Hormonal Imbalance: Symptoms, Causes, and What You Can Do

We often hear ourselves or others say, “It’s probably just hormones,” as a form of explanation or perhaps an excuse (and hey, you have nothing to apologize for) when something unexpected physical or emotional happens.

But what does that actually mean?

A hormonal imbalance is not an official diagnosis in itself. It's a way of describing the body's finely tuned interaction between hormones not feeling or functioning quite as it usually does. And when hormones change pace – you can actually feel it, the hormones affect:

Your cycle.
Your mood.
Your bleeding.
Your fertility.
Your weight.

And so on and so forth. Here you will get an overview of the most common signs of hormonal imbalance – and when you should react.

What is a hormonal imbalance?

Hormones are the body's messengers. They act as messengers between the brain, ovaries, thyroid, adrenal glands, and the rest of the body, and when the balance between them changes, it can affect your cycle, mood, and reproduction. When estrogen and progesterone don't follow the expected rhythm, menstrual patterns can change.

In a menstruating body, the following in particular fluctuate:

• Estrogen

• Progesterone

• FSH and LH

• Prolactin

• Thyroid hormones

When the interaction between them changes, the cycle can respond. And at the same time, it is important to mention that all hormones naturally fluctuate throughout the cycle. This is not an imbalance in itself. This is how your biology is, because each hormone has a role in the body.

A hormonal imbalance only occurs when:

• Symptoms are persistent

• The cycle changes significantly

• Your everyday life is affected
  

👉 Read the article here to understand how your menstrual cycle works and what happens in your body.

---

Typical symptoms of hormonal imbalance

Below are some of the most common signs of hormonal imbalance:

Delayed menstruation

Menstruation is absent or comes much later than normal.
Possible causes:

• Stress

• Underweight or overtraining

• PCOS

• Thyroid disorders

• Pregnancy

👉 Read the full guide to delayed menstruation here

Irregular cycle

A cycle is considered irregular when it lasts less than 21 days or more than 35 days. Such irregularities are caused by disruptions in hormone levels, especially estrogen and progesterone, which affect the normal rhythm of the cycle.
Your cycle may vary from month to month, but if your cycle skips between, for example, 24 and 45 days, it should be investigated.

👉 Here you will find 8 reasons why your period is late

Heavy menstruation

If you bleed more than 80 ml per cycle or for more than 7 days, it is called menorrhagia.
Possible causes:

• Hormonal imbalances

• Fibroids

• Endometriosis

• Polyps

👉 Read more about heavy menstruation here

PMS or PMDD

If mood, sleep, and anxiety worsen significantly during the luteal phase, it may be due to hormone sensitivity.

Research shows that up to 70–80% experience mild PMS, while 3–8% live with PMDD. People with ADHD in particular are 3 times more likely to suffer from PMDD, new research from Cambridge shows.

👉 Read about PMS here
👉 Read about PMDD here

Fertility problems

If you're trying to get pregnant without success, hormonal factors may be at play. Irregular ovulation, low progesterone, or thyroid problems can affect fertility.

👉 Read more about menstruation and fertility here

---

What can cause hormonal disruptions?

There is no single explanation. Often, several factors are involved:

1. Stress - Chronic stress affects cortisol – which in turn affects ovulation and progesterone
   
   

2. Thyroid gland - Hypothyroidism and hyperthyroidism can change cycle patterns
   

3. PCOS - One of the most common causes of irregular periods. Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a common hormonal disorder in which an imbalance of sex hormones — including elevated androgens and irregular ovulation — leads to irregular or absent periods, and can be a major cause of infertility.
   
   
4. Weight gain/weight loss - The body's fat tissue plays a role in estrogen production.
   
   
5. Perimenopause, also called menopause - Natural hormonal fluctuations can cause irregular bleeding.
   

---

When should you react?

If you are concerned and experience any of the symptoms below, you should seek medical attention:

• Your period is missed for more than 3 months (without pregnancy)

• You are bleeding extremely heavily.

• You have cycles that are less than 21 or more than 35 days repeatedly

• You experience sudden, severe mood swings.

• You experience new symptoms after 35-40 years of age

Although we have historically not been taken seriously by doctors when it comes to women's diseases or women-related challenges, times are changing. And "this is what it's like to be a woman" is also slowly being erased from the healthcare vocabulary.

It's not hysteria to take your cycle seriously.

👉 Try absorbent underwear when you're waiting for your period to start - then you'll always be ready.

---

What can I do to create hormonal balance?

Lifestyle can support – but it is not a solution for everything.

• Stable sleep ( find good tips for sleeping better during your cycle )

• Regular exercise ( read why exercise and menstruation should be inextricably linked )

• Adequate energy intake - yes, eat enough

• Reduced alcohol

• Cycle tracking ( you can use your discharge to guide you )

Tracking is often the first step towards clarity. When you can see the pattern, you can respond more intelligently.

---

Is hormonal imbalance a real diagnosis?

“Hormonal imbalance” is often used broadly on social media. However, in clinical practice, it is instead referred to as:

• PCOS

• Thyroid disorders

• PMS/PMDD

• Perimenopause ( read the article with the most common characteristics of the onset of perimenopause )

• Hyperprolactinemia

• Hypothalamic amenorrhea

It's completely normal for our hormones to fluctuate - and our lifestyle and life situation affect it. At the same time, "hormone balance" is not a delicate matter that you can just "destroy".
If you experience an imbalance in the system over time, it is important that you have an examination of what is specifically happening in your body. Especially if you want to get pregnant in the long term.

FAQ – hormonal imbalance

What are the most common symptoms?

Irregular menstruation, heavy bleeding, PMS, mood swings and fertility problems.

Can stress cause hormonal imbalance?

Yes. Chronic stress can affect ovulation and progesterone production.

Can you test for hormonal imbalance?

Yes – but it depends on symptoms. The doctor can measure, for example, thyroid, prolactin or sex hormones.

Is hormonal imbalance dangerous?

Often not – but persistent changes should be investigated.

Sources:

• Hall JE.
  Guyton and Hall Textbook of Medical Physiology.
  Elsevier, 2021.
• 'Reed BG & Carr BR.
  The Normal Menstrual Cycle and the Control of Ovulation.
  Endotext, NCBI Bookshelf ( link )
• ACOG (American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists).
  Menstruation in Girls and Adolescents: Using the Menstrual Cycle as a Vital Sign.
• NHS Menstrual Cycle Guide ( link )
• Fraser IS et al.
  The FIGO recommendations on menstrual bleeding terminology.
  Human Reproduction. 2011.
• DSM-5-TR Diagnostic Criteria
  American Psychiatric Association.