Hormonal imbalance or:
the completely underestimated hormone disaster of our modern age

Hormonal imbalance – You may be familiar with this from those around you: more and more women are complaining about irregular cycles, PMS, the agonizing feeling of exhaustion shortly before their period, mood swings that can hardly be explained – or menopausal symptoms that seem to start earlier and are more severe than in the previous generation. And more and more men are reporting declining vitality, diminishing libido, emotional emptiness, lack of drive or a belly fat that stubbornly persists despite exercise. In children and adolescents of both sexes, we are seeing alarmingly early puberty, acne and mood instability.

What is going on? Why do the hormones of an entire society seem to be out of balance?

The answer is not simple – but it is instructive. Hormonal problems rarely arise from a single factor. They are an expression of a system that has come under pressure. A body that reacts more sensitively than we thought for a long time. And a time that wears on us – on levels that we often don’t even fully understand.

The hormone system: a network, not a switch

Before we look at the causes of hormonal imbalance, it is worth taking a brief look at what we are dealing with. The endocrine system – our hormonal system – is not a simple mechanism that releases messenger substances and stops again. It is a highly complex, interwoven network of glands, feedback loops and chemical signals that influences almost every function of our body: sleep, mood, weight, fertility, immune defense, digestion, heart rate, memory – in women as well as men.

Imagine the hormone system as a large, multi-armed mobilé – those delicate, finely balanced hanging mobiles in which every element is connected to every other. If you touch a single arm, the entire structure starts to move. It is exactly the same with our hormones: If one of them is out of balance, it automatically affects almost all the others. Cortisol influences progesterone, progesterone influences oestrogen, oestrogen influences the thyroid gland, the thyroid gland influences insulin – and so on, in a finely woven web of mutual dependencies.

This image of the mobilé also explains why hormone therapies – whether conventional or naturopathic – take time. A mobilé that is out of balance does not immediately settle down when you push it. It oscillates, it seeks its way, it needs patience. In practice, this means that anyone treating hormones usually has to allow months, often even years, for the system to rebalance itself. There are rarely quick solutions – but there are lasting ones if you give the body the necessary space and time.

Cortisol, oestrogen, progesterone, testosterone, thyroid hormones, insulin, melatonin, DHEA – they all talk to each other and they are all active in both the female and male body, albeit in different weights. And this is exactly what is happening on a broad scale: the mobilé of an entire society has begun to vibrate – in all genders and with increasing intensity.

Cholesterol: the unrecognized building block of our hormones

Hardly any other substance has been demonized as much as cholesterol in recent decades. We have grown up with the message that cholesterol is dangerous, clogs arteries and must be lowered at all costs. A low-cholesterol diet was seen as virtuous, high levels as a warning signal. And cholesterol-lowering drugs – above all statins – are now among the most frequently prescribed medications worldwide.

What hardly anyone realizes: Cholesterol is the basic building block of almost all steroid hormones in the human body. Without sufficient cholesterol, the body simply cannot produce any hormones – no sex hormones, no cortisol, no aldosterone, no DHEA. The entire hormone synthesis starts with cholesterol. It is not the enemy – it is the foundation.

Pregnenolone, the so-called mother hormone, is formed from cholesterol, from which progesterone, oestrogen, testosterone, DHEA and cortisol then develop. So if you have permanently very low cholesterol levels – whether through an extreme diet or by taking cholesterol-lowering drugs – you are literally robbing your body of the raw material for its own hormone production.

This does not mean that cholesterol is harmless in any quantity and in any form – the quality and context naturally play a role. But the sweeping campaign against cholesterol has a dark side that is still far too rarely discussed openly in conventional medicine. Statins, for example, not only inhibit cholesterol production in the liver, but also the production of coenzyme Q10, which is essential for the energy production of every single cell – with consequences such as muscle pain, fatigue and cognitive impairment, which those affected often do not associate with their medication.

So if you suffer from hormonal imbalance and are also taking cholesterol-lowering medication or have been eating a low-cholesterol diet for years, you should at least be aware of this connection – and discuss it with a holistic specialist. Because sometimes the key to hormonal balance lies in a substance that we have regarded as an enemy for years.

