We all know it’s impossible to conceive without hormonal balance, right? When they‘re out of balance, conceiving that little bundle of joy can become a nightmare for some. For those of you who believe it’s usually caused by female fertility, you might be surprised to learn that studies show that may not be the case, and commonly the problem rests equally with the male.

Do you find yourself irritated, nervous, lacking sleep, depressed, low in libido, losing interest or that spark for life? It may seem that these have nothing to do with hormones, or conception but they most definitely do! Conceiving naturally is not always all about hormones, though a lot of it can be. Brain chemicals play an underestimated role in fertility and are very rarely addressed. The entire body must be working like an orchestra for a healthy baby to be born.

Lets looks at the brain chemicals for a moment. Any signs of mood fluctuations can give an indication of neurotransmitter imbalance. Serotonin is the neurotransmitter that makes us feel happy, but the levels can be depicted by your levels of circulating oestrogen. Dopamine is our excitement and stimulating neurotransmitter is depicted by progesterone levels. Progesterone is the hormone that you need a lot of in the first trimester of pregnancy; it is what strengthens the uterus wall to allow you to nurture the foetus. Dopamine and progesterone go hand-in-hand.

I’m sure you’ve heard of the above hormones but what about prolactin? Prolactin is a hormone that is released in high amounts when you are breastfeeding, inhibiting conception. Any amount that is out of ‘normal’ range could possibly cause infertility. It’s often in high levels in those who have high stress levels or have been on anti-depressants. Dopamine is what switches prolactin off, so if you are lacking dopamine that ‘anti-conception’ switch could just stay on. A high level of the stress hormone cortisol can also throw hormones out of balance.

Neurotransmitter and hormone levels are dependent on numerous factors, mostly originating in the gut. With low protein digestion and a lack of nutrient absorption, they can almost never be in balance. With 1 in 6 couples finding it hard to conceive you are not alone, and so you shouldn’t be alone in trying to achieve your maximum health and fertility potential.

If you want only fact and not fiction and would like to know more about what we can do to help, you are welcome to book in for a free half hour consultation to discuss your health options.