Key Points
- Oestrogen fluctuates during the menstrual cycle and decreases after menopause, which may lead to lower energy levels.
- Testosterone peaks in men at age 19 and decreases with age.
- Women who exercise excessively before or during menstruation may experience energy crashes and elevated fat storage.
Some days, you just don’t feel like yourself. You may feel irritable or on edge, have trouble sleeping or just generally feel out of sorts. These may all be symptoms of possible hormonal imbalances, which can strike women and men alike.
When your hormones are out of balance, your energy levels are likely to suffer. But why exactly? We spoke with Naturopath Gabbie Watt about the hormonal fluctuations that can lead to fatigue and what you can do about it.
What is the leading cause of fatigue in women?
There are multiple reasons for fatigue in females, so it’s difficult to pinpoint the leading cause. However, the most common causes are:
- underlying medical conditions, which may include hormonal imbalances
- lifestyle factors, such as how you move, eat and drink
- stress
Causes of fatigue in women
While there are many causes of fatigue in women, this report categorises them as:
- psychosocial – the demands placed on women by relationships, work, finances and societal pressures
- physical – the effects of long working hours, shift work, disrupted sleep cycles due to fluctuating hormones, illness and the side effects of medication
- cultural – the expectation for women to be the primary caregivers
Oestrogen declines after menopause and can lead to fatigue and reduced energy levels
What hormones cause fatigue in women?
Oestrogen, a key female sex hormone, fluctuates throughout the menstrual cycle and declines after menopause, which may lead to an increase in fatigue and reduced energy levels. Oestrogen is also involved in the production of ATP (adenosine triphosphate) in cells, all the while influencing thyroid function, that may impact energy levels across the month. And this is just one hormone!
Hormonal imbalances may also cause fatigue in a number of ways, creating a trickle-on effect as women combat bad sleep quality, whether due to stress, little ones waking in the night or hot flashes during perimenopause. In fact, 80% of women experience hot flashes due to lowered oestrogen and progesterone.
Here are some other hormones that can play a part in altering energy levels:
- Androgens. These are reproductive and growth hormones, like testosterone in both males and females. An imbalance of these hormones due to factors like stress or menopause can lead to low energy levels.
- Insulin. This is released to help regulate our blood-sugar levels after eating. If we eat a carbohydrate-heavy meal, our blood sugar rises, which can cause an influx of insulin. This can subsequently cause a blood-sugar crash, resulting in low energy levels.
- Cortisol. Another hormone directly related to our energy levels is cortisol, which is highest in the morning, giving us energy to get up and go. Cortisol is also released as part of our stress response, so if we are too stressed for too long, an imbalance of cortisol may result, leading to fatigue.
- Thyroid hormones. If your thyroid is underactive and doesn’t produce enough of the hormones it’s responsible for, it may cause symptoms of low energy and fatigue.
Symptoms of low oestrogen levels
In females, oestrogen levels are at their lowest during the menstrual cycle on the days of bleeding . During perimenopause and menopause, oestrogen levels begin to fall, and symptoms of lower oestrogen levels may include hot flashes, night sweats, mood swings, thinning skin and sleep disturbances leading to low energy levels and fatigue.
Low progesterone symptoms
In women, low progesterone can occur in the luteal phase of the menstrual cycle (around day 15 to 28) or during perimenopause and menopause. Symptoms of low progesterone include sleep disturbances, lethargy, sleepiness, mood swings and low productivity. It can also affect energy levels due to its role in promoting a chemical called GABA (gamma-aminobutyric acid) in the brain.
“GABA is the chemical that helps with sleep and feeling calm,” says Gabbie. “So if you don't have enough progesterone you may not be producing enough GABA, to help you sleep, which can affect your energy levels.”
“Progesterone also enhances your mood,” she continues, “and if you experience low mood, you’re more likely to feel low in energy.”
Low testosterone can affect men of any age and may lead to fatigue
What is the main cause of fatigue in men?
As with women, there is no single cause of fatigue in men. Rather, it’s usually the result of a number of lifestyle factors (more on those below), plus stress and/or underlying medical conditions.
Causes of fatigue in men
The general causes of fatigue in men are similar to those experienced by women, such as diet, lack of exercise, fluctuating hormones and disrupted sleep patterns.
