5 Hormonal disorders in women and how to manage them | Zyla Health
Puja was sitting with her friends at a get-together last week. Everyone in her group were grown-ups around 35–40 years old. While talking to everyone she realized, that although she does not have any health issues, people around her of the same age were struggling with disorders like hypothyroidism, PCOD, vitamin D deficiency etc.
This was the time when she decided to learn more about hormonal imbalance and take precautionary measures before it gets too late. Some of you may relate to Puja and others may relate to her friends. This is how common hormonal disorders are around us.
In this blog, we will discuss the five most common hormonal disorders in women and how we can manage them. But before moving forward with the type of hormonal disorders, let us understand what hormones are and why any disorders connected to them are a matter of concern.
What are hormones?
Basically, hormones are chemical messengers, coordinating our different body functions. Any fluctuation in hormonal levels can affect these body functions.
Some common hormones and their disorders that we are going to talk about are:
- Thyroid hormones- T3 and T4
- Progesterone hormone
- Androgens
- Insulin
- Vitamin D
Let us go through these hormones and their disorders one by one. Along with that, we will also look forward to, how to manage them and the symptoms and treatment of these conditions.
1. Thyroid hormones
Firstly, let us understand what are thyroid hormones and what are disorders related to them. Thyroid hormones basically comprise two types of hormones T3 (Triiodothyronine) and T4 (Thyroxine).
These hormones help in the regulation of metabolism and growth in your body and are released from the butterfly-shaped thyroid gland which is located in the lower area of the front neck.
T4 hormones are the inactive hormone which further converts to T3 which is an active hormone. Therefore, the T3 hormone helps in the bodily functions of regulating growth, metabolism and body temperature.
Thyroid Stimulating Hormone (TSH) which is released from the pituitary gland of the brain helps in the process of producing T4 and T3.
The thyroid gland plays an important role during pregnancy also. For more information, you can read our blog, “Thyroid disease: Development during pregnancy, it’s impact on pregnancy and how to treat it”.
A blood test known as the Thyroid Function Test or commonly called TFT, can help you to assess how well your thyroid gland is working. The parameters included in the TFT are:
- Free T3 (FT3)
- Free T4 (FT4)
- Total T3
- Total T4
- TSH
The imbalance of these parameters can lead to hormonal disorders. Let us take a look at these disorders in detail.
Disorders of thyroid glands and their management
There are different types of hormonal disorders related to thyroid hormones. A few of the disorders are discussed below:
1. Hypothyroidism
Hypothyroidism is a condition where the body doesn’t produce enough thyroid hormone. This further makes metabolism slow and affects the whole body. Women are more likely to develop hypothyroidism after menopause.
Symptoms:
Initially, the symptoms may be unnoticeable and they can vary according to the individual. Common symptoms of hypothyroidism include:
- Fatigue
- Dry skin
- Weight gain
- Thinning of hair or hair loss
Management:
Management of this hormonal disorder includes medication and diet.
The medicine prescribed for this disorder replaces the hormones that your body is not able to produce on its own. Examples include levothyroxine, a synthetic thyroid hormone taken on an empty stomach.
Try to have food that is rich in iodine like eggs, chicken, fish, dairy products, iodized salt etc. You must also take zinc and selenium to improve the functioning of the thyroid gland like pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, chia seeds, almonds, walnuts, cashews, oats, legumes, mushrooms etc.
You must avoid taking soy and soy products along with limiting the intake of peanuts, cabbage, cauliflower and broccoli.
If you are seeking help to manage your thyroid levels, you can download the Zyla app or visit our website Zyla.in and enrol in our program to improve your health with the guidance of doctors, nutritionists and physiotherapists.
2. Hyperthyroidism
Hyperthyroidism is a condition where your body produces more than required thyroid hormones. Women above the age of 60 are at more risk for hyperthyroidism.
Causes:
There can be various underlying causes of hyperthyroidism, which includes:
- Grave’s disease: It is an autoimmune disorder where your immune system attacks the thyroid gland causing it to make more hormones.
- Thyroid nodule: If there is a nodule in your thyroid gland, there is a chance that it will become more active and will produce more than enough thyroid hormones.
- Too much iodine from various sources and supplements can also contribute to the increased production of thyroid hormones.
- Treatment of hypothyroidism can also be one of the causes of hyperthyroidism.
