This post discusses “what is hormonal balance?”, herbs for hormonal balance, “can hormonal imbalance cause weight gain?”, foods to regulate hormones, and more. Continue reading for everything you need to know about herbs for hormone balance!
What’s Hormonal Balance?
Hormones are chemical messengers in your body.
If you have too much or too little of some hormones this is an imbalance that can manifest into abnormal and unhealthy symptoms.
Even slight hormonal imbalances can have serious effects throughout your entire body!
Why Hormonal Imbalance Occurs
Common causes of hormonal imbalance include:
- Hormone therapy
- Medications
- Cancer treatments
- Tumors, both cancerous or benign
- Pituitary tumors
- Eating disorders
- Stress
- Injury or trauma
Further, these diseases cause, or are caused by, hormonal imbalances:
- Diabetes (type 1, type 2, or gestational diabetes)
- Hypothyroidism (an underactive thyroid)
- Hyperthyroidism (an overactive thyroid)
- Hyperfunctioning thyroid nodules
- Thyroiditis
- Hypogonadism
- Cushing syndrome (high levels of cortisol)
- Congenital adrenal hyperplasia, which causes low levels of cortisol and aldosterone
- Addison’s disease, when the adrenal glands don’t make enough cortisol or aldosterone
Will Hormones Balance Themselves?
Sometimes hormones can balance themselves! Still, it depends on the cause of the hormone imbalance.
Things like injury, stress, insomnia, or eating disorders, etc., can first be resolved and then the hormones will take time to follow after.
Ideally, supporting the body through foods, lifestyle changes, herbs, and maybe supplements, will help your body achieve ultimate hormonal balance as soon as possible!
If you struggle with one of the diseases listed above, it can be crucial to incorporate some of these herbs, supplements, foods, and lifestyle changes to attempt to get rid of your hormonal imbalance.
Conversely, for some of the diseases above, such as Addison’s disease, it might not be possible to fully recover with these methods.
Which Hormonal Imbalance Causes Acne?
Fluctuations in your estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone can cause hormonal acne.
Fluctuations in these hormones can be caused by:
- Menstruation
- Polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS)
- Menopause
- Increased androgen levels (male sex hormones, such as testosterone)
These hormonal fluctuations may aggravate acne by increasing:
- Overall skin inflammation (always check medications for this potential side effects as well)
- Oil production in the pores
- Clogged skin cells in hair follicles
- Production of acne-causing bacteria called Propionibacterium acnes (too much B6, B12, or biotin also causes this)
From personal experience, things in your diet such as too much vitamin B6, B12, or biotin can look like hormonal acne with cysts. Cysts form deep under the skin and don’t come up to the surface. These bumps are often tender to the touch.
Check your drinks, ensure you have quality organic foods, especially for your meats and dairy, and check your vitamins. I have a healthy diet with a variety of protein, vegetable, fruit, and carbohydrate sources; therefore I only take half of my prenatal vitamin dosage per day now to avoid going overboard on the B6, B12, and biotin.
Can Hormonal Imbalance Cause Weight Gain?
Physical symptoms of hormonal imbalance can include:
- Weight issues: Unexplained weight gain or struggle to lose weight
- Anatomical issues like ovarian cysts or uterine fibroids
- Changes in appetite or eating patterns
- Vaginal Dryness
- Sleep issues like insomnia, trouble falling asleep, or long wakeful periods at night
- Blood sugar instability
- Signs on body inflammation
- Loss of libido
- Low immune system function
Mental Health Hormonal Imbalance Symptoms:
- Mood swings
- “brain fog” often
- Stress
- Depressed mood
- Increased irritability or decreased ability to handle life stressors
- Increased anxiety; This may be accompanied by heart palpitations
- Memory struggles
Common Symptoms of an Estrogen Dominance Hormonal Imbalance:
- Unexplained weight gain
- Heavy or irregular menses
- Epic mood swings and irritability
- Hormonal headaches
Common Symptoms of Low Estrogen:
- Vaginal dryness
- Hair loss
- Mental health struggles
- Sleep issues or cyclical insomnia (in relation to your menstrual cycle hormones)
Hormonal Imbalance Energy Patterns:
- Fatigue, particularly in the afternoon and evening
- Low desire for physical activity
Hormonal Imbalance Skin and Hair Symptoms:
- Thinning hair and hair loss
- Brittle nails
- Increased body or facial hair
- Acne or dry skin
Hormonal Imbalance Menstrual Cycle Symptoms:
- Irregularities in frequency and duration
- Painful menses
- Cyclical hormonal headaches
- Persistent or recurring PMS symptoms
- Intense cramping
- Change in bowels related to menstrual cycle
- Very heavy or very light menstrual flow
Check out “The Complete Guide to Your Menstrual Cycle” to learn how and why your hormones naturally flow throughout your menstrual cycle!
