![\"\"](\"https:\/\/simplyhealth.today\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Pimples.jpg\")
Hormones are chemical substances that are present in our body and fulfill a series of functions. Most of them are proteins or lipid derivates. They act as messengers, telling certain cells in our organisms to behave in a way or another. As such, they are powerful tools our central control systems such as the nervous system use to regulate our functions and make sure we keep our homeostasis or inner balance at place.<\/p>\n
They have one or more target organs which have specific receptors for those hormones. When a hormone binds with a receptor, it has an effect. As you can guess, it is extremely important for our body to have all hormones available and ready to be released, and we shouldn\u2019t have too much or too little of any of them. If that is the case, whatever the reason, then we could experience a series of unpleasant symptoms. Here are some of them.<\/p>\n
Acne is a harmless, yet sometimes quite bothersome, symptom that affects both men and women at any age, but especially their teens. It happens when the oils that our skin produces naturally are caught beneath the surface of our skin, creating features such as whiteheads and pimples<\/a>. There are some factors that influence acne, such as the level of irritation or dryness of the skin, the secretion of oils and the population of different bacteria that are present on the surface of our body.<\/p>\n However, one of the most powerful influence factors is hormones, specifically androgens, commonly known as male sexual hormones. An excess of androgens, such as what happens in syndromes affecting the adrenal glands or the gonads, will cause acne, or make it worse in case it was already present. Androgens stimulate the sebaceous glands that produce skin oil, so they increase their activity and make our acne worse.<\/p>\n There are areas in our body that are known to grow hair, especially after puberty. Some of them are our scalp, our genital area and our armpits. However, as a matter of fact, our whole skin is covered in hair, except for the palms of our hands and the soles of our feet. This hair is often so thin that we cannot see it unless we pay a lot of attention and look very closely.<\/p>\n The thickness and quantity of body hair is controlled by our genes and the presence of male sexual hormones, namely, the androgens. Since men usually have higher male hormone levels than women, they tend to have more body and facial hair. However, there could be an excess of androgens in the body; for example, due to a problem with the glands. When this happens, our bodies cover in abundant hair. This condition is known as hirsutism<\/a>.<\/p>\n A cramp<\/a> is a sudden and involuntary contraction of a group of muscular fibers. The contraction is so excessive and intense that we feel pain, and our limbs or other parts of the body that are affected by the cramp can fold inwards out of our control, thus rendering us incapable of moving them for as long as the cramp lasts. In most cases, cramps have muscular causes. Either the muscle is overstressed, or injured, or has been kept in a bad position for a long time.<\/p>\n There are some cases, however, where muscular cramps are caused by a hormone deficiency, namely, insufficient levels of the hormone insulin. Insulin induces cells to absorb sugar from the bloodstream, which they need so they can obtain the energy to properly function. Without enough insulin, the sugar intake is deficient, and as a consequence we could feel cramps in the muscles.<\/p>\n In the case of fainting, there are many possible causes, even when we only take on account hormone imbalance. For example, type I diabetes<\/a> is caused by an insufficient level of insulin in the body. As we have stated before, the main function of insulin is to induce cells in the body to take sugar from the bloodstream so they can burn it and extract energy from its molecular links.<\/p>\n Some cells in the body can burn other substances, like fat, but in the case of our brain cells, sugar is the only fuel they can use. If they cannot absorb enough sugar, they will malfunction. Fainting is a way for our brain to use as little energy as possible, to make up for the insufficient intake. Fainting can also be a consequence of low adrenalin, because insufficient adrenalin can cause our blood pressure to plummet, even to the point of losing our consciousness.<\/p>\n Mind fog is a term that alludes to a psychological and neurological phenomenon that can be caused by hormones<\/a> as well as other factors. People describe the mind fog as a state of mild confusion and intellectual difficulty. They feel as if their mind was working more slowly than usual. They have a hard time remembering things and connecting ideas, even if they are very familiar with those ideas or they are trying to perform daily mental tasks.<\/p>\n Mind fog can be misdiagnosed as an intellectual challenge or retardation, when in fact the brain itself works just fine, but it doesn\u2019t have the energy and clarity needed to perform its functions properly. Mind fog is one of the symptoms of hypothyroidism, a condition that affects the thyroid gland which is placed in our throat. Not enough thyroid hormones will affect our brain and cause the mind fog.