You may have heard of the term ‘hormonal imbalance’ floating around the online wellness space, but if you’re unsure about whether or not you have one, I’m going to break down the 5 main symptoms that will usually point to some type of hormonal imbalance. They are incredibly common, and so often they go undiagnosed, with people sometimes living for years with painful and debilitating symptoms. 

It’s really important to remember that a hormonal imbalance doesn’t only refer to the reproductive hormones, as there are an astonishing amount of hormones throughout our body and they all have different purposes like communication, immunity, transport and so much more!

Without further ado, here are the 5 main symptoms that could indicate you have a hormonal imbalance.

Irregular and/or Painful periods

Even though irregular and painful periods are incredibly common amongst those of us who bleed, these symptoms are actually NOT normal at all! One of the most obvious signs of a hormonal imbalance is having painful cramps, fatigue, heavy bleeding and an irregular cycle (whether that’s bleeding more than once a month, sometimes not bleeding for months at a time, or a cycle that is consistently longer that 28-30 days). 

Acne

I’m just going to put it out there for simplicity’s sake: 95% of acne is hormonal!

Whether that means it has stemmed from nutrient deficiencies from an unbalanced diet that has caused hormones to go out of whack, or whether your cortisol (stress hormone) is through the roof and is subsequently impacting all your other hormones – in most cases, the root cause of acne is either too much or not enough of the right hormones in your body (testosterone usually being the culprit). 

Weight Gain 

Weight gain is very much linked to the hormone insulin, and whether or not your body is able to use the food you fuel it with properly. Hormonal imbalance can come into play here when you are experiencing instances of unexplained weight gain (you’re still eating healthy and exercising) and can often be coupled with a PCOS diagnosis. Again, your cortisol hormone could also be at play here, as stress is so often overlooked as a root cause of hormonal imbalance, and can definitely cause unwanted or unexplainable weight gain. 

Fatigue

This is such a common one, and it can be so sneaky too because both people with and without hormonal imbalances can regularly experience fatigue, especially in these busy lives we lead! BUT, there is definitely a certain level of fatigue common in instances of hormonal imbalance that is NOT normal, this can also be called chronic fatigue. There are many hormonal causes that can be behind this (poor diet, nutrient deficiencies, excess cortisol, etc).  Can you see a running theme here?

Moodiness

This is another common one, especially when we consider our change in emotional state around our periods. And while there is a ‘normal’ amount of mood shifting that can be expected throughout our cycles, having severe PMS, depressive episodes (or depression all the time), anxiety, intense irritability and intense mood swings (going from incredibly sad to happy and vice versa) is actually not normal and a clear sign of a hormonal imbalance. 

So, how many of them sound a little too familiar to you?

How much of your symptoms can you now understand might be a symptom of hormonal imbalance …?

Hopefully this little breakdown has given you a clearer understanding of the way our bodies work, and how important it is for us to have happy, healthy, harmonious hormones!

If you’re looking for more insight on how you can take the BEST possible care of your health, happiness, check out check out Balance Your Hormones, where you can learn to identify the exact root cause of your symptoms (acne, PCOS, painful periods, fatigue, anxiety and more!) and reverse the symptoms for good!