Hormone menubar
Hormones 101 - “Feel good / Look good”
Hormones 101 - "Feel good / Look good
Derived from the Greek word 'hormao', hormone means to excite
or stir into action
What do hormones do?
Hormones regulate the body's biochemical reactions
for everything the body does and makes. A balanced hormone
presence will decrease the symptoms of aging (aging skin, memory loss, fatigue,
aches /pains / stiffness, shortened life-span) and restore vitality, sexuality,
a slim figure, a good attitude, healthier bones, a healthier heart, and a sharper
brain.
Present in all multi-cellular organisms, a hormone
is a "communication device". In the form of
a chemical messenger that transports a signal via the bloodstream from one or more
cells to other cells in the organism, to affect a change in the receiving cells.
Only a small amount of hormone is required. Different hormones work together to
regulate many body functions, including:
Mood / Stress response
Tissue function
Reproduction /Sexual function
Growth and development
Metabolism E.g. Mineral metabolism
Hormones must be in balance
When your hormones are in balance you will:
Sleep well
Have energy in abundance
Have a strong sex drive
Have an efficiently functioning immune and
digestive system
Conversely, when your hormones become imbalanced,
a number of symptoms can present, including:
Adrenal fatigue
Hypothyroidism and Hyperthyroidism
Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS)
Most hormone imbalances develop over time as a
consequence of lifestyle patterns. Only a few imbalances
result from endocrine organ malfunctions.
Chronic
stress resulting in CORTISOL imbalance is often the culprit.
Not only
is CORTISOL the primary hormone for responding
to stress, it is also primarily involved in helping your body convert food into
energy, normalize blood sugar and maintain your immune system's inflammatory response.
Unbalanced CORTISOL also deregulates female
hormones. Thus, for example, hormonal symptoms experienced by women before, during
and after menopause are largely avoidable by attending to lifestyle choices that
affect stress on the body.The response
to stress that will interfere with hormonal balance is triggered by emotional, dietary
or painful/inflammatory events. For example, work stress, financial
worries, relationship problems, poor diet (e.g. too much
sugar, refined carbs, processed food and damaged
fats, not enough good fats, antioxidants
and water), exposure to toxins.
Correcting a hormone imbalance requires an holistic,
lifestyle approach before hormone replacement:
Apply the
NEWSTARTS protocol to your life
NEWSTARTS
- In particular,
address past and present emotional trauma. Using available "tools",
such as prayer and meridian tapping techniques (MTT)
Trust
in God
MTT
That done,
ensure your adrenal hormones are in balance. Weakened adrenals
will not allow your hormones to attain balance.
Balance
Adrenals
Having addressed the above issues, you could now consider some specific bio-identical
hormone therapies
The Endocrine Glands
Endocrine tissues or glands contain specialized cells
that synthesize, store, and release hormones
directly into the bloodstream. In contrast to exocrine organs that secrete their
substances into ducts. However, there are a few exocrine organs that also have endocrine
gland function, secreting hormones directly into the blood stream. E.g. the pancreas,
kidneys, liver.
The endocrine glands are central to regulating
and normalizing all the body's interconnected systems. Of great significance, is a small gland in the brain, called the hypothalamus,
which is the link between the endocrine and nervous systems.
THE BRAIN
sends messages to the hypothalamus . . .THE HYPOTHALAMUS
then sends messages to the nearby pituitary gland (by secreting, so called,
Releasing Hormones . . .THE PITUITARY
then produces hormones that stimulate Target Glands TARGET
GLANDS then secrete their own hormones
A number of glands that signal each other in sequence
are often referred to as an axis. E.g. the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal
axis.
Hormone-producing cells produce one of
three types of hormones:
Amines
(water-soluble, produced from amino acids) - for example:
Thyroid hormones - THYROXINE
(T4), TRIIODOTHYRONINE (T3);Catecholamines
- produced by sympathetic nervous system activation, they include EPINEPHRINE
(ADRENALINE), NOREPINEPHRINE and DOPAMINE, controlling autonomic arousal, fight-or-flight
stress response, and reward response.
Polypeptides E.g. pituitary ACTH,
INSULIN, parathyroid
hormone);
Steroids
(fat-soluble, produced from cholesterol) -include
Glucocorticoids: E.g.
CORTISOL Mineralocorticoids: E.g.
ALDOSTERONE ; involved
in sodium retention;Sex steroid
hormones: Androgens (E.g.
TESTOSTERONE), estrogens (E.g.
ESTRADIOL) and progestagens (E.g.
PROGESTERONE ); Sterols: Vitamin D
(E.g.
CALCIDIOL,
CALCITRIOL).
Closely related, also considered steroid hormones).
Steroid
Hormones :
Sex Steroid Hormones
CHART OF HUMAN HORMONES
Exocrine organ hormones
Some
exocrine organs contain an endocrine gland portion and a duct portion
Endocrine
gland portion secretes hormones directly into the blood stream- E.g. the
pancreas secretes the hormones INSULIN, GLUCAGONs and somatostatin; the liver secretes
INSULIN-like growth factor hormones IGF-1 and IGF-2;Duct portion
secretes substances via ducts that lead into the bodily environment external to
the gland - E.g. the pancreas secretes pancreatic juice to aid
digestion; salivary glands secrete saliva. The mammary glands produce milk, but
no hormones.
Endocrine Organs and their hormones
Endocrine Organs
Hormones Secreted
Target Organ
Hormone Function
Hypothalamus
GROWTH HORMONE
Anterior pituitary
Causes release of GH.
GONADOTROPIN
Anterior pituitary
Causes LH /FSH secretion by pituitary
SOMATOSTATIN (SS)
Anterior pituitary
Inhibits GH
CORTICOTROPIN-RELEASING
Anterior pituitary
Release of tropic ACTH
DOPAMINE
Brain
Inhibits release of prolactin; important roles in behavior
Pineal
MELATONIN
Body
Controls circadian rhythms
Posterior
ANTIDIURETIC
Kidneys
Increases reabsorption of water
OXYTOCIN
Mammary glands
Stimulates release of milk
Anterior
THYROID-
Thyroid
Secretion of T4 and T3
ADRENO-CORTICOTROPIC
Adrenal cortex
Secretion of glucocorticoids
FOLLICLE-
Ovaries, testes
Regulates oogenesis /spermatogenesis Regulates development,
growth, pubertal maturation, and reproduction processes;
LUTEINIZING
Ovaries, testes
Regulates egg development/ maturation and spermatogenesis
Anterior Pituitary
GROWTH
Bone, muscle
Stimulates growth /development; stimulates protein production.
PROLACTIN (PRL)
Mammary glands
Milk production
Parathyroid Glands (4)
PARATHYROID
Bone
Affects bone formation and excretion of calcium and phosphorus;
increases blood Ca2+
Thyroid
TRIIODO-
General
Increases cellular metabolism;
CALCITONIN
Bone
Stimulates osteoblasts/bone construction; Lowers blood Ca2+
Thymus
THYMOSIN
Matures white blood cells
Adrenal
EPINEPHRINE /;
Blood vessels,
Causes fight/flight Responses -increases blood glucose,
constricts blood vessels. DOPAMINE,
also produced by nervous tissue, is a neurotransmitter
Adrenal
Glucocorticoids CORTISOL ), mineralpcorticoids
General,
Increases blood glucose, increases reabsorption of Na+ and excretion
of K+
Sex steroids (E.g. TESTOSTERONE,
DHT,
Estrogen, PROGESTERONE
Pancreas
GLUCAGON
Liver
Increases blood glucose
Pancreas
INSULIN Liver, muscles,
Lowers blood sugar levels; stimulates glucose, protein, and
fat metabolism;
Placenta HUMAN CHORIONIC GONADOTROPIN
Promote corpus luteum maintenance at beginning of pregnancy;
Inhibit immune response towards embryo;
CORTICOTROPIN-RELEASING HORMONE (CRH)
Determines length of gestation and timing of childbirth, when
blood levels increase rapidly.
HUMAN PLACENTAL LACTOGEN (HPL); (Mainly ESTRIOL)
Increase INSULIN and IGF-1 production. Suppress FSH. Similar
to ovarian follicle estrogen. Supports pregnancy
Ovaries Estrogen (Mainly
ESTRADIOL) Uterus, general
PROGESTERONE Uterus, +
TESTOSTERONE (~1/7 of men)
ACTIVIN
Enhances biosynthesis/secretion of pituitary FSH
INHIBIN
Down-regulates biosynthesis/ Inhibits secretion of pituitary
FSH
RELAXIN
Produced by corpus luteum, believed to soften pubic symphysis
Testes Estrogen
ANDROSTENEDIONE
TESTOSTERONE Testes, general
Testicle development. Sperm Growth and maturation; Growth of
Penis; Stimulates prepubescent facial / body hair growth and voice
deepening and aids development of thick masculine muscles.
