Hormones are chemicals produced and secreted by cells in one part of the body that produce a physiological effect on other cells. There are many types of hormones, including steroids, phospholipids, stress hormones and sex hormones. In the female body, optimal health is maintained by a delicate balance of all of the hormones. Due to a number of factors, such as puberty, ovulation, menstruation and pregnancy, it is not uncommon for these hormones to become unbalanced, resulting in a number of problems.
Premenstrual Syndrome
Premenstrual syndrome, also known as PMS, is a common female hormone issue that affects three out of every four menstruating women, as reported by the doctors at the Mayo Clinic. Symptoms of PMS typically begin approximately 14 days prior to menstruation, when the levels of estrogen and progesterone are increased.
The symptoms include emotional and behavioral changes such as mood swings, anxiety, depression, crying, poor concentration and insomnia. Physical symptoms include muscle pain, headache, fatigue, breast tenderness and fluid retention that results in weight gain and abdominal bloating.
Infertility
An imbalance in female hormones can result in infertility. In order to get pregnant a woman must ovulate, which is regulated by a series of hormones. The hypothalamus produces follicle-stimulating hormone release factor, or FSH, which triggers the pituitary gland to secrete more follicle-stimulating hormone. This hormone triggers the egg follicles in the ovaries to mature. The maturing follicles produce more and more estrogen as they mature, which triggers the hypothalamus to produce leutenizing hormone release factor (LH-RF). The LH-RF signals the pituitary to release a surge of leutenizing hormone, which causes one of the mature follicles to burst open, releasing the egg. The burst follicle releases increased levels of estrogen and progesterone to prepare the uterus for implantation.
An imbalance in any one of these hormones can interrupt this process, resulting in infertility.
Menopause
Menopause, a natural part of aging, is the permanent end to menstrual periods and fertility for women. In the United States the average age for menopause is 51, according to the Merck Manual.
Menopause occurs because, as women age, their ovaries stop producing estrogen. This decrease in estrogen affects other parts of the body, producing symptoms such as hot flashes. A low level of estrogen also increases the risk of osteoporosis, which is the breakdown of bones.
Acne
Acne is the most common skin disease, according to the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases. It is an inflammatory skin condition that occurs due to a build-up of oil in the skin that traps bacteria and clogs the pores, leading to the formation of pimples.
Hormone levels are associated with the presence of acne. The female body produces both estrogens, female sex hormones, and androgens, male sex hormones. Androgens can bind to the sebaceous glands, which are the glands in the skin responsible for oil production, increasing the amount of oil produced. An increase in androgens causes an increase in oil, which attracts bacteria and can clog the pores, resulting in acne.
