The hormones primarily responsible for giving the body a quick and significant boost of energy are adrenaline (epinephrine) and cortisol. These are key components of the body's natural "fight-or-flight" response to stress or perceived danger.
Adrenaline causes a noticeable increase in strength and performance, as well as heightened awareness, in stressful times. After the stress has subsided, adrenaline's effect can last for up to an hour.
Estrogen is responsible for an increase in cortisol and testosterone levels, which naturally increase energy levels. Progesterone is the hormone that is dominant AFTER ovulation and is what prepares the uterus to receive a fertilized embryo.
Endorphins – the happiness hormones – that are associated with feeling enchantment. Dopamine, which is produced when we feel satisfied, resulting in feeling happy, excited and stimulated.
Hyperthyroidism: If a pituitary tumor (adenoma) causes overproduction of thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) (which is very rare), your thyroid gland will become hyperactive. This condition is also called overactive thyroid and can increase your metabolism, heartbeat rhythm and anxiety.
Testosterone: The Primary Libido Booster
Testosterone is commonly known as the “male hormone,” but it plays a vital role in sexual desire for both men and women.
Although endogenous E2 favors body weight homeostasis by increasing energy expenditure (39), exogenous estrogens may promote energy balance by influencing both energy intake and energy expenditure.
Additionally, this increase in estrogen can suppress cortisol (the stress hormone) and adrenaline (a hormone central to your fight-or-flight response). These changes can lead to you feeling more energy and having improvements in your mood. Furthermore, following your period, progesterone levels increase.
The four main "happiness hormones" (also neurotransmitters) are dopamine, responsible for reward and motivation; serotonin, a mood stabilizer linked to well-being; endorphins, natural pain relievers and euphoric agents; and oxytocin, known as the love or bonding hormone. These chemicals regulate mood, stress, pleasure, and social connection, and their levels can be influenced by lifestyle choices like exercise, diet, and social interaction.
A dopamine imbalance can cause depression symptoms, such as apathy and feelings of hopelessness, while a serotonin imbalance can affect the processing of emotions.
Your progesterone levels are usually highest in week three of your cycle. This can make you feel more tired. But you might notice that you're sleeping better, which can boost your energy levels. In week four of your cycle, your progesterone levels fall.
Adrenaline (epinephrine) is a hormone your adrenal glands send through your bloodstream. When you're scared or stressed suddenly, adrenaline is quickly sent into your body. This is commonly known as an adrenaline rush because it happens so fast.
As serotonin is essential for sleep, not being able to use it can lead to poor quality of sleep. So, if you have low levels of estrogen, it may lead to poor or disrupted sleep, which makes you feel tired the next day. Low levels of estrogen occur when women hit menopause.
Thyroid hormones: An underactive thyroid (hypothyroidism) slows your metabolism, often causing fatigue, weight gain, and brain fog.
Examples of activities that can trigger an adrenaline rush include:
Balancing leptin and ghrelin for optimal health
Serotonin levels.
A drop in serotonin, a brain chemical (neurotransmitter) that affects mood, might play a role in SAD. Reduced sunlight can cause a drop in serotonin that may trigger depression.
Foods known to increase dopamine include chicken, almonds, apples, avocados, bananas beets, chocolate, green leafy vegetables, green tea, lima beans, oatmeal, oranges, peas, sesame and pumpkin seeds, tomatoes, turmeric, watermelon and wheat germ. Engage in activities that make you happy or feel relaxed.
Google the word "dopamine" and you will learn that its nicknames are the "happy hormone" and the "pleasure molecule" and that it is among the most important chemicals in our brains.
Estrogen is your primary female sex hormone. Levels of estrogen are meant to fluctuate throughout your monthly cycle. It tends to be higher during the first two weeks of the cycle and then decreases during the final two weeks. Elevated estrogen is associated with elevated energy levels.
Progesterone is often labeled the “feel-good” hormone, and for good reason. It has a calming effect on the brain, thanks to its interaction with GABA receptors—the same calming pathways targeted by medications like Valium or Xanax, only this is your body's own chill pill.
Symptoms of high progesterone
Common symptoms include: Weight fluctuations (usually a slight gain of 5-10 pounds). Drowsiness, waking up groggy or tired. Feeling down but not too depressed.
Some of estrogen's effects include: Increasing the mood-altering chemical serotonin and the number of serotonin receptors in the brain. Modifying the production and the effects of endorphins, the "feel-good" chemicals in the brain. Protecting nerves from damage and possibly stimulating nerve growth.
The best HRT for fatigue relief may include:
When estrogen is low, you may experience some or all of these physical symptoms: