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Your Healthy Family: Hormone imbalances in women

Posted at 7:27 AM, Jun 07, 2022
and last updated 2022-06-07 07:29:50-04

Studies show 80 percent of women suffer from hormonal imbalance.

"Women come in with a slew of different complaints and somebody, somewhere told them they should get their hormones checked, or maybe they saw online this could be hormonal. So, tons of different symptoms, because we have about 50 different hormones in our body, at least," Dr. Pelin Batur, who specializes in Women's Health for Cleveland Clinic, said.

She said women will often come in for symptoms related to peri-menopause, post menopause, or when they have disruptions in their menstrual cycle. She said testing varies based on the situation, but in some cases, they'll check estrogen, testosterone, or thyroid hormone levels. Dr. Batur said it's important to point out that certain symptoms, like difficulty losing weight or hair loss, aren't always related to hormones. Those could be related to dietary or lifestyle factors. She said that's why she makes sure to have a thorough conversation before making a determination.

"If there's a lot of irregularities to the cycle, I am probably likely to do more testing versus if it's nice, regular cycles with other symptoms. I may do other types of tests, like thyroid. Or I may just actually sit back and listen more before ordering," Dr. Batur said.

She said it's important for women not to suffer in silence; if you notice any kind of health issue, consult with your doctor.