HOW TO KEEP THESE HORMONES HAPPY

We outline some of the important chemical messengers in your body and how to keep them functioning happily

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These little chemical messengers affect and control every response in your body (and affect your state of mind, too). Sometimes, if they get out of whack, they can have a serious effect on your health. The Society of Endocrinology helps us understand how to keep them working optimally.
ADRENALINE: THE ‘FIGHT-OR-FLIGHT’ HORMONE
Heart racing, palms sweating... When faced with a threatening situation, adrenaline is released into your bloodstream to trigger your body and brain to either flee the situation or fight it. Your air passages dilate to provide muscles with enough oxygen to deal with the danger, and blood is redirected to your major organs. Adrenaline also heightens your strength, performance and mental awareness, and decreases your pain receptors, in anticipation of danger.

Associated risks
In stressful modern times, your brain sometimes can’t distinguish between normal stress and actual danger, so the extra energy from the adrenaline can cause one to feel restless, anxious and jittery.

CORTISOL: THE ‘STRESS’ HORMONE
Working in tandem with adrenaline and the fight-or-flight response in your body, this steroid hormone has many other functions too, including regulating metabolism, blood sugar levels and blood pressure, assisting with memory formation, and helps with the development of a fetus in pregnant women. Almost every cell in the body has cortisol receptors, which is why it has so many functions, depending on which organs the brain is communicating with.

Associated risks
Too much or too little cortisol in the bloodstream can be dangerous, and is associated with conditions such as Cushing’s syndrome, which can cause a fatty hump between your shoulders, a rounded face, and pink or purple stretch marks on your skin, or even result in high blood pressure, bone loss and Type 2 diabetes.

CALCITONIN
One of the most crucial hormones, calcitonin controls the levels of calcium and potassium in your body and bloodstream. Healthy levels of calcitonin help to stop the breakdown of bone and prevent calcium entering the bloodstream. Doctors say that this hormone is unique in that over- or under-production does not seem to cause any symptoms, as long as calcium levels stay constant.

Associated risks
Too much calcium in the blood is what’s known as hypercalcemia, and can cause bones to become weak, produce kidney stones and can even be a warning sign of some cancers.

GHERLIN: THE ‘HUNGER’ HORMONE
This hormone is produced when your stomach is empty and signals to your brain that it’s time to eat. Controlling levels of this hormone is key to weight management as it controls appetite, food intake and fat storage.

Keep it happy
Studies have shown that avoiding processed sugar and increasing your intake of protein can keep ghrelin levels from topping the charts, thus keeping hunger at bay and helping you stay in a healthy weight range.

LEPTIN: THE ‘SATIETY’ HORMONE
Ghrelin’s counterpart, leptin signals to the brain when you’ve had enough to eat; crucial in weight management. The hormone is produced in fat cells, so if you decrease body fat, you produce less leptin. If you’ve ever wondered why you’re hungrier than ever when you’re dieting, this little bugger is the cause. But those with a high body fat percentage are not out of the woods – they produce more leptin, but can become resistant to its effects, causing overeating.

Keep it happy
Healthline suggests avoiding inflammatory foods such as trans fats and fizzy drinks, as well as getting enough exercise and sleep to maintain healthy levels of leptin in your body.

THE GROWTH HORMONE
Looking for them #gains? This is the hormone (also known as HGH) that is responsible for cell growth and regeneration – read: increased muscle mass and bone density – particularly in women, as they can’t rely as much on testosterone (see opposite) to do this. It’s also involved in growth spurts in children and in adults, helps control metabolism and decrease body fat. It also slows down the effects of ageing (as you age, HGH levels decrease).

Keep it happy
Studies have found that those who eat a well-balanced diet and avoid refined sugar have higher levels of growth hormone. High-intensity exercise and a decent sleep schedule also help to keep levels constant.

INCREDIBLE INSULIN
Most associated with diabetes, insulin is produced in the pancreas and controls blood sugar levels. It does this by letting the body know how to use the energy (glucose) ingested through carbohydrates and sugar. If there is too little insulin in the body, cells cannot use the glucose for energy and instead store it as fat for later use. This is when problems start, leading to health issues such as obesity and eventually Type 2 diabetes.

Keep it happy
Type 1 diabetes is a hereditary condition in which the body does not produce enough insulin, requiring daily insulin injections. Type 2 diabetes is linked to lifestyle factors that cause the pancreas to no longer work optimally. Keeping your weight in a healthy range, exercising often and avoiding processed food, sugar and excessive alcohol intake are key to optimal insulin levels.

MELATONIN: THE 'SLEEP' HORMONE
This hormone is released in waves throughout the day, affecting our sleep and wake cycles. When the sun sets in the evening and natural light begins to dim, more of this hormone is released in your body to signal to your brain that it’s time to sleep. It also lowers your core body temperature and relaxes your body.

Keep it happy
This hormone needs darkness to work optimally, so avoid light-emitting screens (phone, computer and TV) at night and hang block out curtains in your bedroom for a good night’s sleep.

OESTROGEN: THE FEMALE SEX HORMONE
This hormone is responsible for setting off puberty in girls, as well as regulating menstruation, supporting pregnancy and keeping bones strong. Men also produce oestrogen, but at much lower levels than women.

Associated risks
Low oestrogen (generally caused by menopause) can cause symptoms such as hot flushes, vaginal dryness, low sex drive and brain fog. Excess oestrogen (either natural or through use of contraceptive pills) can cause weight gain, mood swings, fibroids in the uterus and changes in your menstrual cycle.

TESTOSTERONE: THE MALE SEX HORMONE
This hormone brings on puberty in boys and assists in producing sperm, as well as helping to build strong muscles and bones, and ups sex drive. Women produce testosterone too, but much less than men. Too much of it can cause male-pattern balding and/or facial hair growth in women.

Associated risks
For men, high testosterone levels can cause overly aggressive or risk-taking behavior, infertility issues, heart problems, acne and an enlarged prostrate. 

OXYTOCIN: THE 'BONDING' HORMONE

Those warm, fuzzy feelings we call ‘love’ are due to this hormone being released when it is triggered by human touch or connection. It is also responsible for signaling contractions to begin during labour, and breast milk to be produced once a baby is born.

SEROTONIN: THE ‘HAPPY’ HORMONE
The main controller of mood and feelings of happiness also helps to regulate digestion. Low levels of serotonin are linked to low mood, anxiety and depression.

Keep it happy
Serotonin is produced by the amino acid tryptophan, which you can get from certain high-protein foods, such as salmon and turkey, says Healthline. Adding these to your diet, along with complex carbs such as sweet potatoes, can help boost your serotonin, as can getting 15 minutes of natural light per day.

By: Andrea Robertson
Text courtesy of Jet magazine 
Photos: Getty Images- Constantine Johnny