What is hormone deficiency?
Hormone deficiencies occur when the body does not produce enough of a certain hormone. Some common hormone deficiencies include:
Thyroid hormone deficiency
- The thyroid gland in the neck does not make enough thyroid hormone. This can cause symptoms like fatigue, weight gain, feeling cold, and dry skin.
- Treatment is daily thyroid hormone replacement with medication like levothyroxine.
Testosterone deficiency
- Low testosterone levels can happen as men get older. This can lead to low energy, decreased muscle mass, increased body fat, and reduced sex drive.
- Replacing testosterone through gels, injections, or pellets may help relieve symptoms.
Estrogen deficiency
- In women, low estrogen levels often happen around menopause. This can lead to hot flashes, vaginal dryness, trouble sleeping, and bone loss over time.
- Estrogen therapy, such as pills, patches, gels, or rings, can treat estrogen deficiency symptoms. But estrogen has risks like blood clots or stroke for some women.
Growth hormone deficiency
- The brain's pituitary gland makes growth hormone to help stimulate growth in children and teens. An underactive pituitary can reduce growth hormone production.
- Growth hormone injections several times a week can help children with growth hormone deficiency achieve a more normal height.
In summary, hormone deficiencies relate to inadequate production of key hormones in the body. This leads to symptoms specific to which hormones are deficient. Seeking proper medical testing and hormone replacement therapy, when appropriate and carefully monitored, can help alleviate symptoms.
For more information, please consult with the experienced professionals at Vitality Hormone Center.