Common Symptoms of High Progesterone:
- Breast tenderness
- Irritability and easy to cry
- Loss of libido
- Increased appetite and “emotional eating”
Common Symptoms of Low Progesterone:
- Mid-cycle spotting
- Heavy or irregular menses
- Heavy menstrual cramping
- Increased anxiety and irritability
Herbs for Hormonal Balance
6 promising herbs for hormonal balance include:
Herbs for Hormonal Balance: Vitex
Vitex, also known as vitex angus-castus, Chaste Tree, or Chaste berry, contains flavonoids, iridoid glycosides, and terpenoids. It has a long history of use in women’s health herbal medicine.
Vitex has outperformed placebo is several trials, and is known at nature’s hormonal balancer. Overall, vitex is known to help with PMS, irregular cycles, PCOS, fertility, pregnancy, and menopause.
While vitex does not contain active hormones, it acts on the hormones via its effect on the pituitary gland, and specifically on the production of luteinizing hormone (LH). Vitex also keeps prolactin secretion in check and improves both estrogen and progesterone levels.
Vitex seems to act in several beneficial ways including:
- It acts similarly to dopamine which is a ‘feel good’ neurotransmitter
- By reducing prolactin levels which are elevated during PMS
- Possibly acting on our natural internal pain-relieving system- the opioid system- by releasing beta-endorphins- something our bodies lack during PMS (rest assured, vitex is neither an opioid nor addictive!)
A typical dose of vitex is 20-40 mg/day, however up to 240 mg/day has been shown to be safe and effective. This herb can be taken as a tincture or liquid extract.
I highly recommend, use, and trust the Now Foods brand of vitex as it has proven it’s quality through my experience using this brand for years!
Further, vitex is not generally a fast-acting herb. When you begin takin it, plan to give yourself a window of about 3 months before you expect to see any changes.
In the meantime, try to find other ways to help you cope with your symptoms. For example, if you’re experiencing incapacitating PMS symptoms such as painful/heavy menses, check out “17 Simple Ways to Relieve Your Menstrual Cramps Naturally“.
Herbs for Hormonal Balance: Oatstraw
Oatstraw, also known as green oat, or wild oat extract, comes from the stems and leaves of the unripened Avena sativa plant.
This plant is commonly grown in Northern Europe and North America is believed to offer numerous benefits such as reduced inflammation and improved brain function and mood.
Furthermore, oatstraw is high in iron, manganese, and zinc.
Research shows that dosages of 800-1,600 mg/day are most effective [1-3]. You can use oatstraw as a tincture, powder, or in capsule form.
Herbs for Hormonal Balance: Maca
Maca root powder (Lepidium peruvianum) is an adaptogen which means it supports your whole endocrine system to produce the right amount of hormones you need.
Maca is frequently used for energy, hormone balancing, healthy thyroid functioning, sexual functioning and libido, PMS, menopause, as well as helping to maintain healthy bones.
It has been shown to have balancing effects to follicular-stimulating hormone (FSH), estrogen, progesterone, and lowering cortisol and adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) levels [4].
Further, positive results of maca on these hormones has been shown to decrease weight gain, increase calcium and phosphorus deposition in bone and muscle tissues, and lower triglycerides in blood plasma [4].
