The Effect of Nutrition on Essential Hormones
While we typically eat whatever foods seem the most appealing, the foods that we put into our body can significantly affect may aspects of our health, including hormonal balance.
Hormones are chemical messengers for the body and control almost every process that it completes, including:
- immunity
- metabolism
- reproduction
- menstrual cycle
- mood
In order for these areas to operate as they should, your hormone levels need to be in the correct balance. However, certain things, such as the food you eat, can affect this.
Hormones Affected by Food
There are over 50 hormones that have been identified in the body, but there are a certain few that are consistently researched and referenced, especially in relation to food.
Estrogen
Estrogen is also known as the female sex hormone, although it is also present (and important) in men.
In women, estrogen is essential in developing pubic hair and breasts, and in causing the hips to widen. However, in both men and women, estrogen is also vital for blood clotting, bone formation, and skin and nail health.
Estrogen levels can become too low or too high, with low estrogen contributing to feelings of depression. However, when estrogen levels fluctuate, such as during menopause, symptoms such as low libido, hot flashes, and weight gain can occur.
Testosterone
While estrogen is the female sex hormone, testosterone is the male sex hormone. Besides contributing to the typical male attributes such as body hair and a deeper voice, testosterone is also important in both men and women for improving sexual function, gaining muscle mass, and boosting strength.
Changes in testosterone have also been associated with conditions such as type 2 diabetes, obesity, heart problems, and metabolic syndrome.
Many factors affect testosterone regulation, including diet, which can help keep testosterone levels from dropping too low.
Insulin
Most often associated with those who have diabetes, insulin is a hormone essential for regulating metabolic processes, including balancing blood sugar levels.
Insulin accomplishes this by allowing your liver, organs, and fat to absorb glucose. However, if the body does not generate enough insulin or if you have developed insulin resistance (making it difficult for your body to use insulin well), blood sugar levels can rise.
The foods you eat can affect how sensitive insulin is, with different foods causing insulin sensitivity to increase or decrease.
Cortisol
More commonly referred to as the stress hormone, cortisol plays a vital role in the fight-or-flight response. However, it can be dangerous if cortisol remains at high levels chronically.
Consistent high cortisol levels can cause:
- weight gain
- anxiety
- heart problems
- migraines
- brain fog
- sleep disturbances
While some of the most popular ways to control stress, and thus control cortisol, include regular exercise, removing the stressor, and breathing exercises such as meditation or yoga, diet can also affect cortisol levels.
Foods And Supplements to Eat
The following food and supplements have been shown to help balance certain hormone levels.
Protein
Protein is an important source of amino acids, which the body cannot make on its own. However, protein is also essential for making peptide hormones, which are protein-derived.
The endocrine gland makes peptide hormones from amino acids, and they play a crucial role in body processes such as:
- appetite
- energy metabolism
- stress
- growth
- reproduction
For example, studies have shown that eating protein decreases ghrelin, also known as the hunger hormone. Protein also helps to stimulate hormone production for glucagon-like peptide-1 and peptide YY, which are two hormones that help you feel full.
Healthy Fats
Consuming healthy fats can help to reduce insulin resistance and appetite.
Healthy fats include medium-chain triglycerides (MCTs), and what makes them “healthy†fats is that they are more likely to be taken up by the liver for immediate energy usage versus being stored in the fat tissue.
Research has shown that MCTs are less likely to promote insulin resistance and can also help increase insulin sensitivity.
For those under chronic stress, research also suggests that omega-3s, a type of healthy fat, may help keep cortisol levels from increasing.
Fiber
Fiber is an essential part of your diet, and this includes its effect on hormones.
Studies have shown that fiber helps to increase insulin sensitivity.
Additionally, both soluble and insoluble fiber can help stimulate the production of hormones that increase feelings of fullness. This then helps to prevent overeating, which can lead to obesity.
Mediterranean Diet
As for specific diets, the Mediterranean diet has been shown to reduce estrogen levels that can become too high when following the Western diet, which primarily consists of animal products and sugars. These higher estrogen levels are also listed as risk factors for ovarian and breast cancer.
While estrogen is an essential hormone for female and male reproductive health, bone and heart health, blood sugar balance, brain function, and immune health, too much of it can pose the risk of acute and chronic health conditions, such as metabolic disorders, obesity, and various cancers.
Because of this, it is crucial to keep estrogen levels within a normal range, and the Mediterranean diet can help with that.
The Mediterranean diet focuses on whole grains, fish, seeds, cruciferous vegetables (e.g., broccoli, cauliflower), and legumes.