<\/p>\n Adult human beings need in average about eight hours of sleep every night to properly function during the day and not experience the negative consequences of rest deprivation. Our sleep patterns and cycles are controlled by many mechanisms, including a hormone called melatonin<\/a> which is produced inside our brain, in a gland in the epithalamus. This hormone induces a state of sleepiness in us and helps us fall asleep.<\/p>\n Its secretion is regulated by an inner zeitgeist or time cycle and is heavily influenced by the amount of light that reaches our eyes. Low levels of melatonin will interfere in our sleep cycle and will make it more difficult for us to fall asleep. Other hormone imbalances will also affect our sleeping pattern. For example, high levels of adrenalin are associated with insomnia, and a dysregulation of thyroid hormones will also interfere with our cycles of sleep and wake.<\/p>\n The level of dryness or oiliness of our skin is controlled by the function of the sebaceous glands, that are distributed all over our skin. These glands produce skin oils that are released on the surface of the skin through very thin conducts. Our skin pores are the openings of these conducts. The more active our sebaceous glands are, the oilier our skin will be. Inversely, a hypoactivity of our sebaceous glands will cause a deficiency of oils.<\/p>\n Since oils are meant to keep the skin smooth, protected and hydrated, dry skin will be more likely to become damaged by the elements, such as the wind, ambient dryness and low temperatures. The level of skin oiliness is controlled by thyroid<\/a> hormones such as thyronine and tyrosine, so an imbalance in these hormones will affect the dryness of the surface of our body, either making it too dry or too oily.<\/p>\n The strands of our hair grow from small structures called hair follicles<\/a>, which are located just beneath the surface of our skin. Within these follicles, the cells that will later become part of our hair are constantly reproducing and that causes hair growth. The speed at which these cells reproduce will not only affect the rate at which hair grows, but also, the texture and quality of our hair.<\/p>\n If the cells are too active, our hair will be thick and strong. If the activity of our hair follicles isn\u2019t enough, our hair will be thin and weak. Weak hair is also more likely to break and even fall of our head. The growth rate of hair is controlled by thyroid hormones, so if we don\u2019t have enough of them \u2013 for example, in a condition called hypothyroidism \u2013 our hair will become thinner and break more.<\/p>\n There are two major factors that influence our weight<\/a>: our calorie intake and our calorie spending. Basically, the balance of these two things will decide how fat or thin we are. We intake calories in the form of biological molecules such as lipids and sugar and store them in the tissues of our body until we need them. If we take too much, and\/or don\u2019t spend enough, these fat deposits will build up and make us gain weight.<\/p>\n Some hormonal imbalances can make us feel hungrier, therefore increasing our food intake. For example, the hormone grelin makes us want to eat, so if we produce too much of it we will more likely gain weight. Also, the rate at which our fat deposits are burnt is dictated by our metabolic rate, which in turn is controlled by our thyroid hormones. Insufficient thyroid hormones often lead to weight gain.<\/p>\n When we don\u2019t have enough energy to perform our daily tasks, or for some reason cannot release it from the reserves that we have in our bodies, we feel fatigued. Fatigue<\/a> is a sense of constant tiredness and it makes all efforts seem much more difficult. There are countless causes for fatigue, some of them are hormonal, and even in those cases there could be several hormones involved in the problem.<\/p>\n For example, an insufficient production or release of thyroid hormones will slow down our metabolism, which means that we release energy at a much slower rate, and as a result we feel fatigued and slowed down. Also, low levels of adrenalin will not only make us feel more tired but also decrease our blood sugar and blood pressure, which can also be a cause of constant fatigue. Sometimes sleeping longer helps, but in other cases sleep is unrelated to fatigue.<\/p>\n Our sexual functions are heavily regulated by our sexual hormones. The hormonal regulation of the reproductive system is more complex in the case of female bodies because they have a cyclic pattern of peaks and valleys of different hormones, but in both cases said hormones will have a big impact in the different aspects of genital functions. For example, the wrong level of androgens will interfere with fertility<\/a>.<\/p>\n In the case of women, high levels of androgens will disturb the menstrual cycle, which is much needed to prepare the womb for implantation. Also, low levels of androgens in men will cause the semen to be less healthy, so the spermatozoids will have less of a chance of reaching the egg. Also, in the case of women, an imbalance of the delicate game of hormones that induce the different stages of the reproductive cycle will decrease the likeability of an egg to be fecundated and implanted inside the uterus.