What are hormones?

Dr.Neda Moeini, ND 05 Jul 2024

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Hormones are the body’s chemical messengers. They carry vital information to the cells through blood. Typically, hormones affect only certain cells, or target cells, through receptors. They are produced by the endocrine glands and travel through the bloodstream to various tissues and organs.

Each hormone has its own specific goal, carrying a key message to certain parts of the body. For example, the pineal gland produces and releases the melatonin hormone. This circulates through the bloodstream and cerebrospinal fluid around the brain where receptors will detect these hormones. Higher melatonin levels signal to the body that it’s time for rest.

The body’s hormones are essentially responsible for controlling and balancing nearly every major system. Hormones impact your growth and development, control your mood, determine how you’ll handle stress, and influence how the body breaks down food. Hormone testing is the best way to determine if your hormone levels are adversely affecting your health.

What are the different types of hormones?

Endocrine glands are located throughout the body. These glands include the:

Hypothalamus: controls thirst, hunger, sleep, sex drive, moods, body temperature, and the release of other hormones
Parathyroid: controls calcium
Thymus: controls the adaptive immune system
Pancreas: controls blood sugar levels
Thyroid: controls heart rate and calorie burn
Adrenal: controls stress and sex drive
Pituitary: controls growth
Pineal: controls sleep
Ovaries, in women: controls female sex hormones
Testes, in men: controls male sex hormones

There are several different types of hormones in the body. When you have a hormonal imbalance, you may have a problem in one or more of these glands. The specific hormone that’s imbalanced will determine the signs and symptoms that you experience as a result. Some of the major hormones found in the body include:

Estrogen: controls sex drive in both men and women, and regulates the menstrual cycle in women
Progesterone: influences the body’s changes through pregnancy
Testosterone: controls sex drive in both men and women
Cortisol: controls stress
Melatonin: controls the body’s circadian rhythm and sleep cycles
Serotonin: controls sleep cycles, appetite, and mood
Growth hormone: controls the reproduction of cells and their subsequent growth
Leptin: controls appetite, signaling when you’re full
Ghrelin: controls appetite, signaling when you’re hungry
Insulin: responds to sugar in the bloodstream

If your hormones are well-balanced, you will thrive. An imbalance, however, is something you cannot afford to ignore.

What is a hormonal imbalance?

A hormonal imbalance occurs when your hormones are not produced at the proper levels. You can have many different types of hormonal imbalances. Sometimes, the imbalance means a deficiency in the given hormone while in other times, there might be an overflow. The kind of hormone that is imbalanced will play a major role in determining how the sign and symptoms will manifest and what would be the associated risks involved.

Though there are a few common life transitions that can cause a hormonal imbalance, such as menopause or pregnancy, you can struggle with such a problem at any point in your life. Both men and women can experience hormonal imbalances. Children, adolescents, adults, and the elderly may also find their hormones out of balance.

Because hormones and their functionalities are so varied, there’s no one single way to detect a hormonal imbalance. A wide range of issues can indicate that something is amiss with your hormones. This is one of the reasons why your best bet is to get tested occasionally, especially when you start developing uncommon symptoms.