Triglycerides are a type of fat that circulates in your blood from the food you eat. However, high triglycerides in your blood can raise your risk of heart disease and stroke [5].
Maca may be used as a powder, tablet, or capsule form. I love using Anthony’s Yellow Maca Powder in my dairy-free matcha tea frappes or protein smoothies I make with the Orgain Plant-Based Protein Powder.
Herbs for Hormonal Balance: Milk Thistle
Milk thistle, also known as Silybum marianum, has been used historically throughout Europe, but there are no randomized controlled trials to validate its use.
The plant is still commonly known as St. Mary’s thistle in honor of the Virgin Mary. Early Christians believed that the white-colored veins in the leaves were symbolic of her milk.
Milk thistle is one of the best herbs for liver health and is known to work fantastic for filtering toxins, including excess hormones out of the body.
Dosage recommendations for milk thistle vary from 150-600 mg/day.
Milk Thistle has is also mentioned in 13 Wonderful Herbs That Increase Milk Supply!
Herbs for Hormonal Balance: Ashwagandha
When you are stressed, a hormone called cortisol is produced.
Cortisol is responsible for your fight or flight mechanism and tells your other hormones to pause so that it can prioritize saving your life. This means pausing reproductive hormones (estrogen + progesterone), pausing non-vital organ function signals, pausing natural sleep hormone cycles (melatonin), and more.
Additionally, part of the fight or flight mechanism can be flooding your body with glucose so that your muscles have immediate energy to physically respond to your current danger. Insulin is the hormone responsible for carrying excess glucose out of your blood stream.
When you are chronically stressed your body is secreting insulin constantly. Or sometimes the pancreas, which is responsible for producing insulin, can get fatigued and dysfunctional during this process as well.
Ashwagandha is an adaptogen that reduces the activity of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis, a system in your body that regulates the stress response [6, 7].
This herb has been shown to be effective in lowering cortisol levels in your bloodstream which is great to lower your stress levels to balance hormones!
7 proven benefits of ashwagandha inlcude:
- Benefits athletic performance [8]
- Reduce health conditions like stress, depression, anxiety, and schizophrenia [9, 10]
- Help boost testosterone and increase fertility in men [11, 12]
- Reduce blood sugar levels [13, 14]
- Reduce inflammation [15]
- Improve brain function, including memory [16]
- Improve sleep [17]
Taking 250-1,250 mg/day have been shown to be effective for different conditions. Further, like vitex, ashwagandha’s effects often are not immediate. It may take several months before you notice the effects.
I purchase and love the Futurebiotics Ashwagandha Capsules – Extra Strength 3,000 mg. With these I take 1 capsule a day for only 1,500 mg or you have the option to take 2/day for 3,000 mg daily!
Herbs for Hormonal Balance: Rhodiola
Similar to ashwagandha, rhodiola is an adaptogen that helps reduce cortisol (a stress hormone) levels in the blood. This is largely due to its high levels of a phytochemical known as salidroside.
Salidroside is a glucoside found in the plant Rhodiola rosea and has been shown to help with depression, fatigue, anxiety, balancing cortisol, plus it can combat aging in your cells and cell death! [18]
Again, I highly recommend, use, and trust the Now Foods brand as this brand has proven it’s quality through my experience of using it for years!
Foods to Regulate Hormones:
Foods that can help regulate your hormones include:
- Blood sugar stabilizing/low glycemic options
- Omega 3: Fish, nuts, and seeds
- 70+ grams of clean protein a day
- Healthy fats: Avocado, olive, clean animal foods (fatty meat cuts, butter, full fat dairy, eggs), nuts and seeds
- High fiber: Raw plants, psyllium husk, beans
- Detoxing: Beets and cruciferous vegetables
- Reduce inflammation: Reduce or eliminate sugar, alcohol, processed foods, non-organic animal products, pesticides, refined carbohydrates, fried food, or too many high-omega 6 seed oils
- Gut health: Fermented and cultured foods, and bone broth
- Seed cycling
Supplements for Hormonal Balance:
- Omega 3 Supplement
- Probiotics
- Magnesium
- Vitamin D3 and K2. Vitamin D supports calcium absorption, but for adequate vitamin D absorption, you also need vitamin K, magnesium, and zinc!
