An estimated 80% women have hormonal imbalance due to low levels of Estrogen, Progesterone, Testosterone, and Thyroid Hormone, which affects their health. Hormonal changes occur naturally due to transitions such as puberty, perimenopause, menopause, unhealthy lifestyle habits, and environmental influences. Hormonal imbalance can easily lead to early puberty or premature aging (1). So how to balance hormones to improve health? The following article will share more specifically about 8 highly effective ways to supplement female hormones that you may not know!

What are female hormones?
Female hormones are estrogen and progesterone. Although testosterone is a male hormone, women's bodies also produce small amounts of this hormone.

Estrogen is the main female hormone produced by the ovaries, but a small amount is produced in the adrenal glands, fat cells, and especially the placenta, which also produces estrogen during pregnancy. (2)

Estrogen plays an important role in reproductive and sexual development such as: puberty, menstruation, pregnancy, and menopause. Estrogen also affects: brain, heart, hair, skeletal muscles, skin, and urinary tract. Estrogen levels are determined by a blood test, calculated in picograms per milliliter (pg/mL) as:

Adult female, premenopausal: 15-350 pg/mL.
Adult female, postmenopausal: <10 pg/mL.
Estrogen levels will vary widely during the menstrual cycle.

Progesterone: the ovaries produce the female sex hormone progesterone after ovulation, during pregnancy.

The role of progesterone: prepares the uterine lining for a fertilized egg, supports pregnancy, inhibits estrogen production after ovulation. Progesterone levels can be determined with a blood test, measured in nanograms per milliliter (ng/mL):

Stage Progesterone concentration
Before puberty 0.1 – 0.3 ng/mL
During the first (follicular) phase of the menstrual cycle 0.1 – 0.7 ng/mL.
At ovulation (luteal phase of the cycle) 2 – 25 ng/mL
First 3 months of pregnancy: 10 – 44 ng/mL
Second trimester of pregnancy: 19.5 - 82.5 ng/mL
Last 3 months of pregnancy 65 - 290 ng/mL
Testosterone: small amounts of testosterone come from the adrenal glands and ovaries. Testosterone plays an important role in a number of body functions such as: sexual desire, menstrual cycle regulation, bone and muscle strength. A blood test can determine testosterone levels, the normal range for women is 15 – 70 nanograms per deciliter (ng/dL).

Are female hormone disorders dangerous?
Have. Female hormone disorders affect metabolism, including the chemical reactions in the body's cells that help convert food into energy. Many different hormones and processes are involved in metabolism.

Symptoms of hormonal imbalance
Symptoms of hormonal imbalance affect metabolism, slow or fast heart rate, fatigue, constipation, diarrhea or frequent bowel movements.
Symptoms of hormonal imbalances that affect metabolism include: slow or fast heart rate, unexplained weight gain or loss, fatigue, constipation, diarrhea or frequent bowel movements, numbness and tingling in the hands. (3)

Higher than normal blood cholesterol levels, depression or anxiety.
Cannot tolerate cold or warm temperatures.
Skin and hair are dry and rough.
Thin, moist skin.
Uneven body fat distribution.
Dark skin in the armpits or sides of the neck.
Thirst, frequent urination.
When do you need to supplement female hormones?
Female hormone supplementation should be considered in certain cases. Here are some situations where female hormone supplementation should be considered:

1. Eat a lot, gain weight
Hormonal changes can cause weight gain, especially during menopause. When you feel pale or uncomfortable, the amount of estrogen decreases, causing you to eat more, affecting the level of the hormone leptin.

2. Sudden weight loss
The thyroid gland helps control the rate at which the body turns food into fuel, affecting heart rate and body temperature. When the body produces too many hormones or does not produce enough, weight loss occurs.

3. Irregular menstruation
Women's menstrual cycle usually lasts about 21 - 35 days. There are many reasons for irregular menstrual cycles, possibly due to some hormones estrogen and progesterone being too high or too low. In particular, irregular menstruation often occurs during premenopause, the time before menopause at the age of 40 - 50 years old. However, irregular periods can also be caused by polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS).

4. Having problems sleeping
Not getting enough sleep or not sleeping well also affects the hormones in the body. Low estrogen levels will cause heat in the body and night sweats, making it difficult to sleep.

5. Chronic acne
Pimples before or during menstruation are normal, but acne does not go away due to hormonal problems. An excess of the male hormone testosterone in the female body can cause the oil glands to overwork. Androgens also affect the skin cells in and around hair follicles clogging pores causing acne.

6. Dry skin
Hormonal changes cause dry skin, especially during menopause, when the skin naturally begins to thin, unable to retain as much moisture as it once did. In addition, thyroid problems also cause dry skin.

