Depression and hormone levels: what happens in the body when you "feel down"«

«"It's just emotions" - or not?

In our culture, depression is often seen as weakness or temporary sadness. But many people who have experienced prolonged apathy, insomnia, loss of energy, or interest in life are actually experience hormonal disturbances that have a physiological basis. Sometimes the cause is not only psychological trauma, but also imbalance in the endocrine system.

How hormones affect mental state

Hormones are chemical messengers between organs. They affect energy, appetite, sleep cycles, stress response, and even the ability to feel pleasure. This is why depression often changes:

• mood

• motivation level

• ability to concentrate

• physical endurance

• sexual desire

What hormones are most often associated with depression?

1. Cortisol

The main stress hormone. It can be either elevated or lowered in chronic stress or depression.

• High cortisol → anxiety, insomnia, irritability

• Low cortisol → apathy, fatigue, feeling of "burnout"«
  Analysis: daily cortisol profile (blood, saliva)

2. TSH and thyroid hormones (T3, T4)

Hypothyroidism often mimics depression: decreased energy, weight gain, loss of interest in life.
Analysis: TSH, free T3, free T4, TPO antibodies

3. Estrogens and progesterone (in women)

A decrease in estrogen or an imbalance with progesterone especially often provokes depressive states. before menstruation, after childbirth or during menopause.
Analysis: Estradiol, progesterone, LH, FSH

4. Testosterone (in men and women)

Low levels are associated with decreased libido, fatigue, and loss of motivation.
Analysis: Total and free testosterone, SHBG

5. Insulin and glucose

Insulin resistance is often combined with depression, especially in obesity or metabolic syndrome.
Analysis: Fasting glucose, insulin, HOMA-IR

6. Vitamin D

Its deficiency can affect mood due to decreased serotonin. It is often seen in seasonal depression.
Analysis: 25(OH)D (vitamin D in the blood)

Depression or hormonal imbalance?

It is not always easy to distinguish psychogenic depression from hormonally induced depression. But some signs point in favor of a hormonal component:

• Depression began after childbirth, perimenopause, or after surgery

• Accompanied by sleep disturbances, menstrual cycle, and weight gain

• Not responsive to classical psychotherapy or antidepressants

• Intensifies at a certain time of day or cycle

In such cases, the doctor may prescribe hormonal profile — and it will be the key to effective therapy.

What to do next

• Consult a psychiatrist or endocrinologist — depending on symptoms

• Undergo a comprehensive examination: blood tests, sometimes an ultrasound of the thyroid gland or adrenal glands

• Consider therapy in a complex: medications, psychotherapy, lifestyle changes

• Don't self-medicate or "just wait it out" - depression rarely goes away on its own

Hormonal dysfunction is not emotional weakness. It is diagnosed physiological cause, which can and should be treated.