Hormones play an important role in the human body. As messenger substances, hormones are involved in initiating and regulating various body processes, among other things. Hormonal impairment can cause various diseases.
What are hormones?
Schematic diagram showing the anatomy and structure of the endocrine (hormone) system. Click to enlarge. Hormones are messenger substances produced by the body. Hormones are secreted and produced by cells that are specialized for this task. These specialized cells are found in various parts of the body. They include, for example, various glands (organs that produce hormones and secrete them into the bloodstream) such as the thyroid gland, glands of the adrenal gland, the pancreas or the so-called pituitary gland (also known as the hypophysis in medicine). According to medical classifications, the large number of different hormones in the human body is divided, for example, into the so-called fat-soluble and water-soluble hormones: while fat-soluble hormones are able to penetrate cells, this is not possible for water-soluble hormones. Some important fat-soluble hormones are, for example, the thyroid hormones or the steroid hormones, which also include the sex hormones.
Importance and function
As chemical messengers, hormones have the important task of transmitting information between different parts of the body. In addition, hormones are responsible for regulating various body processes; for example, blood pressure, water balance, and blood sugar levels. Among the important hormones produced in the brain is growth hormone. This hormone has a lifelong important function for growth, but also for metabolic and reproductive processes. Other hormones formed in the brain have important functions for a woman’s pregnancy, for example, or in regulating the body’s own cortisone production. An important one of the hormones formed in the pancreas is insulin. Insulin helps regulate the amount of glucose in the blood and is capable of lowering blood glucose levels. Various hormones produced in the thyroid gland are important in the human body for the regulation of carbohydrate or fat metabolism. In addition, some thyroid hormones cause an increase in oxygen consumption in various organs, which is important in providing needed energy to the body. Various hormones produced by the adrenal glands, such as the well-known adrenaline, are so-called stress hormones, which cause the heartbeat to increase and the blood supply to the muscles to increase. This effect of the hormones serves, for example, to be able to flee or defend oneself in dangerous situations. Known sex hormones that are produced in the ovaries of women and the testicles of men include the hormones estrogen and testosterone. These hormones are responsible, for example, for the development of typical sexual characteristics and for the regulation of sexual functions.
Diseases
Unrestricted function of the various hormones and thus of the hormonal balance of the human body is possible because of multiple feedback processes. However, because of their complexity, these feedback processes of hormones are very susceptible to disruption. If corresponding disturbances occur, this can lead to diseases in the body. An intact interaction of the various hormones can be limited, among other things, by damage to the organs that produce and secrete the hormones or to the organs that are regulated by the corresponding hormones. Malignant tumors can also impair the balance of the various hormones, since these tumors are capable of producing hormones on their own. In the case of so-called hormonal diseases, various glands of the human body that are involved in hormone production are usually diseased. The consequences can be, for example, under- or over-functioning of the corresponding glands. If, for example, the thyroid gland produces too few hormones, a benign enlargement of the thyroid gland (goiter) may occur. If, on the other hand, too few hormones are produced, the result can be so-called ‘hot nodules’. Most of the hormonal diseases that arise in the adrenal glands include benign tumors that produce hormones on their own (so-called adenomas).As a result, too many hormones are produced, which can lead to diseases such as Cushing’s syndrome. Corresponding symptoms include high blood pressure and osteoporosis. Depending on the type of hormonal disorder, therapy can include medication or, if necessary, with the help of appropriate surgical measures.
