Hormones are produced by the endocrine [i.e. hormone] system, which includes the ovaries (women), testes (men), pituitary, thyroid, pancreas and other parts of the body. They are then secreted into the blood as chemical messengers. Examples of hormones include adrenaline, estrogen, insulin, thyroid hormones and testosterone.
Hormones direct communication and coordination among tissues throughout the body. For example, hormones work with the nervous system, reproductive system, kidneys, gut, liver and fat to help maintain and control body energy levels, reproduction, growth and development, internal balance of body systems (called homeostasis) and responses to surroundings, stress and injury. However, women's hormones fluctuate in volume and timing constantly [unlike men] as a result of our normal monthly cycles. And...you still have a hormonal cycle even if you no longer have a period, have a uterus, have gone through menopause.
Sometimes hormones get out of balance. That can lead to problems like diabetes, weight gain or loss, infertility, weak bones, and other problems. But, how do you know if you have a hormonal imbalance?
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