Menopause & Symptoms of Hormone Imbalance

Every woman will experience menopause later in life. This signals the end of her reproductive years, which often triggers a series of emotional and physical symptoms. These are often brought on by the imbalance of hormones in the body but luckily, they are easy to identify, and there are a variety of treatment options to ease the symptoms' effects.

Hormone Imbalance

• Hormone imbalance is very prevalent in women who reach menopause due to the changes in the reproductive cycle. In females, the primary hormones are estrogen and progesterone. Prior to menopause, only estrogen is produced for the first part of the menstrual cycle until ovulation signals the production of progesterone. These two hormones are in balance at this point and in the absence of pregnancy, hormone production comes to a halt and triggers the onset of menstruation. The cycle begins again with the production of only estrogen. In menopause, however, ovulation never occurs, thus progesterone is never produced to counteract and balance the estrogen produced. This abundance of estrogen becomes toxic in the body and causes a series of symptoms in menopausal women.

Symptoms

• An imbalance of hormones can create a variety of symptoms and may differ for each individual woman. Common symptoms are hot flashes, hair loss, accelerated aging, mood swings, memory loss, depression, headaches, low sex drive, weight gain and water retention. More serious conditions such as breast cancer, osteoporosis, uterine fibroids and thyroid dysfunction may result as well.

Repression of Symptoms

• Estrogen and progesterone are needed together to prevent adverse symptoms caused by imbalances. For instance, estrogen often causes weight, whereas progesterone actually utilizes fat for energy. Excess estrogen can cause depression, whereas progesterone acts as a natural antidepressant. Estrogen can deplete bone density, but progesterone stimulates bone density. Essentially, the two hormones have opposite effects and complement each other to create a balance without any symptoms.

Treatment

• The most common treatment in relieving symptoms of hormone imbalance is hormone therapy. The abundance of estrogen is often balanced with prescribed progesterone supplements. These supplements can be in the form of pills or creams. It can take up to four months for the body to reach a total equilibrium with the hormones, but most symptoms are gone within a few weeks. While hormone therapy works extremely well, it is not recommended for women with a family history of breast or uterine cancer, liver disease, heart disease, blood clots or unusual vaginal bleeding. For these women, treatments to address the individual symptoms, such as antidepressants for depression or clonidine for hot flashes, are recommended.

Lifestyle Changes

• Although general lifestyle changes won't necessarily have an effect on the hormone levels in the body, a healthier body will be better prepared to deal with and reduce the effects of any symptoms it must face. Smoking and alcohol should be reduced significantly or removed completely. Exercise and a healthful diet are also recommended to maintain a healthful weight and lower the risk of other diseases or conditions. Doctors also advise women to get annual clinical breast exams to screen for breast cancer.