What Is a Hormone?

Hormones are molecules produced by the endocrine glands and organs to help regulate bodily functions, including reproduction, growth, metabolism and immunity. They act as chemical messengers and travel throughout the body in the bloodstream, allowing cells and tissues to respond to changes in their environment. We very often hear people speak of a “hormone imbalance” or “hormonal problems”, which can refer to any of several medical conditions that stem from a abnormal levels of hormones in the body, such as an underactive thyroid or diabetes.

Types of Hormones

There are dozens of hormones found naturally in the body, including testosterone, estrogen and adrenaline. Each hormone plays a unique role in the body and is responsible for a number of distinct functions. Testosterone, for example, is a steroid hormone that helps regulate body composition, sexual function and mood. Estrogen, on the other hand, is a female sex hormone responsible for female reproductive development, including the growth of the uterus and ovaries. Adrenaline, a type of stimulating hormone, provides energy and increases heart rate and blood pressure in response to physical or emotional stress.

Methods of Hormone Regulation

The release of hormones into the bloodstream is regulated by several nervous and endocrine systems. The nervous system relies on electrical signals sent through the brain to quickly respond to changes in the body’s environment, such as changes in temperature, noise, light and pain. The endocrine system, however, uses slower chemical signals known as hormones to regulate slower-moving functions such as reproductive processes, metabolism, growth and development.

Hormones typically enter the bloodstream and travel throughout the body, where they bind to specific cells known as target cells. These cells contain hormone receptors, which act as locks onto which the hormone “key” can attach, thus activating certain chemical signals within the target cell. Depending on the hormone, this signal could trigger cell reproduction, cause organ failure, increase or decrease metabolism or reproduction, or affect any number of other processes within the body.

In conclusion, hormones are essential molecules responsible for much of the body’s functioning. They are produced and regulated by the nervous and endocrine systems and travel throughout the body to bind to specific target cells and activate chemical signals. This can trigger the target cells to respond to changes in the environment and maintain healthy functioning within the body.