Claire Turnbull takes a look at the essential role of hormones in our physical and emotional wellbeing.
Over the past few weeks, be it on work calls, dropping my kids at the bus or bumping into people at the supermarket, I seem to be having the same conversation everywhere I go: people struggling with how they feel at the moment.
Some are not sleeping well, others are struggling with brain fog, skin breakouts, digestive issues, low mood, or a lack of motivation.
So, is it just the winter blues lingering while we hold out for spring? Or is there something deeper affecting how we feel and function?
When looking for answers, supplements, with their strong marketing power, are often the first go-to. Persuading us, often incorrectly, that a powder or pill will be ‘the’ answer.
Now more than ever, I also see people questioning whether hormones are to blame for how they feel. Could they be "out of balance", and is that the cause of all their problems? Let’s have a look...
What are hormones?
Historically, discussion about hormones or being ‘hormonal’ was often linked to women and ‘that time of the month’. More recently, day-to-day conversations have broadened to include perimenopause, menopause, and conditions such as PMOS, previously called PCOS.
But hormones aren’t just the business of those of us born with ovaries. They affect us all, whatever our age, stage, or gender. There are lots of different types too, over 50 in fact! They are produced by glands you may have heard of, such as the thyroid, ovaries, testes, and adrenals, but also by the gut, kidneys and even body fat.
Hormones are chemical messengers that travel through the bloodstream, telling cells, tissues, and organs what to do and when. They help regulate sleep, appetite, blood glucose, temperature, growth, reproduction, mood, and our response to stress, among many other things.
Your internal orchestra
The way I like to think about the body’s hormonal system, known in medical speak as the endocrine system, is as an orchestra.
The glands and organs that make hormones are like instruments, while hormones are like the sounds (signals) they send. Each has an individual role, but they also work together to create the overall performance. Only cells with the right receptor can ‘hear’ and respond to each message.
The hypothalamus and pituitary gland in the brain act like conductors for many hormone systems. Feedback loops detect what is already circulating and turn instructions up or down, like an orchestra watching the conductor and adjusting as it plays.
When one instrument is too loud, too quiet, or playing at the wrong time, the whole performance can be affected. In the same way, when one hormone is not sending messages as it should, it can have knock-on effects elsewhere in the body.
A few hormones and what they do
Thyroid hormones: The thyroid is a butterfly-shaped gland in the neck. Its hormones influence how the body uses energy, affecting temperature, heart rate, digestion, and metabolism. Too little may cause tiredness, feeling cold, and weight gain; too much may cause sweating, palpitations, and weight loss.
Oestrogen, progesterone, and testosterone: Often labelled ‘female’ and ‘male’ hormones but all three are found in everyone, in different amounts. They influence reproduction, sexual function, bones, muscle, temperature, and mood.
As you might know if you have teenagers in the house, like I do, at this time of life there are rapid changes with these hormones which can make for a challenge!
In men, testosterone may begin a gradual decline from around age 35, and some may notice a negative impact on libido, erectile function, muscle mass, and mood. Gents, this is not a time to reach for something online to sort this out though, please talk to your doctor for proper advice.
For women, during the menstrual cycle, oestrogen, progesterone and testosterone naturally fluctuate, and things get more unpredictable with all three hormones during perimenopause. Testosterone in women contributes to sexual function, and for some it can also impact fatigue, brain fog, and mood, so it is one to definitely look into during the transition to menopause.
Melatonin: Made in the brain, melatonin usually rises as darkness falls, helping the body prepare for sleep, then reduces towards morning. It is a timing signal, not an on-off switch. Too little morning daylight, irregular sleep times and too much light at night can disrupt this rhythm.
Insulin: This hormone moves glucose from the blood into cells, to be used or stored. Insulin resistance occurs when cells become less responsive, so the body produces more to control blood glucose. This can contribute to prediabetes and type 2 diabetes as well as often being present in PMOS (Polyendocrine Metabolic Ovarian Syndrome, previously called Polycystic Ovary Syndrome). In type 1 diabetes, the immune system destroys insulin-producing cells, so replacement insulin is essential.
Cortisol and adrenaline: These help us respond to challenges and are essential for survival. Chronic stress can affect their patterns and may influence sleep, appetite, and mood.
