6 Ways How Hormones Work
Hormones are substances produced in one part of our body that provides functions in another part. Hormones impact almost every part of the body, and almost all hormones are related together. They work in a balanced system. When one is low, another will become high and vice versa. Over time, hormone imbalances can cause chronic diseases or even cancer. The female reproductive system especially relies on hormone balance. Here we will discuss systems in the body to help you understand how hormones work.
Source: NIH
Here are 6 ways how hormones work in the body:
1. PMS
PMS or premenstrual syndrome is very important when learning how hormones work in the female body. Occurring in about 95% of women of reproductive age, PMS is very common but having life-disrupting symptoms is not normal. The most common complaints of PMS are menstrual cramps, headaches, bloating, breast soreness, and low mood. These symptoms are all tied to disproportionately high estrogen levels prior to the menstrual cycle. Overall, during the luteal phase, the week leading up to menstruation, hormone levels are at their lowest, but if estrogen is dominant, this can cause issues. Menstrual cramps which are uterine contractions can intensify when estrogen is high because prostaglandins increase. These prostaglandins are inflammatory and promote the tightening of uterine contractions. High estrogen levels released from breast tissue can cause them to swell, resulting in soreness. Bloating occurs during PMS because higher estrogen results in water retention and lowers the osmotic threshold for which water is absorbed in the body.
Source: 26303988, 18580296, 28944048, 27493619
2. Sleep
Sleep is another system to look into when learning how hormones work. When we sleep we release a hormone from the brain called Melatonin, and it has a role in the circadian rhythm to increase sleep quality. The circadian rhythm is our daily body changes that occur to indicate awakeness and sleepiness. These body changes are based on our sensory reactions to light and darkness. Bright light indicates awakeness, and darkness indicates sleepiness. Another one of these changes is our cortisol levels. In the morning, we get a burst of cortisol to motivate us to get out of bed because the day is starting, and as the sky gets darker, cortisol levels will decline so we feel calm and sleepy. When you get a low or poor quality of sleep, this can disrupt melatonin production. If melatonin is not produced enough at night, then energy levels will be low the next day because the circadian rhythm is imbalanced.
3. Hair Loss/Production
Hair loss is another symptom to look at when learning how hormones work. Androgen hormones like testosterone and DHEA are dominant in males and low in females, and they have functions to control hair production. Females need androgens in circulation but compared to men these levels are very low. It is important that androgens do not get too high in females because this is a sign of polycystic ovarian syndrome or PCOS. This condition causes many negative outcomes like infertility, irregular periods, and hair loss. This is because high levels of testosterone will combine with DHEA in a reaction to create a hormone called DHT. This hormone is an opponent of hair follicles and the more it is produced the more it will create hair loss and miniaturize the hair follicle. High levels of testosterone, an indicator of PCOS, will catalyze this reaction to form DHT and therefore lose hair.
Another reason for hair loss can be from having low levels of estrogen and progesterone from over-exercising or undernourishing. The nutrients in food are building blocks for our hormones, and they help to promote hair strength and growth. When there are not enough nutrients coming into the body, this will decrease reproductive hormone levels and causes hair loss.
Source: 18044135, American Hairloss
4. Metabolism
Metabolism is another system to understand when learning how hormones work. Metabolism is defined as a complex process that encompasses all the chemical reactions in the body to make energy. To regulate metabolism, we need hormones to do that. The thyroid gland is one of the strongest proponents of metabolism. Found in the throat, the gland produces T3 and T4 hormones. These need to be balanced, or else this will cause hypothyroid (doesn’t produce enough T3 and T4) and hyperthyroid (produces too much T3 and T4). Both scenarios are not beneficial for metabolism because in the hypothyroid case, you are not producing enough hormones to properly make energy, and this results in weight gain. In contrast, during a hyperthyroid case, the thyroid is producing too much T3 and T4 which causes a catabolic state and the body is burning muscle and fat for energy causing weight loss.
5. Blood Sugar
Blood sugar is another system to understand when learning how hormones work. Type 2 diabetes is the most common condition caused by imbalanced blood sugar. It is important to understand how hormones work to adjust blood sugar. The hormone insulin is responsible for getting sugar or glucose from the bloodstream into the cell, so we can make energy from it. The body wants stable blood sugar throughout the day without intense peaks and drops. Problems arise when there is a quick rise of large amounts of sugar in the bloodstream, this can happen after drinking a large soda, eating a big bowl of ice cream, or eating lots of cookies. When this happens, high amounts of insulin are released to bring the sugar into the cells, but this causes a quick change from really high blood sugar to very low blood sugar. Over time, this quick change from high to low blood sugar puts stress on the cells and will cause insulin resistance. When the cells no longer recognize insulin, the sugar can not enter the cells, and therefore, no energy can be used. This is insulin resistance and some common symptoms are fatigue, weight gain, cravings, and not feeling satisfied after a meal. Insulin resistance is not only caused by eating a high sugar diet, it is also a symptom of PCOS. This is because the body will produce more testosterone when there are high amounts of insulin in the blood.
Source: NIH
6. Ovulation
Ovulation is another one of the systems to know about when learning how hormones work. Regular ovulation each month is indicative of balanced hormone levels. When the egg is matured in a follicle and released into the fallopian tube at the halfway point of your cycle this is called ovulation. Hormones estrogen and progesterone are required to be balanced to develop the egg in the follicle, have the follicle burst to release the egg from the ovary, and have the egg travel safely through the fallopian tube. With imbalances in these hormone levels ovulation can not occur regularly. If ovulation does not happen there will be no opportunity for fertilization or menstruation to occur.
