5 Ways to Naturally Support Balanced Hormones

Things change as you age. Saggy skin, wrinkles, forgetfulness, loss of energy, stamina, and even sex drive – it may feel like a downward spiral. Aging doesn’t have to be depressing. With a little effort, you can help slow the signs of aging by balancing your hormones naturally. Not sure how to support hormonal balance? Here are some health tips to show you how to balance your hormones naturally.

Signs of hormonal imbalance

For women, hormonal imbalance could be the start of menopause. As you age, naturally your hormones change. There are several symptoms related to this hormonal change, namely: 

• Hot flashes
• Vaginal dryness
• Disrupted sleep
• Depressive symptoms
• Cognitive impairment.^[1] 

All of these hormonal imbalance symptoms can disrupt your quality of life and zap the mojo right out of you.

For men, getting older means testosterone levels may waver. Symptoms of low testosterone include:

• Tiredness
• Lack of energy
• Reduced strength
• Frailty
• Loss of libido
• Decrease of sexual performance
• Depression
• Mood change. 

^{Hormonal balance tips}

Balancing your hormones naturally or helping preserve your hormone levels within normal ranges can help you regain that youthful feeling you may be missing. And if you can fix hormonal imbalance with natural remedies, even better. Thankfully, there are many ways to naturally balance hormones in females and males alike. Here’s how to balance your hormones naturally, without a trip to the doctor.

1. Exercise Regularly

Physical activity plays a role in balancing hormones naturally by reducing the amount of circulating sex hormones in both men and women.^[3] Exercise also plays a role in energy regulating hormones which helps you maintain a healthy weight and appetite in a natural way.^[4]

The amount and type of exercise you do determines the effects. However, if you are limited on the intensity of exercise you are able to do, taking regular walks is sufficient for improving testosterone levels.^[5]

Any type of physical activity may help balance hormones naturally and reduce your hormonal imbalance – strength training, yoga, Pilates, cardio, group classes, cycling, and the like. Talk to your doctor before beginning any new exercise routine and consider hiring a personal trainer or coach to help you determine what mode of exercise is right for you.

2. Lose Weight or Maintain a Healthy Body Weight

Being overweight contributes to your risk of low testosterone levels. On top of that, it is normal to see a decline in sex hormones as you get older.

Losing weight and maintaining a healthy body weight contributes to naturally balance hormones. Studies show that both diet and exercise have a positive effect on hormone levels in the elderly. However, if you are obese, a 10 percent loss in body weight may not be enough to elicit improved testosterone and estradiol levels.^[6]

On the other hand, scientists have concluded that losing weight does help prevent and reverse hormone changes as you age.^[7]

In order to help with hormonal imbalance, focus on eating within the calorie range that is optimal for your body. Women over the age of 50 should eat around 1,600 calories per day; men over the age of 50 should consume around 2,000 to 2,200 calories per day. For weight loss, reduce your calorie intake by 250 and exercise regularly.^[8]

There are also a number of foods and supplements to balance hormones that can help you achieve your goals. Samento, for example, is recognized for promoting a balanced immune system as well as antioxidant, cardiovascular, microbial, and neurological support. Including hormone balance supplements in your diet can therefore help you with hormonal imbalance as well.

3. Find Ways to Reduce Stress

Stress can take a major toll on your body, including hormone levels.

Whether it is physical stress or stressful situations in day-to-day life, stress may contribute to menstrual irregularities and male infertility.^[9]  

The body’s stress response causes several hormonal changes and disruptions, and then subside once stress is reduced. Chronic stress impacts your body’s ability to return hormones to baseline after the stressor is gone and promotes hormonal imbalance.

It is not easy to prevent stress, but you can work on how you react to stress and how you relieve it.

Research shows that you can reduce stress and the effects of it by using daily stress reducing techniques including meditation, yoga, deep breathing, muscle relaxation, exercise, and listening to relaxing music.^[10]

Aim to dedicate 10-minutes per day on stress-reducing techniques.

Stress supplements can also help reduce stress and promote relaxation when included in your diet.

4. Get More and Consistent Sleep

Being able to function on minimal sleep may be admirable to some. Yet the downside of lack of sleep, aside from being tired, is hormonal changes that could disrupt your quality of life, energy levels, and reproductive function.^[11]

The National Institute of Health recommends adults – including seniors – get at least 7-8 hours of sleep each night to feel well rested and function at their best.^[12]

Try these tips to improve your sleep health and naturally balance hormones:

• Be consistent – aim to go to bed and wake up around the same time every day.
• Set up your environment - make sure your bedroom is quiet, dark, and at a comfortable temperature.
• Avoid screens within an hour of bedtime.
• Avoid large meals and caffeine within 3 hours of bedtime.
• Exercise – being physically active during the day helps you sleep better at night.
• Take sleep supplements to help you relax.