Does low testosterone in men cause fatigue?
It has been suggested fatigue and low testosterone are linked – and with good reason. Both males and females produce testosterone, though males produce far more. Apart from its role in regulating sex drive, it helps maintain energy levels through its role in red blood cell production.
Testosterone naturally decreases with age, but signs of low testosterone may include libido changes, mood and sleep disturbances, decreased muscle strength and low energy levels . Despite this, low testosterone and tiredness may be experienced in men of any age so it is important to seek guidance from your healthcare professional if you experience these symptoms.
Oestrogen and progesterone are at their lowest during the bleeding phase of the menstrual cycle, which can lead to low energy levels
At what ages do hormones most impact your energy levels?
Hormones impact energy levels to varying degrees at different stages of life.
“For women, the key life stages that we see fluctuations in hormones that can really cause a shift in energy are;
- teenage years and puberty
- pregnancy
- menopause and perimenopause
“In saying that, the cyclical changes that happen every month for women can affect energy levels. In the first half of the menstrual cycle – the follicular phase – when the uterine lining is building up, and the body is getting ready to release an egg for ovulation, our energy levels are increasing, along with our hormones. Oestrogen rises, progesterone rises, and then they gradually taper back down after the egg is released.
“During the luteal phase and bleeding phase of the cycle, that’s when our energy is at its lowest, because oestrogen and progesterone are also at their lowest.”
As we’ve already seen, testosterone levels in men naturally decline as they age. Research suggests testosterone peaks at around age 19 and decreases at a rate of 0.4–2 per cent annually after age 30.
“For men, their hormone levels fluctuate in a daily rhythm rather than a monthly cycle,” says Gabbie. “So their cortisol and testosterone is highest in the morning and then gradually tapers off during the day. Cortisol jumps a little bit in the afternoon and then just tapers down so we can sleep.”
Exercise and hormones: why you shouldn’t work out TOO hard during your period
Sleep, diet, stress and exercise are all lifestyle factors that have an interesting interplay with our hormones. When any of these factors are out of balance, it can affect our hormones, which may lead to adverse effects on our energy levels.
Interestingly, Gabbie advises women not to push themselves too hard exercising just before or during their period, as it can upset the hormonal balance and lead to lower energy levels.
“If women exercise too much just before bleeding and while bleeding, they can cause too much cortisol or adrenaline to be released, leading to a crash in energy,” she explains. “The other hormones aren’t there to balance the cortisol and adrenaline.”
She goes on to describe what high-intensity exercises can do to the body during this time.
“So both the few days leading up to your period and during bleeding, it’s important to go easier on the body for exercise. Change to walking or yoga or low-intensity exercises. If you push yourself too far and perform high-intensity exercises, you may cause too much cortisol to be released, which can then turn on fat storage systems in the body, as well as result in low energy.”
Alcohol, sugar and stress: how they impact hormones
Diet also comes into play in terms of its effect on hormones and energy levels.
“Eating a nutritious, wholefood diet, to ensure all your systems of elimination are working optimally – your liver, your bowel, your lymphatic system,” she says. “They all play a role in hormone regulation”
To help maintain a healthy hormonal balance, Gabbie says it’s important to keep stress levels down by incorporating stress reduction techniques like mindfulness, meditation, spending time in nature, breathing, exercise and good sleep.
“Stress impacts hormone levels via cortisol and adrenaline release,” she explains. “In females, stress can disrupt ovulation. It may shorten the luteal phase of the cycle, causing hormonal imbalances that may lead to fatigue or decreased energy levels downstream.”
Have you had your hormones tested?
According to Gabbie, implementing lifestyle changes can go a long way to helping balance hormones and, in turn, reduce fatigue when it’s due to hormonal imbalances.
If you’re concerned that issues with your hormones may be affecting your energy levels, visit your healthcare professional to have your hormone levels tested.
Related:
Gabbie Watt is a Naturopath and passionate about blending evidence-based practice and traditional natural medicine into her approach. With experience previously working as a Radiation Therapist, Gabbie’s professional background in conventional medicine has been instrumental in shaping her holistic approach to health.
Reviewed by healthylife health experts May 2023.
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