The stress axis: chronic pressure as a hormonal accelerant

One of the most powerful influencing factors on the hormone system and creator of hormonal imbalance is stress – not the short, acute stress impulse that protects us from danger, but the chronic, subliminal permanent pressure that characterizes the lives of many people today.

When we are constantly under stress, the adrenal glands continuously produce cortisol. This sounds harmless at first, but it has far-reaching consequences – for women and men alike. This is because cortisol is made from the same precursors as our sex hormones. In technical jargon, this mechanism is also known as the “pregnenolone steal”: the body prioritizes survival and diverts resources away from reproduction and towards coping with stress. In women, this means less progesterone and a disturbed oestrogen-progesterone balance – resulting in cycle disorders, PMS and sleep problems. In men, chronic stress has been shown to reduce testosterone production, which can result in a lack of drive, a drop in libido, emotional dullness and muscle loss.

Modern humans are not evolutionarily designed to be permanently under stress. Our nervous system knows no distinction between a sabre-toothed tiger and a flooded email inbox, a social conflict, constant availability or existential worry. The physiological reaction is the same – only without the relieving closure that the physical escape would have brought earlier.

Chronic stress is therefore one of the most important and most frequently underestimated hormone disruptors of all – and it doesn’t stop at either sex.

Xenoestrogens: when the environment has a say

Another serious issue in relation to hormonal imbalance is exposure to xenoestrogens – foreign substances that act like oestrogen in the body or influence the body’s own hormone production and breakdown. They can be found everywhere: in plastic packaging and containers (BPA and related compounds), in personal care products and cosmetics (parabens, phthalates), in pesticides and herbicides, in cleaning agents, in printer paper and receipts. We are confronted daily, almost inevitably, with a cocktail of endocrine disruptors – and their effects add up.

In women, this long-term exposure often leads to oestrogen dominance – a relative predominance of oestrogenic effects over progesterone, which can manifest itself in cycle complaints, water retention, breast tenderness and low mood. In men, the same substances have an anti-androgenic effect: they compete with testosterone for receptors, disrupt the body’s own testosterone production and promote a relative oestrogen dominance, which can be reflected in feminization tendencies, potency problems, infertility and reduced muscle mass. Studies show that average testosterone levels in men have been falling continuously for decades – xenoestrogens are considered to be one of the main contributors.

Many of these substances also have a disruptive effect on the thyroid gland – with far-reaching consequences for the entire metabolism in both men and women.

The liver: overburdened conductor of hormonal activity

When we talk about hormonal imbalances, we must not forget an organ that works tirelessly in the background and yet rarely gets the attention it deserves: the liver. This is because it is not only responsible for detoxification – it is also centrally involved in building up and breaking down hormones and converting them into each other. Without a well-functioning liver, there is no functioning hormone system, i.e. a hormonal imbalance.

The liver breaks down excess hormones – especially oestrogen – and prepares them for excretion. It converts thyroid hormones into their active form. It produces transport proteins that carry hormones through the bloodstream to their target organs. In short, it is the silent conductor of an orchestra that would be out of sync without it.

The problem of our time is that this conductor is chronically overloaded. Environmental toxins, xenoestrogens, pesticides, medication, alcohol, sugar, processed foods – the liver has to filter, neutralize and eliminate all of this. And it is a clever, prioritizing organ: when the load becomes too great, it sets priorities. It first deals with what is acutely life-threatening – toxins, metabolic waste and what urgently needs to be removed from the body. Hormone breakdown, on the other hand, slips down the list of priorities.

As a result, hormones – especially oestrogen – are no longer broken down sufficiently and circulate in the blood for longer than intended. In women, this increases an already existing oestrogen dominance. In men, oestrogen levels rise while testosterone continues to fall. And in both sexes, the hormonal overload puts a strain on the entire system – from mood to sleep, from weight to fertility.

In addition, a stressed liver also impairs thyroid function: The conversion of the less active thyroid hormone T4 into the active T3 takes place to a large extent in the liver. If it is overloaded, this conversion no longer works reliably – with consequences that can manifest themselves as exhaustion, sensitivity to cold, weight gain or listlessness, even though the classic laboratory values still appear normal.

