Spend more than 5 minutes on Instagram or TikTok 鈥� especially as a woman of a certain age 鈥� and you are likely to meet a fit, attractive person showing you what they ate today. It is usually a bowl of oats, flaxseeds and berries, or a plate of leafy greens with lean meats or other 鈥渜uality proteins鈥�, or a salad of raw carrots and little else, all enviably presented and accompanied by the claim that these foods balance excess oestrogen, lower the stress hormone cortisol, support adrenal function or even help you get rid of that 鈥渉ormonal belly鈥�.
So-called hormone-balancing diets aren鈥檛 exactly new: self-help books positing hormonal balance as the way to wellness began appearing in the early 2000s, marrying scientific-sounding claims with weight-loss plans. But what does 鈥渉ormone imbalance鈥� really mean?
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This article is part of a series on nutrition that delves into some of the hottest trends of the moment. Read more here.
Not a lot, as it turns out. Hormones are the chemical messengers produced by endocrine glands located throughout the body, such as the thyroid, pituitary gland, ovaries and testes, that orchestrate many essential functions. 鈥淗ormones basically run the show, so to speak, in our bodies,鈥� says , a registered dietician in New York. 鈥淒ifferent hormones regulate everything, including sleep, hunger and fullness, growth, sexual development and desire, pregnancy, energy metabolism, blood sugar and more.鈥�
So the concept of 鈥渂alance鈥� makes little sense in the perpetually changing endocrine system. 鈥溾�楬ormonal imbalance鈥� is not a term endocrinologists鈥� readily use because it suggests that something is wrong if hormones, when measured, are not always in the 鈥榥ormal range鈥�,鈥� says . 鈥淭he truth is, our hormones fluctuate all day and all night.鈥�
For the most part, this system runs itself. And when it doesn鈥檛, it is often because of something more serious than carrot salads can cure. Some conditions can induce problematic levels of a specific hormone in the body, whether that is too little or too much. Polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS), one of the most common conditions addressed by influencers, is characterised by an excess of androgens, for example, while hypothyroidism occurs when the thyroid produces too little thyroxine and triiodothyronine. In other cases, too much or too little of a hormone can indicate a tumour in a gland.
Impact of diet on hormones
It is true, however, that our diet does play a part . 鈥淲hat we eat or don鈥檛 eat can impact our hormonal production,鈥� says Sherry. The effect can be both direct, causing our bodies to make more or less of a specific hormone, or indirect, by changing cellular sensitivity to hormonal signalling. These effects are most obvious with the hormones regulating blood sugar and satiety, where certain foods can exacerbate existing issues, says Adimoolam. 鈥淚f you have type 2 diabetes, eating too much glucose 鈥� sugar 鈥� can lead to a further increase in the hormone insulin, leading to more insulin resistance, which can lead to worsening blood sugar control.鈥�
Some foods and food packaging contain , which can interfere with the body鈥檚 hormones. Fast food consumption, for instance, is linked to higher levels of chemicals used in plastics called phthalates, probably due to either the packaging or the processing procedures. Even relatively little exposure to such chemicals can have significant biological and developmental effects in both humans and wildlife.
The interaction between hormones and environment isn鈥檛 as simple as many influencers imply, however. 鈥淭here are many complex factors that go into hormone production, hormone signalling and how hormones play with one another,鈥� says Sherry. So, although a careful diet can , it cannot cure conditions like PCOS. And there is no evidence that eating a diet rich in, for example, soy and flaxseeds 鈥� plant products full of phytoestrogens that mimic mammalian oestrogen 鈥� will 鈥渞eset鈥� your personal oestrogen levels, as is sometimes claimed.
Disordered eating
Though many of the diets promoted as hormone-balancing aren鈥檛 themselves dangerous, they may nonetheless have problematic effects. Some are designed to help with PCOS, perimenopause or menopause, and people experiencing these are at a . False information about what these diets can accomplish may only increase the likelihood of disordered eating among their target audiences, says Sherry. 鈥淭hese very real risks, coupled with the lack of reliable evidence that any one particular diet is going to cure or reverse hormonal changes related to PCOS or menopause, makes me very leery of any diet that claims as much,鈥� she says.
It may go without saying to view any nutritional advice delivered on TikTok with a degree of scepticism. But many of the hormone diets being touted on social media could be good for us 鈥� they just aren鈥檛 rebalancing your endocrine system.
鈥淭he recommendations 鈥� to eat more wholegrains, more lean proteins, plant-based fats, fruits, vegetables and high-fibre foods 鈥� are the same dietary changes we recommend for disease prevention, longevity and overall health,鈥� says Sherry. 鈥淸But] will it cure your condition? No.鈥�
So, when it comes to hormone-balancing diets, don鈥檛 believe the hype 鈥� although that doesn鈥檛 mean they won鈥檛 do you any good whatsoever.
