The 15 main types of hormones (and their functions)
Many times we have heard the phrase ‘you are hormonal’ or ‘that problem is due to your hormones’, at the time we experience certain external and internal physical complaints or abnormalities, especially when there does not appear to be a medical cause apparent.
But, how much can hormones affect our body? The answer is clear: a lot. And is that hormones regulate much of our bodily functions, taking care of thousands of biological processes of the organism that. Without them, we could not enjoy our quality of life and less of a healthy life.
Despite the fact that there is a certain stigmatization with hormones, such as that they make women extremely sensitive and men somewhat aggressive, that due to imbalances In its synthesis, you suffer from obesity or you cannot achieve the desired body, hormones bring multiple benefits to the body, since without them, basically, we cannot to live.
- We recommend you read: "Do birth control pills make you fat?"
Would you like to know the reason behind it all? Then do not miss the following article where we will talk about the main types of hormones found in our body and the functions they fulfill in it.
What are hormones?
Let's learn a little more about hormones first. Hormones are all those chemical substances that present different types of nature, depending on their place of synthesis in the glands of the endocrine system, and that are subsequently released to the blood vessels, through which they move to regulate the activity of our body.
In turn, they work as messengers from the brain to different organs or tissues so that they fulfill a specific function, through a direct connection to the nervous system and thus allowing the body to respond appropriately to the stimuli that receives.
Main functions of hormones
Although each hormone fulfills an essential role, we can catalog several main functions by which these chemical substances are recognized in the function of our body:
It allows growth. And we are not referring only to height, but to body, mental and emotional maturation from each person.
They form a large part of our sexual development, which is why both men and women experience various changes after puberty.
They influence the mood, since when some type of emotional change occurs, falls or episodes of mania, it may be due to an alteration in the hormones responsible for its regulation.
They can also act on our thoughts and behavior. Although they do not completely rule over these, there is an alteration in certain hormones. People can manifest radical changes in their way of being and expressing themselves.
They act directly on our reproductive and therefore sexual capacity.
They can activate and inhibit enzymes, depending on the needs of our body.
They are participants in the storage and use that we give to our energy on a daily basis.
Types of main hormones and their functions
As we have repeated before, there are different types of hormones in our body, but this time we will focus on those that stand out the most due to their functions in the body.
1. Growth hormones
It is perhaps the hormonal group best known to all, not only for its observable effects but also for the internal changes they represent for adolescents, although this is not the only effect of them. Also known as somatotropin, they have the objective of promoting the regeneration of tissues, reproduction of cells and stimulation of physical growth suitable for each person, including muscle development and the accumulation of calcium in the bones.
That is why we can observe when there is a problem in the distribution of these hormones. For example, if there is a decrease in these levels, children are short and young people have delays in sexual development. While if there is an excessive increase in these hormones, there are problems in the processing of the glucose, distortions in the growth of the jaw bones, extreme sweating or pressure on the nerves.
2. Estrogens
Known as female sex hormones, they are responsible for regulating all those processes corresponding to the female reproductive system, from caring for cell multiplication in the ovaries and uterus, to the ability to burn fat, since they also influence metabolism.
That is why some women may have difficulties losing, maintaining or gaining weight, as well as disorders in the menstrual cycle, for example, appearing irregularly, with little or heavy bleeding in excess. And even, when these are reduced until almost disappearance, is when women manifest menopause.
- We recommend you read: "Female hormones: which ones are there and how do they affect us?"
3. Progesterones
These are also hormones present in the female body. They regulate the menstrual cycle, acting with greater force at the end of it during the ovulation stage and the gestation period. Reason why, at the time of pregnancy, the period stops. Its main function is to separate the body for the preservation and development of the fetus, protecting it from the immune system (for avoid miscarriage).
4. Antimullerian hormone
This is another of the hormones that we can get in the female body and that has a direct effect on the sexual and reproductive health of women, since it is in charge of calculating and preserve the eggs in the best possible way totals thereof; so that you can have a measurement of the amount of oocytes available in the ovaries.