Relieving the liver – through a liver-friendly, nutrient-rich diet, by reducing environmental toxins, through sufficient sleep and targeted support with proven medicinal plants such as milk thistle, artichoke or dandelion – is therefore not a cosmetic issue. It is a central component of hormonal health, for both women and men.

Adipose tissue as a hormone producer: when the body itself gets out of balance

What few people know: Adipose tissue is not a passive storage material. It is an active, hormone-producing organ – and therefore an independent factor in hormonal processes and a contributory cause of hormonal imbalance.

Adipose tissue produces a number of messenger substances, known as adipokines, which directly influence inflammatory processes, insulin sensitivity, feelings of hunger and satiety as well as reproductive hormones. The enzyme aromatase, which converts androgens – i.e. male hormones such as testosterone – into oestrogen in fatty tissue, is particularly important. The more fatty tissue there is, the more aromatase activity, the more oestrogen – regardless of whether the body is male or female.

Visceral abdominal fat – the fat that lies deep in the abdominal cavity around the organs – is particularly hormonally active. Not only does it produce a disproportionate amount of oestrogen, it also produces pro-inflammatory messenger substances that further worsen insulin sensitivity and put additional strain on the adrenal glands. A cycle is created: more abdominal fat means more oestrogen and more inflammation, which in turn promotes insulin resistance, stresses the cortisol axis and encourages the storage of more abdominal fat.

In women, excess fatty tissue can significantly increase an existing oestrogen dominance. In men, increased aromatase activity leads to a lower testosterone-oestrogen ratio – with noticeable consequences for energy, libido, mood and body composition. Leptin – a hormone that is produced in fatty tissue and is supposed to signal satiety to the brain – also increasingly loses its effect with obesity: leptin resistance develops and the body no longer listens to its own signals.

Adipose tissue is therefore not a silent camp. It speaks – loudly and continuously – into the hormone regulation and creates a hormonal imbalance. And the more of it there is, the more dominant this voice becomes.

Light, sleep and the lost rhythm

Hormones follow rhythms. Humans are diurnal creatures – our hormonal system is attuned to the natural alternation of light and darkness. Melatonin increases with darkness, cortisol in the morning with daylight, growth hormone and testosterone are mainly released in the deep sleep phases. This rhythm is not a luxury – it is the basis of hormonal health, for both women and men.

What do we do instead? We sit in front of screens in the evening that emit blue light and signal the brain: It’s still light. We sleep too little. We work in shifts, travel across time zones, suppress our inner clock with artificial light around the clock. The result is chronic desynchronization – a body that no longer knows when which hormones are needed and in what quantities.

Poor sleep increases cortisol, lowers growth hormone and testosterone, disrupts insulin sensitivity and impairs thyroid function. In men, just one week with less than six hours of sleep per night can lower testosterone levels to the level of a significantly older man. In women, the cycle rhythm and progesterone production are thrown out of balance. Anyone who sleeps poorly on a permanent basis suffers hormonally – regardless of gender, so hormonal imbalance is the automatic consequence.

Nutrition: the missing foundation

Hormones are made up of building blocks – fats, proteins and micronutrients. A body that permanently receives too few healthy fats, too little high-quality protein or too few trace elements simply cannot produce sufficient amounts of hormones – this applies to women as well as men and hormonal imbalance can occur.

Iodine deficiency impairs thyroid function. Zinc deficiency has a direct effect on testosterone and progesterone production – zinc is a key hormone mineral for both sexes. Magnesium deficiency disrupts the stress response and thus the entire cortisol axis. Vitamin D deficiency – which is almost endemic today – affects both oestrogen and progesterone production in women and testosterone production in men.

Added to this is a diet that is often rich in sugar and refined carbohydrates: this drives up insulin levels and promotes insulin resistance. In women, this is closely linked to oestrogen dominance and polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). In men, chronically elevated insulin leads to falling testosterone levels and rising oestrogen – a cycle that promotes abdominal fat and further destabilizes the hormone balance.

