rewrite this title Vitamins and Supplements That Can Help Balance Your Hormones

Hormones are your body’s chemical messengers. They’re important for growth and development, sexual function, mood, metabolism (how your body creates energy), and more.

A hormone imbalance occurs when you have too much or too little of a hormone in your body, or your body does not respond to a hormone correctly.

Hormone imbalance can occur due to infection, stress, tumors, medications, and changes in fluid and electrolyte levels. Puberty, pregnancy, and menopause can also cause hormone imbalance.

Your healthcare provider can prescribe medications to treat or prevent issues caused by hormonal imbalance. They may also recommend certain supplements.

Vitamins and minerals, such as magnesium and vitamin D, can help balance hormones and treat symptoms related to hormone imbalance.

Magnesium

Magnesium is a mineral that plays a role in over 300 enzyme systems in the body, including protein production and blood pressure regulation. Because it’s involved in nearly all body systems, magnesium may affect hormone balance in several ways:

Stress hormones: Magnesium helps regulate the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, which controls your stress response. The HPA axis regulates nearly all hormones related to stress, including cortisol. Magnesium helps calm your HPA axis and keeps stress hormones at a normal level, which can help you feel relaxed.
Sex hormones: Magnesium keeps estrogen and other sex hormones at normal levels by helping the liver get rid of hormones not needed in the body.
Sleep and mood hormones: Magnesium helps convert the hormone tryptophan into melatonin and serotonin, two hormones that help with sleep and mood.
Thyroid hormones: Low magnesium levels have been associated with the development of thyroid and other hormonal disorders.

Food sources of magnesium include green leafy vegetables, whole grains, nuts, and seeds. Magnesium supplements are also available if you don’t get enough magnesium through diet. The Tolerable Upper Intake Level (UL) for magnesium supplements in adults is 350 milligrams. Higher doses increase the risk for side effects like stomach pain and diarrhea.

Vitamin D

Vitamin D is naturally present in some foods and obtained from direct sunlight. It is necessary for many body functions, including bone, immune system, and thyroid health.

Several studies have found that low vitamin D is a risk factor for developing thyroid disorders. There is also evidence that vitamin D directly affects the development of sex hormones like estrogen and testosterone. Vitamin D supplementation may improve hormone levels in people with imbalances.

Vitamin D-rich foods include fatty fish, fish oil, ultraviolet-treated mushrooms, and fortified dairy products. Direct sunlight exposure can also provide vitamin D.

The Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) for vitamin D is 15 micrograms or 600 International Units (IU) in adults 19-70, and 20 micrograms or 800 IU in adults over 70. The UL in adults is 100 micrograms (4,000 IU).

Zinc

Zinc is a mineral naturally present in foods and available in supplement form. The mineral plays a role in hundreds of body processes, including wound healing, cell growth, and DNA development.

Zinc plays an important role in many hormone systems. Low zinc levels are associated with impaired hormonal balance and decreased production of sex and thyroid hormones. Zinc also helps lower inflammation, which can affect hormone production.

Food sources of zinc include meat, fish, seafood, and dairy products. The RDA for zinc is 11 milligrams for adult males and 8 milligrams for adult females. The UL for zinc is 40 milligrams. High doses of zinc can cause nausea, headaches, dizziness, and loss of appetite.

Certain herbal supplements can also help balance hormone levels.

Ashwagandha

Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera) is an herb used for thousands of years in traditional medicine. It is believed to treat or prevent conditions like anxiety and depression, infections, cancer, and diabetes. Ashwagandha is an adaptogen, meaning it helps regulate stress and overall imbalances in your body.

Ashwagandha appears to improve the thyroid gland and sex hormone levels. It also helps regulate the HPA axis, decreasing levels of the stress hormone cortisol. Normalizing hormone levels can help improve mood, concentration, and energy, as well as reduce inflammation.

Potential side effects of ashwagandha include diarrhea, nausea, and vomiting.

Black Cohosh

Black cohosh (Actaea racemosa or Cimicifuga racemosa) is a North American plant used medicinally since the late 1800s. It is commonly used today for menopausal symptoms, such as hot flashes, night sweats, vaginal dryness, and irritability.

How black cohosh affects hormone levels and helps treat menopausal symptoms is not well understood. Some research suggests it may affect estrogen levels, which are lower in menopausal women. It may also affect the levels of other hormones, such as follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) or luteinizing hormone (LH).

