Dr. Amy Beckley Explains The Health Issues Hormone Imbalances Can Cause - Exclusive
Dr. Amy Beckley has firsthand experience with how important it is for people assigned female at birth to understand their hormone cycles and the devastating impacts of hormone imbalances. She had multiple miscarriages before she and her doctor discovered that she had a hormone imbalance; her body wasn't producing enough progesterone during the time when a fertilized egg was trying to implant in her uterus.
In Dr. Beckley's case, the solution was simple. She started taking progesterone, and soon after, she got pregnant. But some of the problems that can be caused by hormone imbalances can be much more serious and difficult to solve. Understanding how hormones fluctuate throughout the monthly cycle and the normal ranges can help people identify hormonal imbalances before they become a problem. That's one of the reasons that Beckley developed the Proov tests – at-home hormone tests that you can take in the privacy of your own bathroom.
In an exclusive interview with Health Digest, Dr. Beckley explained the issues hormone imbalances can cause and how the Proov tests can help people assigned female at birth to monitor their hormone levels.
Health issues caused by female hormone imbalances
Dr. Amy Beckley explained that hormones control so many bodily functions that imbalances can have a wide range of impacts on health. Some of the most common signs of a hormone imbalance are major changes to the menstrual cycle.
"When the cycle is off balance, it can lead to PMS, heavy or painful periods, infertility, or major menopause symptoms," she said.
But when hormonal imbalances aren't detected and progress, they can cause symptoms all over the body.
"Heart disease, osteoporosis, memory loss, infertility, weight gain, miscarriage, dry/thin skin, hair loss, brittle nails. I mean hormones really affect almost each aspect of a woman's life and can lead to serious health issues if hormones are out of balance or not regulated correctly," said Dr. Beckley.
She added that the Proov tests she developed give people a picture of their hormone levels throughout the month. All you have to do is pee on the test strip — just like taking a pregnancy test — then upload your results to the Proov app.
By tracking this information in the app, people can get information about whether their hormone levels are within normal ranges. Proov is also working on new test kits that specifically detect hormone imbalances.
To learn more about Amy Beckley and the work she is doing at Proov, please follow the company on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, and be sure to check out their blog for more insights into their innovative efforts for women's testing at home.