5. Avoid Added Sugars

Sugar is a controversial topic. Does it directly cause obesity? Probably not. And scientists need to do more research to determine sugar’s precise role in weight gain and other health outcomes.

In the meantime, research has shown that excessive sugar intake does contribute to obesity and its related health risks including hormonal imbalance.^[14] And if you are not overconsuming sugar, research shows the sugar you may take in does not have the same health consequences.^[15]

The American Heart Association suggests limiting added sugar intake to less than 25 grams per day for women, and 38 grams for men. That is equivalent to 6 to 9 teaspoons, respectively.

Read labels at the grocery store. Choose foods with single-digit sugar per serving and that contain little to no added sugar.

You may be at your wits end when it comes to aging. The good news is there are natural ways to help you age gracefully. Leading a healthy lifestyle is your best opportunity to slow the aging process. If you are not sure whether your hormone levels are out of balance, talking to your healthcare provider is a great place to start. They can look at your hormone levels and help you determine how to fix hormonal imbalance for you and your lifestyle.

References:

1. Santoro N, Epperson CN, Mathews SB. Menopausal Symptoms and Their Management. Endocrinol Metab Clin North Am. 2015;44(3):497-515. doi:10.1016/j.ecl.2015.05.001 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4890704/
2. Stanworth RD, Jones TH. Testosterone for the aging male; current evidence and recommended practice. Clin Interv Aging. 2008;3(1):25-44. doi:10.2147/s190 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2544367/
3. Ennour-Idrissi K, Maunsell E, Diorio C. Effect of physical activity on sex hormones in women: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Breast Cancer Res. 2015;17(1):139. Published 2015 Nov 5. doi:10.1186/s13058-015-0647-3 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4635995/
4. Hagobian TA, Sharoff CG, Stephens BR, et al. Effects of exercise on energy-regulating hormones and appetite in men and women. Am J Physiol Regul Integr Comp Physiol. 2009;296(2):R233-R242. doi:10.1152/ajpregu.90671.2008 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2643988/
5. Yamada M, Nishiguchi S, Fukutani N, Aoyama T, Arai H. Mail-Based Intervention for Sarcopenia Prevention Increased Anabolic Hormone and Skeletal Muscle Mass in Community-Dwelling Japanese Older Adults: The INE (Intervention by Nutrition and Exercise) Study. J Am Med Dir Assoc. 2015 Aug 1;16(8):654-60. doi: 10.1016/j.jamda.2015.02.017. Epub 2015 Apr 7. PMID: 25858281. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25858281/
6. Armamento-Villareal R, Aguirre LE, Qualls C, Villareal DT. Effect of Lifestyle Intervention on the Hormonal Profile of Frail, Obese Older Men. J Nutr Health Aging. 2016;20(3):334-340. doi:10.1007/s12603-016-0698-x https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4811358/
7. Schwarz NA, Rigby BR, La Bounty P, Shelmadine B, Bowden RG. A review of weight control strategies and their effects on the regulation of hormonal balance. J Nutr Metab. 2011;2011:237932. doi:10.1155/2011/237932 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3147122/
8. NIH: Calories Needed Per Day. https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/educational/wecan/downloads/calreqtips.pdf
9. Ranabir S, Reetu K. Stress and hormones. Indian J Endocrinol Metab. 2011;15(1):18-22. doi:10.4103/2230-8210.77573 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3079864/
10. NIH: Stress Management https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK513300/
11. Morssinkhof MWL, van Wylick DW, Priester-Vink S, van der Werf YD, den Heijer M, van den Heuvel OA, Broekman BFP. Associations between sex hormones, sleep problems and depression: A systematic review. Neurosci Biobehav Rev. 2020 Nov;118:669-680. doi: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2020.08.006. Epub 2020 Aug 31. PMID: 32882313. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32882313/
12. NIH: Guide to Healthy Sleep https://www.nih.gov/news-events/news-releases/nih-offers-new-comprehensive-guide-healthy-sleep
13. CDC: Sleep Hygiene Tips https://www.cdc.gov/sleep/about_sleep/sleep_hygiene.html
14. Tryon MS, Stanhope KL, Epel ES, et al. Excessive Sugar Consumption May Be a Difficult Habit to Break: A View From the Brain and Body. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2015;100(6):2239-2247. doi:10.1210/jc.2014-4353 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4454811/
15. Rippe JM. The metabolic and endocrine response and health implications of consuming sugar-sweetened beverages: findings from recent randomized controlled trials [published correction appears in Adv Nutr. 2017 May 15;8(3):522]. Adv Nutr. 2013;4(6):677-686. Published 2013 Nov 6. doi:10.3945/an.113.004580 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3823516/