Hormone-health terms, defined

Andropause

Also: male menopause · late-onset hypogonadism

Andropause (late-onset hypogonadism) is the gradual, age-related decline in testosterone in men, producing symptoms such as low libido, fatigue, and mood changes.

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Anovulation

Anovulation is the absence of ovulation during a menstrual cycle, a leading cause of irregular bleeding and female infertility.

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Bioidentical hormone replacement therapy

Also: BHRT · bioidentical hormones

Bioidentical hormone replacement therapy (BHRT) uses hormones chemically identical to those the body produces, most often to treat menopause symptoms, but Health Canada has not approved compounded BHRT formulations.

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Bioidentical vs synthetic hormones

Bioidentical hormones share the exact molecular structure of hormones the body makes; synthetic hormones are chemically modified versions that act similarly but are not identical.

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Brain fog (menopausal)

Also: menopause cognitive symptoms

Menopausal brain fog is a cluster of temporary cognitive symptoms — memory lapses, poor concentration, and mental slowness — linked to hormonal changes during the menopause transition.

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Comprehensive hormone panel

Also: hormone bloodwork · biomarker panel

A comprehensive hormone panel is a blood (or urine) test that measures multiple hormone biomarkers at once to assess endocrine function or guide hormone therapy.

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Cortisol

Cortisol is a steroid hormone made by the adrenal glands that regulates metabolism, immune function, and the body's response to stress.

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Endometriosis

Endometriosis is a chronic condition where tissue similar to the uterine lining grows outside the uterus, causing pain, inflammation, and sometimes infertility.

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Erectile dysfunction

Also: ED · impotence

Erectile dysfunction (ED) is the persistent inability to get or keep an erection firm enough for satisfactory sexual activity.

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Estradiol

Also: E2 · estrogen

Estradiol (E2) is the most potent estrogen in the human body, dominating reproductive-age physiology and falling sharply at menopause to levels below 30 pmol/L.

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Estrogen dominance

Estrogen dominance is a state in which estrogen's effects are disproportionately high relative to progesterone, causing a range of hormonal symptoms.

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Finasteride

Also: Propecia

Finasteride is an oral 5-alpha reductase inhibitor approved to treat male pattern hair loss and benign prostatic hyperplasia by blocking conversion of testosterone to DHT.

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Follicle-stimulating hormone

Also: FSH

Follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) is a pituitary hormone that drives egg follicle growth in women and sperm production in men.

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Follicular and luteal phases

Also: menstrual cycle phases

The two main phases of the menstrual cycle — follicular (days 1–14) and luteal (days 15–28) — driven by shifting hormone levels that prepare the body for possible pregnancy.

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Free testosterone

Free testosterone is the small fraction of testosterone in the blood not bound to proteins, making it immediately available to act on cells and tissues.

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Functional medicine

Also: integrative medicine

Functional medicine is a patient-centered approach that seeks the root causes of disease by examining genetics, environment, and lifestyle rather than treating symptoms alone.

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Genitourinary syndrome of menopause

Also: GSM · vaginal dryness

Genitourinary syndrome of menopause (GSM) is a progressive, estrogen-deficiency condition affecting the vagina, vulva, and urinary tract that impacts up to 84% of postmenopausal women.

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GLP-1 medications

Also: GLP-1 agonists · Ozempic

GLP-1 medications are injectable (or oral) drugs that mimic the gut hormone GLP-1 to lower blood sugar, reduce appetite, and promote weight loss.

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Hashimoto's thyroiditis

Also: chronic lymphocytic thyroiditis · Hashimoto's disease

Hashimoto's thyroiditis is the most common cause of hypothyroidism in iodine-sufficient countries, affecting roughly 5% of adults and women 7–10× more often than men.

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Heart palpitations (perimenopausal)

Heart palpitations during perimenopause are sensations of a racing, fluttering, or skipped heartbeat linked to hormonal changes of the menopause transition.

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Hormonal acne

Hormonal acne is acne driven by androgen hormones that stimulate excess oil production, most commonly affecting adult women along the jawline and chin.

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Hormonal hair loss

Also: female pattern hair loss · androgenic alopecia

Hormonal hair loss (androgenic alopecia) is a genetically influenced, progressive thinning of scalp hair driven by androgen sensitivity in hair follicles.

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Hormone replacement therapy

Also: HRT · menopausal hormone therapy

Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) is a medical treatment that replaces estrogen — and often progestogen — lost at menopause, used by roughly 1 in 8 Canadian women in their 50s.

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Hot flashes

Also: vasomotor symptoms · hot flushes

Hot flashes are sudden waves of intense body heat affecting more than 80% of people during menopause, often lasting 1–5 minutes and persisting for a median of 7 years.

