If you’ve been to the doctor recently then chances are that you’ve probably heard about hormones. We know that they’re important to our health, and hormones can produce several very uncomfortable symptoms. Just like every part of the body hormones are an integral part of a cohesive system, working in tandem with all the other elements of our physiology to create a living, healthy structure.
But what exactly is a hormone? How do they work? Where do they come from? And how do they affect us in the day-to-day? Fortunately in the modern world, we have all the information we could ever need at the press of a button. You don’t need to enroll in an ABSN program to answer these questions, as today we take a look into hormones and how they affect our daily health.
What are Hormones?
There are many types of hormones, which do many things. Every major system in the body uses one kind of hormone or another. They are used in the brain, the thyroid, the stomach, the liver, the pancreas, kidneys, ovaries, and testes just to name a few! But what exactly are they?
A complex chemical interplay stimulates or triggers several of the body’s most important functions. Our organs produce a whole host of chemicals which, when circulated properly through the blood, perform any number of wild functions. You know how when you’re using a computer or a phone, whenever you want to do something you open up a specific program? You can imagine the hormones as the code from the CPU telling the device to run the app. Except it’s the endocrine system, sending hormones through the blood to the necessary organ(s).
In short, hormones are chemicals that tell the body how to function. They are dispersed along the circulatory system in the blood, where they are delivered to specific organs and tissues and perform their associated task.
Hormonal Imbalance
Now that you understand what hormones are and how important they are to the body’s functions, it’s easy to see how an upset in the regulation and balance of hormones in the body can cause quite a bit of mayhem. When there is an excess or deficiency of a certain type of hormone, it is called a “hormonal imbalance,” the state of disturbed hormonal equilibrium.
There are a multitude of reasons why a hormonal imbalance could occur. Currently, Menopause is one of the major causes of hormonal imbalance in women, due to the slowed production of estrogen. However, thyroid problems, diabetes, PCOS, stress, ED, and Cancer are all reasons why there may be an upset in the balance of hormones.
Effects of Hormonal Imbalance
The symptoms of hormonal imbalance are varied, but unfortunately, there isn’t a single one that doesn’t cause a significant and noticeable impact on the patient. Hormones control metabolism, the speed at which a person digests and draws nutrients from their food. When hormones are out of balance, it can cause either excessive hunger or excess weight retention.
Additionally, hormonal imbalance can play havoc with regular sleep cycles, causing chronic fatigue and making it difficult to maintain good sleep habits and to have the energy needed to get through simple daily tasks.
Hormonal imbalance can also cause difficulties with growth and development, sexual function and likelihood of reproduction, as well as just standard mood regulation.
On top of all of this hormones can also have a significant mental toll, disrupting the presence of dopamine and cortisol; the body’s reward/accomplishment and stress regulation chemicals respectively. Hormones also play a part in memory, the disruption of which can have intense impacts on a person’s life depending on severity.
Treating Hormonal Imbalance
There are a variety of ways to treat hormonal imbalances. It is possible to bring hormones back into equilibrium, but it demands the expertise of a qualified physician. There are many types of hormones, and treatments will change depending on which hormone you’re deficient in, and how severe that deficiency is.
The most effective hormone imbalance treatments are medications, however, it is often recommended to implement the use of supplements with any medication you may be taking. Again, this is all based on physician advice. Additionally, several lifestyle changes can assist with managing a hormonal imbalance, though the symptoms of hormonal imbalance can often affect a person’s ability to do these. For example, the fatigue caused can get in the way of exercising regularly, and weight retention can make maintaining a “healthy” weight difficult.
Hormonal imbalance can be an extremely difficult thing to put up with, and treating it will often be a lengthy endeavour, but with all the impacts that the condition can have on a person, correcting and maintaining the balance of hormones in the body is of paramount importance. If you suspect you have a hormonal imbalance, speak to your GP today.
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