The microbiome: the underestimated hormone regulator

As research in recent years has increasingly shown, the intestinal flora is much more than just a digestive aid. The intestine contains specialized bacteria that together form the so-called oestrobolome: a part of the microbiome that breaks down, conjugates and recycles oestrogen. A disturbed microbiome can lead to oestrogen no longer being excreted properly, but instead re-entering the circulation in the intestine. In women, this results in oestrogen dominance; in men, the circulating oestrogen can become imbalanced with testosterone – with noticeable effects on mood, libido and body composition.

Antibiotic therapies, processed food, chronic stress, alcohol – all of these damage the microbiome, in women and men alike. What is hardly known is that the gut is also the most important production site for serotonin – the messenger substance that we commonly know as the “happiness hormone” and which we associate primarily with the brain. In fact, around 90 percent of the body’s serotonin is produced and regulated in the gut. Serotonin not only influences mood and emotional well-being, but also sleep, appetite, pain perception and intestinal peristalsis itself. A disturbed microbiome can significantly impair this serotonin production – with consequences that go far beyond digestion and can be reflected in low mood, sleep problems and increased sensitivity to stress. Here, too, what is out of balance in the gut will sooner or later be reflected in the entire hormonal and emotional system.

Equally little known is the fact that melatonin – the hormone that controls our sleep-wake rhythm – is also produced to a considerable extent in the gut. In fact, there are significantly more melatonin receptors in the gastrointestinal tract than in the pineal gland, which is generally regarded as the classic production site. A disturbed microbiome can impair this intestinal production – with consequences for sleep and regeneration of both sexes and thus in turn for the entire hormonal balance. The gut is not just a digestive organ. It is a hormonal center.

And these were just a few examples of the connection between the microbiome/gut and the hormonal system and how a hormonal imbalance can also arise from the gut….

The psychosomatic dimension: What the psyche does to the hormones

If you only look at the biochemical causes of a hormonal imbalance, you are only seeing part of the picture. Hormones are not abstract molecules – they are messenger substances that are inextricably linked to our thoughts, feelings and experiences. This applies equally to women and men, even if the social patterns behind them differ.

In women, hormonal exhaustion is often the result of over-responsibility, of constantly giving without receiving enough, of functioning at the expense of one’s own needs. In men, on the other hand, there is often a different, equally deep-rooted pressure: the need to be strong, to show no weakness, to control feelings. Chronically suppressed emotions, repressing exhaustion and ignoring one’s own limits activate the same stress axis – and lower testosterone levels in the long term, while cortisol remains elevated.

PMS, menstrual cycle disorders and loss of libido in women, listlessness, emotional dullness and declining vitality in men – all of these can also be the body’s question: Are you really living the life that belongs to you? Are you taking up space or are you just giving it up?

The symptoms are real, measurable and physically noticeable. But the root may lie deeper than can be seen in the laboratory – and it deserves equal attention for both sexes.

When complaints are not heard: The problem of trivialization

It is not enough to know the causes of hormonal imbalance – we also need to name what is an additional burden for many of those affected: They are not heard.

Women who come to a practice with exhaustion, cycle disorders, mood swings or diffuse physical complaints experience it again and again: the blood values are “within the normal range“, so everything is fine. The complaints are attributed to stress – without asking what this stress is doing to the hormonal system. Or they are simply dismissed as “normal”: normal for the age, normal for the stage of life, normal for a woman.

Men experience a different, but equally consequential form of disregard. Hormonal problems are hardly considered a legitimate topic in male socialization. Men who talk about exhaustion, loss of libido or emotional emptiness are often met with a lack of understanding – or remain silent from the outset because they have learned that strength knows no weakness. Falling testosterone levels are dismissed as an inevitable sign of ageing, but they are often an expression of a system that has needed help for a long time.

But what is considered normal is often only what is statistically common. And frequent does not mean healthy.

In conventional medicine, the hormone system is often compartmentalized: The thyroid belongs to the endocrinologist, the menstrual cycle to gynecology, mood to the psychiatrist, exhaustion perhaps to no one in particular. What gets lost in the process is precisely what makes up the hormone system: its interconnected, holistic nature. Complaints that affect several systems easily fall through the cracks – regardless of gender.

