Hot flashes. Mood swings. Insomnia.
These are just a few of the unpleasant hormonal imbalance symptoms that can plague women – and it can happen at a much earlier age than you might think!
At what age do female hormones typically become an issue? And is there anything you can do about it? Keep reading to find out!
Hormonal Changes Can Start in Your 40s
While turning 40 definitely does not mean you’re “old,” there are some changes you’ll start noticing in your body and your mind. One of the most common issues is unexplained weight gain. This usually occurs despite there not being any changes in your eating habits or exercise routines.
Even if the scale doesn’t show a higher number, you may notice that your clothes don’t fit like they used to. You might start to feel more irritable and notice that you’re frequently tired. You may also start to have infrequent or irregular periods.
While, for most women in their 40s, menopause isn’t yet a concern, a condition known as perimenopause (or pre-menopause) may occur. These symptoms can start to show up many years before the onset of menopause.
Often, women experience perimenopause symptoms, but don’t realize that this is what’s causing them.
Perimenopause (“Menopausal Transition”)
You’re officially in menopause when you haven’t had a period for 12 consecutive months. The time leading up to this is known as “menopausal transition” or “perimenopause.”
It’s marked by hormonal fluctuations, particularly impacting the levels of estrogen and progesterone. Generally, at this stage, you’ll experience the effects of having too much estrogen and not enough progesterone.
Menstrual symptoms are common. This may include irregular periods, heavy bleeding, and heavy cramping. Other common symptoms include:
- Headaches
- Sleep disorders
- Hair loss or unwanted hair growth
- Heart palpitations
- Hot flashes
- Night sweats
- Acne
- Dry skin
- Wrinkling
- Bloating
You may also experience emotional symptoms like anxiety, difficulty focusing, mood swings, fatigue, and irritability.
Menopausal transition often begins at any time between the ages of 45 and 55. It typically lasts about 7 years but can last as long as 14 years.
As soon as you start experiencing symptoms that could be liked to hormone issues, it’s a good time to speak to your doctor and ask: “How can I naturally balance my hormones?” The sooner you adopt healthy lifestyle changes, the less of an impact these imbalances are likely to have on you.
If the symptoms are severe or are causing a major impact on your life, then you may also want to start exploring medical intervention to help make life more pleasant.
Menopause Often Occurs in Your 50s
Around the age of 50, your ovaries will begin producing lower levels of both estrogen and progesterone. In an attempt to compensate for this, your pituitary glands will start producing more follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH). This can also exacerbate your symptoms.
When you begin the menopausal transition, you’ll likely start to suffer from more intense symptoms. This includes:
- Vaginal dryness that causes painful intercourse
- Decreased libido
- Increased irritability
- Depression
- More intense hot flashes
- Osteoporosis
Luckily, there are many ways for you to take control of your hormones and avoid the worst of these symptoms. Some of the options include bioidentical hormone therapy, non-hormonal medications, topical estrogen creams to help ease painful intercourse, and lifestyle changes to help you feel healthier.
Post-Menopause Usually Begins at Age 60+
After you’ve gone 12 months without a period, you’re officially in menopause. In the years that follow, you’ll enter a stage known as post-menopause. Unfortunately, when this occurs, you’re more likely to suffer from serious conditions like heart disease and osteoporosis.
During this time of your life, it’s more important than ever to make sure you’re living a healthy lifestyle. You’ll want to eat well, make sure you get plenty of calcium to keep your bones strong and keep up with a regular exercise routine. These simple things can make a major difference in your long-term health.
Thyroid Issues Are Common at All Ages
While you might chalk up the symptoms you experience in being a natural part of getting older, this isn’t always the case. Thyroid disease is a hormonal condition that can impact both men and women of all ages.
Your thyroid is a small gland in your neck that resembles a butterfly. The hormones it produces are responsible for helping to control things like your muscle strength, body temperature, and metabolism.
While these issues can affect people of all ages, many doctors recommend regular screenings after age 60 or at any time that potential symptoms arise.
Any time you’re experiencing symptoms that could be associated with a hormone imbalance, it’s important not to just suffer in silence. Your doctor can easily diagnose hormone problems and there are plenty of treatment options that can help to ease your discomfort.
However, unless you speak up, you’ll never know. Your doctor can’t read your mind, so it’s up to you to be your own advocate. Having a hormone imbalance is nothing to feel embarrassed about – it’s a normal part of life!
Take Control of Your Hormonal Imbalance Symptoms Today
Are you wondering whether you’re suffering from hormonal imbalance symptoms? It’s easy to find out for sure and adopt a treatment plan that will help you start feeling better.
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