Pimple breakouts, body acne, dry skin, weight gain, hair loss, moodiness, change of appetite and even development of certain medical conditions such as both types of thyroidism and hives can be all linked to hormonal factors. In fact, you might have been told over and over again that the culprit behind your condition and bad mood is the hormonal changes in your body, even if you were only having a bad day. As easy as it is to blame hormones for everything that happens within the body, have you ever wondered what exactly are they and what roles do they play, at least in general? How can this simple eight lettered word affect your body system and particularly your mood on such formidable level?
So here is what we will be doing this time. We have decided disclose all that you need to know and understand about hormones in general, for its functions and roles are innumerable and can all pose intense impacts individually, thus making it a must-know general knowledge in order to understand the conditions you are facing, better.
What are Hormones?
Hormones are actually chemical substances that are responsible for regulation of body system, and are secreted by different glands, also known as endocrine glands according to their types and functions. Once secreted, they circulate within the blood to reach their target organs, be it the stomach, brain, or even the heart and later activate all their target cells. If put into simpler words, they are chemical substances, each with different functions targeting different parts and cells of the body, with different motives in order to make the body system adapt to changes and still be able to function perfectly. They also control some major functions of your body such as its sexual activities, metabolism, homeostasis (balance in major body functions), growth as well as contractions of muscles.
What are the Types of Hormones and Their Roles?
Hormones are produced by 15 endocrine glands, namely the hypothalamus, anterior pituitary, posterior pituitary, thyroid gland, parathyroid gland, adrenal cortex, adrenal medulla, pancreas, ovary, testis, stomach, duodenum and jejunum, kidney, heart and lastly skin. It is okay if you can’t remember the names of the glands, but you sure need to remember that these glands are responsible for producing at least 34 types of hormones, that contribute to the condition your body is currently in.
The type of hormones, as we mentioned earlier are at least 34. But instead of listing out on all 34, we have decided to disclose some of the most common hormones that play prime roles in the functioning of the body, which are also exactly the ones that are important for you to learn and understand so you could comprehend an average condition from its root. Without further ado, let us take look at the most common types of hormones in the human body.
1. Melatonin
This hormone is secreted by a gland in the brain and play important roles in determining your sleeping patterns, female reproductive hormones and sometimes aging. For instance, melatonin can determine when you fall asleep- your melatonin level increases in the dark, explaining the tendency of falling asleep at night instead of day. Its functions on menstruation include determining when and how long a woman menstruates as well as when she stops menstruating. Other than that, melatonin is said to help with conditions such as breast cancer, menopause, heart disease, insomnia and even sunburn. If you ever suffer from any of these, you already know which hormone you need to work on.
2. Dopamine
This might appear as more familiar to you than most other hormones. It is actually a type of neurotransmitter released by the brain to control your mood, behavior, cognition, attention and memory. Deficiency of dopamine can be directly linked to decreased attention span of an individual as well as memory lapses. Low levels of dopamine will also create social anxiety in an individual, but can be substantially increased by sexual drive or even food. Makes sense now why first dates are always started off with a dinner.
3. Epinephrine
Adrenaline is another term for this hormone that a lot of people are aware and familiar with. The hormone is usually released into the bloodstream under stressful situations and is directly responsible for functioning of the heart and lungs during the duration of stress. However, when released during a non-stressful situation, adrenaline can cause uneasiness, restlessness, nervous feelings and even insomnia, though it can be balanced by channeling the energy through activities such as yoga or cardiovascular exercises.
4. Serotonin
This hormone is vital to maintain a happy mode, positive thinking, sexual desire, production of breast milk, liver regeneration and also bone metabolism. Serotonin is mostly produced in the brain and intestines and takes care of the whole central nervous system. Being a natural mood stabilizer, its deficiency can easily lead to depression and severe nervous breakdowns, hence making it a hormone worth understanding if you wish to combat depression from its root.
5. Testosterone
This hormone is probably no stranger to you, but how well do you really know it? Testosterone are produced in the testicles to control all the physical features of a male. Women have it too, except that the hormones are produced in the ovary and in very little amount. Deepened voice, increased muscle strength, growth of penis and testes, growth of facial and pubic hair as well as general body growth in males are all driven by this one hormone. It is also needed to make sperm, thus low level of testosterone can lead to poor fertility. Too much of it, on the other hand, can result in onset of early puberty (as early as the age of 9). Surprisingly, studies claim that this hormone is usually at its prime in the morning and lowest at night. So in case of low sex drive, poor erection, low sperm count or enlarged or tender breasts in females, you know which hormone is to be blamed.
6. Estrogen
If there is testosterone, there has to be estrogen too. Estrogen is an ovary-produced hormone essential for sexual and reproduction in particularly women. It is produced in men as well, by the testes, but in small amount. During the puberty of a female, estrogen is responsible for the development of breasts and pubic and armpit hair. It also controls the menstrual cycle of a woman- estrogen reduces drastically when the egg is not fertilized, which later results in menstruation. This hormone also serves as a protective agent in maintaining the thickness of the vagina wall, vaginal lubrication as well as urethral lining. The flip side of the hormone, its drop, leads to the symptoms of menopause, decreased sex drive and dryness in vagina.
7. Human Growth Hormones HGH
The growth hormones are produced in the pituitary gland and play a major role in maintaining all body tissues, cell growth and its regeneration. Increasing muscle mass or bone density is impossible without these hormones. Once secreted, it remains in the blood stream for only a couple of minutes, though the time is sufficient for the liver to convert it into growth functions. Humans can benefit from growth hormones in terms of high energy, increased sexual drive, delay in development of age-related regenerative diseases and even fat loss. However, HGH is highest only during adolescence, and is likely to drop as you age, usually as early as your 20’s. This can result in the exact opposite of the benefits it bring and affect the body’s overall physical capacity. The good news is that the hormones can be easily increased through several treatments.
Now that we have disclosed to you the seven most common hormones that are responsible for the major functions of your body, you should be able to understand and combat a condition from its root. Should you notice symptoms or drop in your hormone levels after performing tests, do not worry as there are many treatments and wide variety of traditional methods available these days to increase several types of hormones to some extent, this site being one of them. However, remember to seek a doctor’s advice before starting on any treatment.
