If You Want To Prevent Hormone Imbalance, Start Upping Your Intake Of These Nutrients—STAT

We used to think of hormone imbalance as a "women's issue," one that was only really relevant in the days before a woman's period (hello, PMS) and during pregnancy. But these days, we know that hormones rule our entire lives and are greatly responsible for how we—both men and women—feel on a daily basis.

Hormones influence our mood, appearance, energy levels, libido, and even our digestion. Knowing this, we'll all want to do what we can to prevent a hormone imbalance before we have one. This involves reducing stress, moving our bodies, and most importantly, making sure we're getting adequate amounts of hormone-supporting nutrients.

But what nutrients are those, exactly? It's a little hard to pin down. As Jon Mitchell, PA-C, certified physician assistant and functional medicine health consultant, explained: "Hormones are complicated because there are so many biochemical systems and lifestyle factors that influence their levels, which is why addressing them requires a comprehensive approach."

According to Bindiya Gandhi, M.D., integrative medicine doctor and mindbodygreen Collective member, if we want to prevent hormones imbalances, methylated B vitamins are a great addition to our wellness routines. "Methylated B complex helps replenish the body of essential B vitamins that are important for detoxification as well as during a female's menstrual cycle," she said.

A B-complex will include the full gamut of B vitamins, which is important since specific B vitamins are important for specific hormone functions. For example, "When vitamin B1 and B6 are low, it can cause menstrual cramping," explained Gandhi.

Fending off chronic inflammation and balancing hormones are almost synonymous, and that's because inflammation is almost always involved when something in the body is out of whack. Enter: omega-3 fatty acids. According to Gandhi, these anti-inflammatory superstars, "decrease overall inflammation and pain, especially during menstrual cycles."

Did you know that there's a strong connection between gut health and hormone health? Studies have shown that estrogen actually delays gastric emptying1, which can lead to constipation. For women with estrogen dominance, this is crucial information to know.

That said, understanding the gut health-hormone connection is just as important for men as it is for women. As Collective member and integrative medicine doctor Vincent Pedre, M.D., wrote in an article for mindbodygreen: "The standard American diet (SAD) leads to obesity through inflammation by affecting your gut flora...and allowing bacterial endotoxin (a bacterial cell wall component and potent activator of the immune system) to leak into your body. The trans-mucosal migration of endotoxin directly leads to lower testosterone levels by affecting its production in the testes2."

If you want to safeguard your gut health (and thus, your hormone health!) a good place to start is a high-quality probiotic. Studies show that a daily dose of these beneficial bacteria can improve constipation by improving consistency, transit time, and stool caliber.