A hormonal imbalance can come about for a range of reasons, from things like pregnancy to underlying conditions. Whether the cause is something that requires treatment or will simply pass in its own time, you may experience symptoms that have an impact on your day-to-day life. This can be challenging, but it’s important to know that help and information is available.

Below, we take a look at potential signs associated with an imbalance of sex hormones such as oestrogen and progesterone - in other words, those hormones that most closely affect the reproductive system and menstrual cycle.

How to tell if you have a hormone imbalance?

The main difficulty with identifying a hormonal imbalance is that there is a huge range in symptoms, some of which we discuss below. Different people will have different experiences, and in many cases signs of an imbalance might be dismissed as having a different cause or simply not being something to worry about.

If you think you have a hormonal imbalance of any kind, speak to your GP about your concerns. They can perform tests to measure your hormone levels and can assess your symptoms and medical history to rule out alternative causes. 

What can a Hormonal Imbalance Relating to the Menstrual Cycle Cause?

It’s possible to experience an imbalance of any hormones within your body, but here we’re focusing on some of the possible impacts of sex hormone imbalances on women, including changes to your period.

Remember, these are only potential signs of a hormonal imbalance - experiencing these symptoms doesn’t definitively mean you have an imbalance, but it may be worth speaking to your doctor if they’re having an impact on your everyday life.

Gynaecological conditions

There is some evidence to suggest that an imbalance of sex hormones may be linked to the development of certain gynaecological conditions such as polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). 

Tests have found that many of those with PCOS have certain hormonal imbalances affecting testosterone, luteinising hormone (LH), sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG) or prolactin - the hormone that stimulates milk production during pregnancy. 

It’s not yet clear whether the hormonal imbalance causes PCOS or PCOS causes a hormonal imbalance. Either way, if you have symptoms similar to PCOS, you should speak to your doctor. These symptoms are:

●       Having irregular or no periods

●       Excessive hair growth or hair loss

●       Acne or oily skin

●       Weight gain

●       Problems with getting pregnant.

Irregular or disruptive periods

We’ve mentioned above that period irregularity could relate to PCOS, which may in turn be linked to a hormonal imbalance - but that isn’t the only way a hormonal imbalance could affect your periods. Excessive exposure to the hormone oestrogen could lead to abnormally heavy periods changes in your periods’ usual frequency.

If you’re someone who usually has irregular periods, it can be tricky to tell whether what you’re experiencing is anything out of the ordinary. However, if you’ve never spoken to your doctor about irregular periods before, it’s an option worth considering. There may be an underlying cause, whether that’s a hormonal imbalance or something else, and you may be able to access treatment if needed. 

It’s also the case that levels of progesterone and oestrogen may have an impact on the production of prostaglandins - hormone-like substances that trigger uterine muscle contractions resulting in period pain during the menstrual cycle. Therefore, an imbalance in these hormones could potentially lead to changes in how period pain usually affects you.

Mental health changes

Changes to your general mood and irritability can be another sign of a hormone imbalance  - and it’s also one of the signs  you might easily write off as unimportant. Since mood swings are associated with pre-menstrual syndrome (PMS), you might think any changes are related to that. That may well be the case, but it’s also possible that a hormonal imbalance is a contributing factor. 

Additionally, research published in 2022 has suggested that women’s increased risk for depression and anxiety disorders may be linked to fluctuating levels of sex hormones and that hormonal imbalances could have a longer-lasting, more impactful affect than previously thought. In any case, if you’re experiencing signs of anxiety or depression, speak to your doctor about possible causes and treatment options.

Flashes of heat or cold

If you have ‘hot flushes’ - abrupt sensations of warmth or cold around your chest, neck or face that may make you feel dizzy - this could be an early sign of menopause. This and other symptoms of menopause can begin years before you stop having periods, during a stage known as the ‘perimenopause’. 

Perimenopause symptoms are linked to a downturn in hormone production. It usually happens naturally as you age, but it can also occur for other reasons, such as having your ovaries or womb surgically removed.

Difficulty sleeping

Another symptom linked to both excessive levels of oestrogen and perimenopause is difficulty sleeping. During perimenopause, you may experience night sweats that make it difficult for you to get enough quality sleep, and this in turn can affect your mood in the daytime. Pregnancy and the menstrual cycle have also been linked to sleep disturbances - all situations that involve fluctuating hormone levels.

Reduced libido

According to research into hypoactive sexual desire disorder (HSDD), a condition characterised by low sex drive, having abnormally low levels of testosterone or oestrogen can lead to a reduced libido in women. That’s not to say that a low sex drive means you have this disorder, or that you have a hormonal imbalance, but if there are no other obvious causes of a low sex drive then it’s something you might want to consider.

If you recognise any of these symptoms within yourself or think you may have a hormonal imbalance, it’s important not to be disheartened. Many of the symptoms described above can be perfectly normal as you navigate through each stage of your life from puberty to menopause, and there are many treatment options available to help you better manage your symptoms.

The best thing to do if you’re at all worried about anything discussed above is to speak to your doctor. They’ll be able to take into account your specific situation and symptoms to find the most likely cause of what you’re experiencing and provide treatment where appropriate.

Evana® Heavy Period Relief 500 mg tablets. Tranexamic acid. For the treatment of heavy menstrual bleeding. Ultravana® Period Pain Relief 250 mg Gastro-resistant tablets. Naproxen. For the treatment of primary dysmenorrhoea. Always read the label.

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