Cycle Syncing for Hormonal Balance:
- Menstrual phase: Light and restoring movement, high fat diet
- Follicular phase: Moderate to heavy movement, high protein diet
- Ovulatory phase: Moderate movement, high fiber diet
- Luteal phase: Low intensity movement, low inflammation diet
Check out “The Complete Guide to Your Menstrual Cycle” to learn how and why your hormones naturally flow throughout your menstrual cycle!
Lifestyle for Hormonal Balance:
- A food tracker if needed
- Home glucose monitoring if needed
- Sleep hygiene routine
- Utilize the EWG and Yuka apps for finding clean products
- Switch to non-toxic products in your environment (cookware, personal hygiene, beauty, and home and cleaning products)
Reduce your exposure to endocrine disrupting chemicals by going organic with your foods (especially your meat and dairy products), invest in plastic-free food storage containers and water bottles, and choose non-toxic cosmetics, body products, and household cleaners.
Detox Your Body for Hormonal Balance:
Several ways to help detox your body include:
- Dry brushing
- Sweating
- Body work
- Castor oil packs. This is a way to hold the oil on your skin for better absorption than only rubbing it into your skin. There is little research on castor oil packing, however it may help detoxify your liver, promote healthy digestion, reduce nausea, and provide pain relief. Check out this reusable castor oil pack wrap if you’re interested!
Boosting your body’s natural detoxification pathways may help effectively get rid of excess hormones in your body.
Questions or Comments on Herbs for Hormonal Balance?
If you have any questions or comments, please leave them below👇🏻
Talk soon, mama!
– Katelyn Lauren
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References:
[1] Wong, R. H., Howe, P. R., Coates, A. M., Buckley, J. D., & Berry, N. M. (2013). Chronic consumption of a wild green oat extract (Neuravena) improves brachial flow-mediated dilatation and cerebrovascular responsiveness in older adults. Journal of hypertension, 31(1), 192–200. https://doi.org/10.1097/HJH.0b013e32835b04d4
[2] Berry, N. M., Robinson, M. J., Bryan, J., Buckley, J. D., Murphy, K. J., & Howe, P. R. (2011). Acute effects of an Avena sativa herb extract on responses to the Stroop Color-Word test. Journal of alternative and complementary medicine (New York, N.Y.), 17(7), 635–637. https://doi.org/10.1089/acm.2010.0450
[3] Kennedy, D. O., Jackson, P. A., Forster, J., Khan, J., Grothe, T., Perrinjaquet-Moccetti, T., & Haskell-Ramsay, C. F. (2017). Acute effects of a wild green-oat (Avena sativa) extract on cognitive function in middle-aged adults: A double-blind, placebo-controlled, within-subjects trial. Nutritional neuroscience, 20(2), 135–151. https://doi.org/10.1080/1028415X.2015.1101304
[4] Meissner, H. O., Mrozikiewicz, P., Bobkiewicz-Kozlowska, T., Mscisz, A., Kedzia, B., Lowicka, A., Reich-Bilinska, H., Kapczynski, W., & Barchia, I. (2006). Hormone-Balancing Effect of Pre-Gelatinized Organic Maca (Lepidium peruvianum Chacon): (I) Biochemical and Pharmacodynamic Study on Maca using Clinical Laboratory Model on Ovariectomized Rats. International journal of biomedical science : IJBS, 2(3), 260–272.
