It’s one of the most commonly suggested herbs for female hormone health woes. Research has shown that it may improve mood and reduce pain (6) associated with the menstrual cycle. Myo-inositol typically comes in a capsule or a powder that you mix into water.Ĭhaste tree berry, also known as vitex, is a tree that grows in the Mediterranean that has long been used for its health benefits. Pretty wild, isn’t it? That’s the power of options. Myo-inositol is so effective that in one controlled trial, researchers found that women with PCOS taking myo-inositol supplements achieved a natural pregnancy rate of 30% over a 6-month period (5) compared to just 18% on metformin, a diabetes drug that has become the go-to treatment for PCOS in the conventional medicine world. At the same time, I often suggest that my PCOS patients take a supplement called myo-inositol, which has been shown to reduce the size of polycystic ovaries (3) and increase egg quality (4) - two of the main causes of PCOS-related infertility. ![]() Maintaining a healthy weight and cutting back on sugar have to come first since PCOS is intricately linked to insulin resistance. The good news is that there are a whole host of lifestyle changes that can be extremely helpful for managing and even reversing PCOS. ![]() Caused by androgen levels that are too high, PCOS can cause any number of symptoms including male pattern hair growth, acne, painful periods, and of course, difficulty getting pregnant. Polycystic ovarian syndrome, or PCOS, is one of the most common causes of infertility in the world. You can take black cohosh in capsule or tincture-form. For example, one study showed that consuming 6.5 mg of black cohosh dry root extract once a day for 8 weeks led to a considerable decline (2) in the number of hot flashes compared to placebo. Luckily, black cohosh - a member of the buttercup family that grows right here in North America - can be helpful (1) for hot flashes and other symptoms of menopause as well as PMS and menstrual cramps. Black Cohosh - Menopause and Hot FlashesĪs you approach menopause, you can experience symptoms like hot flashes, mood swings, and insomnia.I often recommend the following hormone balance supplements for female hormone issues: And when it comes to hormonal imbalance, supplements are a big part of the puzzle.Īlong with dietary changes, limiting alcohol and caffeine, and establishing a consistent stress management and exercise routine - which are all amazing for promoting hormone balance - Using supplements to balance hormones can often produce amazing results. What I do is all about giving my patients options. Can supplements fix hormonal imbalance?Īs a functional medicine practitioner, I’ll never tell a patient to just “grin and bear it” if they’re suffering from uncomfortable symptoms of a hormone imbalance. For example, years of estrogen dominance can increase your risk for insulin resistance, type 2 diabetes, and heart disease. ![]() That’s why it is so important to work with a functional medicine practitioner who can identify the root cause of your hormone imbalance so that you can work toward healing before it develops into something more serious. ![]() Ultimately, hormone imbalances happen as a result of prolonged dysfunction that is left unaddressed for too long - rarely does someone wake up sick one day with a chronic health condition after being perfectly healthy the day before. Similarly to symptoms, what causes a hormonal imbalance can vary between individuals and can be a culmination of multiple factors, including: But with that said, these are the main signs of a hormonal imbalance that I see most often in my telehealth functional medicine clinic: Hormone imbalances can manifest in different ways with symptoms varying depending on the specific hormones involved and whether the imbalance is due to an excess or deficiency of certain hormones. If you’re menopausal, your doctor may not have any viable suggestions for you at all. If you’re pre-menopausal, they’ll likely suggest hormone birth control pills, which don’t actually correct the underlying issue as much as they cover it up. Unfortunately, if you go to a conventional doctor, they won’t give you many options. Irregular periods, fatigue, mood swings, anxiety or depression, hot flashes, painful periods, infertility, acne, and insomnia are all signs that you may be suffering from a hormonal imbalance.
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