Hormonal health is not a luxury or a state of mind. It is a foundation. And it deserves – for women and men alike – a serious, inquisitive, holistic approach.

Here is the full diagnostics section:

Diagnostics: How a hormonal imbalance can be made visible

Anyone who suspects that a hormonal imbalance has developed often faces a first hurdle: the question of how and where to have this tested. The reality is that an estimated 90 percent of all hormone tests are still carried out via the blood as standard. This is the traditional way – and the right one for certain issues. But it is not the only one. And it is not always the most informative.

While the blood measures the so-called total hormone value – i.e. the total amount of a hormone circulating in the bloodstream, bound to transport proteins – the saliva test measures something else: the free, bioactive part of a hormone. And it is precisely this free portion that actually acts on the cells. A hormone that circulates in the blood bound to a transport protein is not available to the body – it is on its way, so to speak, but not at its destination. The saliva test therefore shows what the body really has available and can actually use. This makes a considerable difference – especially in the case of hormones such as oestrogen, progesterone, testosterone, DHEA and cortisol, which can be reliably and conclusively detected in saliva.

Another advantage: the saliva test is very easy to carry out. You collect saliva samples at home, following brief instructions – pain-free, without a visit to the doctor, without taking blood samples. For cortisol, for example, which follows a distinct daily rhythm, samples can be collected at different times of the day – something that is simply not possible with a blood count, which only shows a single moment. This is an enormous advantage, especially for assessing the stress axis: a single cortisol value in the blood says little about how the cortisol level behaves throughout the day – the saliva curve, on the other hand, does.

Not all hormones can be meaningfully measured in saliva – for some questions, blood tests remain the more suitable method, such as for thyroid hormones or insulin. But for sex hormones and the stress axis, saliva is often superior to blood in terms of its informative value.

If you have a therapist who knows and prescribes this examination – wonderful. But if you can’t find one or don’t understand it, you don’t have to do without it: It is now possible to have appropriate test kits ordered directly to your home and arrange the examination yourself. Providers such as Medivere(www.medivere.de) offer specially coordinated hormone profiles – separately for women and men – and accompany the entire process from taking the sample to the results. A low-threshold, self-determined way to finally get to the bottom of your own hormone system.

A particularly common example of incomplete diagnostics is the thyroid gland. Although – as we have seen – it plays a central role in the entire hormone system, only a single value is usually determined during its examination: TSH. This value indicates how strongly the pituitary gland drives the thyroid gland to produce hormones – it is therefore an indirect control value, not a direct reflection of actual thyroid function. What is missing are the free thyroid hormones fT3 and fT4, which show how much active hormone is actually available to the body and how much is “stored” – as well as the thyroid antibodies, which provide indications of a possible autoimmune condition such as Hashimoto’s or Graves’ disease. Without these values, the picture remains incomplete – and many patients with clear symptoms are still sent home because the TSH is “within the normal range”. In a separate blog article, I will explain in detail how meaningful this single value really is and what a complete thyroid diagnosis can achieve.

Treatment and therapy: what can help – and what needs to be considered

If a hormonal imbalance is recognized and examined at all, the treatment usually follows a familiar pattern: each specialty looks at its own area – and treats it in isolation. The endocrinologist prescribes thyroid hormones, and in fact an alarming number of people – especially women – are now suffering from hypothyroidism that requires treatment. A large number of women are already taking hormones anyway: the contraceptive pill, often for many years, without the systemic effects on the entire hormonal structure really being discussed. Older men today are often injected with testosterone in the depot – often with reference to joint pain or general signs of ageing, while the actual hormonal depletion behind it is rarely mentioned by name. And all those who have developed problems with sugar metabolism sooner or later end up with insulin – as a supposedly simple solution to a problem that is deeply rooted in the hormonal system.

Each area is considered individually. Not as a whole.

This is the first thing I would like to point out and consider as a naturopath: Hormones all work together – due to common building blocks, common feedback and interconnection processes that are simply not visible when viewed in isolation. You can go and treat individual values if they are not within the normal range. Many women take hormones in creams or tablets as they get older to counteract menopausal symptoms – this can be useful and help many people. And of course there are also valuable options in the naturopathic field: herbal preparations to regulate the hormone system, adaptogenic medicinal plants, targeted micronutrient therapy. All of these have their place.