Serotonin: Often discussed alongside hormones, serotonin is primarily a neurotransmitter involved in mood, sleep, appetite, and digestion. Most of the body’s serotonin is made in the gut, while the brain produces its own. Natural daylight, regular movement, adequate sleep, and good nutrition all help support healthy serotonin production and signalling.
What does ‘balanced hormones’ actually mean?
The phrase makes it sound as though every hormone should sit at one perfect level. In reality, hormones are meant to change. Insulin rises after eating, cortisol is usually higher in the morning and melatonin increases at night.
Healthy hormonal function means releasing an appropriate amount at the appropriate time, with target cells responding as they should.
Problems arise when the body produces too much or too little, releases a hormone at the wrong time, or cannot respond to its message. This can result in medical conditions such as thyroid disease, diabetes, or Cushing syndrome, for example, and are far more than a simple ‘imbalance’ and often require medication or other medical interventions.
Normal life stages, including puberty and perimenopause however, as previously mentioned, can also cause real symptoms too despite not being medical conditions as such.
How can food and lifestyle support healthy hormonal function?
Rather than rushing out to buy an at-home test or a supplement, start by checking the foundations.
Aim for a varied diet with five or more hands of vegetables and two servings of fruit. Opt for wholegrains as well as enjoying legumes, lean proteins, dairy or alternatives and healthy fats including the lives of oily fish, nuts, seeds, and extra virgin olive oil. Overall, thinking of a Mediterranean-style pattern is useful, but be aware there is no specific ‘hormone balancing’ diet.
Eating enough matters too. Restrictive dieting or under-fuelling can suppress reproductive hormones, disrupt periods, reduce testosterone, and compromise bones and muscle. Sometimes supporting hormones means adding enough food, not cutting more out.
The thyroid needs iodine to function properly and unfortunately, many people aren’t getting enough. It is best to use iodised salt at home; seafood and seaweed are also great sources. Selenium is also very important, having two Brazil nuts a day can help you get what you need. Iron matters as well and with one in 14 women in NZ low in iron, this is definitely one to look into.
Zinc supports reproductive function and is found in meat, seafood, dairy products, eggs, legumes, nuts, and seeds. Deficiency may contribute to low testosterone in men, but taking extra zinc is unlikely to boost testosterone if you are already getting enough. More is not always better: high dose zinc supplements taken over time can interfere with copper absorption and cause deficiency, so focus on food sources unless supplementation has been recommended by a health professional.
Movement, particularly resistance training, supports insulin sensitivity and muscle. Consistent sleep times, early natural light, less bright light at night and managing chronic stress support hormonal rhythms.
Alcohol deserves a mention too. Higher intakes can affect hormone systems, while even a few drinks may disrupt sleep. Drinking less supports hormonal and wider health.
For personalised lifestyle advice to support your hormones, a New Zealand registered dietitian or nutritionist skilled up in this area will also be able to help.
How are hormones tested?
There is no single test that can tell you whether all your hormones are ‘balanced’. Doctors choose tests based on your symptoms and medical history. Blood tests are most common, although saliva and urine tests have specific uses. The right test and timing matter because hormone levels can change throughout the day, across the menstrual cycle and in response to medicines or illness.
A word of caution with tests ordered online however, as even if the measurement is accurate, interpreting results without the wider medical picture can be misleading. Your GP or another appropriately qualified health professional is the best place to start.
When should you see your GP?
If your tiredness is more than a passing phase, your fatigue is persistent, or you simply haven’t felt right for a while, do seek help from a qualified medical professional. Significant hair loss, heavy, irregular or absent periods, hot flushes, night sweats, heat or cold intolerance, heart palpitations, unexplained weight changes or changes in sexual function should also be checked.
To make the most of your appointment, note when your symptoms began, how often they occur, their impact and any patterns, such as links with your menstrual cycle, sleep or stress. Take a list of any supplements you are taking, along with your main questions. You don’t need to decide which hormones need testing; giving your doctor a clear overall picture will help them determine what, if anything, needs investigating.
Depending on your symptoms, a blood count, iron, thyroid or blood glucose test may be more revealing than a broad ‘hormone panel’ and sometimes, like in the case of perimenopause, diagnosis is based on symptoms rather than hormone tests.
Claire Turnbull is a registered nutritionist with an honours degree in dietetics, a wellbeing educator and author.
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