Hormonal imbalance: definition of function and symptoms
Hormones
Hormonal imbalance: definition, function, and symptoms: Hormones are your body’s chemical messengers. They travel in your bloodstream to tissues or organs. They work slowly, over time, and affect many different processes, including growth and development, Metabolism, Sexual function, Reproduction, and Mood. Endocrine glands, which are special groups of cells, make hormones. The major endocrine glands are the pituitary, thymus, thyroid, adrenal glands, and pancreas. In addition, men produce hormones in their testes and women produce them in their ovaries.
Hormones are powerful. It takes only a tiny amount to cause big changes in cells or even the whole body. That is why too much or too little of a certain hormone can be serious.
The function of hormones in the human body
The main function of the endocrine glands is to secrete hormones directly into the bloodstream. Hormones are chemical substances that affect the activity of another part of the body (target site). In essence, hormones serve as messengers, controlling and coordinating activities throughout the body.
Some important hormones and their function
Insulin
The fat-storage hormone, insulin, is released by your pancreas and regulates many of your metabolic processes. This hormone makes it possible for your organs, liver, and fat to absorb glucose.
Melatonin
The pineal gland in your brain produces melatonin, which is instrumental in your sleep/wake cycles and your internal body clock. As the light of day becomes the dark of night, your brain amps up your melatonin levels to prepare you for sleep.
Estrogen
Also known as the female sex hormone, estrogen is released by a woman’s ovaries. It’s a crucial element in the development of breasts, pubic hair, and the widening of hips. In addition to regulating a female’s periods, estrogen is also involved in bone formation, blood clotting, and the health of your skin and nails.
Testosterone
Testosterone is a sex hormone that’s manufactured in male testicles and female ovaries. It’s most often associated with sex drive but is also closely associated with muscle and bone mass and the distribution of fat cells. Low levels of testosterone cause erectile dysfunction, low sex drive, decreased semen production, loss of muscle, and low bone density.
Cortisol
Cortisol is the stress hormone. It’s a natural alert system to let you know when you’re under duress. While it’s helpful when you need to be aware of imminent danger, consistently high cortisol levels can lead to anxiety, weight gain, migraines, heart problems, irritability, brain fog, and sleep disturbances.
Hormonal imbalance
When you have a hormonal imbalance, you have too much or too little of a certain hormone. Even tiny changes can have serious effects on your whole body. If your body doesn’t generate enough insulin blood sugar accumulates and can set you up for diabetes.
symptoms
The symptoms of a hormonal imbalance depend on which glands and hormones are affected. Your hormones play an integral role in your overall health. As a result, there’s a broad range of symptoms that could signal a hormonal imbalance. Your symptoms will depend on which hormones or glands aren’t working properly. Some hormonal imbalance symptoms are weight gain, fatigue, muscle weakness, sweating, increased hunger., depression, infertility, dry skin, etc.
In females of reproductive age, the most common hormonal imbalance is polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). Women naturally experience several periods of hormonal imbalance throughout their lifetime, including during menstruation, pregnancy, childbirth, and breastfeeding. Women are also at risk of developing different types of hormonal imbalance disorders than men because they have different endocrine organs and cycles.
Natural causes of hormonal imbalances in men include puberty and aging. Men are also at risk of developing different hormonal imbalances than women because they have different endocrine organs and cycles. Symptoms of hormonal imbalances in men include reduced sex drive, low sperm count, reduced body hair growth, and breast tenderness.
