Hormone imbalance in men
What are the driving factors?
When we talk about hormones, most often our thoughts head directly to women’s health and hormone dysfunction.
But the reality is that both men and women alike can experience hormone imbalance since our hormones are the messengers that signal our bodies to function, be it to feel happy, sleepy or to promote things like hair growth or libido. It’s important to remember that we all require great hormone health and balance for overall wellbeing.
In the essence of spring, the time of new growth and renewal, it’s the perfect season to dig into hormone health and men’s wellness to set us up for the warmer months ahead.
Hormone imbalance, especially when we are focusing on our sex hormones, can see men experience an array of symptoms including low libido, depression, anxiety, and weight gain, as well as issues with muscle and bone strength and hair growth (or lack of). Very often these signs can be misdiagnosed or overlooked because we put it down to old age or the ageing process. The good news is, hormone imbalance is very often a result of poor choice in both diet and lifestyle and is easily addressed with some simple changes.
The driving factors
There are several driving factors behind male hormone imbalance and when we can get to the real crux of the issue, we can easily implement solutions to not only ease symptoms but to address the root cause. In many instances it can be as simple as changing the food we eat and our approach to life that can steer us toward better health.
Let’s look at the main offenders that cause trouble with men’s hormones:
Excess oestrogen
Too much oestrogen can be quite problematic. This may be driven by excess phytoestrogens (oestrogen-like properties found in plants), like those found in alcohol and soy, and similarly in xenoestrogens (oestrogen-mimicking components found in chemicals), toxins found in conventional cleaning products, paints and chemicals. These will influence the body’s own oestrogen levels, driving them significantly higher, which becomes the issue. Simply identifying if these factors are an influence and finding suitable alternatives or minimising consumption can certainly be enough to make a real difference.
Stress
There are two major players when it comes to hormones. Your sex hormones and your stress hormones. Stress hormones are super bossy and will control everything in sight, especially your sex hormones. In this ‘survival mode’, your body sets up its priorities and your sex hormones don’t get a look-in since they aren’t essential to live. This can tip the scales when it comes to the balance of your hormones – and for men, it will affect things like sperm quality, libido and emotional wellbeing.
Stress management can be tricky; there are many techniques and strategies on the market to assist in overcoming stress (you can check out my e-course debunkingstress.com.au). The first step for most is to identify where your stress is actually coming from (stress is most often far more than a pending deadline) and look at the simple changes you may be able to make to begin gaining control over your pressure levels.
Poor digestion and gut function
The gut is the pivot of your health. If it can’t readily absorb nutrients from your diet, you won’t have the resources for great hormone health. Poor diet, stress and long-term use of medications are some of the things that can really upset your gut alongsidwe foods like gluten and sugar. It’s important to continue to eat for wellbeing, consuming wholefoods and a well-balanced diet and supplementing probiotics where needed (especially after a course of medication) to support good health bacteria and a strong gut wall.
Rebalancing hormones doesn’t have to be an overhaul. Small, simple changes can have a big impact on your day-to-day routine. And the best part? Your body will very quickly tell you when you’re on the right track. That spring in your step will often be your first clue to success.
Written by ANH naturopath, healing and hormone revolutionist Nat Kringoudis
