Key Takeaways
- Over 50 hormones have been identified in the human body.
- While hormone supplements have become more popular, certain dietary and lifestyle changes may be better options to help support hormonal health.
It’s a pervasive health and wellness phenomenon, but what is “hormone balancing” supposed to mean? This trend points to a growing awareness of how hormonal imbalances can affect various aspects of health, from mood and energy levels to metabolism and sleep patterns.
Consequently, there’s an uptick in supplements that promise to help people achieve hormone balance when taken consistently. A quick Amazon search for “hormone balancing supplement” yields over 3,000 product results, with ingredients ranging from herbal remedies (like Vitex) to basic vitamins and minerals (like vitamin D).
While there is no shortage of alleged hormone-balancing supplements to choose from, most are not supported by scientific evidence. However, there are some natural ways to support healthy hormones, including through what you eat.
What Does Hormone Balancing Mean?
Experts say there’s no official definition or approach to hormone balancing. Rather, the practice refers to achieving hormone levels that are considered within a healthy range.
Women tend to focus on hormone balancing more than men, likely because they typically experience significant hormonal shifts every month and as they enter their perimenopausal years.
“I think what most women mean when discussing balancing hormones is the balance between estrogen and progesterone,” registered dietitian Melissa Groves Azzaro, RDN, told Verywell. “In an ideal menstrual cycle, estrogen is our dominant hormone for the first half of the cycle, then progesterone is the dominant hormone for the second half. If estrogen is too high, progesterone is too low, or cycles are irregular, this balance can be thrown off, resulting in symptoms like acne, PMS, premenstrual migraines, bloating, and mood issues.”
Azzaro emphasizes that many hormones beyond estrogen and progesterone are important to your overall health.
“There are dozens of hormones in our bodies, including adrenal and thyroid hormones, and they all interact and impact other hormones,” she said. “Hormones affect every aspect of how we feel, from having regular, symptom-free cycles to supporting metabolism, weight, and mood. When hormones are at optimal levels, it makes all of those things so much easier.”
How to Support Hormone Health
Supplements can play a role in balancing hormones. But you can’t out-supplement a poor diet or an unhealthy lifestyle.
No single diet or supplement will “balance” every single hormone in your body. You’ll want to start by focusing on one. Speak with your healthcare provider to help you determine which hormones need attention. This typically involves a blood test, but urine tests, saliva tests, and imaging tests might be recommended to provide a comprehensive overview of your health and to detect any underlying issues.
At-home hormone testing kits are also available using a saliva sample or a finger prick, but they’re not as accurate.
Once you and your provider identify a hormone health goal, you can adopt some habits to help you achieve it.
Get Adequate Sleep
During sleep, the body performs essential functions related to hormone production and regulation. For instance, sleep helps regulate cortisol, commonly known as the stress hormone, which affects bodily functions like immune response and metabolism.1
Growth hormone is another hormone significantly influenced by sleep.2 This hormone plays a key role in cell repair and metabolism. Growth hormone secretion appears to peak during the deep stages of sleep, emphasizing the importance of a proper sleep cycle.3
Sleep also facilitates the regulation of insulin, which manages blood sugar levels, and gut hormones called ghrelin and leptin, each of which is responsible for appetite and satiety signals.45 Sleep deprivation can disrupt these hormonal pathways, potentially leading to increased hunger, weight gain, and a higher risk of diabetes.
Manage Your Stress
Stress can dramatically impact hormonal equilibrium. Techniques such as mindfulness, meditation, and regular physical activity may effectively reduce stress hormone levels, notably cortisol.6
Chronic elevation of cortisol levels can profoundly affect an individual’s health and well-being. Some effects include weight gain, increased anxiety and depression, disrupted sleep patterns, and a weaker immune system. It may also contribute to the development of chronic conditions such as hypertension, type 2 diabetes, and osteoporosis by hampering the body’s ability to regulate blood pressure, blood sugar, and bone metabolism.7
Elevated cortisol may also disrupt the normal balance of estrogen, leading to a variety of reproductive health concerns, but more quality data is needed to confirm this link.8
Stress management can also aid in producing and balancing other hormones, such as serotonin and dopamine, which are neurotransmitters related to mood.9 These hormones can enhance feelings of well-being and happiness, promoting a more stable hormonal environment. Serotonin is also pivotal in regulating sleep and digestion, while dopamine influences mood, motivation, and reward.
Reduce Exposure to Endocrine-Disrupting Chemicals
Endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) are substances in the environment, foods, and consumer products that may interfere with hormone function. They can mimic hormones naturally found in the body, or they can bind to a receptor within a cell and block the natural hormone from binding. The latter results in the hormone not being able to perform its intended role effectively.
Some hormones that can be negatively affected by EDC include estrogen and thyroid hormones.
Choosing glass and stainless steel for serving or storing food is one step that may reduce exposure to EDCs. Limiting your exposure to pesticide residue food can help, too.
Eat Cruciferous Vegetables
Including cruciferous vegetables like broccoli, watercress, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, and kale in your diet can help manage estrogen levels, especially for people experiencing estrogen dominance. This is because these veggies contain indole-3-carbinol, a compound that helps convert estrogen to less potent forms, registered dietitian Melissa Mitri, RD, told Verywell.
