Maintaining a healthy lifestyle and keeping your hormones aligned is important for your overall wellbeing.
“Hormones are the messengers of the body,” explains women’s health specialist and NHS GP, Dr Sarah Jenkins.
“They communicate with each other to control everything from fertility to weight, sleep, menstrual cycle, appetite and bone density as well as our stress levels and mental health. Basically there is a hormone for everything our body needs to do to survive.”
Problems start when there is an imbalance in key hormones, such as the stress hormone cortisol, the female sex hormones oestrogen and progesterone, the male sex hormone testosterone, sleep hormone melatonin, and the fat storage hormone insulin.
This disruption can be caused by all manner of issues, from autoimmune conditions to cancers and medication such as steroids, while others have no clear cause at all.
But the impact can be significant, potentially causing problems from weight gain to mood swings, fatigue and even reproductive issues. Increasing evidence points to some of these imbalances being caused by our seemingly wise wellbeing choices.
So could any of your “healthy” habits actually be more of a hindrance than a help for your hormones?
Drinking soya cappuccinos
Ditching the dairy and opting for soya milk in your coffee might be disrupting your hormones, even if you think it’s better for your health.
Dr Jenkins says that soya beans – also known as soy beans or edamame – contain a bioactive compound known as phytoestrogen. “This can disrupt your oestrogen balance and metabolites if consumed in high amounts.
Some plant milks also contain a lot of added sugar, causing spikes in blood glucose levels, which is not great for hormones or our bodies in general.”
But even if you drink your caffeine hit with cow’s milk or take it black, Dr Jenkins recommends keeping your intake to a maximum of two cups of coffee per day.
“There are many studies, including from the American College of Cardiology, that prove that one to two cups of coffee a day is a good habit,” says Dr Jenkins.
“Coffee contains antioxidants and other active substances that may reduce internal inflammation and protect against Alzheimer’s disease.
“But caffeine can also throw off your hormone balance by causing cortisol levels to rise. If we are constantly living on a high amount of cortisol we are more prone to weight gain, osteoporosis, high blood pressure, skin problems, reduced sex drive, anxiety and depression.”
Using sweeteners
If you’ve cut back on sugar by trading the white stuff for sweeteners, you might be surprised to learn you could be doing your gut a disservice, which could in turn affect your hormones.
Although more research needs to be done, studies show artificial sweeteners can negatively impact the gut microbiome. Even small doses of neotame, a derivative of aspartame, can cause gut imbalances according to research published in the journal Frontiers in Nutrition, with other sweeteners also being found to cause changes to the microbiome.
“Gut dysbiosis is an imbalance of the gut bacteria in the gastrointestinal tract,” says Dr Jenkins.
“If there is an excess of bacteria that produce (the microbe) beta glucuronidase, this can result in oestrogen dominance which has been associated with conditions including premenstrual syndrome (PMS), obesity and even infertility.”
Daily high-intensity workouts
Intense workouts can provide benefits for the body, but when done in excess they can be detrimental to hormone health.
Chloe Thomas, a level 3 PT and Nutrition and Lifestyle coach says: “Too much HIIT (high intensity interval training) without proper recovery can negatively impact hormones and lead to chronically elevated cortisol levels.”
Elevated cortisol over long periods of time can also suppress the immune system, meaning you may pick up illnesses, such as coughs and colds, more easily. Plus overtraining in general can suppress thyroid function.
“This can lead to the reduced production of thyroid hormones. These are crucial for metabolism and energy regulation. A slow metabolism makes it harder to lose weight and maintain energy levels.”
Swap out some intense workouts for alternatives such as strength training, yoga, Pilates, and mind-body exercises such as Tai Chi. Low-intensity steady state (LISS) can also be beneficial. This involves longer periods of low-intensity exercise such as walking or a very gentle, slow jog.
Buying bottled water
While drinking spring water “bottled at source” may sound like a more sensible lifestyle choice than plain old tap water that is endlessly recycled, Chloe explains that the microplastics in those bottles can pose a significant risk to hormonal health.
“Endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) – such as bisphenol A (BPA), phthalates and other plasticisers – are chemicals that can interfere with the body’s hormones and are found in many single-use water bottles.
“EDCs can interfere with thyroid hormones, affecting metabolism, growth and development. Some chemicals in microplastics can mimic oestrogen, disrupting reproductive health and increasing the risk of hormone-related cancers. EDCs can also impact metabolic processes, potentially contributing to obesity and diabetes.”
In fact, research from the UAE in the US National Library of Medicine found that long-term exposure to plastic particles and associated chemicals has been shown to “exhaust thyroid endocrine function”, meaning that the thyroid gland can no longer work effectively to produce and regulate hormones.
Cut your exposure to microplastics by switching to alternatives such as stainless steel, glass or BPA-free reusable bottles. You’ll be doing the environment a favour too.
Getting up at 5am
Seizing the day and getting lots done early doors is all well and good, but there are times when you might need to get rid of that early alarm call.
“Waking up early after a late night or a night of disturbed sleep might not be as beneficial,” says Jodie Relf PCOS dietitian and spokesperson for MyOva. “It’s important to get between six to eight hours of sleep each night for your overall health, but specifically for maintaining hormonal balance.
“Inadequate amounts of sleep over time can lead to elevated cortisol levels, which can disrupt other hormones. Prolonged elevated cortisol can interfere with insulin, the hormone responsible for blood sugar regulation. Sleep deprivation also disrupts the levels of ghrelin and leptin, hormones that control your feelings of hunger and satiety.”
Ghrelin, the hormone that signals hunger to the brain, can increase when you’re lacking in sleep, leading to an increased appetite and urge to overeat.
Cutting out fat
A low-fat diet might mean fewer calories, but it could be damaging your hormones.
Jodie explains: “Many hormones require fats for their production. Cholesterol is a type of lipid and many hormones, including steroid hormones, oestrogen, testosterone, and cortisol are produced from cholesterol. Certain fats, particularly omega-3 fatty acids, play a role in reducing inflammation. Chronic inflammation can disrupt hormonal balance and is linked to problems in hormone-sensitive conditions like polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) and thyroid disorders.”
Look to include omega-3 rich oily fish such as sardines and salmon in your diet as well as egg yolks, chia seeds, nuts and avocado.
Too many supplements
Although supplements can bring benefits, you can have too much of a good thing when it comes to hormonal balances. “Supplements can both help and hinder hormonal balance,” says Jodie.
“For instance, while deficiencies in certain nutrients can disrupt the production and activity of hormones, excessive consumption can have a negative impact. Take vitamin D as an example: it influences thyroid hormones as well as oestrogen and progesterone.
“Vitamin D plays a role in reducing inflammation as well as glucose metabolism; if we have inadequate amounts of the vitamin, it may affect production of the hormone insulin.”
But on the flip side, Jodie says excess amounts of vitamin D are toxic as it can increase calcium absorption in the gastrointestinal tract.
“This can lead to nausea, vomiting, muscle weakness, loss of appetite, dehydration, polyuria, excessive thirst, and kidney stones. The NHS recommendation for vitamin D is 10mcg per day and the maximum dose is 100mcg per day or 4000IU.” Be sure to stick to the amount advised on the packet and, if in doubt, check with your GP.
