Hormone decline refers to the gradual reduction in hormone levels that occurs as people age. As we get older, our endocrine system produces fewer key hormones, like testosterone, estrogen, progesterone, DHEA, and growth hormone. This decline can start as early as our 20s and 30s.
The most notable impacts of hormone decline include:
- Decreased muscle mass and bone density: Lower testosterone and growth hormone levels make it harder to maintain strength and prevent osteoporosis.
- Increased body fat: With less muscle to burn calories, reduced testosterone can lead to more belly fat.
- Low energy and fatigue: Thyroid issues or low cortisol from the adrenal glands can leave you feeling drained.
- Sleep disruptions: Fluctuating or declining progesterone and melatonin makes sleep less restful.
- Low libido: Declining testosterone in both men and women reduces sex drive.
- Mood changes: Estrogen impacts serotonin levels and promotes emotional wellbeing.
While some hormone reduction is inevitable, there are ways to slow this decline. Getting enough exercise helps stimulate natural hormone production. Eating a nutrient-rich diet with healthy fats, produce, and lean protein provides the building blocks for key hormones. Managing stress levels prevents overload of the adrenal glands. Good sleep, proper supplementation, and maintaining a healthy weight also help.
For those with more severe hormone imbalance, bioidentical hormone replacement therapy is an option. This involves taking customized supplements to return testosterone, estrogen, progesterone, and thyroid levels to more youthful ranges. However, there are some health risks with long-term use, so it's smart to have testing done yearly.
In the end, some gradual hormone changes are a natural part of aging. Making healthy lifestyle choices can help ease this transition. Through diet, exercise, stress reduction, and natural supplements, both men and women can take charge of hormonal health.