And yet I would like to make a fundamental point: the hormone system is basically something that reacts to our everyday behaviors and processes. It is not a rigid system that can be repaired from the outside – it is a living, breathing network that responds to life itself.

What it needs first and foremost is rhythm – in every form. The more rhythmic life is, the more balanced the hormonal system. Getting up, going to bed, eating and moving at the same time – these seemingly simple habits are not trivial. They are the basic language in which we communicate with our hormonal system. In this context, I would also like to mention intermittent fasting – not as a trend, but as a sensible practice with two effects: firstly, it gives the liver valuable time for regeneration and detoxification, which it simply does not have in continuous operation. Secondly, it supports the body’s rhythm – because taking regular, conscious breaks from eating is also a signal to the system: there is order here, there is structure here, something is allowed to recover here. If you practise intermittent fasting regularly, you are doing something good for your hormonal system on several levels at the same time.

The second is nutrition – the basis of everything. Providing the healthy building blocks that the body needs to build up, break down and convert hormones. And to keep the body healthy enough to be able to carry out these processes. I am convinced that this also includes regular detoxification – unfortunately no longer an optional extra today, but a necessity because we are confronted with environmental pollution that simply did not exist in previous generations.

Then it is worth taking a look at your own environment: Which materials, which products, which everyday habits may be feeding me xenohormones? Reducing plastic, choosing low-pollutant cosmetics, shopping more consciously – none of these are radical measures, but quiet, effective steps towards hormone relief.

Regular, restful sleep is another central pillar – because the body builds up and breaks down, regenerates and balances during sleep. Anyone who permanently deprives their body of this night’s rest is depriving it of the most important workshop time it has.

And then – the psychological part. It’s bigger than we often want to admit. And it is more complex than it appears at first glance. This is because different hormone systems address different psychological issues – and it is worth taking a closer look.

The sex hormones – oestrogen and testosterone – are closely linked to masculinity and femininity, both internally and externally. How do I deal with my own femininity, with my own male part? How do I deal with femininity and masculinity on the outside – with partners, in my social environment? Am I really at home in my own nature, or am I just functioning in a role that life has assigned me? Everyone carries both principles within them – this is no coincidence, but an invitation to inner integration.

Psychosomatically, the thyroid gland is always linked to the topic of self-realization – with the question of whether I am actively pursuing what I really want in my life. Am I living what is mine? Or am I holding back, waiting, hesitating – and don’t realize that this inner brake will eventually show up in my thyroid gland?

Cortisol, adrenaline and noradrenaline are the stress hormones – and not without reason. They are the biochemical language of flight and attack. So it’s worth asking: What is really causing me stress? Where do I feel attacked – perhaps without naming it? What am I fleeing from? Where do I cause myself stress and where is it caused by others? Am I generally more tense or relaxed – and if tense, why?

And finally the sugar metabolism – the insulin, the pancreas. This system psychosomatically carries the theme of self-love and the sweetness of life within it again and again. Do I give more love to the outside world than to myself? Do I feel loved – and can I even accept love when it is offered to me? Or do I find it difficult because I don’t give it to myself? To what extent do I really enjoy my life – do I taste its sweetness or do I deny myself pleasure, joy and lightness? Am I being denied things from the outside, or am I denying them to myself? None of these are abstract questions – they are directly linked to what happens in the pancreas and the insulin balance.

All of these things – rhythm, intermittent fasting, diet, detox, sleep, stress reduction, honestly looking at yourself – are things that any of us can do without having to see a therapist. And they have a huge impact on the hormonal system. More lasting, often, than any tablet.

Personally, I am not a fan of intervening in the hormone system without need. Experience shows that it takes a very long time for things to rebalance – and every intervention has an impact on all other areas of the system. Anyone who starts to treat the hormone system with medication should do so carefully and with a broad perspective – and be aware that they are pulling on one arm of the mobile, which responds in its entirety.