You’ve heard of hormones but do you actually know what they are and how important they are to your body?
A hormone is something that is made naturally by your body. The production of hormones is regulated by the brain and other glands in the body.
Once a hormone is released it will travel in the bloodstream until it reaches the organs and tissues where it tells them what to do. That’s why low hormone levels can make such a big impact on your body. It’s important that you have your levels tested regularly in order to pick up any issues. You can use saliva hormone testing to check your levels quickly and privately.
Types Of Hormones
One of the most commonly understood hormones is testosterone. This is released in large quantities as boys start to become men. After the age of 30 the level of testosterone production in your body will start to decline.
But, testosterone is not the only hormone your body produces.
In fact hormones are essential to virtually every function in your body, from controlling hunger to emotions, mood and, of course, your reproductive system.
A quick look at some of the types of hormones will illuminate you as to just how important they are to your body:
- Hypothalamus
This gland produces hormones that affect your body temperature, hunger, moods and even has an indirect control over sleep and sex drive.
- Parathyroid
The regulation of calcium is the sole job of this gland but an important job as calcium affects your bone density and strength.
- Thymus
The Thymus is an essential part of your immune system. It produces hormones to control the release of T-cells; which are essential in responding to infection.
- Adrenal
The adrenal gland controls your cortisol levels. This is the stress hormone that is released every time you’re stressed. Unfortunately this happens a lot in the modern world which can cause adrenal fatigue. The result is a lack of energy and depression.
- Thyroid
This gland controls your metabolic rate; if it doesn’t produce enough hormones then your body will struggle to convert food into energy; leaving you feeling fatigued. It can also encourage weight gain.
- Pancreas
This also has a direct effect on your ability to convert food to energy as it controls the release of insulin. Too much sugar can cause your body to become tolerant of insulin release. This means you’re body no longer converts food into energy effectively and often leads to the development of diabetes.
The Affect Of These Glands & Hormones
These are just some of the processes in the body that are controlled by hormones. If your hormone levels are not balanced your body will not work properly. The overall affect can be seriously damaging to your health; including weakened bones & teeth, the development of diabetes and even an increased risk of heart disease and cancer.
Having balanced hormones is essential to the healthy functioning of your body and many times hormone supplements are the solution. That’s why it is so important to have your levels tested on a regular basis. The fact that you can do this yourself means that you don’t need to worry about finding the time or getting over a phobia of the doctor.
