HORMONES

Hormones are your body's chemical messengers. They travel through your bloodstream, helping every organ communicate and work together. They influence everything from your brain and mood to your heart, bones, muscles, metabolism and sleep. During perimenopause and menopause, hormone levels fluctuate and eventually decline. It's these change not just ageing that drive many of the symptoms women experience.

Oestrogen

The multitasker! Oestrogen does far more than regulate your menstrual cycle. It supports:

Brain function, memory and concentration
Heart and blood vessel health
Bone strength
Muscle maintenance
Metabolism and insulin sensitivity
Mood
Vaginal and bladder health
Skin elasticity and collagen

When levels fluctuate or decline, women may notice hot flushes, night sweats, brain fog, joint pain, mood changes, vaginal dryness, weight changes and an increased long-term risk of cognitive health (brain), osteoporosis and cardiovascular disease.

Progesterone

The calming hormone. Progesterone naturally helps balance the effects of oestrogen and has a calming influence on the brain. It supports:

Sleep quality
Relaxation
Nervous system regulation
Mood stability

Progesterone is often the first hormone to decline
during perimenopause. As levels fall, women may experience:
Difficulty sleeping
Increased anxiety
Feeling overwhelmed
Irritability
More noticeable PMS symptoms
Heavier or irregular periods

Testosterone

The vitality hormone. Women produce testosterone too just in much smaller amounts than men.
It contributes to:

Muscle strength
Energy
Libido and sexual wellbeing
Motivation and confidence
Physical performance

Levels gradually decline with age and may fall further after menopause or surgical menopause. Some women notice:
Reduced libido
Lower motivation
Fatigue
Reduced muscle strength
Decreased exercise performance

Follicle Stimulating Hormone
(FSH)

The messenger from your brain

FSH is produced by your brain and signals your ovaries to mature an egg each month.

As the ovaries become less responsive during perimenopause, the brain produces more FSH in an attempt to keep the ovaries working.

Why it matters: FSH levels naturally rise during the menopause transition, but because they fluctuate significantly, a single blood test cannot reliably diagnose perimenopause.

Luteinising
Hormone
(LH)

The ovulation messenger

LH works alongside FSH to trigger ovulation and support hormone production.

Like FSH, LH levels become more variable during perimenopause as communication between the brain and ovaries changes.

Why it matters: LH is part of the normal hormonal changes that occur during menopause but is rarely measured on its own.

Cortisol

The metabolism regulators

Often called the "stress hormone", cortisol helps your body respond to physical and emotional stress.

When stress becomes chronic, cortisol can contribute to:

Poor sleep
Fatigue
Increased abdominal fat
Blood sugar fluctuations
Anxiety
Feeling constantly "wired but tired"

Supporting the nervous system is an important part of managing midlife health.

Melatonin

Melatonin helps regulate your sleep-wake cycle.

As we age - and particularly during menopause - melatonin production naturally declines, contributing to difficulty falling asleep and waking during the night.

Thyroid (T3 & T4)

T4 (Thyroxine) is the main hormone made by your thyroid gland. It acts like a stored form of thyroid hormone and is converted into T3 when your body needs it.

T3 (Triiodothyronine) is the active thyroid hormone. It helps regulate your metabolism, energy levels, body temperature, heart rate, mood and brain function.

How does this relate to perimenopause?

Thyroid problems become more common in midlife, and many symptoms of an underactive thyroid can look very similar to perimenopause, including:

Fatigue
Weight gain
Brain fog
Low mood
Feeling cold
Dry skin
Hair thinning
Constipation

Because the symptoms overlap, it's important not to assume everything is due to changing hormones. A simple blood test can help identify whether your thyroid is also contributing to how you're feeling.

Hormones