“Hormones are like music played in a beautiful but sometimes discordant symphony,” explains New York City–based holistic ob-gyn Eden Fromberg, D.O., likening the different glands in the endocrine system that produce distinct hormones to an array of musicians that create unique sounds in an orchestra, with each having to listen to the other so to play in progression. “When hormones play too loud or soft, too fast or slow, and don’t coordinate with the others, the sound produced may be jarring to the system.”
Controlling many of the body’s crucial functions such as mood, health, and behavior, hormones are humans’ most sensitive chemical messengers. “Women’s cycles and hormones affect our moods and behavior because the female body is an ecosystem and hormones nourish and inform the system as a whole,” says Fromberg. And how does one ensure the body has the synchronicity of the New York Philharmonic during, say, Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9? “One way to tap into our own biological intelligence is by observing the cycles and rhythms of our bodies,” explains Fromberg, who points out most women are already aware of certain hormonal shifts within their bodies. “We can amplify that awareness.” But in today’s modern world, with hormone balance becoming increasingly compromised by environmental factors such as extreme stress, exposure to harmful chemicals, and Westernized diets, taking your understanding and awareness to the next level, especially through the lens of fertility is essential—particularly in your 20s, when you’re setting the stage for your overall wellness.
“Reproductive health is your health, and maintaining it isn’t any different than exercising or eating a healthy diet,” explains Jaclyn Tolentino, D.O., a holistic family physician at Parsley Health with a subspecialty certification in hormone optimization. “Even if pregnancy isn’t on your radar right now, when you’re in your 20s, your body is still trying to function as if it’s capable of producing healthy offspring.”
From understanding your body’s cycles to the hormones most commonly associated with women’s health, here experts discuss the must-know information and tips for a lifestyle that promotes tip-top hormonal balance.
Get Familiar With the Most Important Hormones
According to Tolentino, the hormones women should focus most attention on are:
- Estrogen: The primary female sex hormone, which is mainly produced by the ovaries. “It not only plays a crucial role in the menstrual cycle, but also supports everything from maintaining bone density to regulating mood,” she explains.
- Progesterone: Also made by the ovaries, it serves an important role in early pregnancy, says Tolentino.
- Testosterone: “The body needs this crucial hormone to develop lean muscle mass, burn fat, and boost libido,” she says, noting that while it’s made in the testes in men, ovaries also produce it, releasing small amounts into the bloodstream.
- Cortisol: The body’s stress hormone; normal levels help to regulate blood sugar and the immune system. But at inflated levels, it can be very damaging. “High cortisol levels are associated with everything from experiencing feelings of fear, panic, and depression, to impairing memory and seriously suppressing the immune system,” she says.
- Thyroid hormone: Produced by the thyroid glands, it keeps the body in balance by regulating functions such as breathing, heart rate, metabolism, and body temperature, says Tolentino.
- DHEA: The least well known of hormones, but no less important, DHEA—otherwise known as dehydroepiandrosterone—is a hormone precursor, which means that it helps to set off the reaction that will produce other hormones, such as testosterone and estrogen. “As you can imagine, DHEA is particularly important when the body is undergoing puberty,” she says. “But it also serves a protective role against stress and helps to maintain the immune system throughout your life.”