Signs You Might Need a Hormone Screening: From Mood Swings to Fatigue
Unexplained fatigue, mood swings, or weight changes? Learn how hormone screening helps detect imbalances and guides your journey to better health.
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Last updated on 5th Aug, 2025
Feeling tired all the time? Struggling with mood swings, poor sleep, or weight changes? These symptoms may seem like everyday stress or ageing, but they could be signs of a hormonal imbalance. Hormones are chemical messengers that help control many important functions in the body. When they’re not working properly, your health can be affected in ways you might not expect.
This article explains what hormone screening is, why it matters, and how it can help you feel better. We’ll also highlight useful hormone test packages available through Apollo 24|7, so you know where to start if you’re thinking about getting tested.
The Endocrine System and Hormonal Health in Women
The endocrine system is a network of glands that produces and regulates hormones to support the body’s functions. In women, this system plays a big role in reproductive, metabolic and emotional health. Since hormone levels fluctuate throughout life stages (puberty, pregnancy, menopause) women are more prone to hormonal imbalances.
Key Hormones in Women's Health
- Oestrogen and Progesterone: These are the main female hormones. They control your menstrual cycle and fertility, and guide changes during perimenopause and menopause. They also help support healthy bones, steady moods, and a strong heart.
- Thyroid Hormones: These come from your thyroid gland and influence how your body uses energy. When the thyroid isn’t working properly, it can slow things down, leading to tiredness, weight changes, and feeling mentally off.
- Cortisol: Often called the “stress hormone,” cortisol helps you handle pressure and daily challenges. But if your body stays under stress for too long, cortisol levels can remain high. That can lead to poor sleep, higher blood sugar, and knock-on effects on other hormones.
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What Happens During a Hormonal Imbalance
A hormonal imbalance occurs when any gland in the endocrine system produces too much or too little of a hormone. This can affect multiple systems in the body and lead to symptoms such as tiredness, mood swings, irregular periods, weight gain, or trouble sleeping. Because the endocrine system is interconnected, an issue in one gland can influence the function of others, leading to a cascade of health effects.
Symptoms of Hormonal Imbalance In Women
Hormonal symptoms are non-specific and often mistaken for lifestyle issues, but when they persist, it may be time to consider a hormone evaluation.
- Mood swings and emotional changes: Hormone fluctuations, particularly in oestrogen, can disrupt chemical messengers in the brain. This may lead to feelings of irritability, anxiety, sadness, or emotional instability, especially during menopause or after childbirth.
- Persistent fatigue and low energy: Ongoing tiredness despite adequate sleep may point to thyroid dysfunction. Low levels of thyroid hormone reduce metabolism, leading to sluggishness and mental exhaustion.
- Unexplained weight changes: Hormonal imbalances, such as those involving thyroid hormones, insulin, or cortisol, can cause weight gain or loss without changes in diet or activity. Weight gain around the abdomen is often linked to high stress-related cortisol levels.
- Sleep disturbances: Reduced progesterone may make it harder to fall asleep or stay asleep. Declining oestrogen levels during menopause can also trigger night sweats and hot flushes, disrupting restful sleep.
- Irregular or painful periods: Changes in menstrual cycle patterns (including missed periods, heavy bleeding, or intense cramps) can suggest hormonal disruption. PCOS, often driven by excess androgens, is a common cause of irregular cycles.
- Skin and hair changes: Increased acne may be linked to higher androgen levels. Thinning hair or excessive shedding can stem from thyroid or sex hormone imbalances.
- Reduced libido: A noticeable drop in sexual desire may be associated with changes in oestrogen and testosterone levels, particularly during menopause or postpartum recovery.
- Digestive issues: Bloating, constipation, and abdominal discomfort may coincide with hormonal fluctuations throughout the menstrual cycle.
- Hot flushes and night sweats: These are hallmark symptoms of menopause caused by falling oestrogen levels and often affect sleep and daytime comfort.
The Role and Importance of Hormone Screening
Hormones play a key role in many functions of the body, from energy levels and mood to menstrual cycles and metabolism. When they are out of balance, they can cause a range of symptoms that are often hard to explain. Hormone screening is a simple and effective way to understand what is happening inside your body and take the right steps toward better health.
- Helps make sense of your symptoms: If you are dealing with ongoing issues like tiredness, mood swings, irregular periods, or weight changes, hormone testing can help identify whether a hormone imbalance is the cause.
- Quick and easy testing: Hormone screening is usually done through a simple blood test. It does not take long and can give valuable information about your hormone levels.
- Supports accurate diagnosis: Test results can help your doctor diagnose conditions such as thyroid disorders, PCOS (Polycystic Ovary Syndrome), or hormonal changes related to menopause.
- Leads to the right treatment: With clear test results, your doctor can suggest the most suitable next steps. This might include lifestyle changes, medications, or further tests based on your needs.
- Puts you in control of your health: Knowing your hormone levels allows you to make informed choices about your health, especially during important times like planning for pregnancy or managing changes around menopause.
Popular Hormone Screening Tests from Apollo 24|7
To make the process of diagnosis easier and more convenient, Apollo 24|7 offers a range of tests and packages designed for women's health needs.
- Thyroid Profile (T3, T4, TSH): The thyroid gland is a cornerstone of metabolic health. This test measures the key hormones T3, T4, and Thyroid Stimulating Hormone (TSH) to assess thyroid function. It is a critical starting point for women experiencing fatigue, weight fluctuations, or mood changes.
- Apollo Thyroid Assessment - Basic: As a popular package, this combines the standard Thyroid Profile with other key tests for a more comprehensive view of thyroid health. This is for women who need a more thorough evaluation.
- Apollo Basic Hormone Check: This package is specifically designed for women and measures key reproductive hormones, including Follicle-Stimulating Hormone (FSH), Luteinizing Hormone (LH), and Prolactin. These tests are essential for evaluating menstrual health and fertility.
Book an Apollo Women’s Health - Basic Test
- Apollo Fertility Profile - Female: This advanced package is curated for women facing fertility challenges. It includes a broader panel of hormones, such as Anti-Müllerian Hormone (AMH), alongside others like TSH, FSH, LH, and Oestradiol (E2), to provide a detailed assessment of ovarian reserve and reproductive function.
Schedule an Apollo Fertility Profile - Female
Conclusion
Symptoms of Hormonal Imbalances can affect many aspects of a woman's health, often in subtle ways that are easy to overlook. But when symptoms like ongoing fatigue, mood swings, or changes in weight or periods persist, they should not be ignored. These may be signs that your body is out of balance and needs support.
A simple hormone screening can be a powerful first step in understanding what is happening inside your body. It gives you and your doctor the information needed to find the right path forward, whether that involves treatment, lifestyle changes, or further testing. Listening to your body and seeking help early can make a real difference. By taking charge of your health, you can restore your energy, improve your mood, and feel more like yourself again.
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