When you think of hormones, what first springs to mind? PMS? A quick temper? Hormonal acne? Increased sexual drive? For a lot of people, you only really pay attention to your hormones when you feel like they’re out of whack.
Hormones often go out of whack during the menstrual cycle, pregnancy and puberty; but other internal and external environmental stressors can also cause hormone imbalances. So if you suspect your hormones might be to blame for your monthly breakout, this article is going to help you learn more about the role of hormones in the human body.
We talk alot about hormones here, because they’re SO important. If you want to explore other hormone-related topics, like how they affect your weight or your mood, subscribe to our blog to stay updated!
What are hormones?
Hormones are complex chemicals, responsible for a variety of functions and processes in the body that can alter your mood, caloric intake, the quality of your sleep, skin and fertility, amongst others. You can imagine them as your body’s messengers, that tells your cells and organs what to do, so that you can function as best as possible.
Where do hormones come from?
The endocrine system (ECS) is made up of a number of glands that are responsible for producing and secreting hormones.
What does the endocrine system (ECS) include?
The ECS includes the:
- Pituitary
- Hypothalamus
- Pineal
- Thyroid
- Parathyroid
- Adrenal glands
- Pancreas
- Ovaries or testicles (depending on your gender).
What is the role and function of the ECS?
The ECS is responsible for maintaining homeostasis – a state of stability among physiological processes, for optimal functioning. The way it does this is by secreting hormones.
The main function of the ECS is to regulate hormonal release to maintain balance in all of the above, so that you feel and function well. The hormone produced depends on the gland it is secreted from and the organ or tissue it is directed to.
For example, the pituitary gland is located in the brain and produces hormones like growth hormone and prolactin that affect growth and reproduction. When the pituitary gland secretes these hormones, a female’s breasts lactate and grow to feed her child.
For the average person, you don’t need to know all the hormones secreted by which gland and when, because there are more than 200 hormones in the ECS and understanding them all would be complex and unnecessary. For most people, it’s only advantageous to understand the hormones that have the biggest effect, and to understand what symptoms are reflective of an imbalance.
Some of the key hormones to be aware of
It’s difficult to make a definitive list of the ‘key’ hormones because it varies a lot between individuals, however these are some of the hormones that are helpful to understand.
Cortisol
Another well known hormone, cortisol is the stress hormone. This stress can be due to sensory overload, needing to meet a deadline, exercising too frequently, drinking too much coffee or not sleeping enough. Whatever is causing you stress, is causing a cortisol spike.
Cortisol stimulates fat and carbohydrate metabolism and storage, as an evolutionary adaptation to provide extra energy to handle the stressful event. However, this evolutionary adaptation has become maladaptive, because stress in the 21st century does not often require extra energy, so the extra energy is stored as fat.
Research shows that being able to maintain healthy levels of cortisol is integral to avoid weight gain, have a healthy insulin response, moderate food cravings, to have energy when you wake up and to perform well during exercise.
Triiodothyronine/thyroxine
Your thyroid gland releases these two major hormones that play an important role in regulating your metabolism, heart rate, energy levels, body temperature and contributes to bone and skin maintenance.
When your thyroid hormone levels are low, your metabolic rate decreases causing weight gain, a cold body temperature, constipation, muscle weakness and water retention, this is known as hypothyroidism. Hyperthyroidism on the other hand, does the opposite.
Serotonin
Serotonin is your happy hormone. It is integral in your mood, social behavior, appetite, sleep, memory, sexual drive and digestion. Depleted serotonin levels can be characterized by low sex drive, digestive issues and poor cognitive performance, whereas excess serotonin can cause depression or anxiety.
Insulin
Insulin plays an essential role in metabolic functioning and anabolism. When we consume carbohydrates, they release into our bloodstream, prompting an insulin release to signal to the cells to store excess energy. When an individual becomes insulin resistant, they often develop obesity and type 2 diabetes, two of the most common diseases in the US today.
Female hormones
Both men and women have testosterone (male sex hormone) and estrogen (female sex hormone), in varying quantities depending on the gender – men have higher testosterone and lower estrogen, and women, the opposite.
Estrogen
Estrogen is one of the sex hormones, alongside testosterone, and is one of the most well known hormones, partially due to its contribution to our sex drive and reproductive function.
Research shows that too much testosterone in women can cause acne, hair loss and polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS).
Low levels of sex hormones in both men and women, can weaken the immune system, increase fat storage, decrease sex drive, cause mood disturbances, interfere with sleep and even cause infertility.
Progesterone
Progesterone is another hormone that is involved in fertility and menstruation. It’s a steroid hormone that is secreted by an endocrine gland after ovulation during the luteal phase of the menstrual cycle.
Progestin is a synthetic version of the naturally occurring hormone and is common in contraceptive pills, combined with estrogen. The role of this hormone is to prepare the endometrium for potential pregnancy after ovulation, triggering the thickening of the uterus lining to fertilize an egg.
Low progesterone levels can cause abnormal bleeding, irregular periods, abdominal pain and miscarriages.
The dangers of hormone imbalance
As explored, when your hormones are over or under producing, it can cause issues. This can happen due to stress, genetics, medical conditions, diet, lifestyle, environment and a plethora of other variables.
Achieving hormonal balance
The treatment for hormone balancing depends on the individual in question, each individual may have different symptoms, genetic predispositions, triggers and lifestyle factors that may influence the type of treatment they need.
That being said, here are some of the best ways to naturally rebalance your hormones:
- Consume a varied nutrient dense whole foods diet
- Minimize your intake of refined carbohydrates, sugar, alcohol, coffee and inflammatory food
- Engage in regular exercise at a moderate intensity with proper recovery
- Decrease carbohydrate intake
- Increase healthy fat consumption
- Manage stress
- Sleep seven to nine hours a night
- Regulate your eating pattern
- Practicing deep breathing
If you have concerns that you may have a hormonal imbalance, reach out to your medical provider to get a hormone test.
Our hormones define the way we look, the way we feel, and the way we show up in the world, so take care of your body to keep it balanced.
Meet Emilina
Emilina is a clinically trained nutritionist turned health writer who has worked with top health and wellness brands including the National Football League (NFL), Muscle & Strength, Breaking Muscle as well as manages written content for many professional athletes. She currently lives in Orange County, California.
More about Emilina