What Are Hormones?

Hormones are powerful chemical messengers that circulate through your bloodstream to specific target cells, where they generate a wide range of biological responses. You might think of hormones as the "prime movers" of your physical and emotional health.

Every time you get angry, become tired, laugh, cry, have sex, wake up, feel hungry, or fall asleep your body is responding to hormones. That's because hormone levels can impact virtually every major system and organ in your body.

How Do Hormones Affect My Health?

There are several major hormones that have particularly powerful effects on your health, and each one plays a unique physiological role in the body.

Sex Hormones ...

Testosterone is the most critical hormone for maintaining a healthy sex drive - in both men and women. Testosterone also increases lean body mass and promotes muscle development. Low levels of this important hormone are linked to fatigue and depression. Balance is the key - too much testosterone can bring about various health conditions - and may play a role in triggering aggression and anger.

Estrogen (estradiol) modulates the course of both the menstrual cycle and menopause, so imbalances are directly linked to symptoms such as weight gain, headaches, PMS, mood swings, and abdominal cramps. An estrogen deficiency can double your risk of bone-related conditions and cardiovascular system dysfunction. Progesterone, along with estrogen, plays a major role in shaping a healthy menstrual cycle. Imbalances are associated with a variety of "female" problems, including endometriosis, amenorrhea, and infertility.

Stress Hormones ...

Cortisol is a powerful steroid released to "activate" your body in times of stress. You need cortisol to "pump you up"' to meet all the daily challenges of life. Without it you'd have no motivation to even get out of bed in the morning!

But if your body produces too much cortisol over a long period of time, it can disrupt your blood sugar metabolism, trigger emotional problems, and make you feel constantly tired and weak. Eventually, chronic cortisol imbalances can lead to weight gain, muscle and joint pain, insomnia and premature aging.

DHEA is the most abundant hormone in your bloodstream. Although the complete scope of its function is not yet fully determined, DHEA seems to balance the effects of cortisol by improving the body's ability to cope with stress. It also provides the source material for the production of important sex hormones.

Clinical studies suggest that DHEA can boost energy levels, strengthen immune function, improve memory, and reduce body fat. Some researchers believe that DHEA acts as a "mood elevator," preventing depression and senile dementia by protecting important neurons in the brain. DHEA levels should be closely monitored when supplementing, however, to prevent potentially harmful imbalances.

Why Do Hormone Levels Change?

As you grow older, hormone levels can drop by as much as 80%-90% from their youthful peaks. Researchers have found that this decrease plays an important role in the aging process- ultimately impairing muscle development, sexual function, sleep patterns, and various brain functions- including memory, along with reducing one's overall sense of well-being. What's more, those imbalances can put you at a higher risk for cardiovascular problems and poor bone health.

In women, hormones such as estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone fall most rapidly during and after menopause. In both men and women, however, cortisol levels have a tendency to rise with age, often causing a decreased resistance to stress.

How Can Our Hormone Checks Help?

A simple saliva health screen can determine if your hormone levels are within normal range for your sex and age group. Our line of Hormone health screens can be the first step toward getting your body back in balance - and helping you feel your personal best.

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