Hormones are biochemicals that affect every aspect of your health, including your mood. Your mood and mental health suffer when your body doesn’t produce the right amount of certain hormones.
The caring team at Infinity Regenerative and Neuropathy Center in Plano, Texas, specialize in bioidentical hormone replacement therapy — a holistic approach that restores balance and allows you to regain a positive mood.
Here’s what you should know about hormones, their effect on your mood, and the benefits of bioidentical hormone replacement therapy.
Mood-regulating hormones
When talking about hormones and moods, women tend to take center stage. Their hormones routinely fluctuate during monthly cycles, pregnancy, and menopause, causing mood swings ranging from mild to extreme.
But men aren’t exempt from hormone-related mood swings. Though they don’t have the same dramatic hormonal changes as women, male hormones progressively decline with age, leading to mood problems.
Hormones with the highest impact on mood include:
Estrogen
Nearly every organ in your body has estrogen receptors. Receptors are areas in or on cells that bind with a substance (like estrogen) and trigger vital cellular activities.
Estrogen receptors in your brain affect emotions, mood, and memory. When estrogen levels temporarily drop or permanently decline at menopause, women experience:
- Mood swings
- Depression
- Anxiety
- Irritability
- Sadness
- Fatigue
- Brain fog
- Memory loss
Estrogen fluctuations are also responsible for premenstrual syndrome (PMS) and the more severe premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD). PMS causes various physical and emotional symptoms, including mood swings, food cravings, and fatigue. PMDD may cause anger, anxiety, panic attacks, and clinical depression.
Progesterone
Progesterone, often called the relaxation hormone, boosts brain chemicals that help women feel peaceful and calm. Progesterone levels drop before menstruation and during menopause, causing anxiety, depression, and difficulty sleeping.
Testosterone
Men’s testosterone levels drop gradually but consistently every year after 30. Many health conditions can also lead to low testosterone levels in men, including:
- Pituitary gland problems
- Metabolic disorders
- High iron levels
- Autoimmune diseases
- HIV/AIDS
- Diabetes
- Obesity
In addition to lowering your sex drive, reducing muscle mass, and draining your energy, low testosterone causes depression, anxiety, irritability, and mood changes.
Thyroid hormones
Whether your thyroid hormone levels are high or low, they substantially impact your mood and mental health. Low thyroid hormones (hypothyroidism) decrease brain activity and can lead to depression, lethargy, difficulty paying attention, and memory problems. High thyroid hormones (hyperthyroidism) often cause anxiety, irritability, and nervousness.
Benefits of bioidentical hormone replacement therapy
Bioidentical hormone replacement therapy is a safe way to restore balance when low hormone levels affect your mood. Before starting your treatment, we perform a complete blood workup to determine which hormones are low and their level. Then your bioidentical hormone replacement is customized to meet your unique needs.
Bioidentical hormones have the same molecular structure as your body naturally produces, making them highly compatible and capable of activating the same biological processes. Additionally, bioidentical hormones are made from plants. As a result, they don’t cause side effects that can occur with synthetic hormones.
We use Pellecome® products to balance hormones, including pellet therapy that contains your personalized dose in a pellet form. We insert the small pellet under your skin, where it continuously releases bioidentical hormones for several months.
Each pellet lasts 3-4 months, so you only need to have it replaced a few times yearly to keep your hormones balanced and your mood steady.
If you struggle with mood swings or other signs of hormone imbalances, call Infinity Regenerative and Neuropathy Center or request an appointment online today.