Why Am I Always Tired? Hormone-Related Causes You Shouldn’t Ignore

If you’ve been getting enough sleep but still feel exhausted every day, your hormones—not just your schedule—could be playing a role.

Fatigue also clinically known as myalgia encephalomyelitis is defined as extreme exhaustion causing a person difficulty in waking up every morning and making it difficult for a person to get through a day. Fatigue can be caused by multiple reasons. Some of the most commons fatigue causes are undiagnosed thyroid problems, a sleep disorder, nutritional reasons, dehydration, cortisol imbalance and other hormone imbalances.

These hormone imbalances can be over balanced or underbalanced. The results cause many symptoms.

What Is Hormone-Related Fatigue?

Hormones are messengers that carry messages through a person’s body. There are fifty different hormones in the human body. Each one is important to keep the body in a healthy balance. They alert the body to do certain functions at a specific time. Hormones regulate metabolism, manage stress, monitors immune functions and energy levels. Having these out of balance, causes ongoing fatigue which becomes chronic if left untreated. Normal fatigue is a situation that allows a person to recover. However chronic fatigue is a persistent state of exhaustion.

Chronic symptoms include a general feeling of being tired, muscle pain, headaches, irritability, difficulty concentrating, brain fog, joint pains that recur and lack of sleep.

How Do Hormones Affect Your Energy Levels?

Hormone deficiency affects the human body in different ways. The importance of hormone balance is often undetected as it is in the background keeping us healthy. The symptoms of hormone imbalance become clear when the symptoms in the table below begin to show signs.

Hormone Deficiency indicators	Symptoms
Lack of sleep or insomnia	Unable to fall asleep, restless sleep or inability to fall back to sleep
Persistent exhaustion	Feeling tired even after a good night’s sleep
Morning Fog	Inability to wake up in the morning and a feeling brain fog.
Exercise difficulty	Unable to cope with exhaustion after exercise
Concentration	Unable to concentrate and remember things
Mood issues	Hormonal changes causing irritability or depression
Stress management	Unable to manage stress
Hypoglycemia	Low blood sugar causing weakness and shakiness.
Tachycardia	Ongoing slow heartbeat or rapid heartbeat
Weight	Weight gain that cannot be explained
Constipation & Diarrhea	Frequent bowel movements
Cholesterol	High cholesterol levels
Urination	Frequent urination

The table indicates some of the most common indicators that could show a hormone imbalance. It is common to confuse chronic fatigue with normal daily fatigue. Symptoms of hormonal related fatigue are different, and the indicators should be watched carefully.

7 Hormone-Related Causes of Constant Fatigue

Thyroid Hormone Imbalance (Hypothyroidism)

One key indicator of hormonal imbalance is thyroid disease. The thyroid gland is in the neck and produces the thyroid hormone called thyroxine (T4) and triiodothyronine (T3). These hormones regulate the hormone balance in the human body.

Hyperthyroidism and hypothyroidism impact the generation of hormones in your body. Hypothyroidism is a common reason for causing fatigue and weight gain. This is turn causes an imbalance in the bodily functions. The thyroid is responsible for controlling the level of metabolism in a person’s body which in turn monitors the level of food intake of a person.

Symptoms of a thyroid deficiency include:

Exhaustion
Weight Gain / Loss that cannot be explained
Skin feeling dry and coarse
Sensitivity to cold
Mood swings
Variation in heart rates
Certain Medical conditions can also increase the risk of Thyroid diseases ( consult your primary care physician if you have concerns)

Low Testosterone

Low testosterone levels (hypogonadism), caused by a deficiency in the functioning of the testes / ovaries which generate hormones in both males and females causes a hormonal imbalance in males. Low testosterone levels (hypogonadism) can cause infertility, muscle issues and other abnormal conditions affecting bones and body composition.

Testosterone play a critical role in the development of sexual, and body development. The cerebral cortex is the area of the brain that helps in the generation of testosterone. Hypogonadism (low testosterone) causes muscle wasting, low sex drive, reduced bone mass, reduced energy levels, mood swings, inability to concentrate, fluctuations in cholesterol levels hot and cold flushes, osteoporosis and anemia. These symptoms must be tested to low hormonal levels as there are treatments that can manage the early detection of the condition.

Testosterone replacement can provide

Increased sexual functions and increases fertility
Improved behavior
Increases bone density
Increases growth hormones
Reduces heart condition risks

Estrogen including progesterone are important for a woman’s reproductive system. It impacts a woman’s energy level, heart disease, sleep cycles, mood swings, menopause timing and osteoporosis. Science has proven that high levels of estrogen does increase the life span of a woman.

Reduced estrogen levels during perimenopause (time just before menopause) or menopause can lead to sleep issues, irregular cycles, mood swings hot flashes, fertility issues, bone density issues and fatigue. These are all natural life processes and varies from one woman to another.