Black cohosh has been safely used in doses of 40-128 milligrams daily for up to 12 months. Side effects of black cohosh may include breast tenderness, dizziness, tiredness, and headache.

Licorice Root

Licorice root is an herb used as a flavor additive to food and beverages. It has also been used for centuries to treat multiple conditions, including inflammation, cancer, and infections. Licorice root is commonly used to treat menopausal symptoms and improve hormone imbalances.

The herb directly affects cortisol and estrogen levels in the body, but exactly how is not well understood. Licorice root also lowers testosterone production in men and women. More research is needed to understand how licorice root can affect hormonal imbalance.

Licorice root doses typically range from 110-990 milligrams taken in 1-3 doses daily. Side effects of licorice root include headache, nausea, and vomiting.

Maca

Maca (Lepidium meyenii) is a Peruvian plant traditionally used to improve fertility. Most of the studies performed with maca have been on animals, and more research is needed in humans.

Maca is an adaptogen, helping with stress and overall imbalances in your body through the HPA axis and cortisol regulation. A few studies have shown that maca may improve testosterone levels and fertility in men while treating menopausal symptoms in women. However, other studies have shown no significant improvement in hormone imbalance with maca.

Maca root is commonly found in powdered form and can be added to food or beverages. It is safe in doses up to 3 grams daily for four months.

Other supplements may help with hormone balance, including dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) and omega-3 fatty acids.

Diindolylmethane (DIM)

Diindolylmethane (DIM) is a chemical found in cruciferous vegetables, such as broccoli, cabbage, kale, cauliflower, and Brussels sprouts. It appears to regulate estrogen levels in the body, possibly lowering the chances of developing estrogen-related cancers and diseases.

DIM also appears to lower inflammation, which can play a role in hormone balance and cancer development. More research is needed to understand DIM’s role in hormone balance.

A typical diet supplies 2-24 milligrams of DIM daily. DIM supplements are considered safe in doses of up to 150 milligrams daily for up to 12 months.

Dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA)

Dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) is a hormone naturally secreted by the adrenal gland and produced in the brain. It helps produce other hormones, like testosterone and estrogen, while reducing levels of the stress hormone cortisol. DHEA production decreases as you age and may be lower after menopause or in people with depression.

Very few studies have evaluated DHEA in the treatment of hormone imbalance, sexual dysfunction, and menopausal symptoms. More research is needed to determine if the supplement is useful in these health conditions.

DHEA is usually taken at a dose of 50 milligrams daily for up to two years. Side effects include acne, headache, mood changes, and nausea. Women may also experience masculinization symptoms, like voice deepening, irregular periods, and unnatural hair growth. Men may experience symptoms like aggression and gynecomastia (breast tenderness or enlargement).

Omega-3 Fatty Acids

A few studies have found that omega-3 fatty acids may affect insulin sensitivity and resistance, specifically in people with the hormonal disorder polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). Omega-3 fatty acids may also improve menopausal symptoms.

Omega-3s are known to decrease inflammation, which may help with hormone production and the development of hormone-related disorders. More research is needed to determine this.

Omega-3 fatty acids can be found in fish and flaxseed, soybean, and canola oils, or taken as a supplement. The adequate intake level for omega-3s in adults is 1.6 grams in males and 1.1 grams in females.

Probiotics

Certain gut microorganisms can affect the levels of hormones like estrogen. For this reason, probiotics may support hormone balance. They also lower inflammation, which affects how well your body regulates hormone levels. More research is needed to understand probiotics’ potential role in hormone balance.

Probiotics can be found in fermented foods like yogurt, kimchi, and sauerkraut, or taken as a supplement.

It is important to discuss hormone imbalance treatment options with your healthcare provider. They can help determine the cause and determine the best treatment option. Your provider can also review your medical history to determine if a new drug or supplement will interact with another medication you are taking.

A nutritious and balanced diet low in sugar and high in protein, complex carbohydrates, and unsaturated fats; regular exercise; stress management; and good sleep can also help with hormone balance.

A hormone imbalance occurs when you have too much or too little of a hormone in your body, or your body does not respond to a hormone as it should.

Some hormonal imbalances require treatment with medication. However, certain supplements, such as magnesium, ashwagandha, and DHEA, may help prevent and treat a hormone imbalance.

Talk with your healthcare provider if you are interested in taking a supplement for hormonal balance.