Hormonal imbalance is a condition that affects many women currently. This issue can lead to many adverse effects on the body, including weight gain, hair loss, and a reduced sex drive. This state can lead to more severe problems like polycystic ovary syndrome or infertility.
All these issues can be caused by a change in the natural balance of your hormones, which can be rectified by natural herbs. Understanding the condition and knowing these remedies can save you a lot of time and money compared to using drugs. We’ll walk you through it.
What Are Hormones?
Hormones are chemical substances secreted directly into the blood and are carried to distant organs to perform their functions. These substances mediate many activities in various parts of the body. These include maintaining body temperature, blood pressure, reproductive health, etc.
The organs responsible for the secretion of these chemicals are called endocrine glands. They secrete tiny amounts of these substances daily because a minute increase in the concentration of these hormones can elicit the needed changes.
For instance, the sex hormone estrogen is measured in picograms per milliliter (pg/ml). A picogram is a millionth of a gram, and only 30-400 pg/ml is normal in premenopausal women. This is a very tiny amount.
The body’s hormones are delicately balanced at every point in time. The concentrations of individual hormones may wax and wane at different periods, but there’s always a rhythm. Significant changes occur when there is an unnatural imbalance in these substances, which may not be desirable.
Symptoms Of Hormonal Imbalance
Different hormones elicit different actions from various organs. So, the signs of hormonal imbalances differ with the specific increased or reduced hormone. For example:
- An increase in male hormones called androgens is linked to polycystic ovary syndrome.
- An increase in the thyroid gland hormone thyroxine can cause sudden weight loss.
- High amounts of prostaglandins produced by the uterus can lead to painful menstrual cramps.
- A deficiency of female sex hormones like estrogen can cause many symptoms. These include hirsutism (a condition where women get hairy like men), mood swings, and vaginal dryness.
- Mood swings from estrogen deficiency can lead to an increase in the hunger hormone leptin. This could cause weight gain.
A few more symptoms should be on this list due to the many hormones in the human body. We’d go on listing them out, but we’re here to alleviate your problems and not spell them out for you.
Top Herbs For Hormonal Balance You Should Stock Up On
Seeing the far-reaching effects of hormonal imbalance on the body, it is necessary to alleviate the condition quickly. This is done by reducing the body’s production of surplus hormones or supplementing the body’s deficient hormones with mimetic drugs.
However, herbs for hormonal balance are a great alternative. These remedies are as effective as drugs but cheaper and natural. There are many plants that mimic certain human hormones, but knowing which can be difficult.
That is why we’re here to help out with our list. These are three of the best herbs for hormonal balance you should get today.
Black Cohosh
Black Cohosh, also called fairy candle or baneberry, is a herb native to North America. Its roots and flowers were staples of Native American herbal remedies, and they are still effective today.
This plant helps with fertility, menopause, and hormonal balance due to its properties as a phytoestrogen.
Phytoestrogens are plants or plant-based compounds that replicate the effects of the sex hormone estrogen. They are beneficial in cases like menopause and other estrogen deficiencies.
The hormone-balancing prowess of Black cohosh has been tested by studies, with many pointing positively. This study found that the herb was beneficial to eighty postmenopausal women who used it daily for eight weeks.
This herb can be taken in various ways, but we highly recommend supplements. This is because they are the only method that would allow proper regulation of the dosage. Yes, the herb is beneficial, but an excess of anything is not advisable.
Passionflower
The next on our list is Passionflower. This herb is also part of the roster of Native American herbs, as they were smoked for their calming effect. Its fruits are an excellent and juicy addition to fruit bowls, but the flowers are also beneficial for many reasons.
Passionflower can reduce depression, enhance sleep quality, and help with hormone imbalance.
While Black Cohosh is helpful in estrogen deficiencies, Passionflower shines when you have too much of the hormone. This herb increases the concentration of GABA, a neurotransmitter that doesn’t only alleviate depression but also reduces the effects of estrogen.
The leaves of these plants can be taken in various ways, including teas. However, supplements remain the best option.
Wild Yam
The last entry on our list is another Native American plant. Yes, it seems we’re reciting straight from a Native American herbalist’s shopping list, but those people knew their herbs.
The benefits of Wild Yam, also called Dioscorea villosa, far outweigh its bad taste. This herb is helpful in managing rheumatoid arthritis, muscle pain, and hormonal imbalance. The herb is also called colic root due to its effectiveness against colic in infants.
This herb contains diosgenin, a phytoestrogen that can be used to synthesize progesterone and estrogen in a laboratory. Wild Yam is used as an alternative to hormone treatment for menopause and can be beneficial against menstrual cramps.
It can be taken in various ways, including dried and ground into powder. However, supplements abound, and we’d recommend those.
Conclusion
Hormones are essential substances that are necessary for our very existence. But when these chemicals are not in their delicate proportions in the body, various issues arise.
With these herbs we’ve listed, you can bring your hormones back to order without having to shell out a fortune on drugs. You should feel the effects kicking in and easing your symptoms in a few weeks. There’s no need to thank us, just enjoy.