Estrogen Deficiency	Symptoms
Sleep Issues	Often seen in pre-menopause situations interrupting sleep
Mood Changes	Begin irritable or going through depression.
Decreased Fertility
Heart Disease
Brain Fog	Lack of clarity in daily living processes causing confusion.
Osteoporosis	Causes a reducing of bone density leading to fractures and bone trauma.
Obesity	Estrogen controls the hypothalamus which controls hunger and fullness. If this is out of balance it causes desires to eat which is common in in post-menopausal women causing obesity.

There are several risk factors that can impact levels of estrogen.

Genetics – Women that have had family members have early menopause could potentially show the same symptoms of early menopause and reduced estrogen levels in life.
Smoking – Studies have indicated that women who smoke have at least 2 years of early menopause and lower estrogen levels earlier than those who do not smoke
Hysterectomy – Ovaries are responsible for making estrogen. However, a hysterectomy could cause the menopause to occur earlier than expected.
Other Clinical impacts – these include thyroid conditions and autoimmune diseases. These conditions can reduce the estrogen levels and cause early menopause.

The reduction in estrogen levels can be managed clinically and provide solutions for all these symptoms.

Progesterone Changes

Progesterone is responsible for the reproduction process. In women, progesterone supports the process of pregnancy especially in early pregnancy.

Progesterone helps create an environment in the uterus for an embryo to grow. High progesterone levels help manage the process of pregnancy and provides an environment that avoids a potential risk of a preterm labor and contractions.

Low progesterone levels create mood swings, exhaustion, trouble sleeping, hot flashes ectopic pregnancy, miscarriages and preterm labor.

Cortisol Imbalance

Cortisol is a hormone that is made by the adrenal gland. This is an important hormone for stress management. Cortisol hormones help regulate glucose levels and hence regulated the body’s energy level. It is also instrumental in the regulating your blood pressure and decreases inflammation. It also helps regulate your sleep cycles.

Fluctuations in Cortisol levels can impact the health of a person. Stress is one of the major areas managed by the cortisol hormone. Acute stress, traumatic stress and long running stress are manage by cortisol.

When a person is under stress, adrenaline releases cortisol as a coping mechanism. It releases glucose to keep you engaged in a high stress situation.

Cortisol is important for many aspects of your body including controlling inflammation and controlling blood pressure. It also regulates how you sleep and stay awake and alert.

When cortisol is out of balance, individual’s will show health related issues like uncontrolled stress levels, high blood sugar levels, controls immunity and inflammation. A person’s immune system depends on the wellbeing of cortisol.

High levels of cortisol will cause long term effects like Cushing’s disease. High levels of cortisol can be caused by taking high doses of corticosteroid medications or tumors.

High levels of cortisol symptoms include weigh gain, muscle weakness, high blood sugar leading to diabetes and osteoporosis.

Low levels of cortisol cause diseases like Addison’s disease or pituitary tumors. Other symptoms are fatigue, weight loss and low blood pressure.

Insulin Resistance

Insulin is important hormone used to regulate a person’s blood sugar levels. When the muscles, fat and liver stop responding to insulin is causes blood glucose levels to fluctuate. Glucose is important to help your body manage energy levels. If insulin levels are out of balance, your glucose levels are retained in your blood stream causing a condition called hyperinsulinemia. This condition will lead to diabetes if not treated.

High blood sugar levels cause fatigue, frequent urination, frequent hunger, vision issues and other issues.

Insulin deficiency can be caused by numerous factors like excessive body fat. Lack of physical activity, bad eating habits, genetic conditions and medications.

Insulin resistance can be corrected with better eating habits, physical activity, management of weight. Lifestyle changes can make a big difference in managing insulin deficiency.

Vitamin Deficiencies vs Hormone Problems

Nutrition plays a big role in the physiological process and hormonal balance in the human body especially during pregnancy. Fetal nutrients impact the development of the fetal organs.

Nutrient rich foods with Vitamin D, Magnesium, zinc, iodine, iron and Vitamin B12 impacts hormonal balance that could impact reproduction, thyroid conditions, and insulin sensitivity.

Vitamin D – Regulates insulin in the human body, thyroid functions, reproductive hormones and even mood swings. Vitamin D functions more like a hormone than a vitamin. It’s presence in thirty different tissues make Vitamin D important in endocrine functions, metabolism, immunity and inflammation controls.

Iron – Iron in the human body is regulated by the hepatic peptide hormone hepcidin. Iron deficiency can damage the thyroid hormone production which in turn causes fatigue, mood swings like depression and weight issues.

Vitamin B12 – Vitamin B12 is important to produce neurotransmitters. These are required to maintain mood swings in a person and the release of other hormones. Vitamin B12 is important in managing hormone levels.

A deficiency in B12 causes muscle weakness and cramps, fatigue, depression and anemia. B12 is also critical in testosterone health and hormone production. Having enough iron helps regulate the production of hemoglobin which in turn transports oxygen throughout the body.

It is important to understand the link between various Vitamins and hormone generation as that balance is critical for a healthy living.

When Should You Consider Hormone Testing?

If you have ongoing fatigue that does not subside, you should get your hormones tested. Fatigue after enough of sleep could be a key indicator of hormone imbalance.