<\/p>\n Our eyeballs are controlled by a series of muscles on the surface of the face and the inside of the skull, which keep a muscular tone that is set by our autonomous nervous system<\/a>. Some factors might affect the tone and stasis of our eyes and muscles, thus changing the appearance of the former; even if these alterations can be harmless, they are often quite shocking because our eyes are the part of our body that most people notice when they look at us.<\/p>\n There is a condition called hyperthyroidism, where for a number of reasons our thyroid gland is excessively active, and releases into our bloodstream more thyroid hormones than it should. One of the most impactful and easy to spot symptoms of this condition is that people have bulging eyes. Their eyes seem to be wide open and just about to pop out of their skull.<\/p>\n Emotional states and dynamics are heavily regulated by biological functions, not only of or brain but also of other many systems that influence our emotional sphere, including our hormonal system. The integrity of all these systems is fundamental for the equilibrium and balance of our emotional life. Depression<\/a> is a complex condition with a number of identified symptoms that can have many interacting causes.<\/p>\n Some of them have to do with hormonal imbalances, especially hormones that directly influence the way our brain works. There are cases where people are diagnosed with depression or other psychiatric conditions and the cause is searched for merely in the psychological sphere, when as a matter of fact there is an underlying hormone problem. The group of hormones that is more heavily linked to depressive phenomena is the thyroid hormones, which affect the tone of the function of the brain, thus possibly causing mental conditions.<\/p>\n There are many possible causes for feeling sleepy during the day. In a normal organism, sleepiness often indicates lack of sleep, or a normal metabolic phenomenon such as the alkaline tide that happens after we eat. Many functions of the body are regulated by hormones, so an imbalance of different hormones or even a combination of them can cause you to feel like you want to sleep, even if you have slept well enough.<\/p>\n For example, insufficient insulin<\/a> will make it more difficult for your cells to obtain the energy that you need, and for that reason you will feel tired and as if you need to recover. Low adrenalin is also associated with a feeling of tiredness, as well as low levels of thyroid hormones. Also, improper levels of melatonin will affect the quality and quantity of your sleep, so you will be more likely to feel sleepy during the day.<\/p>\n Just as depression, anxiety<\/a> is a complex psychiatric condition that can be the result of an imbalance of many factors. The integrity of our systems is fundamental for our emotional wellbeing, and some emotional disorders such as anxiety can be caused by hormonal problems. High levels of thyroid hormone are sometimes associated with increased levels of anxiety, as well as other symptoms associated with anxiety such as the alteration of sleeping and eating patterns, and also a general feeling of restlessness and the difficulty to stay still and calmed.<\/p>\n Adrenalin also plays a big part because the main role of this hormone is to activate our bodies in a situation of stress or anxiety. Too much adrenalin will induce our bodies to enact a stress response that we associate with an organic and psychological state of anxiety: restlessness, increased heartbeat and breathing rate, digestive disruptions, quick thoughts and nervousness.<\/p>\n It is quite common for women to experience menstrual cramps as a part of their menstrual cycle. The pain is caused by the contraction of the muscles of the uterus<\/a>, which is pressing itself to squeeze out the endometrium that has aged and needs to be dispatched. In many cases, mild or moderate menstrual cramps are no sign of concern, but if they are too intense or frequent, or in some other way affect the life of the patient, they can be considered a health problem and even a sign of an underlying condition.<\/p>\n Some women have menstrual cramps if the balance of the different hormones which regulate their reproductive cycles are far from ideal. Namely, estrogens and progesterone influence the uterine contractions as well as the amount and quality of endometrium that is generated every month and then eliminated. Hormone therapy is sometimes prescribed to women with severe cramping.<\/p>\n The frequency and duration of periods is mostly dictated by hormones. There are some other factors that play a part, like stress sometimes spacing out periods or even causing a period skip, or some nutritional deficiencies increasing the risk of amenorrhea<\/a> (lack of menstrual flow), but in most cases, alterations and dysfunctions in the menstrual cycle are directly linked to an imbalance in the hormones of estrogens and progesterone, as well as androgens such as testosterone, which women have in lesser concentration than men.<\/p>\n Other hormones can also interfere in the menstrual cycle causing irregularities or alterations, including the thyroid hormones that influence in periods because they alter our body metabolism. If the production of endometrium is not well regulated, periods could be too heavy or, the other way around, too brief. Female hormones not doing their job also may cause irregular or skipped periods.