You've probably heard the word "hormones" before, right? Sometimes you've heard a doctor say it, or a friend talk about it. Do you really know how important these hormones are? Don't worry, it's not that difficult. Today, let's talk about these hormones simply, in our own language.
What exactly are these hormones?
Simply put, hormones are like little chemical messengers inside your body. Think of it this way: when you need to send a message from one part of your body to another, these hormones do the job. Just like our postman delivers letters, these hormones travel through your bloodstream and give instructions to various organs and tissues, like "do this" and "do this at this time."
These messengers, or hormones, are produced by special glands in your body. We call these endocrine glands . The hormones produced by these glands are released directly into the bloodstream and travel to the appropriate parts of the body to do their job. From how tall you are to how hungry you are to how happy or sad you feel, these little hormones control everything from your height to your mood.
Where do hormones come from? The hormone factories in our bodies (Endocrine Glands)
We said that hormones are produced by endocrine glands. These are like hormone-making factories in our body. Let's learn a little about some of the major glands.
The boss in the brain: Pituitary Gland
This is located at the base of your brain, about the size of a pea. But even though it's small, it's like a "master" that controls many other hormone glands. It produces growth hormone, which helps you grow taller, as well as many other important hormones.
Butterfly in the neck: Thyroid Gland
This is a butterfly-shaped gland at the front of your neck. The hormones it produces control things like your body's energy production (what we call metabolism), heart rate, and body temperature. It's also very important for brain development in young children.
The little caps above the kidneys: Adrenal Glands
These glands are located on top of your kidneys, like two little caps. They produce hormones like ``Adrenaline`` and ``Cortisol`` that are released when you are suddenly scared, angry, or under a lot of stress. They also help control your blood pressure and heart rate.
Our sweet ruler: the pancreas
This is located behind your stomach. It produces insulin, an important hormone that controls your blood sugar, or glucose, levels. Insulin helps the body's cells absorb the sugar in the food we eat as energy.
Specific to girls: Ovaries
The ovaries, which are part of a girl's reproductive system, produce the main female hormones, estrogen and progesterone. These hormones are essential for things like menstruation and pregnancy.
Specific to boys: Testicles (Testes)
Testosterone, the main male hormone, is produced by the testicles, which are part of a boy's reproductive system. It affects things like deepening of the voice, beard growth, and muscle growth.
Now you probably understand that these glands are interconnected and work as a team to control many things in our body.
Why are hormones so important to us? What is their function?
Hormones are not just chemicals. They affect almost every aspect of our lives. Let's look at some of the main functions.
Growing up and development
As you grow up from a young age, your height increases and your body develops. Especially when you reach puberty, there are a lot of big changes, right? Boys' voices change, beards start to grow. Girls' body shapes change, and they start menstruating. Hormones are behind all of this. In particular, the growth hormone called ``Growth Hormone'' helps us grow taller, develop bones, and muscles.
Just think, your friend Saman is so much taller now than he was when he was younger, and his voice has changed. That's all because of hormones.
The magic of food energy: Metabolism
Metabolism is the process by which our bodies get energy from the food we eat. Hormones play a big role in this too. Especially the hormone insulin that we talked about earlier. When you eat food, the sugar in it, that is, glucose, is added to your blood. This glucose is what gives energy to our body's cells, just like gasoline to a car. So, insulin works like a key that opens the door to take this glucose from the blood and send it into the cells. If insulin does not work properly, blood sugar levels can increase. We call this condition Diabetes Mellitus.
Happiness, sadness and sleep in our hearts
Some days you just feel happy, right? Other days you feel sad and anxious about even the smallest things. You sleep well at night, but some days you can't sleep no matter how much you try. Hormones also affect these things. For example, the hormone `(Serotonin)` helps keep our mood good. The hormone `(Melatonin)` helps us fall asleep.
Hormones that help start a family (Reproduction)
The hormones we discussed earlier, `(Estrogen)`, `(Progesterone)` (in women), and `(Testosterone)` (in men), are essential for the healthy functioning of the reproductive system and for having children.
Hormones that save us in emergencies (Stress Response)
Imagine that you are walking down the street and suddenly a dog comes chasing you. Your heart starts beating faster, your body starts sweating, and your eyes get big. All of this is caused by the hormone `(Adrenaline).` It prepares you to face the emergency (fight) or to run away (flight). The hormone `(Cortisol)` also plays an important role in long-term stressful situations.
And much more!
In addition to this, hormones are directly involved in many other things, such as controlling your body temperature, heart rate, and blood pressure. This means that almost every process in our body cannot function properly without these friends called hormones.
What happens if the balance of hormones is disturbed? (Hormonal Imbalance)
Normally, our bodies produce hormones in the right amounts, in perfect balance. But sometimes this balance can be lost. That is, some hormones can be produced in excess, and some can be produced in less. We call this a hormonal imbalance .
When this imbalance occurs, various symptoms can arise. Some of them are:
- Sudden weight gain or loss for no reason.
- Feeling tired all the time, and not feeling better even after sleeping.
- Mood swings , getting angry for no reason, feeling scared or anxious.
- Skin problems . For example, more acne, dry skin.
- It's okay to lose your hair , but it's okay to grow unwanted hair on your body.
- For women, it can be menstrual irregularities . Sometimes, these can be associated with conditions like `(PCOS - Polycystic Ovary Syndrome)`.
- Insomnia or excessive sleepiness.
- Decreased sexual desire.
Important: Don't be afraid to assume that you have a hormonal problem just because you have one or two of these symptoms. However, if these symptoms persist and interfere with your daily activities, it is wise to seek medical advice.
Most of the time, hormonal imbalances can be controlled and cured with proper medical treatment, so it's important not to panic.
When should I see a doctor?
If you have had any of the symptoms mentioned above for a long time, or if you feel a significant change or discomfort in your body or mind that you cannot understand, be sure to see a doctor.
Never go to the doctor thinking you have a disease, whether it's something you've read on the internet or something a friend has told you. That can be dangerous. A doctor can examine you properly, and if necessary, do blood tests, to find out exactly whether you really have a hormone problem or not. They can then prescribe the most appropriate treatment.
So, a summary of what we learned today (Take-Home Message)
Okay, so we've talked a lot about hormones today, haven't we? Let's recap the main points.
- Hormones are like messengers in our bodies. Without them, many things in our bodies wouldn't work properly.
- From the moment we reach puberty, hormones affect almost everything, from our moods to our sleep to our digestion.
- Sometimes these hormones can become unbalanced, which can lead to various symptoms.
- There is nothing to be afraid of. There are good treatments for most hormonal problems. The most important thing is to see a doctor at the right time if you feel there is a problem.
Listen to your body. If you notice anything unusual or unusual, pay attention to it. To live a healthy life, it is very important to be aware of our little friends called hormones. If you have any further questions, don't be shy about asking your family doctor or midwife.
` Hormones, Endocrine Glands, Insulin, Diabetes, Diabetes Mellitus, Puberty, Hormonal Imbalance
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