“They help estrogen metabolize down the correct pathway, are full of antioxidants, and also contain fiber to help with the last step of estrogen metabolism (leaving the body in stool),” Azzaro added.
Consume Healthy Fats
Fats, particularly those rich in omega-3 fatty acids, support the structure and function of cell membranes, including those of hormone-producing cells. This type of fat is typically found in fish, flaxseeds, and walnuts.
Omega-3 fatty acids are essential building blocks for making hormones like estrogen, testosterone, progesterone, and cortisol. They also help produce hormones that regulate inflammation and immune function, including eicosanoids.10
Get Routine Exercise
Engaging in physical activity stimulates the production of endorphins, often referred to as the body’s natural painkillers, which promote a sense of happiness and reduce the perception of pain.11
Consistent exercise also helps regulate cortisol, the stress hormone, preventing chronic elevation that can lead to adverse health effects.12 Plus, exercise can enhance insulin sensitivity for those with insulin resistance, making it easier for the body to regulate blood sugar levels effectively.13
Cardiovascular exercise, such as running or swimming, can help to decrease insulin levels and improve insulin sensitivity. Strength training, using body weight or resistance equipment, may increase levels of muscle-maintaining hormones like testosterone and growth hormone. And yoga and Pilates may reduce cortisol levels, promoting relaxation and stress relief.
Always listen to your body and adjust your workout intensity and duration to avoid overexertion, which can be counterproductive to hormone balance.
What This Means For You
To support hormone health, prioritizing stress management, exercise, sleep, and eating the right foods may help you achieve your goal.
Sources:
- Hackett RA, Dal Z, Steptoe A. The relationship between sleep problems and cortisol in people with type 2 diabetes. Psychoneuroendocrinology. 2020;117:104688. doi:10.1016/j.psyneuen.2020.104688
- MartÃnez-Albert E, Lutz ND, Hübener R, et al. Sleep promotes T-cell migration towards CCL19 via growth hormone and prolactin signaling in humans. Brain Behav Immun. 2024:118:69-77:69-77. doi:10.1016/j.bbi.2024.02.021
- Zaffanello M, Pietrobelli A, Cavarzere P, Guzzo A, Antoniazzi F. Complex relationship between growth hormone and sleep in children: insights, discrepancies, and implications. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne). 2024;14:1332114. doi:10.3389/fendo.2023.1332114
- Zhang CS, Wang LX, Wang R, et al. The correlation between circulating ghrelin and insulin resistance in obesity: a meta-analysis. Front Physiol. 2018;9:1308. doi:10.3389/fphys.2018.01308
- van Dijk D, Balkau B, Segrestin B, et al. EGIR-RISC study group. associations between sleep duration and sleep debt with insulin sensitivity and insulin secretion in the EGIR-RISC study. Diabetes Metab. 2019;45(4):375-381. doi:10.1016/j.diabet.2018.11.001
- Alhawatmeh HN, Rababa M, Alfaqih M, Albataineh R, Hweidi I, Abu Awwad A. The benefits of mindfulness meditation on trait mindfulness, perceived stress, cortisol, and C-reactive protein in nursing students: a randomized controlled trial. Adv Med Educ Pract. 2022;13:47-58. doi:10.2147/AMEP.S348062
- Cay M, Ucar C, Senol D, et al. Effect of increase in cortisol level due to stress in healthy young individuals on dynamic and static balance scores. North Clin Istanb. 2018;5(4):295-301. doi:10.14744/nci.2017.42103
- Karunyam BV, Abdul Karim AK, Naina Mohamed I, et al. Infertility and cortisol: a systematic review. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne). 2023;14:1147306. doi:10.3389/fendo.2023.1147306
- Kur'yanova EV, Tryasuchev AV, Stupin VO. Features of the effects of serotonin and dopamine on changes in heart rate variability in non-linear rats under conditions of acute stress. Bull Exp Biol Med. 2022;174(2):185-189. doi:10.1007/s10517-023-05670-z
- Saini RK, Keum YS. Omega-3 and omega-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids: dietary sources, metabolism, and significance—a review. Life Sci. 2018;203:255-267. doi:10.1016/j.lfs.2018.04.049
- Schoenfeld TJ, Swanson C. A Runner's high for new neurons? Potential role for endorphins in exercise effects on adult neurogenesis. Biomolecules. 2021;11(8):1077. doi:10.3390/biom11081077
- Caplin A, Chen FS, Beauchamp MR, Puterman E. The effects of exercise intensity on the cortisol response to a subsequent acute psychosocial stressor. Psychoneuroendocrinology. 2021 Sep;131:105336. doi:10.1016/j.psyneuen.2021.105336
- Whillier S. Exercise and insulin resistance. Adv Exp Med Biol. 2020;1228:137-150. doi:10.1007/978-981-15-1792-1_9
Important Notice: This article was originally published at www.verywellhealth.com by Lauren Manaker MS, RDN, LD, CLEC where all credits are due. Fact checked by Nick Blackmer.
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