What is hormone deficiency?
A hormone deficiency occurs when your body does not produce enough of a certain hormone. Hormones are chemical messengers that control various functions in your body. When you lack a specific hormone, it can cause widespread symptoms and health issues.
Some common hormone deficiencies include:
- Thyroid hormone deficiency: Low thyroid hormone levels lead to a condition called hypothyroidism. Symptoms include fatigue, weight gain, feeling cold, and more.
- Growth hormone deficiency: Lack of growth hormones often occurs in childhood and can impair growth and development. Adults may also be affected.
- Testosterone deficiency: Low testosterone levels in men can cause decreased sex drive, erectile dysfunction, lack of energy, and other issues.
- Estrogen deficiency: In women, low estrogen levels leading up to menopause can cause hot flashes, vaginal dryness, and osteoporosis over time.
What causes hormone deficiencies?
Hormone deficiencies can stem from a few key causes:
- Pituitary gland dysfunction - The pituitary is the "master gland" that controls other hormone-producing glands. Problems here affect multiple hormones.
- Hypothalamus dysfunction - The hypothalamus controls the pituitary gland. Interruptions in signaling between these two parts of the brain impact hormone levels downstream.
- Problems with endocrine glands - The thyroid, adrenals, pancreas, ovaries, and testes can underproduce their respective hormones due to inflammation, tumors, autoimmune disease, surgery removal, and other causes.
How are hormone deficiencies treated?
If lab testing confirms a hormone deficiency, your doctor may prescribe hormone replacement therapy (HRT).
The goal of HRT is restoring your hormones back to normal levels. Treatment is often lifelong and needs periodic monitoring for safety and effectiveness. Specific hormones given include:
- Levothyroxine for hypothyroidism
- Growth hormone injections
- Testosterone gels/patches/injections
- Estrogen/progestin pills, patches, vaginal creams
Lifestyle changes like improved diet, exercise, and stress management provide added benefits when treating hormone deficiencies.
Getting a thorough evaluation is key. Revive Hormone Institute specializes in precision testing and customized bioidentical HRT to resolve troublesome symptoms. Our holistic treatments account for nutrition, supplements, fitness, and stress levels alongside pharmaceutical options. Contact us today to learn more or book a consultation!