<\/p>\n Besides the genital and brain structures, there are other traits that are associated with sexes, which are known as secondary sexual characters. These are all the features in the body that are typical of a male or female organism. These sexual traits are controlled by the levels of sexual hormones present in our bodies, booming during puberty and more or less maintaining their existence until the menopause<\/a> or andropause, when they partially recede.<\/p>\n Virilization is the name of the process that takes place naturally in us and develops male features in a body and is regulated by the male sexual hormone testosterone. Female organisms have naturally low levels of testosterone, which allow them to express female secondary sexual features. However, some women have a level of testosterone that is too high, and as a result, tend to develop male features such as the face shape, body hair and deeper voice. <\/p>\n The sexual function is regulated by hormones, and that includes sexual intercourse. There is a series of physiological reactions that must take place in order for the coitus to be executed and successfully completed. Our reproductive systems have a series of structures that play different roles in achieving this, and of course, they are regulated by hormones. Not only the sexual hormones that we have mentioned before play a part in regulating their functions, but also, there is a hormone called prolactin that also controls some aspect of the genital performance.<\/p>\n When penetration happens, the Skene and Bartholin glands secrete a natural lubricant that protects the inner lining of the vagina<\/a> and allow the penis to slide in without damaging the tissue. High levels of prolactin might inhibit the production of this vaginal secretion, and as a result, the intercourse could become difficult and painful.<\/p>\n Not many people know that both men and women have mammary glands in their breast, which allows them to produce milk<\/a>. Mammary glands in males are a vestige of the feminine development of the early stages of the embryo, which is later inhibited by the presence of the SRY gene in the Y chromosome for a male phenotype. A hormone called prolactin, which again, is present in all sexes, controls the secretion of milk.<\/p>\n It normally peaks during the months when a mother breastfeeds her child, but if for some reason there is too much prolactin in any other stage of life, the breasts could produce and release milk through the nipples. This is called galactorrhea. Men can also have galactorrhea, often caused by an indirect sexual hormone imbalance; for example, it is known to be a symptom of long term alcoholism, as well as the use of some steroids. <\/p>\n There are two hormones that are directly involved in the amount of urine that we pass every day. One of them is called anti-diuretic hormone, also known as vasopressin. Vasopressin has many functions in the body, including the regulation of blood pressure and the balance of fluids in the organism. The more vasopressin we release, the less urine we pass. If we don\u2019t have enough vasopressin<\/a>, then we will need to go to the bathroom more often.<\/p>\n This happens as part of the normal process of aging, but it could happen sooner as a sign of a health problem. Also, insufficient insulin is linked to an increase in urination, because it leads to high levels of blood sugar. The kidneys filter the excess sugar and let it out through the urine. An associated symptom of increased urine is increased thirst, because the body needs to recover the fluids that it lost.<\/p>\n All our basic functions are regulated by an interaction of specialized hormones, in order to make sure that these functions are under control and well balanced with one another. Eating is one of the most important behaviors of animals, so there are many hormones that influence how much appetite we feel.<\/p>\n There is a hunger hormone called grelin<\/a>, that makes us want to eat, and too much grelin has been associated with obesity because it increases our appetite more than it should. Also, an insulin deficiency is known to increase our hunger, especially right after eating, which is a very specific pattern that allows doctors to identify a problem with insulin. High levels of thyroid hormones make you hungrier and thirstier, because they increase the rate at which aliments are processed and consumed, so the body quickly runs out of fuel and sends the signal that it needs more.<\/p>\n Headaches<\/a> are among the most generalized symptoms in the body, and they can be caused by a wide range of factors, some of them linked to hormonal imbalances. Yet again, in some cases, headaches are a normal symptom of our hormonal dynamics. For example, certain women often have headaches during or right before their periods, due to the peak of sexual hormones that activate the period in the first place.<\/p>\n However, there are other hormones that can also cause headaches, especially insulin. When we don\u2019t have enough insulin, the neurons and other cells of our brain are not stimulated to absorb the glucose that they need, and the brain experiences a sugar shortage. Even if there is plenty of sugar in the blood, if the cells cannot absorb it, the brain functions will be affected. Low insulin can cause headaches that are characteristic of low blood sugar levels.