We’ve all heard about hormones, but how much do you really know about them? Understanding how hormones work and how they affect your body can be the key to resolving health issues and achieving your potential.
To find out why, take a look at these five things you need to know about hormonal health:
1. You Have Over 50 Different Hormones
Testosterone, progesterone and estrogen are perhaps the most well-known hormones, but they certainly aren’t the only ones that are present in your body.
In fact, the human body relies on around 50 hormones in order to function properly, although more than 200 hormone-like substances have been identified.
Produced and controlled by the endocrine system, hormones act as chemical messengers throughout the body.
2. Hormone Health Is Critical for Males and Females
Hormonal issues are more commonly associated with females due to the impact they have on menstruation and fertility.
While it’s true that females tend to experience more frequent hormonal fluctuations than males, this doesn’t mean that men aren’t affected by their hormones.
In fact, underproduction or excessive production of certain hormones in males can have a significant impact on their health and well-being.
3. Hormones Affect Everything
Hormones facilitate communication within the body in two ways.
Firstly, one endocrine gland can release hormones to trigger a response in a different endocrine gland, such as telling it to secrete more or less often, for example. Secondly, an endocrine gland can send hormones to a ‘target organ’ to trigger action.
As a result, hormones can have a substantial impact on virtually every part of our bodies and, therefore, our health. From the amount of melatonin in your system affecting your sleep to regulating hunger via ghrelin, there are numerous ways in which hormones affect the way we function.
4. Imbalances Are Common
With so many hormones and hormone-like substances in the body, it’s not surprising that imbalances can occur from time-to-time. In fact, they’re probably more common than you think and can cause a variety of symptoms.
Tiredness, weight changes, muscle aches and low moods can all be triggered by hormonal imbalances, although other causes are possible too.
Fortunately, you can give your endocrine system a helping hand by stimulating the production of certain hormones via synthetic substances.
If you have low thyroid hormones, for example, a doctor may prescribe synthetic hormones to eradicate unwanted systems and bring your hormonal levels back within a normal range.
Similarly, sermorelin is an HGH secretagoue which boosts the production of human growth hormone (HGH). When used to counteract imbalances, it can aid fat loss, speed up the metabolism, improve sleep quality, boost energy levels and much more.
5. Environmental Factors Affect Hormone Levels
It isn’t just what happens inside your body that affects your hormone levels. External or environmental factors have a big impact on how hormones behave.
When you feel scared or threatened, for example, levels of the adrenaline hormone increase and trigger a fight or flight response.
Stress, infection, and even the temperature can all affect hormone levels, which is why it’s so important to factor hormone health into your self-care routine. By supporting your endocrine system via lifestyle choices, you can optimize your well-being.
Taking Care of Your Endocrine System
Having your hormone levels checked will give you an insight into how your endocrine system is functioning and whether it needs additional support.
By having tests at regular intervals, you can identify potential imbalances at an early stage, prevent symptoms from developing and resolve issues swiftly to enhance your mind and body.