7. Brain fog syndrome
Changes in estrogen and progesterone make it harder for the brain to remember things. Estrogen affects chemicals in the brain called neurotransmitters. Memory problems are especially common during perimenopause and menopause.

8. Abdominal problems
The intestines have small receptor cells that respond to estrogen and progesterone. When these hormones are higher or lower than normal, they will affect the digestion of food. If the body has digestive problems or acne or fatigue, hormone levels will decrease.

9. Constant fatigue
Fatigue is the most common symptom of hormonal imbalance. Excess progesterone can cause drowsiness. If the thyroid gland produces too little thyroid hormone, it will deplete the body's energy.

10. Night sweats
Low estrogen levels cause night sweats, especially at the onset of menopause.

11. Mood changes, depression
A decline in hormones or a rapid change in their levels can cause mood changes and depression. Estrogen affects important chemicals in the brain such as serotonin, dopamine, norepinephrine.

12. Hair loss and thinning hair
When hormones such as estrogen decrease, other hormones in the muscle such as testosterone can easily cause hair thinning or hair loss. Hair loss often occurs during pregnancy, menopause or after starting birth control pills.

13. Headache
Before or during menstruation, when estrogen levels are decreasing, it causes frequent headaches or headaches that often appear at the same time each month, indicating that hormone levels are changing.

14. Vaginal dryness
If estrogen levels decrease due to hormonal imbalance, it will reduce vaginal fluid, causing engorgement.

15. Reduced sexual desire
If your testosterone levels are lower than normal, your sex drive will be less than usual.

16. Breast changes
A decrease in estrogen will make breast tissue less dense. The increase in hormones thickens this tissue, even causing tumors or cysts.

17. Thirst
Both estrogen and progesterone affect the amount of water in the body. Thirst is also a sign that your body is not producing enough anti-diuretic hormone (ADH), which helps keep you hydrated and can easily cause diabetes insipidus.

How to supplement female hormones
There are many ways to supplement female hormones through food and medicine, including:

1. Butter
Avocados contain a large amount of fiber and healthy fats that help improve heart health, overcome skin aging problems, and maintain a balanced weight. Every day you should consume about ¼ avocado which is good for your health.

Avocado is good for hormones
Avocados contain a large amount of fiber and healthy fats that help improve heart health and are good for hormones.
2. Nuts
Almonds are effective in controlling blood sugar levels, reducing the risk of developing type 2 diabetes, and reducing bad cholesterol in the body. However, you should not consume too many almonds because they are high in calories and can easily cause weight gain.

Sesame seeds contain a lot of fiber and are rich in phytoestrogens that increase estrogen activity and improve blood cholesterol levels. Regularly eating sesame seeds will increase estrogen activity in postmenopausal women. (4)

3. Fatty fish
Some types of fatty fish such as mackerel, salmon... help the body stay healthy and improve female hormones. Fatty fish is rich in omega-3, which helps prevent polycystic ovary syndrome (a cause of hormonal imbalance) and regulate menstruation.

4. Cabbage
Broccoli, cabbage, and mustard greens are rich in phytoestrogens that are good for the body and help balance female hormones.

5. Chicken
Chicken breast is rich in protein, low in fat. A high-protein diet promotes the secretion of the hormone leptin, which provides a feeling of fullness. Chicken also has a positive effect on the hormones insulin and estrogen, which help build muscle after exercise, helping to balance female hormones.

6. Eggs
Vitamin choline contained in eggs has the effect of producing the neurotransmitter acetylcholine in the human body, which is good for the brain and nervous system activity, helping to remember longer. Eggs also provide omega-3 fatty acids, anti-inflammatory fats that support the brain, ensuring a stable nervous system, thereby effectively controlling stress.

7. Female hormone supplements
There are many female hormone supplements that help balance hormones, including:

Hormonal birth control: for non-pregnant people, medications containing forms of estrogen and progesterone help regulate symptoms and irregular menstrual cycles. Contraceptives come in various forms such as pills, patches, injections, intrauterine devices. Get enough sleep: getting enough sleep helps the body maintain healthy hormone levels needed to perform important functions.
Avoid stress: high stress causes the body to produce too much of the stress hormones cortisol and adrenaline. Excess stress hormones cause hormone imbalances that negatively impact estrogen levels.
Exercising enough: helps regulate body fat and sleep better.
Limit alcohol intake: alcohol will increase estrogen levels. Over time, too much exposure to estrogen increases the risk of cancer.
Practice good eating habits: track food intake to help balance hormones. Reducing sugary foods, eating foods rich in fiber, healthy fats (fats found in olive oil, nuts, fish...) will help balance hormones more stably.