How can stress cause hormonal imbalance?

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Hormonal imbalance is a common problem in women, especially perimenopausal and menopausal women. So what causes hormonal disorders, is stress disorder the root of this problem and how should it be overcome?

Hormonal imbalance can cause many complications for the body, from mood swings, anxiety, to leg cramps and many more problems.

1. Signs of Hormonal Imbalance

In the US, a survey was conducted on 2,000 women between the ages of 30 and 60, and it was found that nearly 50% of the surveyed women showed signs of hormonal imbalance. However, up to 72% of women don't know what a hormonal imbalance can be until they experience it.
Dr. Anna Cabeca, author of The Hormone Fix, says that the beginning and end of a menstrual cycle, with different symptoms in every woman, is a functional manifestation of a hormonal imbalance, regardless of pregnancy. at any age, adolescence, perimenopause or menopause.
To understand how hormonal imbalance affects quality of life, Dr. Anna Cabeca conducted an investigative survey. Two-thirds of respondents said that they often experience mood swings, hot flashes and weight gain. But less than 1 in 2 respondents know that, in addition to these symptoms, hormonal imbalance also causes urinary incontinence, brain disorders and memory impairment.
Hormonal imbalance also causes the following symptoms:
Night sweats Leg cramps Sleep disorders Anxiety, depression Vaginal dryness, decreased sex drive Each of the above symptoms can be affects women's lives in many different aspects such as reduced energy, sex life, confidence, feeling alienated.

2. How can stress cause hormonal imbalance?

Hormonal imbalance is a common problem in most women. Dr. Jane Oh, an obstetrician and gynecologist in Illinois, USA, said that the root cause of patients with hormonal imbalance is stress. When stressed, the body has too much of the hormone cortisol, which causes other hormones in the body to change, including sex and thyroid hormones.
Dr. Jane Oh said, in this day and age, up to 99% of the time in our lives we have to be in a state of overstimulation or stress, it may be due to the heart having to work too hard, the diet. high in starch and sugar, drinking too much coffee or alcohol, lack of sleep, using electronic devices for too long, affected by negative social relationships, ...

3. How to overcome hormonal imbalances and disorders?

Through the survey of Dr. Anna Cabeca, to overcome hormonal imbalance, 52% of women choose to see a doctor and 48% of women choose to supplement with vitamins and supplements.
Dr. The average age at which hormone imbalance symptoms appear is 36 years old, says Anna Cabeca. Therefore, antidepressants, sleeping pills, birth control pills are prescribed to women in their mid-30s when they have symptoms of hormonal imbalance such as irregular menstrual cycles, cramps, ... However, these drugs only address the symptoms, not the cause of the symptoms.
Based on personal experience, Dr. Anna Cabeca has advised women with hormonal imbalances to join the Keto diet that incorporates alkaline principles for better health, especially menopausal women.
Although only 35% of women participating in the survey by Dr. Anna Cabeca believes that diet has a real impact on hormonal imbalances, but Dr. Jane Oh again asserts that diet can completely overcome this common problem in women because stress hormones and sex hormones both start with cholesterol.
We should increase foods with natural sources of cholesterol and limit starchy, sugary foods as well as coffee and alcohol. This way, the body will produce more sex hormones instead of stress hormones, Dr. Jane Oh said.
However, the keto diet and intermittent fasting methods for weight loss can worsen hormonal imbalances because they increase stress hormones. So, the most effective way to correct a hormonal imbalance is to focus on balancing stress to balance hormones. In some cases, treatment of hormonal imbalances with medication is necessary for women who have had their ovaries removed or have severe sleep disturbances.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulates hormonal drugs used during and after menopause including those containing only estrogen, or progestin, or a combination of estrogen and progestin, or combination of estrogen and other hormonal drugs.

Finally, to correct hormonal imbalances naturally, lifestyle and dietary changes are the first steps to take. If you want to use hormone drugs, you should discuss with your doctor and weigh the benefits and risks so that you can make an informed choice.
Best when noticing signs of hormonal disorders in the body, women should take the initiative to go to medical facilities to be checked and have timely instructions from the doctor. Avoid long-term condition will become dangerous and difficult to treat.
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Reference source: healthline.com