is designed to work with certain types of cells. They affect cells by activating them, which triggers certain chemical reactions and processes within each cell. Hormonal disorders happen when there's an imbalance of a certain chemical within the system.

Function

• The most common type of hormonal imbalance occurs in women approaching menopause, however disorders can appear as early as the late 20's. The two main hormones at work within a woman's body are estrogen and progesterone. An imbalance in either one of these chemicals can result in a number of unpleasant symptoms. Estrogen and progesterone levels can vary from month to month depending on a woman's age, stress levels, exercise, nutrition, and whether or not ovulation takes place within a given month.

Symptoms

• Symptoms of a hormonal disorder include depression, anxiety, headaches, weight gain, water retention and osteoporosis to name a few. As hormones are responsible for regulating a number of body processes, the effects of an imbalance can be far-reaching. The use of birth control pills, exposure to car exhaust fumes, stress and a diet rich in heavily-processed food are possible causes for hormonal imbalance. More oftentimes than not, it's an excess of estrogen in a woman's body that causes these symptoms.

The Menstrual Cycle

• Within a 28-day menstrual cycle, estrogen is produced during the first 10 to 12 days. Unless ovulation occurs during mid-cycle, no progesterone will be produced. By day 28 both chemical levels drop, and menstruation takes place. The presence of progesterone is what balances out the effects of estrogen in the body. As women age, the likelihood she will ovulate within a given month decreases. When this happens, estrogen becomes the dominant hormone in the system since no progesterone is being secreted. This excess in estrogen levels accounts for the symptoms experienced when a hormonal disorder is present.

Depression

• As early as the mid-1800's, women received the diagnosis of involutional melancholia to explain the emotional changes that took place before, during and after menopause. Many were given hysterectomies as a form of treatment to reduce the likelihood of hormonal imbalance within their system. The incidence of depression during a woman's perimenopausal years is a common symptom of hormonal disorder. As hormones effect all bodily processes, it's not unusual for an imbalance to impact the nervous system as well. Psychological factors become apparent in the form of loss of energy and motivation, depression, mood swings and emotional sensitivity.