Hormones are chemical messengers that control the various functions of the human body. They hold your moods, regulate your metabolism, and even control your appearance! This guide will help you understand some factors that can influence your hormone levels.
These five factors will give you a more accurate idea of what type of hormone imbalances may be present in your system. Although these factors are known to influence our hormone levels, not all of them will apply to us equally. You must look out for the ones that sound most relevant to your condition or lifestyle. This will also apply to the type of testing you wish to undertake if you are planning on investigating further.
For instance, if you’re pregnant, testing progesterone might not be necessary, but it could still show an increase in estrogen levels. Don’t forget that you can always test your hormone levels at home, using an in home text kit.
1. Caffeine Consumption
Caffeine is the most widely consumed psychoactive substance on Earth. It is found in chocolate, coffee, tea, and soda. The average person consuming caffeine will have around 2.8 grams, with decaf coffee consumption at 1-2 grams and total, caffeinated coffee consumption at 2-6 grams daily. However, many
variables can change this number drastically, including gender, the size of the cup or serving size used, and how much water is being used to dilute the beverage.
2. Diet
Body weight can directly influence how much testosterone and estrogen are produced. If you’re overly overweight, your body will have too much estrogen and testosterone, resulting in a significant drop in the levels of both hormones. Excess estrogen will slow the body’s metabolism, increasing fat storage and slowing bone growth. Smaller individuals also tend to produce less testosterone, as this hormone is made from the same precursor as estrogen.
3. Supplementing Practices
One of the most prevalent steroid users is protein supplements like whey protein or casein. Proteins are a primary building block of muscle tissue; this is where the steroid’s name comes from. When you supplement protein, you’re giving your body an increased supply of building blocks, resulting in increased muscle growth.
4. Stress Levels
Stress can have a massive effect on your hormones, as well as your overall health and well-being. Whenever you stress out about something, whether personal or professional, it sends your body into fight-or-flight mode, which is an evolutionary response to feeling stressed out or threatened. Your body will begin to release adrenaline to prepare you to fight the threat or flee the situation. It is why cortisol is commonly referred to as the “stress hormone,” as it was initially thought that it was released only when one was stressed.
However, we now know that this is only part of the story. Cortisol does not only rise in response to stress from external sources such as social situations but also from stress within the body. For example, if you’re running on a treadmill and suddenly view a mouse on the other side of the room, adrenaline will be released, quickly leading to cortisol production by your adrenal glands.
5. Sleep Cycle
Sleep is essential for regulating the body’s hormones, including cortisol, estrogen, testosterone, melatonin, and progesterone. To this end, getting enough rest is always a good idea. Plus, sleeping well helps to lower cortisol levels that may have spiked during the day.
However, as we get older, our body clocks start to slow down, which is why it’s often more challenging for us to fall asleep as quickly as we did when we were young. It is why we must get on a regular sleep schedule, even if this means going to bed earlier.
Bottom Line
Your hormones control your body, including weight loss, fat storage, muscle growth, and bone density. They can also impact your mood and your sex drive.
Therefore, and as you can imagine, knowing how to test hormone levels can hugely benefit you.
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