Hormone deficiency - Thrive Hormone Therapy

Hormone deficiency, also called hypofunction of glands or endocrine hypofunction, refers to when your body does not produce enough of a certain hormone. Hormones are chemical messengers made by glands. They travel in the blood to tissues and organs, delivering messages that tell the organs what to do and when to do it. When your body does not make enough hormones, bodily functions can become unbalanced. Some common signs and symptoms of hormone deficiency include:

• Fatigue
• Weight gain or weight loss
• Muscle weakness
• Joint pain
• Depression or mood changes
• Hair loss
• Dry skin or other skin changes
• Poor memory and concentration
• Low sex drive

What causes hormone deficiency? Hormone levels can become deficient for a few reasons:

• Problems with glands - The glands that make hormones can malfunction due to issues like infection, injury, tumors, or autoimmune disease. For example, type 1 diabetes causes the pancreas to make little to no insulin.
• Hormone production issues - The glands may not get proper signals from the brain or may not be able to properly use enzymes and nutrients needed to create hormones.
• Problems with hormone transport - Issues with binding proteins in blood that carry hormones or problems with hormone receptors on cells can prevent proper hormone signaling and use, essentially causing deficiency symptoms.

Some people are born lacking certain hormones, while hormone production naturally declines with aging. Deficiency is also a side effect of treatments like chemotherapy, radiation, and surgery to remove glands. How is hormone deficiency treated? Treatment aims to return hormone levels back to normal. The type of treatment depends on which hormone is deficient and what is causing the shortage. The most common treatments include:

• Hormone therapy - Taking supplements of the deficient hormone, like thyroid hormone pills for hypothyroidism or testosterone therapy for low testosterone.
• Medications - Drugs that promote hormone production and regulate associated processes. For example, medication to regulate blood sugar in diabetes or stimulate ovulation.
• Surgery - Surgery may help repair damaged glands or implant devices that replace a non-working gland.

Managing an underlying condition causing deficiency and making lifestyle changes can also help balance hormone levels. Getting enough high-quality sleep, staying active, minimizing stress, and eating a balanced diet supports healthy hormone function. I aimed to provide an overview of what hormone deficiency means, common signs and symptoms, causes, and how it can be treated. Visit Thrive Hormone Therapy for professional consultation and treatment of hormone-related conditions.