Hormone imbalance can be manifested in various ways:

Growth
Mood swings
Reproductive issues
Sexual Functions
Digestive and Metabolism
Family History

These imbalances could be indicators of hormonal imbalances.

Women going through menopause and have hot flashes, sleep issues, increased appetite even when full, irregular periods, night sweats and mood changes, should get tested for hormone imbalance. Blood tests can check a person’s follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), luteinizing hormone (LH) and estradiol (E2). Although these tests can be difficult to analyze due to fluctuations in the hormones, it is the best method to monitor the hormones during menopause.

Hormonal imbalance in men causes a low sex drive, mood swings, weight gain, reduced muscle mass, fatigue and erectile functions. Testosterone deficiency can be a major factor in all these changes.

Family issues can also impact hormones. Congenital conditions like genetic disorders can cause children to inherit hormonal issues. Some examples of hormonal issues that can be genetic are Turner syndrome, Klinefelter syndrome and congenital adrenal hyperplasia. These imbalances can be tested early to manage potential chronic diseases. If you know of family genetic issues, it may be a good idea to test children for the same condition.

Which Hormone Tests May Help Identify the Cause?

Test	May Evaluate	Common Use
Thyroid Panel	Thyroid Function	Persistent fatigue
Testosterone	Male hormone levels	Low energy
Estrogen	Female hormone levels	Menopause symptoms
Progesterone	Hormonal balance	Menstrual concerns
Cortisol	Stress hormone	Fatigue & stress
Vitamin D	Nutritional status	Low energy
Vitamin B12	Nutritional status	Fatigue

Competitors usually don’t use tables.

There are basic hormone tests that can be conducted if a person has ongoing fatigue and other symptoms.

The endocrine glands manage several hormone balances. These glands are located throughout the body.

Insulin – Controls your blood sugar level
Testosterone – Impacts sex drive in both men and women
Progesterone – Impacts the body during pregnancy
Cortisol – Manages a person’s stress levels
Growth Hormone – Manages cell development and growth
Leptin – manages a person’s appetite
Estrogen – Impacts the sex drive in men and women.

Hormonal imbalances should not be ignored. The symptoms should be checked and tested. Most hormonal imbalances, if caught early can be successfully managed with medication, diet changes and exercise.

Hormone Fatigue vs Normal Everyday Tiredness

Normal Fatigue	Hormone-Related Fatigue
Improves with rest	Persists despite rest
Temporary	Ongoing
After busy days	Daily exhaustion
No other symptoms	Often accompanied by other symptoms

How Hormone Testing Works at SmarTest Labs

We conduct these tests by appointment only.

The tests require a blood draw that is analyzed by our credentialed laboratory. Your results should be shared with your primary care provider.

Why Choose SmarTest Labs for Hormone Testing?

SmarTest Labs a CLIA certified laboratory can assist you with all your hormone tests including guiding you through the selection of an appropriate test.

Our process is confidential with industry standard turnaround times on specific tests. Call us at the following contact number for more information:

Contact: Contact@smartestlabs.com

Phone: 301-686-8566

Website: smartestlabs.com

Frequently Asked Questions

Can hormones make you feel tired all the time?

A lack of hormones can cause fatigue, mood swings, sleeplessness and other symptoms.

Which hormone imbalance causes the most fatigue?
There is no one hormone that causes the most fatigue. The human body is a balance between all the required hormones. That balance requires all hormones to be equally balanced.

Should I get a hormone test if I’m always tired?
Continued exhaustion and ongoing mood swings should be clinically evaluated to determine if there is a hormone imbalance. This is a tricky decision to make as daily life issues can be misunderstood for a hormone imbalance. However, continue exhaustion that cannot be shaken even with sleep, should be evaluated.

Can thyroid problems cause constant tiredness?
Thyroid deficiency can cause on going fatigue, cold sensitivity, weight gain, dry and coarse skin and constipation. There are other indicators that can also be sue to thyroid deficiency.

Can low testosterone make you exhausted?

Low testosterone reduces a person’s mood, concentration, body mass increases, low sperm count and low libido. Testosterone also lowers strength.

Can menopause cause fatigue?
Menopause can cause exhaustion. It is often confused with other fatigue. However, most women go through menopause during the age of 40 – 50 years. If you are in that age range and felling fatigued contiguously, it may be worth getting tested.

Which blood tests help identify hormone imbalances?
There are multiple blood tests for different hormone imbalances. Please call SmarTest Labs for further information (301-686-8566).

How do I know if my fatigue is hormone-related?
If you have ongoing fatigue, getting tested is the best way to determine if it is related to a hormone imbalance.

Is hormone testing painful?

No, Hormone testing is just a blood draw and should not be painful for most people.

Can stress hormones affect energy levels?

Yes. Stress can elevate hormone generation impacting different conditions. The impact can increase mobility of energy sources.

Conclusion

Persistent fatigue must be checked to retain good physical condition and health. Laboratory testing is the best method to scientifically determine a condition. Health care providers should be consulted once test results have been provided to you. SmarTest Labs can assist you in selecting the appropriate test.

Why Am I Always Tired? Hormone-Related Causes You Shouldn’t Ignore