What happens when your hormonal balance is off? Gynaecologists weigh in

Disharmony in the body’s hormones can hamper its functioning and impact overall well-being

Over the last decade, I’ve had help identifying different hormones in my body, partly because as I age, they become more pronounced. They’re each given a common moniker to better understand their significance: serotonin or the happy hormone, cortisol or the stress hormone, melatonin or the sleep hormone, and so on. The human body has over 50 hormones, each performing a unique function. Together, they’re responsible and integral for the functioning of the ecosystem they belong to, i.e. the entire human body. It isn’t a wonder that the word is thrown around often during almost any health consultation or discussion of untimely changes you might face physically or mentally. Random bouts of acne? It could be your hormones. Extreme fatigue? Hormones. Finding it hard to sleep? Blame it on the cortisol. Mood swings? Sadly, you know the answer.

But for all the notoriety they get, are hormones as problematic as they’ve been made to be? Or are we just cloaking our actions under the ‘hormonal imbalance’ syndrome to cop out of the truth? If maintained well, hormones make us glow, grow and flow. Two gynaecologists weigh in on their role in our overall well-being and help us understand our hormones better, so we can care for them better. 

The Hormonal Multiverse 

Hormones are the messengers of our body; they are the “chemicals that are secreted by various glands in the body and carry messages to various body parts, organs, skins and other tissues, and are extremely important for the functioning of the entire body,” says Dr Ameya Kulkarni Kanakiya, gynaecologist and co-founder of Elda Health, a Bengaluru-based femtech start-up raising awareness and health programmes for the well-being of middle-aged women. Through this smooth transportation of messages, hormones help our body regulate activities like growth, sexual functions, reproduction, stress, sleep, metabolism, immunity and mood, among others. From menarche to menopause, hormones are a significant part of the different stages in a woman’s life. “Hormones play a role in precocious puberty, delayed puberty, PCOS, during the reproductive age as well as menopause,” adds Dr Anahita Chauhan, a gynaecologist at Humm Care, a digital healthcare app for mothers, families and organisations. 

Each hormone is uniquely in charge of a specific duty but is interlinked with the others. This means that the behaviour of one can sometimes affect the nature of another. “Certain hormones like thyroid, cortisol or insulin have an effect on the body’s overall metabolism and, in turn, affect our physical health,” explains Kanakiya. They are responsible for various functions in the body, including temperature regulation, heart functioning, maintaining glucose levels, and more. Our mental health, too, is deeply influenced by hormones like serotonin, dopamine and GABA, also called neurotransmitters, that act in the brain and the central nervous system. “The female hormones estrogen and progesterone, in turn, affect these neurotransmitters. And because these female hormones wax and wane throughout the menstrual cycle, so do the effects they have on the hormones in the brain, thereby influencing our mood,” she adds. Reproductive hormones (like estrogen) work not only on the reproductive system, but also on the brain, the skin, the hair, the digestive system, and even the heart.

A Domino Effect

Our body maintains a beautiful balance of hormones that inhibit each other. “An imbalance in this balance can disrupt your life,” warns Kanakiya. She explains how a hindrance can trickle down and tip off the balance of the entire body: hormones like insulin or thyroid affect our physical health and well-being. An imbalance in the steroid hormones estrogen, progesterone and testosterone may cause many symptoms during menopause. Estrogen helps maintain adequate levels of dopamine, the ‘feel-good’ hormone. When the levels of estrogen decrease at menopause, it then affects dopamine levels, causing  psychological symptoms of brain fog and depression. Menopause also leads to higher levels of the male hormone testosterone than estrogen, which is why women start exhibiting various effects like loss of hair, growth of abnormal hair, and developing the male type of fat distribution leading to higher fat on their waists. Stress increases levels of the stress hormone cortisol, which, in turn, may affect the functioning of the overall body, with lower serotonin and dopamine levels leading to depressive symptoms. Higher cortisol levels can also raise blood glucose levels and inhibit (or act against) insulin, causing insulin resistance. In such cases, insulin cannot metabolise the ingested glucose, resulting in high blood sugar and/or diabetes.

Finding a balance 

While these alterations and imbalances in our hormones can significantly hamper the body’s functioning and physical health, it isn’t fair to give the term ‘hormonal changes’ a negative connotation to dismiss mental health and psychological issues most women face. It’s a natural, inevitable process. PMS—or premenstrual syndrome—is real, and so are the adverse effects of menopause on our mental and physical state. Anxiety, irritability, and brain fog are just the tip of the iceberg and everyday occurrences. But instead of blaming it on the hormones, it’s essential to understand what our body is going through and why, and include lifestyle modifications to maintain hormonal health.

Simply put, follow a clean, healthy diet and exercise regularly. It’s common knowledge that drinking, smoking and excessively oily or fried foods should be avoided (though we often ignore the nuances of our actions). Chauhan advises following a low-carb daily diet (gluten- and lactose-free, if possible) with lots of vegetables. For pre-menstrual and menopausal symptoms, she suggests practising yoga, reiki and acupressure regularly, and physical activities like cardio for PMS. “In menopause, weight-bearing exercises are important,” she adds. 

Conditions and imbalances that occur due to lifestyle factors can be in our control if we are mindful of how we live. Don’t hesitate to ask questions and get expert advice at any stage if you feel any imbalance.

Also Read: Did you know art in your home could release happy hormones?

Also Read: India is toying with sexual wellness more than ever

Also Read: 8 wellness and beauty podcasts you’ll want to subscribe to, ASAP