<\/p>\n Lastly, the symptom that is described here isn\u2019t very well known, but it affects some people with an adrenalin shortage. The color of the skin is determined by the concentration of a protein called melanin<\/a>, which is dark and gives the skin its pigmentation. The purpose of melanin is to protect the epithelium of the skin, and by extension the rest of the body, from the effects of radiation, especially the sunlight.<\/p>\n Melanin increases its concentration when we are exposed to sunlight, in order to better protect us from the harmful rays that come from the sun. One of the lesser known symptoms of not having enough adrenalin in our bloodstream, is the change of color of our skin. It can become darker, even if we are not exposed to sunlight. This symptom is known as hyperpigmentation, and could be a sign that you don\u2019t have enough adrenalin in your system.\r\n<\/h3>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/simplyhealth.today\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/Facial-hair.jpg\")
2. Hirsutism<\/h3>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/simplyhealth.today\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/05\/Muscle-Cramp.jpg\")
<\/h3>\n3. Muscular cramps<\/h3>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/simplyhealth.today\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/06\/Syncope.jpg\")
<\/h3>\n4. Fainting<\/h3>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/simplyhealth.today\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/05\/Brain-Fog.jpg\")
<\/h3>\n5. Mind fog<\/h3>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/simplyhealth.today\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/05\/Sleep-Disorder-1.jpg\")
<\/h3>\n6. Insomnia<\/h3>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/simplyhealth.today\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/05\/Aging.jpg\")
<\/h3>\n7. Changes in skin dryness<\/h3>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/simplyhealth.today\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/06\/Hair-loss.jpg\")
<\/h3>\n8. Hair thinning and hair loss<\/h3>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/simplyhealth.today\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/05\/Weight-Gain.jpg\")
<\/h3>\n9. Weight gain<\/h3>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/simplyhealth.today\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/06\/Isolation.jpg\")
<\/h3>\n10. Fatigue<\/h3>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/simplyhealth.today\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/05\/Fertility-Issues.jpg\")
<\/h3>\n11. Infertility<\/h3>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/simplyhealth.today\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/BUlging-big-eyes.jpg\")
<\/h3>\n12. Bulging eyes<\/h3>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/simplyhealth.today\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/05\/Depression.jpg\")
<\/h3>\n13. Depression<\/h3>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/simplyhealth.today\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/06\/Tiredness.jpg\")
<\/h3>\n14. Sleepiness<\/h3>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/simplyhealth.today\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/06\/Crying.jpg\")
<\/h3>\n\u00a015. Anxiety<\/h3>\n
<\/h3>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/simplyhealth.today\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/heavy-period.jpg\")
16. Menstrual cramps<\/h3>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/simplyhealth.today\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Irregular-periods.jpg\")
<\/h3>\n17. Irregular or heavy periods<\/h3>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/simplyhealth.today\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/05\/excess-hair-growth.jpg\")
<\/h3>\n18. Virilization<\/h3>\n
<\/h3>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/simplyhealth.today\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/05\/pain-during-sex-1.jpg\")
19. Pain during sexual intercourse<\/h3>\n<\/h3>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/simplyhealth.today\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/Breast-Milk.jpg\")
20. Milk discharge from the breasts<\/h3>\n<\/h3>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/simplyhealth.today\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/increase-urination_new.jpg\")
21. Frequent urination<\/h3>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/simplyhealth.today\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/06\/over-eating.jpg\")
<\/h3>\n22. Increased hunger<\/h3>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/simplyhealth.today\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/11\/Itchy.jpg\")
23. Headaches<\/h3>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/simplyhealth.today\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/hyperpigmentation.jpg\")
<\/h3>\n14. Dark skin<\/h3>\n
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