The hormones in your body are chemical messengers that regulate most of your functions — both mental and physical. In fact, it’s no exaggeration to say that your hormones control your overall health and well-being to a great degree, which is why an imbalance in your hormones can have such a widespread impact.

At Cross Roads Hormonal Health & Wellness, our team of medical experts understands the enormous role that hormones play in your body, which is why we specialize in this area of health. While there are many similarities in the hormones between men and women, the two sexes are defined to a large degree by different hormones‚ namely estrogen hormones and testosterone.

Here’s a look at how an imbalance in these hormones can cause significant changes in your body and what we can do about it.

A man’s world

As we mentioned, men and women share many of the same hormones, but what sets them apart are their sex hormones. While men and women both produce estrogen and testosterone, the levels in each are drastically different.

Men produce testosterone in their testes and this hormone controls, among other things, many of the more male characteristics, such as:

• Facial hair
• Muscle mass
• Bone density

When men suffer from a testosterone hormone imbalance, the effects cast a wide net and lead to:

• Fatigue
• Loss of muscle mass
• Weight gain
• Hair loss
• Anxiety
• Lower libido
• Gynecomastia (enlarged breasts)

Every man responds differently to hormone imbalances, but these side effects are among the most common.

A woman’s world

Many of a woman’s more female characteristics are governed by estrogen hormones, which are largely produced in the ovaries. When a hormone imbalance occurs, a woman may experience:

• Facial hair
• Thinning hair on the scalp
• Acne
• Weight gain
• Vaginal dryness
• Irregular periods
• Loss of bone density
• Hot flashes and night sweats

While many of these symptoms are associated with menopause, the period in which a woman transitions out of her reproductive years and estrogen levels drop precipitously, there are other conditions that can lead to hormone imbalances, such as polycystic ovary syndrome.

Restoring balance

Since hormone health is our specialty, we work with our patients to restore balance in their hormone levels through hormone replacement therapy. After we run a complete analysis of your hormone levels to determine the extent of the imbalance, we come up with the best replacement program for your unique situation.

To deliver the hormone replacement therapy, we use small, slow-release pellets, which we place just under your skin. These pellets generally last 3-6 months, at which time we can insert a new batch, making any necessary adjustments for improved results.

To experience our expert obstetric care, please call our office in Cross Roads, Texas, at (940) 213-2713 to see if your hormone levels are to blame.