Marla Ahlgrimm: All About Hormones

Marla AhlgrimmHormones are like tiny little chemical messengers that travel throughout the bloodstream to tell the organs and tissues exactly what they’re supposed to do. According to Marla Ahlgrimm, hormones affect everything from growth and development to mood and sexual function. Both men and women’s bodies are governed by hormones, which fluctuate with age.

Effect on female development

Marla Ahlgrimm explains that certain hormones are released as the body develops into adulthood. During puberty, hormones are associated with skin and hair changes, mood swings, and the onset of menstruation. Breast tenderness, insomnia, and menstrual cramps are also signs the body’s hormone levels are shifting. Girls typically enter puberty at the end of adolescence, somewhere between 12- and 14-years-old.

As girls mature into women, hormones become responsible for weight control and muscle mass changes and development, says Marla Ahlgrimm. They also play a vital role in a young woman’s ability to become pregnant. During a woman’s childbearing years, hormone imbalances may lead to low libido, decreased energy, weight gain, skin changes, and mood swings.

Sometime around the age of 45, women enter into a stage known as perimenopause. Marla Ahlgrimm explains this is when hormone levels begin to decrease. The body’s levels of progesterone and estrogen decrease dramatically. It is not uncommon for women to experience bone loss, hot flashes, sleep issues, vaginal discomfort, and urinary tract disturbances.

A balancing act

According to Marla Ahlgrimm, healthy hormone development is essential to women’s health. While it’s impossible to completely control the body’s hormone production, women can support their bodies through regular exercise, healthy diet, and abstinence from drugs and alcohol.

Some women find relief of their hormone-related issues via natural hormone therapy, which is only available via prescription after a full medical exam.

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