THE BOTANICAL LEARNING SERIES · FLOWERS FROM MY MEADOW
Hormone Deep Dive Series
Five approachable chapters to help you understand what different hormones do, how they work together and which questions are worth exploring further.
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Begin with the bigger picture
Hormones act as part of a connected system involving the brain, ovaries, adrenal glands, pancreas, thyroid and many other tissues. They help regulate numerous processes, but symptoms such as fatigue or anxiety cannot reliably identify a single hormone problem.
This series introduces five hormones and gives you links to longer articles. Read one chapter at a time—there is no need to learn everything at once.
Estrogen: cycles and tissue health
Estrogens are involved in the menstrual cycle, bone health and other functions. Their levels fluctuate through the cycle and may vary unpredictably during perimenopause.
Progesterone: after ovulation
Progesterone typically rises after ovulation and plays an important role in the uterine lining and pregnancy. It is overly simplistic to call it the body's “calming hormone”; sleep and mood are affected by many factors.
Cortisol: a normal stress-response hormone
Cortisol supports metabolism, blood-pressure regulation and the daily waking rhythm. It responds to physical and psychological stress, and neither stress alone nor a single symptom establishes a cortisol disorder.
Insulin: blood-glucose regulation
Insulin enables cells to use and store glucose. Nutrition, activity, genetics, medicines and medical conditions influence glucose regulation; a routine blood test may be helpful when clinically indicated.
Thyroid hormones: energy and metabolism
Thyroid hormones influence metabolic activity and other processes. Thyroid conditions can cause symptoms that overlap with perimenopause, making professional assessment important when changes are persistent.
Bring your questions together
Notice the symptoms that affect you most, including timing, frequency and severity. Bring this information to a clinician rather than using individual articles to self-diagnose.
Further reading: NICE: Menopause guidance · NCCIH: Menopause evidence review.