Bringing hormones back into balance

Mood swings, lack of performance or excess weight – all these and other unpleasant conditions can occur when the hormonal balance is out of whack.

Hormones are essential because only a healthy hormone balance enables a person to maintain mental and physical health.

Since hormones influence the human organism in many ways, hormonal balance is no longer only an important issue for women in menopause.

Men also depend on a functioning hormonal system for a healthy and efficient body.

In this article you will learn when which hormones typically go crazy and how the hormones can be brought back into balance.

Hormones – the Basics

Hormones are chemical messengers that, in cooperation with the nervous system, are responsible for controlling the body and keeping it in balance.

Specifically, hormones not only serve as transmitters of information, but also function as regulators of numerous processes in the human body (e.g. metabolism, breathing, blood pressure, sexual function and pregnancy).

The formation of hormones takes place in various places in the body. Production mainly takes place in special hormone glands. Examples of this are:

• pituitary gland (hypophysis)
• pineal gland
• thyroid
• adrenal gland
• pancreas
• gonads (testes & ovaries)

All hormone glands work together and form a unit - the hormone system (endocrine system). Without a functioning hormone system, many processes in the human body would come to a standstill.

Important Hormones at a Glance

Sex hormones are among the best known hormones. While testosterone is the male sex hormone, estrogen is the female counterpart.

But anyone who believes that there are no estrogens in the male body and that women do not produce testosterone is mistaken. Both testosterone and estrogen can be detected in both sexes.

However, the occurrence varies considerably. Men have significantly higher concentrations of testosterone, while estrogens are much more dominant in women.

Estrogens (e.g. estrone, estradiol and estriol) are produced in the ovary, the placenta and the adrenal cortex and primarily affect the menstrual cycle. Deficiencies can result in menstrual cycle disorders.

Infertility can also occur. For women going through menopause, the resulting lack of estrogen can cause sweating, mood swings or sleep disorders.

Testosterone is the most important male sex hormone and is produced in the man's testicles. Testosterone has a major influence not only on physical performance, but also on body composition (the ratio of muscle to fat mass).

Low testosterone levels can also result in reduced sexual desire (libido) (1) and erectile dysfunction (2). Testosterone levels usually decrease with age. Factors such as stress, alcohol or certain medications can also cause testosterone levels to decrease.

progesterone

Progesterone, also known as corpus luteum hormone, is a female sex hormone that is involved in the menstrual cycle and pregnancy. Stimulated by the luteinizing hormone (LH), progesterone is produced in the woman's ovary.

For example, progesterone concentrations that are too low can cause menstrual cycle disorders. The sex hormone progesterone also influences the menopause in women. A change in the function of the ovaries leads to a drop in hormone levels (including progesterone) in the female body.

thyroid hormones FT3 and FT4

Triiodothyronine (T3) and thyroxine (T4) are thyroid hormones that stimulate certain metabolic processes. Thyroid hormones can have a major impact on body weight.

An overactive thyroid can lead to excessive weight loss, while an underactive thyroid promotes weight gain. Fatigue and a drop in performance can also be the result of an underactive thyroid. Whether the thyroid is underactive or overactive can be determined using another hormone - TSH (thyroid-stimulating hormone).

cortisol

The stress hormone cortisol is produced in the adrenal cortex, where it is released primarily in stressful situations. Cortisol is a vital hormone that by no means only has disadvantages.

Cortisol levels fluctuate naturally throughout the day, reaching their lowest point around midnight. Cortisol has the ability to suppress other hormones (e.g. testosterone), which again highlights the importance of hormonal balance.

What happens when the hormonal balance is disturbed?

Due to the large variety of hormones and their complex interaction, a disturbed hormonal balance can manifest itself in a variety of ways.

The effects can be felt on both a physical and psychological level. Major fluctuations in weight that are not due to changes in eating habits can, for example, be caused by an imbalance in thyroid hormones.

Impure skin (e.g. acne) can also be caused by a hormonal imbalance - often due to too much testosterone in women. Menstrual problems, for example, are triggered by a lack of progesterone.

This also includes the symptoms that women may experience during menopause (climacteric). These are largely influenced by hormones.

In particular, the falling levels of the female sex hormones estrogen and progesterone can trigger the typical menopausal symptoms, which include hot flashes, sleep disorders and mood swings.

A natural decline in testosterone concentration with age is typical for men.From the age of 30, the production of testosterone slowly decreases.

The consequences can be a lack of motivation, reduced muscle strength and muscle mass, or even a reduced sexual desire (libido). With the reduced amount of testosterone, estrogen dominance can often be observed, which can also be noticeable in a lack of sexual desire, reduced beard growth, and mood swings.

How can hormonal imbalances be avoided?

There are a number of measures that can be taken to reduce or even completely prevent hormonal imbalances. This includes, above all, a healthy lifestyle that includes physical activity, a healthy and balanced diet,

Nutrition and sufficient sleep are particularly important, as hormone production is at full speed during sleep. Growth hormones (HGH), for example, are released at night.

