Are you tired all the time? Fatigue is one of the most common symptoms of a hormone imbalance. Excess progesterone can make you sleepy. And if your thyroid -- the butterfly-shaped gland in your neck -- makes too little thyroid hormone, it can sap your energy.
Cortisol is often called the “stress hormone” because it is responsible for modulating the body's stress response, both long term and on a daily basis. When the body is not functioning as it should, cortisol can spike at the wrong time, causing sleep difficulty which leads to fatigue.
Low testosterone levels can cause tiredness and fatigue. This is because testosterone plays a role in our metabolism and production of red blood cells - which is vital for energy. Your testosterone levels naturally drop with age.
Fatigue and Sleep Issues
Estrogen is intimately linked to serotonin, and serotonin makes melatonin. Melatonin is the primary sleep hormone. This means, if you've been sleeping less and feeling fatigued, you could have low estrogen.
Irregular periods, hot flashes, difficulty sleeping, mood swings, and headaches can all be signs of low levels of the hormone estrogen in women. The most common cause of low estrogen is perimenopause, your body's transition into menopause, but other factors can be involved.
You may be too exhausted even to manage your daily affairs. In most cases, there's a reason for the fatigue. It might be allergic rhinitis, anemia, depression, fibromyalgia, chronic kidney disease, liver disease, lung disease (COPD), a bacterial or viral infection, or some other health condition.
There are many medical conditions or imbalances—including hormones—that can bring about chronic fatigue.
How are hormonal imbalances diagnosed? Healthcare providers typically order blood tests to check hormone levels since your endocrine glands release hormones directly into your bloodstream.
It is a lay term applied to a collection of nonspecific symptoms, such as body aches, fatigue, nervousness, sleep disturbances and digestive problems. Your adrenal glands produce a variety of hormones that are essential to life.
Estrogen is responsible for an increase in cortisol and testosterone levels, which naturally increase energy levels.
Thyroxine. The thyroid is responsible for creating thyroid hormones including thyroxine. Every cell in the body has thyroxine receptors found on its DNA, making it one very important hormone for your energy production. It essentially controls our ability to produce energy.
One possible reason for feeling tired, anxious, and weak is having low levels of iron, vitamin D, or B12. Many experts believe that a significant percentage of the U.S. population is deficient in vitamin D. Having low levels of vitamin D can cause muscle weakness and pain.
Not getting enough sleep is one reason why you may be tired. Other possible reasons include a nutrient deficiency, stress, an underlying health condition, and drug side effects. If you have chronic fatigue, see a doctor for a diagnosis. If you're feeling overly tired or have little energy, you're not alone.
Some conditions that cause fatigue include thyroid disorders, iron deficiency anemia, diabetes, chronic fatigue syndrome, and COVID-19. Some other causes of fatigue may involve your diet, sleep, and levels of stress. Lifestyle changes can often improve feelings of fatigue in these situations.
It depends on your situation. Not all women need, want or are candidates for estrogen therapy. Estrogen can reduce menopausal symptoms like hot flashes, night sweats and vaginal dryness. If you have a uterus, you'll likely need to take progesterone along with the estrogen.
A Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center study involving postmenopausal, overweight, and obese women who took 2,000 IUs of vitamin D daily for a year found that those whose vitamin D blood levels increased the most had the greatest reductions in blood estrogens, which are a known risk factor for breast cancer.
Low estrogen levels can interfere with sexual development and sexual functions. They can also increase your risk for obesity, osteoporosis, and cardiovascular disease.
High levels of estrogen may put you at higher risk of blood clots and stroke. Estrogen dominance may also increase your chances of thyroid dysfunction. This can cause symptoms such as fatigue and weight changes.
Vitamin B12
Along with the other B vitamins, vitamin B12 helps transform the food you eat into energy that your cells can use. It also keeps your body's nerves and blood cells healthy and helps prevent a type of anemia that can make you weak and tired ( 22 ).