Perimenopause isn’t just a hormonal shift—it’s a whole-body transition that can begin up to 10 years before menopause. Many women struggle with symptoms they’re told are “normal,” but in functional medicine, symptoms are messages …
During perimenopause, estrogen, progesterone, cortisol, and thyroid hormones begin interacting in unpredictable ways. This hormonal “triad” explains why so many women experience mood swings, weight gain, fatigue, anxiety, heavy periods, and sleep disruptions long before their periods ever stop.
Research now shows that perimenopause is not simply estrogen decline—it is a complex hormonal recalibration, influenced by stress, gut health, inflammation, and metabolism.
This guide breaks down:
- How estrogen, cortisol, and thyroid interact
- What research shows about hormonal changes
- Why symptoms vary dramatically
- The functional medicine approach
- Nutrition for hormonal balance
- Gut health and estrogen metabolism
- Labs to consider
- Ways to restore balance naturally