Symptoms:
Symptoms of hyperthyroidism can vary largely from person to person. Older people can have different symptoms than younger people. Symptoms to look out for include:
- Fatigue
- Trouble sleeping
- Tremor
- Weight loss
- Goitre
In women, hyperthyroidism may cause early onset of menopause. In such cases, you can experience symptoms like:
- Hot flashes
- Irregular menstruation
- Insomnia
- Mood swings
Management:
Hyperthyroidism can be managed with medicines like antithyroid drugs prescribed by your doctor.
In some cases, surgery can also be required.
If you have hyperthyroidism, you should include low iodine salt, broccoli, cabbage, and cauliflower in your diet. Adding nutrients like iron from raisins, green leafy vegetables, beetroot, and legumes; vitamin D and calcium from dairy products, chia seeds, sesame seeds, ragi and zinc and selenium from pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, chia seeds, almonds, walnuts, cashews, oats, legumes, mushroom etc can improve your hyperthyroidism.
Avoid taking iodine and soy-based products, and processed foods, stop smoking and reduce your stress levels to manage the condition in a better way.
So far, we have discussed hormonal disorders and their management related to the thyroid gland in detail. We will now move to our next hormone, progesterone in the following topic.
2. Progesterone hormone
There are two female sex hormones, one is estrogen and the other is progesterone. Progesterone is a steroid hormone produced by the ovaries in females. It produces glandular secretion and makes a safe environment for pregnancy.
When the egg is fertilized, progesterone stimulates the blood vessel growth and supplies the lining to the womb, further stimulating endometrial glands to provide nourishment to the embryo. The hormone also helps in maintaining the endometrial lining throughout the pregnancy.
During pregnancy, the level of progesterone in the body steadily rises until labour begins and the baby is born.
Therefore, any imbalance in the progesterone levels can cause trouble in getting pregnant or maintaining pregnancy. Abnormal progesterone levels may cause abnormal bleeding and irregular or absence of periods in women who are not pregnant.
Causes
Low progesterone levels can be caused by various issues like:
- Low cholesterol levels
- Low thyroid hormones
- High amount of cortisol in our body
Symptoms
These symptoms can be an indicator of abnormal functioning of ovaries or a progesterone hormone disorder:
- Irregular menstrual cycle
- Headaches or migraine
- Mood swings or depression
- Sleep disturbance
- Breast tenderness
- Weight gain due to fluid retention
Management
To manage low progesterone levels, you can take care of the following points:
- Try to take a diet full of nutrients including omega-3-fatty acids like nuts, fish oil and seeds.
- Try to increase the intake of vitamin B complex like dairy products, eggs, fish etc and vitamin C like oranges, lemons, amla, kiwi, apple, watermelon etc.
- You can have foods which are rich in zinc content like cashew, almonds, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds etc.
- You should try to stay physically active regularly. Read our blog, “The top 10 benefits of regular physical activity” to get the motivation.
- Hormone replacement therapy can be recommended by your doctor if required.
You can easily include these small changes in your daily routine to manage this hormonal disorder in a better way. Let’s move to the other very common hormone and discuss its management in detail.
3. Androgen hormone
Androgens are male sex hormones and in females, the amount of androgen is very less. When a high amount of androgen is produced by the ovaries, it leads to a condition called Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS). As the name suggests, there are small cysts in ovaries which are fluid-filled.
While some women may develop numerous cysts, others may develop none. Normally, women ovulate each month as a part of their regular menstrual cycle. But in the case of PCOS, women do not produce enough hormones to ovulate which results in the formation of cysts. PCOS is commonly associated with irregular menstruation.
Causes
As such, there is no specific cause of this hormonal disorder, but doctors have suggested some of the common causes of PCOS as:
- Insulin resistance: It is noted that about 70% of women who have PCOS also have insulin resistance. In this condition, as the cells are not utilizing the insulin already produced, the pancreas makes more insulin in order to cope with the body’s demand for insulin. An increase in insulin further triggers ovaries to produce more male hormones.
- Obesity: Obesity can cause insulin resistance and further, can increase androgen levels. Both of these conditions can further lead to Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus.
- Genetic: It is also seen that if your mother or sister has PCOS, you are more likely to get this hormonal disorder too.
Symptoms
While there are many symptoms associated with this hormonal disorder, some common symptoms associated with PCOS are:
- Excessive body hair (hirsutism)
- Irregular periods
- Weight gain in the belly region
- Acne or oily skin
- Thinning of hair
- Infertility
Management
Well, the first and very crucial aspect is to improve your lifestyle. If you are someone who loves eating outside food items, oily and fried food, and prefers to be physically inactive then it is the best time to manage your lifestyle gradually. Changing your lifestyle to be more healthy and physically active can work wonders if you have PCOS.
