There is an important hormonal network called the ovarian-adrenal-thyroid (OAT) axis, which is crucial for maintaining hormone balance at any age. It influences us physically, mentally, and emotionally, and greatly impacts how we navigate the perimenopause and menopause transition. Stress, poor sleep, nutrient depletion, and hormonal disruptions can throw the OAT axis off balance, showing up as fatigue, irritability, low libido, mood changes, weight gain, headaches, and fertility concerns.
One of the most common misconceptions is that hormone issues should be addressed by focusing on just one part of the OAT axis. But in reality, lasting hormone balance comes from supporting all three parts of the OAT axis together, especially during perimenopause and menopause when hormonal shifts are at their peak.
Ovarian and estrogen balance support
Estrogen levels naturally rise and fall throughout the menstrual cycle and across a woman’s life. But when estrogen is poorly metabolized by the liver and gut, estrogen dominance can occur, contributing to heavy or painful periods, PMS, hormonal acne, breast tenderness, headaches, hair loss, brain fog, and low libido.
Support healthy estrogen metabolism by starting your day with warm lemon water, reducing exposure to plastics and pesticides, and eating liver-supportive foods like broccoli, kale, cabbage, turmeric, beets, artichokes, and garlic.
WomenSense® EstroSense® offers herbal extracts and nutrients targeted to support estrogen metabolism in the liver, and was recently the star of a compelling clinical trial. After three months of supplementation, the ratio of estrogen metabolites improved, suggesting a reduction in estrogen dominance and its symptoms.
Additionally, addressing the gut microbiome has been shown to support hormone balance by promoting the Estrobolome, a collection of gut microbes and their genes that are involved in the final stage of estrogen metabolism. Eating fermented foods, such as sauerkraut, kimchi, kefir, and yogurt, can bolster the gut-hormone axis. Supplementing with a probiotic, such as Natural Factors Women’s Probiotic, is a targeted approach to improving women’s gut health, with the additional support of cranberry to help prevent recurrent urinary tract infections.
Adrenal and stress support
The adrenal glands produce cortisol, the body’s primary stress hormone. Ongoing stress can disrupt cortisol levels, worsening fatigue, sleep disturbances, mood changes, and energy crashes. After menopause, the adrenals also take on a greater role in sex hormone production.
Supporting adrenal health includes eating regular, balanced meals, reducing caffeine and refined carbohydrates, prioritizing sleep, and practising stress-reducing activities such as gentle movement, breathing exercises, or meditation.
WomenSense AdrenaSense® supports adrenal and hormone balance, helping to enhance mental and physical performance, especially after periods of mental stress, while also helping to promote relaxation.
Thyroid support
When thyroid function is sluggish, symptoms like weight gain, low energy, hair thinning, and low mood may appear. If you’ve had low thyroid function confirmed through testing by a health care provider, you can improve it by following a wholefood diet, minimizing the consumption of raw goitrogens like broccoli, kale, cabbage, and cauliflower, reducing levels of dairy, gluten, and GMO soy in your diet, and avoiding toxins like fluoride and bromine.
Supplementing with WomenSense ThyroSense® supports thyroid function by promoting the conversion of T4 to the more active T3, and by providing nutrients like L-tyrosine and iodine to help manufacture thyroid hormones.
Hormone health isn’t about fixing one problem – it’s about creating balance across the whole system. By supporting the ovaries, adrenals, thyroid, and the microbiome together through lifestyle, nutrition, and targeted supplementation, women can feel more energized, resilient, and in tune with their bodies.