[5] NIH: High Blood Triglycerides
[6] Salve, J., Pate, S., Debnath, K., & Langade, D. (2019). Adaptogenic and Anxiolytic Effects of Ashwagandha Root Extract in Healthy Adults: A Double-blind, Randomized, Placebo-controlled Clinical Study. Cureus, 11(12), e6466. https://doi.org/10.7759/cureus.6466
[7] Lopresti, A. L., Smith, S. J., Malvi, H., & Kodgule, R. (2019). An investigation into the stress-relieving and pharmacological actions of an ashwagandha (Withania somnifera) extract: A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study. Medicine, 98(37), e17186. https://doi.org/10.1097/MD.0000000000017186
[8] Bonilla, D. A., Moreno, Y., Gho, C., Petro, J. L., Odriozola-Martínez, A., & Kreider, R. B. (2021). Effects of Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera) on Physical Performance: Systematic Review and Bayesian Meta-Analysis. Journal of functional morphology and kinesiology, 6(1), 20. https://doi.org/10.3390/jfmk6010020
More references:
[9] Gannon, J. M., Brar, J., Rai, A., & Chengappa, K. N. R. (2019). Effects of a standardized extract of Withania somnifera (Ashwagandha) on depression and anxiety symptoms in persons with schizophrenia participating in a randomized, placebo-controlled clinical trial. Annals of clinical psychiatry : official journal of the American Academy of Clinical Psychiatrists, 31(2), 123–129.
[10] Chengappa, K. N. R., Brar, J. S., Gannon, J. M., & Schlicht, P. J. (2018). Adjunctive Use of a Standardized Extract of Withania somnifera (Ashwagandha) to Treat Symptom Exacerbation in Schizophrenia: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Study. The Journal of clinical psychiatry, 79(5), 17m11826. https://doi.org/10.4088/JCP.17m11826
[11] Lopresti, A. L., Drummond, P. D., & Smith, S. J. (2019). A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled, Crossover Study Examining the Hormonal and Vitality Effects of Ashwagandha ( Withania somnifera) in Aging, Overweight Males. American journal of men’s health, 13(2), 1557988319835985. https://doi.org/10.1177/1557988319835985
[12] Durg, S., Shivaram, S. B., & Bavage, S. (2018). Withania somnifera (Indian ginseng) in male infertility: An evidence-based systematic review and meta-analysis. Phytomedicine : international journal of phytotherapy and phytopharmacology, 50, 247–256. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.phymed.2017.11.011
[13] Durg, S., Bavage, S., & Shivaram, S. B. (2020). Withania somnifera (Indian ginseng) in diabetes mellitus: A systematic review and meta-analysis of scientific evidence from experimental research to clinical application. Phytotherapy research : PTR, 34(5), 1041–1059. https://doi.org/10.1002/ptr.6589
[14] Gorelick, J., Rosenberg, R., Smotrich, A., Hanuš, L., & Bernstein, N. (2015). Hypoglycemic activity of withanolides and elicitated Withania somnifera. Phytochemistry, 116, 283–289. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.phytochem.2015.02.029
[15] Devpura, G., Tomar, B. S., Nathiya, D., Sharma, A., Bhandari, D., Haldar, S., Balkrishna, A., & Varshney, A. (2021). Randomized placebo-controlled pilot clinical trial on the efficacy of ayurvedic treatment regime on COVID-19 positive patients. Phytomedicine : international journal of phytotherapy and phytopharmacology, 84, 153494. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.phymed.2021.153494
More references:
[16] Choudhary, D., Bhattacharyya, S., & Bose, S. (2017). Efficacy and Safety of Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera (L.) Dunal) Root Extract in Improving Memory and Cognitive Functions. Journal of dietary supplements, 14(6), 599–612. https://doi.org/10.1080/19390211.2017.1284970
[17] Kelgane, S. B., Salve, J., Sampara, P., & Debnath, K. (2020). Efficacy and Tolerability of Ashwagandha Root Extract in the Elderly for Improvement of General Well-being and Sleep: A Prospective, Randomized, Double-blind, Placebo-controlled Study. Cureus, 12(2), e7083. https://doi.org/10.7759/cureus.7083
[18] Zhong, Z., Han, J., Zhang, J., Xiao, Q., Hu, J., & Chen, L. (2018). Pharmacological activities, mechanisms of action, and safety of salidroside in the central nervous system. Drug design, development and therapy, 12, 1479–1489. https://doi.org/10.2147/DDDT.S160776
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