Soy Products
Soy products contain phytoestrogen, which is a bioactive substance that acts like estrogen in the body. For those who are suffering from low estrogen levels, such as those going through menopause, soy products may help to balance estrogen levels and relieve symptoms.
Soy has also shown promise in reducing the risk of certain health conditions that occur with menopause, such as improving blood cholesterol levels, lowering the risk of ischemic heart disease, and relieving hot flashes.
Research has also shown that soy products regularly can help reduce testosterone levels. The exact mechanism behind this is still under research, but scientists suspect that it is because the phytoestrogens it possesses can reduce testosterone levels.
Cruciferous Vegetables
Cruciferous vegetables produce a phytochemical called indole-3-carbinol, which is important in promoting liver function. This then helps the liver support hormone balance by removing the waste products and “spent†hormones.
Because of this, cruciferous vegetables play an important role in balancing your hormonal system.
Some examples of cruciferous vegetables include:
- broccoli
- Bok choy
- cauliflower
- cabbage
- brussels sprouts
- kale
- radish
Magnesium
Magnesium is a mineral that can be found in food or taken as a supplement, and benefits those with hormone imbalance in many ways.
Magnesium helps to increase insulin sensitivity, which leads to lower blood sugar. It also helps to support quality sleep, which is an important component of finding hormonal balance.
Magnesium also helps to reduce excess cortisol production, effectively relaxing the nervous system. It also helps those with thyroid imbalances by decreasing inflammation that can cause this autoimmune response.
Some foods with magnesium include:
- almonds
- leafy greens
- chocolate
- sunflower seeds
- sesame seeds
Foods to Avoid
Some of these foods should be avoided in general for hormone balance, but there are also some products that should only be avoided if your body overproduces or underproduces a hormone. For example, estrogen is one hormone that can be high or low in someone’s body, and what foods to avoid (or consume more of) will depend on your estrogen levels.
Sugar
Sugar doesn’t need to be cut entirely out of your diet, but it is important to minimize added sugar. This is because added sugar can negatively affect hormone function, which then contributes to diabetes and obesity.
Added sugar can promote insulin resistance, with insulin being an essential hormone for regulating blood sugar levels. If you develop insulin resistance, you can then develop diabetes.
Added sugar may also fail to stimulate leptin production, which is the fullness hormone. This can lead to decreased calorie burning, which can contribute to weight gain.
Red Meat
While protein helps regulate hormone levels, consuming too much red meat may increase your body’s estrogen production to abnormal levels. This is because red meat is rich in hydrogenated and saturated fats.
Dairy Products
Dairy products can result in inflammation in the gut, which can impact your hormone levels.
Soy Products
Soy products are one of those offerings that can benefit some but cause more severe symptoms in others. This is because they contain phytoestrogens, so if your estrogen levels are already high, soy products may raise them even further, which can impact your ovulation cycle and reproductive health.
Along those same lines, since phytoestrogens can decrease testosterone, soy products should be avoided in those who already have low testosterone levels.
Caffeine and Alcohol
Both caffeine and alcohol can cause increases in cortisol secretion.
When cortisol levels are chronically high, it can increase your stress levels, visceral fat, and blood pressure. So, it’s best to keep cortisol levels low when you’re not in a stressful situation, and avoiding these two things can help.
Balancing Hormones: Nutrition is Just a Part
In addition to the food you eat, it is also crucial to only eat as much as your body needs to function optimally. Overeating can result in weight gain, which can cause all the problems associated with obesity.
Additionally, combining exercise with your nutrition can further help with hormone balance and return all hormones to a level that promotes optimal functioning.
Overall, having the correct balance of hormones in your body significantly contributes to how your body functions and, thus, how you feel. By giving your body the proper fuel, you can considerably improve how you feel, leading to a greater quality of life.
References
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About Dr. Mel Irvine
Dr. Mel Irvine, DNP and Clinical Sexologist specializes in sexual medicine and beauty in Fort Myers Florida. She earned her Doctor of Nursing Practice at Florida Gulf Coast University and her master’s degree at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. In 2018, she completed a preceptorship at San Diego Sexual Medicine with Dr. Irwin Goldstein and obtained her clinical sexologist certification from STII with Dr. Carol Clark. She is passionate about working with singles and couples to learn and explore their sexuality and sexual health needs through providing a comfortable and nonjudgmental atmosphere. As a provider she offers a balanced and holistic approach that encompasses a multimodal care delivery model.
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