Growth hormones not only ensure height growth in adolescents, but also play an important role in muscle building, wound healing and the immune system.

But the stress factor is also crucial. Chronic stress in particular can have a negative impact on hormone balance (excess cortisol).

The targeted use of dietary supplements can help regulate hormone levels.

The Maca plant, for example, is repeatedly associated with hormone-modulating properties. In gynecology, Maca, which has an effect as a plant adaptogen, is used due to interesting study results.

By supplementing with Maca, it was possible to reduce typical symptoms of menopause (hot flashes and night sweats). (3) But not only women, but also men can benefit from taking Maca.

Studies have shown that the administration of Maca can lead to an increased libido. (4, 5)

The yam root is extremely interesting in terms of the hormonal environment. This is primarily related to the ingredient diosgenin.

Diosgenin is very similar to the body's own hormone progesterone, which plays a key role in the menstrual cycle. In fact, diosgenin is a precursor of progesterone.

For this reason, diosgenin from yam root extract is often referred to as natural progesterone. Since progesterone levels drop during menopause, diosgenin from yam root is primarily used for menstrual irregularities, to alleviate premenstrual syndrome (PMS) and to relieve menopausal symptoms.

But that’s not all, because the yam root is also repeatedly associated with an anti-aging effect.

But not only plant extracts, but also micronutrients can support hormonal balance.

Vitamin B6 is particularly interesting here, as this B vitamin has been shown to support the regulation of hormone activity. The role that B vitamins play in stress management is also interesting.

Studies show the effects of vitamin B supplementation on the perception of stress and cortisol levels.(6) Particularly – but not only – interesting for men: Zinc, as a trace element, has been proven to contribute to maintaining normal testosterone levels in the blood.

progesterone belongs to the sex hormones, but does not have a feminizing effect. From the age of 35, the level drops noticeable in women: sleep disorders, irritability, menstrual problems or depression result.

Progesterone, as science knows, but also works on the male organism: Here too it improves sleep, ensures balance and keeps the prostate small.

Progesterone also has protective on nerve tissue and could thus counteract multiple sclerosis (MS). It is also an effective option for hormonal migraines.

The yam root naturally contains the hormone diosgenin, which is the human The corpus luteum hormone progesterone is similar, is not only helpful for menstrual problems, but also has an counteracts progesterone loss during menopause, thereby reducing menopausal symptoms and is often used as a natural anti-aging resources were used.

As an optimal dietary supplement to support hormonal balance, wild:YAMS complex not only combines yam root extract, maca, zinc and vitamin B6, but also contains supportive triphala extract, blueberry powder and acerola.

wild:YAMS complex can be easily and simply stirred into smoothies, yoghurts or juices, making it ideal for daily support of hormonal balance.

(1)   Thomas G Travison, John E Morley, Andre B Araujo, Amy B O'Donnell, John B McKinlay, NCBI, “The relationship between libido and testosterone levels in aging men”, at: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16670164/, last accessed on February 24, 2021

(2)   Aksam A Yassin, Farid Saad, NCBI, “Testosterone and erectile dysfunction”, at: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18641415/, last accessed on February 24, 2021

(3)   HO Meissner, A. Mscisz, H. Reich-Bilinska, W. Kapczynski, P. Mrozikiewicz, T. Bobkiewicz-Kozlowska, B. Kedzia, A. Lowicka, and I. Barchia, NCBI, “ Hormone-Balancing Effect of Pre-Gelatinized Organic Maca (Lepidium peruvianum Chacon): (II) Physiological and Symptomatic Responses of Early-Postmenopausal Women to Standardized doses of Maca in Double Blind, Randomized, Placebo-Controlled, Multi-Centre Clinical Study", last accessed on February 24, 2021

(4)   Carla Gonzales-Arimborgo, Irma Yupanqui, Elsa Montero, Dulce E Alarcón-Yaquetto, Alisson Zevallos-Concha, Lidia Caballero, Manuel Gasco, Jianping Zhao, Ikhlas A Khan, Gustavo F Gonzales, NCBI, “Acceptability, Safety, and Efficacy of Oral Administration of Extracts of Black or Red Maca (Lepidium meyenii) in Adult Human Subjects: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Study", at: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27548190/, last accessed on February 27, 2021

(5)   Mark Stone, Alvin Ibarra, Marc Roller, Andrea Zangara, Emma Stevenson, NCBI, “A pilot investigation into the effect of maca supplementation on physical activity and sexual desire in sportsmen” under: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19781622/, last accessed on February 27, 2021

(6)   David A. Camfield, Mark A. Wetherell, Andrew B. Scholey, Katherine HM Cox, Erin Fogg, David J.White, Jerome Sarris, Marni Kras, Con Stough, Avni Sali, and Andrew Pipingas, NCBI, “The Effects of Multivitamin Supplementation on Diurnal Cortisol Secretion and Perceived Stress,” at: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3847740/, last accessed on February 27, 2021