Lets talk about HORMONES - Know why you act the way you act!

Hormones are your body's chemical messengers. They travel in your bloodstream to tissues or organs. They work slowly, over time, and affect many different processes, including

• Growth and development
• Metabolism - how your body gets energy from the foods you eat
• Sexual function
• Reproduction
• Mood

Endocrine glands, which are special groups of cells, make hormones. The major endocrine glands are the pituitary, pineal, thymus, thyroid, adrenal glands, and pancreas. In addition, men produce hormones in their testes and women produce them in their ovaries.
Hormones are powerful. It takes only a tiny amount to cause big changes in cells or even your whole body. That is why too much or too little of a certain hormone can be serious. Laboratory tests can measure the hormone levels in your blood, urine, or saliva. Your health care provider may perform these tests if you have symptoms of a hormone disorder. Home pregnancy tests are similar - they test for pregnancy hormones in your urine.


Listed below are the names of the endocrine glands, hormone produced and their functions in our body system.

Endocrine Gland	Hormone(s) Secreted	Function(s) of Hormones
(1) Hypothalamus	Part of the Brain: The Control and Relay Centre of the Endocrine System.
(2) Pituitary	Known as the "Master Gland", this part of the brain consists of three lobes called "anterior", "interior" and "posterior".
Posterior	Oxytocin	Stimulates utrine contraction and brest contraction for milk release.
Posterior	Anti-Diuretic Hormone (ADH), also known as "vasopressin"	Stimulates re-absorption of water from kidney tubules. Hypo- causes Diabetes Insipidus (large amounts of urine produced).
Anterior	Prolactin (PRL)	Production of breast milk (works in men too).
Anterior	Human Growth Hormone (HGH)	Growth Hypo- Dwarfism Hyper- Gigantism
	Thyroid Stimulating Hormone (TSH)	Stimulates the thyroid to release thyroxin.
Anterior	Adrenocorticotrophic Hormone (ACTH)	Stimulates the adrenal cortex to produce: Corticosteriods: mineral corticoids glucocorticoids cortisol (natural anti-inflammatory) androgens, e.g. acdosterone
Anterior	Luteinizing Hormone (LH)	Brings about ovulation and maintains the corpus luteum.
Anterior	Follicle Stimulating Hormone (FSH)	Stimulates growth/development of Graafin follicles (= a mature follicle in the ovary prior to ovulation, containing a large fluid-filled cavity that distends the surface of the ovary) on approx. 28 day cycle.
	Melanin Stimulating Hormone (MSH)
	Gonadotrophins	Secondary sexual characteristics
Anterior	Interstitial Cell Stimulating Hormone (ICSH)	Works on the seminiferous tubules in the testes – to produce sperm – which take 21 days to mature. (If not ejaculated within 21 days, the sperm are re-absorbed back into the body.)
Intermediate	Intermedin	Control of melanocyte production.
(2) Pineal	A pea-sized mass of nerve tissue attached by a stalk to the posterior wall of the third ventricle of the brain, deep between the cerebral hemispheres at the back of the skull. (It functions as a gland, secreting the hormone melatonin - which regulates the pituitary gland and is associated with the biological clock.)
	Melatonin	A hormone produced by the pineal gland in darkness but not in bright light. Melatonin receptors in the brain react to this hormone and synchronize the body to the 24 hour day/night rhythm, thus informing the brain when it is day and when it is night. Melatonin is derived from seratonin, with which it works to regulate the sleep cycle.
(3a) Thyroid Gland	Part of the Thyroid/Parathyroid Gland, which is in the neck.
	Thyroxin	Concerned with the Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR), which is the amount of energy the body uses, just to ‘tick over’ Hyper-Thyroidism = ‘over-active thyroid’ = Thyrotoxicosis Symptoms: increase in BMR; increase in heart-rate; loss of weight; hyper-activity; insomniac; develops bulging eyes due to accumulation of fluid behind the eye; may develop Goitre; possible link with Attention Deficit Disorder. Hypo-Thyroidism Symptoms; decrease in BMR; weight gain; lethargy; skin becomes dry and puffy; hair becomes thin and brittle. Causes: Derbyshire Neck (originally due to insufficient iodine in the soil in Derbyshire), Graves Disease, and Cretinism (= metal and sexual development imapaired, if occurs in children).
	Calcitonin	Uptake of calcium to bone.
(3b) Parathyroid Gland	Part of the Thyroid/Parathyroid Gland, which is in the neck.
