Poor diets lead to deficiencies in magnesium and potassium, both help regulate the thyroid and hormones. If your body isn't getting what it needs, the ovaries/testicles cannot aid in hormone production, so the adrenals take over. Since the body is already stressed, the adrenals are producing excess or too little cortisol, screwing up the other hormone levels. When women go through menopause, the adrenals take over estrogen/progesterone regulation for the ovaries, hence the change in hormone levels and accompanying symptoms.