5. Testosterone
These are known to be the main male hormones, although did you know that they are also present in women in trace amounts? In men it acts directly on the development of the prostate, the testicles, the mass muscle, the appearance of pubic and body hair, as well as the deepening of the voice, that is, all those basic characteristics of masculinity. Another interesting effect of this hormone in men is that it promotes the growth of internal organs, which is why they are larger than those of women.
6. Thyroxine
As its name can give you an idea, it is the main hormone that is released from the thyroid gland, it is also known as tetraiodothyronine or T4 (having 4 iodine atoms) and is of great importance in the proper maintenance of our state physical. Thanks to taking care of regulate metabolism, as well as to control growth and participate in protein synthesis, but its best known action is to convert fat into energy.
This is the reason why, when there is low thyroxine production, people have problems with weight gain, poor circulation, slow heart rate, and sensitivity to cold. While those who have an excess of this hormone may have appetite alterations, considerable weight loss, tachycardia and poor tolerance to heat.
7. Adrenalin
Adrenaline is not only what you feel with an exciting activity, it is one of the most important hormones in the world. organism, since in turn it is a brain neurotransmitter, so it is responsible for transferring and receiving information between the neurons. It is also called epinephrine and its main function is to fill us with energy, not only to maintain a positive state of mind, but to maintain the proper functioning of the organs.
In turn, it takes care of keep our alertness, so we can respond almost immediately to different external stimuli, adding if necessary more strength and power to the muscles, bones and brain responses. An example of this is our natural response of flight or confrontation that is activated in times of danger.
8. Serotonin
You may have heard of this hormone by its nickname of ‘Hormone of happiness’ and, although it is not responsible for giving us happy moments, it is responsible for providing our organism the sensations of well-being, satisfaction and relaxation that induce us to a feeling of fullness. However, it also has a great effect on cognitive perception, appetite regulation, motor activity, and body temperature.
9. Oxytocin
Also called as ‘the parental hormone’ since it has a great role in regulating the behavior of parents in the raising and protecting their children, also helps in the stimulation of breastfeeding and uterine contractions at the time of Birth. Although it is recognized in the same way for its role as a social hormone, because it is a neuromodulator of the social behaviors, emotional expressions, relationships, and sexual patterns.
10. Noradrenaline
It is both a hormone and a neurotransmitter due to its physiological and homeostatic functions, among which are influence heart rhythm and contractions, as well as the direct action of stress, which is why it is known What stress hormone. Its function is to keep us constantly alert until the stimulus has disappeared or the problem that concerns us has been resolved.
11. Dopamine
This is also both a hormone and a neurotransmitter since it is found almost exclusively in the autonomic nervous system, where its main function is receive and transmit the sensations of pleasure. However, it is also in charge of motivation, of responding to emotionally charged stimuli, decision-making and learning.
12. Melatonin
This is the hormone responsible for control the sleep-wake process And although it is produced naturally by our pineal gland, we can also find it artificially in sleeping pills. A curious fact about this hormone is that it is stimulated by darkness, which causes in the person the effect of wanting sleep and therefore, the more light there is in the environment, the less melatonin production there is and therefore, the less desire to to sleep.
13. Glucagon and insulin
It should be noted that both are different hormones, but that together they have the ability to act in a significant process in the body and is the regulation of blood sugar or glucose levels. In the case of insulin, it is activated when blood glucose levels are high, while glucagon is activated in the opposite case, when blood sugar is very low.
14. Prolactin
This hormone is responsible for the production of breast milk in the mammary glands of the breasts, when women have given birth, to be able to feed their babies. It is also estimated that this hormone is directly related to sexual pleasure after sex.
15. Histamine
Have you ever wondered how the body is able to protect itself against infection? Well, this hormone is the answer to that question, since it takes care of stimulate immune response to stressors and to induce inflammation of the tissue in the face of any injury to avoid its aggravation.
Bibliographic references
- Silver, R., Kriegsfeld, L.J. (2001) "Hormones and Behavior". Encyclopedia of Life Sciences.
- Gross, Richard (2010). Psychology: The Science of Mind and Behavior. London: Hachette UK.
- Oravec, S. (2018) "Diseases of the Endocrine System". Comenius University in Bratislava, Faculty of Medicine.