DHT
A metabolite of TESTOSTERONE
, the more potent DHT has
an essential role in formation of male embryo's external genitals,
in the adult DHT acts as
the primary androgen in the
prostate and hair follicles (including women); DHT has significant
roles in development of male secondary characteristics, also has
role in prostate enlargement (BPH) /cancer;
PROGESTERONE
RELAXIN
Enhances sperm mobility
Adipose
LEPTIN (protein hormone)
Strong appetite suppressant, increases metabolism
ADIPONECTIN,
Hair
DHT
Prostate DHT
Organ
Secreted Hormones (or Hormone-like substances)
Stomach
GASTRIN, GHRELIN
Intestines
CCK, GIP, SECRETIN, MOTILIN,VIP, ENTEROGLUCAGON
Liver/other
IGF-1, IGF-2
Kidneys
RENIN, EPO, CALCITRIOL, PROSTAGLANDIN
Heart
NATRIURETIC PEPTIDE (ANP, BNP)
Skeleton
OSTEOCALCIN (acts as a hormone)
Pancreas
INSULIN, GLUCAGON, SOMATOSTATIN
Salivary Gland
EPIDERMAL GROWTH FACTOR (EGF)
Hormone Biology
Mode of travel
Hormones travel through the human body via blood circulation
Another communication method in the body is the Nervous
System. This system conducts electrically and so operates much
faster, but does not have the longer-lasting effect of hormones
Target Cells and hormonal effects
Target Cells respond to a hormone if they contain the specific receptors for
that hormone
The hormone binds to
the receptor (like a key in a lock) to give the cell instructions (the activated
response is called a signal transduction pathway) specific to the cell type.
In "target" cells, hormones bind to specific receptor proteins:
(1) Inside the cell.
E.g. most
steroid hormones enter the cell to initiate a slow process
(a) Has a genomic effect.
Complex moves into the nucleus (if not already there), where it attaches
directly to special DNA binding sites and affects gene transcription of hormone-responsive
genes; an mRNA molecule is formed, which is transported to the cytoplasm , where
proteins are synthesized to mediate the effect of the hormone. This cytoplasmic/nuclear
interaction (classic pathway) takes minutes or hours.
(b) Has a non-genomic
effect. Initiates a series of fast reactions Estrogen
can: (i) Trigger nitric oxide production, (ii) Flood the cell with calcium, or(iii)
Initiate hormone release.
(2) On the cell surface.
E.g
epinephrine, norepinephrine and peptide hormones ("First messengers")
bind to a receptor on the membrane surface setting off a cascade of reactions, which
proliferate "Second messengers"inside the cell, which affect existing
proteins within the cell. Typically this process is much faster than those
that bind to internal receptors and influence creation of new proteins
Hormone effects are complex
Different
receptors within a cell can recognize the same hormone and trigger different actions Several
cell types can recognize the same hormone and trigger action in a number of different
tissues. Different tissue types may respond differently to the same
hormonal signal. E.g. INSULIN triggers a diverse
range of physiological effects. Different same (by the same biochemical pathway)
Hormone Receptors determine
the level of response to a hormone
Hormone
receptor locations
Many hormone receptors are embedded
in the plasma membrane (at the cell surface)
Most hormone receptors for steroid and
thyroid hormones are in the cytoplasm inside the target cell. To bind to these
receptors, the hormones must cross the cell membrane forming a combined hormone-receptor
complex.
Amplification
/Suppression of hormone signal. A hormone-receptor complex formed
in the cellular cytoplasm then moves across the nuclear membrane into the cell nucleus,
where it amplifies or suppresses actions of certain genes affecting a cellular response
of protein synthesis in muscles and bones.
Concentration
of Hormone-Receptor complexes dictate the level of response to a hormone.
These concentrations are determined by:
Number of hormonemolecules. Available
for complex formation (Usually the key factor);
Number of receptor molecules. Available
for complex formation;
Binding affinity. Between hormone and
receptor.