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Human chorionic gonadotropin

Also: hCG · Pregnyl

Human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) is a hormone produced during pregnancy that also has clinical uses in fertility treatment, cancer monitoring, and male hypogonadism.

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Hyperandrogenism

Hyperandrogenism is a condition in which androgens (such as testosterone) are present at higher-than-normal levels in women, causing symptoms like excess hair growth, acne, and irregular periods.

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Hyperthyroidism

Also: overactive thyroid · Graves' disease

Hyperthyroidism is a condition in which the thyroid gland produces more thyroid hormone than the body needs, speeding up many bodily functions.

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Hypothyroidism

Also: underactive thyroid · Hashimoto's thyroiditis

Hypothyroidism is a condition in which the thyroid gland produces too little thyroid hormone, slowing metabolism and affecting nearly every organ system.

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Insulin resistance

Insulin resistance is a condition in which the body's cells don't respond normally to insulin, causing the pancreas to overproduce the hormone and raising blood sugar levels.

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Levothyroxine

Also: Synthroid · Eltroxin

Levothyroxine is a synthetic thyroid hormone prescribed to treat hypothyroidism by replacing the thyroxine the thyroid gland cannot produce on its own.

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Low testosterone

Also: hypogonadism · low T

Low testosterone (hypogonadism) is a condition where the body produces insufficient testosterone, causing symptoms such as low libido, fatigue, and reduced muscle mass.

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Luteinizing hormone

Also: LH

Luteinizing hormone (LH) is a pituitary hormone that triggers ovulation in females and testosterone production in males.

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Male infertility

Male infertility is the inability of a man to cause pregnancy after 12 months of regular unprotected sex, most often due to problems with sperm production, movement, or shape.

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Menopause

Menopause is the permanent end of menstruation, confirmed after 12 consecutive months without a period, occurring at a median age of 51 in North America.

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Metabolic health

Metabolic health is the state in which blood sugar, lipids, blood pressure, waist circumference, and insulin sensitivity are all within normal ranges without medication.

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Minoxidil

Also: Rogaine

Minoxidil is a topical (and oral) medication that slows hair loss and stimulates regrowth in androgenetic alopecia in both men and women.

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Night sweats

Night sweats are episodes of drenching sleep-time sweating that affect up to 75% of people going through menopause and can signal several other hormonal or medical conditions.

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Osteoporosis

Also: bone density loss · low bone mass

Osteoporosis is a condition in which bones lose density and structural strength, making fractures far more likely — often without any warning symptoms.

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Ovulation

Also: fertile window

Ovulation is the release of a mature egg from an ovary, marking the most fertile point of the menstrual cycle.

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Perimenopause

Perimenopause is the hormonal transition leading to menopause, typically starting in the mid-40s, lasting 4–8 years on average, and marked by erratic estrogen and progesterone levels.

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Polycystic ovary syndrome

Also: PCOS

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a hormonal disorder causing irregular periods, excess androgen activity, and often insulin resistance in people of reproductive age.

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Postmenopause

Postmenopause is the life stage beginning 12 months after the final menstrual period and lasting for the rest of a woman's life, defined by persistently low estrogen and progesterone.

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Premenstrual dysphoric disorder

Also: PMDD

Premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD) is a severe mood disorder tied to the luteal phase of the menstrual cycle, causing significant distress and functional impairment in 5–8% of people with ovaries.

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Premenstrual syndrome

Also: PMS

Premenstrual syndrome (PMS) is a pattern of physical and emotional symptoms that appear in the luteal phase of the menstrual cycle and resolve within days of menstruation starting.

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Progesterone

Progesterone is a steroid hormone produced mainly by the ovaries that regulates the menstrual cycle, supports pregnancy, and balances the effects of estrogen.

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Sex hormone-binding globulin

Also: SHBG

Sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG) is a liver-made protein that binds testosterone and estradiol in the blood, controlling how much of each hormone is active in the body.

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Testosterone

Testosterone is the primary androgen (sex hormone) produced mainly in the testes and, in smaller amounts, the ovaries and adrenal glands, regulating sexual function, muscle mass, bone density, and mood.

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Testosterone replacement therapy

Also: TRT

Testosterone replacement therapy (TRT) is a medical treatment that restores testosterone to normal levels in men diagnosed with hypogonadism.

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Thyroid

The thyroid is a butterfly-shaped gland in the neck that produces hormones controlling metabolism, energy, growth, and many other body functions.

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TSH, T3, and T4

Also: thyroid panel · thyroid stimulating hormone

TSH, T3, and T4 are the three blood markers used together to screen for and diagnose thyroid disorders such as hypothyroidism and hyperthyroidism.

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Weight optimization

Weight optimization is the process of reaching and maintaining a body weight that supports hormonal balance, metabolic health, and overall well-being.

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