	Parathormone	Associated with the growth of muscle and bone. Distribution of calcium and phosphate in the body. Hyper- Causes transfer of calcium from the bones to the blood; bones become fragile & easily broken; osteoporosis. (Parathormone activity is inhibited by oestrogen.) Hypo- Lowers blood calcium levels, causing tetany (which may be treated by injections of the hormone); low calcium levels in skeletal muscle (which may cause cramps).
(4) Thymus	The thymus gland is located straddled across the trachea & bronchi in the upper thorax (a bi-lobed organ in the root of the neck, above and in front of the heart). The thymus (a gland associated with the immune system), is enclosed in a capsule and divided internally by cross-walls into many lobules (full of T-lymphocytes). In relation to body size the thymus is largest at birth. It doubles in size by puberty, after which it gradually shrinks, its functional tissue being replaced by fatty tissue. In infancy the thymus controls the development of lymphoid tissue and the immune response to microbes and foreign proteins (accounting for allergic response, antoimmunity, and the rejection of organ transplants). T-lymphocytes migrate from the bone marrow to the thymus, where they mature and differentiate until activated by antigen.
	Thymosin	Activates the immune system by activating the T-Cells (T-Killer Cells; T-Helper Cells; T-Memory Cells).
	T-Lymphocytes	The thymus consists of lobules full of T-lymphocytes (white blood cells associated with antibody production). T-lymphocytes migrate from the bone marrow to the thymus, where they mature and differentiate until activated by antigens.
(5) Pancreas	The pancreas lies behind the stomach. It is both exocrine (ducted) and endocrine (ductless). As an exocrine gland it secrets enzymes (organic catalysts) into the small intestine. The enzymes are: Pancreatic amylase (which breaks down polysaccharides, i.e. starch into sugar) Lipase (which breaks down fats into fatty acids and glycerol) Proteases (which breaks down protein (polypeptide) into di-peptides). The islets of Langerhans are within the pancreas.
Islets of Langerhans	Located within the pancreas. Contains groups of both Alpha- and Beta- cells.
Beta Cells	Insulin	Conversion of glucose to glycogen. Cellular up-take of Glucose. Conversion of excess glucose to fat. Hyper- Hypo- causes Diabetes Mellitus: Symptoms: Blood glucose levels rise (hyperglycaemia). Glucose is excreted into the urine (glycosuria) - which increases levels of urination, causing dehydration. As glucose levels in the blood increase, fa and protein are broken-down for energy. Coma and death may follow if the symptoms are not treated.
Alpha Cells	Glucagon	Conversion of glycogen to glucose.
(6) Adrenal Glands
Adrenal Medulla	Adrenalin	Prepares the body for "fright, fight or flight" and has many effects: Action of heart increased. Rate and depth of breathing increased. Metabolic rate increased. Force of muscular contraction improves. Onset of muscular fatigue delayed. Blood supply to the bladder and intestines reduced, their muscular walls relax, the sphincters contract.
	Noradrenalin	Similar effects to adrenalin: Constriction of small blood vessels leading to increase in blood pressure. Increased blood flow through the coronary arteries and slowing of heart rate. Increase in rate and depth of breathing. Relaxation of the smooth muscle in the intestinal walls.
Adrenal Cortex	Corticosteroids	Glucocorticoids (e.g. cortisol, cortisone, corticosterone) Utilization of carbohydrate, fat and protein by the body. Normal response to stress. Anti-inflammatory effects. Hypersecretion of cortisol results in Cushings Syndrom. Mineralocorticoids (e.g. aldosterone) Regulation of salt and water balance. Hypersecretion of Alderosterone decreases the potassium in the body (affecting nerve impulse transmission and leading to muscular paralysis).
(7) Ovaries	Produce mature ova. Theoretical potential for 400-450 viable ova. (Therefore the more and the longer pregnancies a woman has, the later her menopause because there is no ovulation during pregnancy.)
	Oestrogen	Break-down of the utrine wall.
	Progesterone	Builds up and maintains the uterus wall for embedding of fertilized egg. Associated with secondary sexual characteristics, e.g. body hair, breast enlargement, changes in physical body.
(8) Testes	Located outside the pelvic cavity.
	Testosterone	Development and function of male sex organs. Secondary sexual characteristics. e.g. body hair, muscle development, voice change.