What to Know about Hormone Imbalances in Women

CLEVELAND – May is Women’s Health Month, which is a good time to help raise awareness about hormone imbalance issues commonly seen in women.

“Women come in with a slew of different complaints and somebody, somewhere told them they should get their hormones checked or maybe they saw online this could be hormonal. So, tons of different symptoms, because we have about 50 different hormones in our body, at least,” explained Pelin Batur, MD, who specializes in women’s health for Cleveland Clinic.

Dr. Batur said women will often come in for symptoms related to perimenopause, postmenopause, or when they have disruptions in their menstrual cycle.

Testing varies based on the situation, but she said in some cases, they will check estrogen, testosterone or thyroid hormone levels.

She said it’s also important to note that certain symptoms, like difficulty or losing weight or hair loss, aren’t always related to hormones. It could be due to dietary and lifestyle factors.

That’s why Dr. Batur makes sure to have a thorough conversation before making a determination.

“If there’s a lot of irregularities to the cycle, I am probably going to do more testing versus if it’s nice regular cycles with other symptoms. I may do other types of tests, like thyroid. Or I may just actually sit back and listen more before making any orders,” said Dr. Batur.

She said it’s important for women not to suffer in silence. If they notice any kind of health issue, they should consult with their physician.