This article will help educate women on how specific vitamins and supplements can naturally support hormonal balance, improve well-being, and complement a healthy lifestyle.
Hormonal balance is essential for overall health in females. Hormonal issues can be caused by pregnancy or menopause, but certain medications, stress, physical health issues, autoimmune conditions, and more can also cause them.
When you struggle with hormonal imbalances as a woman, no matter the cause, it can affect several areas of your life. The body makes over 50 hormones, which contribute to bodily functions, and changes to those hormones can cause things like fatigue, mood swings, or irregular periods.
Why Hormonal Balance Matters for Women
Learning how to balance hormones for females brings with it myriad benefits. Your hormones act as chemical messengers and they are responsible for vital bodily functions, including your thyroid function, menopause and menstrual cycles, mood, and physical health like metabolism.
Without the best supplements to balance hormones for females or the right type of nutrition, you can struggle with irregular periods, mood swings, infertility, hair loss, weight changes, acne, and more.
How to Balance Hormones for Females Naturally
Eating a nutrient-dense diet
What you eat is a major indicator of your hormonal balance. Why?
Many of the key vitamins that help you keep balanced hormones in your body have the highest level of bioavailability when consumed from natural sources like meats and vegetables as opposed to supplements.
The more you focus on eating a nutrient-dense diet, the better your absorption will be of the best vitamins to balance hormones and females.
When you eat a nutrient-dense diet, you'll have better control over which vitamins you are getting with your food and where you might need supplements to balance hormones for females.
One study found that older women who consumed increased levels of B6 either naturally or through supplements were 43% less likely to be depressed. So, if you are struggling with depression, you can turn to changes in your dietary plans first and then begin to incorporate more stress management activity and sleep.
Incorporating physical activity and stress management techniques
The right stress management and physical activity are natural ways to control your hormones.
Physical activity actually stimulates your endocrine system, and this produces beneficial hormones, including:
- Growth hormone
- Serotonin
- Dopamine
It also helps to regulate cortisol, a stress hormone. These hormones enhance your mood, relieve anxiety, improve insulin sensitivity, improve your metabolism, and directly influence levels of estrogen and testosterone. The role of sleep in hormonal healthSleep is responsible for regulating things like stress hormones. Cortisol levels will peak after you wake up from a restful night of sleep, which is important because this peak actually triggers estrogen and thyroid production but if you don't have adequate sleep, your cortisol levels remain high throughout the day instead of peaking first thing when you wake up.While you sleep, leptin and ghrelin are well balanced, but if you get poor sleep, you might have an increase in the latter and a decrease in the former, leading to excessive eating throughout the day and unnecessary calorie consumption, usually sugars and fats, to keep you awake. Studies indicate that consuming the best vitamins to balance hormones in females leads to an increase in sleep induction and dreams, especially when combined with things like melatonin. This means the right vitamins to balance hormones make it easier to fall asleep. Best Vitamins to Balance Hormones for FemalesSo what are the best vitamins to balance hormones for females?Vitamin D: The Sunshine HormoneMany studies indicate that 41% of Americans have a vitamin D deficiency, especially during the winter. Vitamin D is derived from the sun and limited foods like egg yolks and fish.Vitamin D is a hormone that helps communicate between other hormones, as well as your immune system and reproductive system. Getting enough vitamin D is essential to keeping a good hormonal balance as a woman.Vitamin B6: Supporting Serotonin and Hormonal StabilityVitamin B6 is an essential vitamin for supporting the liver's process of clearing away estrogen. So, if you struggle with estrogen dominance and need a better balance between estrogen and progesterone, B6 can help. You can eat foods with B6, like:
- Chickpeas
- Potatoes
- Beef liver
- Avocado
- Salmon
- Chicken breast
- Turkey
- Bulgur
- Bananas
In fact, research indicates that animal proteins are some of the most bioavailable forms. You can get up to 40% of the B6 you need daily with a few ounces of turkey or beef compared to eating a whole cup of chickpeas for the same amount.
Vitamin E: The Antioxidant for Hormonal Health
Vitamin E is an antioxidant for your hormonal health, reducing negative effects of estrogen. so increasing your daily vitamin E, especially if you are dealing with PMS or menopause-related problems, can help alleviate the severity and frequency of symptoms like hot flashes.
Magnesium: The Mineral for Stress and Hormone Regulation
Many women struggle with a magnesium deficiency, and yet magnesium is essential for regulating stress and hormones. You can find magnesium in:
- Avocados
- Dark chocolate
- Broccoli
- Leafy greens
- Chia or flax seeds
- Lentils
- Chickpeas
Consuming the right levels of magnesium regulates the production of progesterone, estrogen, thyroid, and testosterone hormones, improves sleep, reduces inflammation, and manages stress. For women, in particular, there are several benefits of incorporating magnesium to balance your hormones, like improving PMS, PCOS, perimenopause, and menopause symptoms.
Zinc: The Key to Reproductive Health
Zinc is a key mineral for reproductive health as it regulates hormones, including cortisol, estrogen, and progesterone. Zinc facilitates several aspects of reproductive health, like egg maturation, regular menstruation, and high fertility rates. Low levels of zinc can lead to the opposite, with irregular menstruation, unsuccessful fertility, and poor ovulation.
Omega-3 Fatty Acids: Hormone-Friendly Fats
Finally, omega-3 fatty acids are very hormone-friendly fats that are derived primarily from nuts, seeds, and fish. You can consume them by eating:
- Walnuts
- Flax seeds
- Egg yolks
- Chia seeds
- Salmon
- Sardines
- Anchovies
If consuming these foods on a regular basis is unappealing or unavailable where you are, supplements can make a great alternative to getting the right balance for your hormones. Supplements to Balance Hormones for Females: What to Look ForIf consuming all of those key nutrients seems a bit overwhelming or untenable with any dietary restrictions you might have, a great way to ensure you are getting a good balance is to use supplements to balance hormones in females, especially for things that are more challenging to come by.
Key Ingredients in Hormone-Balancing Supplements
When looking at supplements to balance hormones for females, some of the key ingredients that you should prioritize are the same ingredients that you would get from vitamins to balance hormones for females.
- If you need omega-3 fatty acids, you can take cod liver oil as a supplement. High-quality fish oil supplements are a great way to ensure that you get a better hormonal balance without having to change your diet if you don't particularly like fatty fish or you don't eat lots of seeds and walnuts.
- Similarly, if it is a problem for you to get vitamin D through egg yolks and fish, you can find vitamin D supplements. In fact, vitamin D and fish oil supplements are often taken together or sold together because vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin. Even if you consume egg yolks and fish regularly, it's always a good idea to consider taking a high-quality vitamin D supplement in the winter when you don't get a lot of sunlight.
- High-quality vitamin B6 supplements can help you if you have estrogen dominance. If you are struggling with adrenal function deficiency, these supplements can help.
- If you are a vegetarian or vegan, vitamin B6 deficiencies are a higher risk, and having a vitamin B supplement can help you manage sleep, reduce PMS and menopause symptoms, and overcome depression.
It is always best to consider which types of supplements are most important versus which you can obtain naturally. Magnesium, for example, is readily available in products like sprays and creams, so it can be absorbed through the skin and vitamin D is a good supplement to take, especially in the winter. Summing UpOverall, vitamins play an important role in balancing your hormones as a female. Choosing the best vitamins can help you balance your hormones and provide a natural, supportive solution to key changes in your life, like menopause or pregnancy.Always consult a healthcare professional before starting any new supplements.
