Hormone Imbalance Disorders

A guide to symptoms of hormone disorders

Hormone Imbalance disorders. The following is a guide to help you determine if your symptoms are associated with a particular hormone problem.

Possible hormone problems

A single symptom can be nonspecific and may be associated with a variety of possible problems.

Type 2 diabetes

In type 2 diabetes, either the body does not produce enough insulin or the cells ignore the insulin.

Those at highest risk for the disease are those who are obese or overweight, women who have had gestational diabetes, people with family members who have type 2 diabetes and people who have metabolic syndrome.

Insulin resistance

More than 60 million Americans have insulin resistance, but most don't know it. It's the most common hormone problem in the world today. Insulin resistance plays a role in hormone imbalance disorders and many medical conditions, such as type 2 diabetes, obesity, PCOS, high blood pressure, and cardiovascular disease. Overcoming insulin resistance is an important part of achieving hormonal balance.

Common causes of insulin resistance...

Excess weight, especially in the belly. Most people become insulin resistant when they get even slightly overweight. Being overweight is the most common cause of insulin resistance.

Genetics. Genetics determine at what weight you will develop insulin resistance. If you have a family history of diabetes or obesity, you are more likely to have insulin resistance.

Physical Inactivity. Studies have shown that as little as 3 weeks of regular exercise can lessen insulin resistance.

Stress. Two hormones secreted when the body is under stress, cortisol and epinephrine, promote insulin resistance. The stress of poor health also increases insulin resistance. For example, a person with diabetes who gets a cold will experience a rise in blood sugar levels because of worsened insulin resistance.

Infection or Illness. By stressing the body, infection or illness increases insulin resistance.

Mental Illness. Treatments for insulin resistance also improve depression and anxiety. The reverse is also true. Treating depression and anxiety can lessen insulin resistance.

Menopause. The decreased estradiol levels in menopausal women can promote insulin resistance. The effect of estrogen function is small compared to other factors that affect insulin resistance.

Hormonal Excess. High levels of many different hormones can cause or worsen insulin resistance. Particularly cortisol, growth hormone, and glucagon can make people insulin resistant. These hormones are considered counter-insulin hormones in that they provide checks and balances for insulin.

Reactive hypoglycemia

Reactive hypoglycemia is often difficult to diagnose, since it's possible to have symptoms that are similar to reactive hypoglycemia without actually having the condition. Generally, a medical evaluation is done to determine whether symptoms are caused by low blood sugar and whether symptoms resolve once blood sugar returns to normal. Further evaluation of reactive hypoglycemia depends on the severity of signs and symptoms.

Insulinoma

An insulinoma is a tumour of the pancreas that is derived from beta cells and secretes insulin.

Insulinomas are the most common cause of hypoglycemia resulting from endogenous hyperinsulinism.

Male Hypogonadism

Male hypogonadism is defined as the failure of the testes to produce androgen, sperm, or both.

The causes of hypogonadism may be "primary" or "central." In primary hypogonadism, the ovaries or testes themselves do not function properly

Testosterone production declines with advancing age; 20% of men older than 60 years and 30% to 40% of men older than 80 years have serum testosterone levels that would be subnormal in their younger adult male counterparts.

Virilism

Adrenal virilism is the development or premature development of male secondary sexual characteristics caused by male sex hormones (androgens) excessively produced by the adrenal gland.

This disorder can occur before birth and can lead to sexual abnormalities in newborns. It can also occur in girls and women later in life.

Polycystic ovary syndrome

hormones imbalance disorders infertility

Polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) is a hormonal problem that causes women to have a variety of symptoms.

PCOS occurs in 5% to 10% of women and is the most common cause of infertility in women.

The symptoms of PCOS may begin in adolescence with menstrual irregularities, or a woman may not know she has PCOS until later in life when symptoms and/or infertility occur.

Menopausal or peri-menopausal

In a woman’s body during the menopause transition, the months or years right before menopause (peri-menopause or her final menstrual period), levels of several hormones, including estrogen and progesterone, go up and down irregularly.

This happens as the ovaries work to keep up with the needs of the changing body.

Growth hormone deficiency

Growth Hormone Deficiency (GHD) is a medical condition in which the body does not produce enough growth hormone (GH).

Growth hormone deficiency has different effects at different ages. In newborn infants the primary manifestations may be hypoglycemia or micropenis, while in later infancy and childhood, growth failure is more likely. Deficiency in adults is rare, but may feature diminished lean body mass, poor bone density, and a number of physical and psychological symptoms.

Acromegaly

Acromegaly is a disorder caused by excess production of growth hormone.

Hypothyroidism

Hypothyroidism is an underactive thyroid gland.

This is a glandular disorder resulting from insufficient production of thyroid hormones.

Cushing's syndrome

Cushing's syndrome is a glandular disorder caused by excessive cortisol. Cushing's syndrome is a hormonal disorder caused by prolonged exposure of the body's tissues to high levels of the hormone cortisol.

Pseudo-Cushing's

Pseudo-Cushing's syndrome is a medical condition in which patients display the signs, symptoms, and abnormal hormone levels seen in Cushing's syndrome.

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