Weight gain is the most common symptom associated with this hormonal disorder. A loss of just 5–10% of body weight can help you to regulate your menstrual cycle. It can also help in lowering high cholesterol levels and regulating insulin levels. Fibre is very beneficial in weight loss. So, you should try to include more fruits and vegetables in your diet.
To avoid any weight loss mistakes, read our blog, “The top 5 weight loss mistakes we all make”.
If you are looking for a holistic program that provides personalized care and nutritional guidance for PCOS, then you can download the Zyla app or visit our website Zyla.in and enrol in our Ova Women’s Health Program.
Now, the picture of hormonal disorders and their management must have been more clear in your mind. Let’s get some more clarity on other hormones also.
4. Vitamin D hormone
Vitamin D is actually a hormone rather than just a vitamin. It is very essential to maintain bone health and teeth health. Vitamin D also promotes calcium absorption from the intestine and helps to control the concentration of calcium in the blood.
Causes
The cause of vitamin D deficiency includes:
- Not enough vitamin D in your diet.
- Not enough sunlight exposure.
- Liver and kidneys are unable to convert vitamin D in its active form.
So, what if vitamin D is low in your body?
If vitamin D is lower in your body, it can cause loss of bone density leading to osteoporosis and bone fractures. Other diseases associated are osteomalacia causing weak bones, bone pain and muscle weakness. Vitamin D deficiency can further cause muscle pain and knee pain as well.
Complications
If this hormonal disorder continues for a longer period of time, further complications can occur such as:
- Cardiovascular diseases
- Immune disorders
- Infection
- Neurological diseases
Management
To manage vitamin D levels in the body, you must do the following:
- Add foods which are rich in vitamin D such as egg yolks, mushrooms, chicken etc to your diet.
- Add goods fats like ghee, coconut oil etc in moderate amounts to increase the absorption of vitamin D.
- Take vitamin D supplements as prescribed by the doctor, depending on the test.
- Get exposure to sunlight for a limited time.
So, now you are aware of vitamin D deficiency and various methods to manage this hormonal disorder. We will now jump to our last most important hormone, insulin in the following section.
5. Insulin
Insulin is produced from beta cells of the pancreas, and it increases glucose utilization in the body. When you eat carbohydrates, it breaks down into glucose. Insulin is produced from the pancreas and allows the cell to utilize the glucose in a better way and reduce blood sugar levels.
Sometimes your body does not respond to insulin, the condition is called insulin resistance. This further can cause various hormonal disorders like PCOS and Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus. Insulin resistance can be caused by obesity and an inactive lifestyle.
Diabetes Mellitus is a very common lifestyle disorder where 8.9% of the population in India is affected by it. Here, we’ll talk about diabetes…
Symptoms
Symptoms to look out for, in diabetes are:
- Excessive thirst
- Frequent urination
- Tiredness
- Blurred vision
- Wounds are taking time to heal
Diagnosis of diabetes mellitus is done with a couple of blood tests. You will be asked to get your HbA1c test and other blood sugar tests done.
Management
Management of diabetes can be done by:
- Diet
It is important to take a well-balanced diet. Opt for more whole cereals and pulses along with vegetables for main meals. You can add curd or buttermilk to them as well. Dry fruits and fruits are low in glycemic index so they can be taken for mid-meal snacks.
You should avoid eating refined flour (maida), fruit juices, shakes, processed food, fried and sugary food and sweets. To know more about it, read our blog, “Diabetes meal planning: A brief about diabetic diet”.
- Exercise
It is important to be physically active regularly. Simply including 10–15 minutes of slow walks post main meals can help in faster digestion and better sugar management.
Otherwise, you must involve yourself in 30 minutes of any physical activity, 5 days a week for further improvement in health. Read- “The best exercises for diabetes” to know more…
- Medicines
Medicines can be prescribed by a doctor depending upon your blood sugar levels. If the sugar level is keeping very high, the doctor may advise you to take insulin as well depending on the diagnosis and management.
To know more, read our blog, “Which is the best medicine for diabetes?”.
Conclusion
As hormonal disorders are very common around us, they should not be thought of as incurable. With proper lifestyle changes and healthy habits, we can manage these disorders well. Most of the nutrient requirements are fulfilled with our daily diet. So, one should take a healthy balanced diet including all the vital nutrients and involve in regular physical activity.
If you are seeking help to improve your health in a better way, you can download the Zyla app or visit our website — Zyla.in and can check various health programmes which are suitable for you.
Being aware of hormonal disorders is the first step toward management.
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