We’re often told that how we feel is ‘down to our hormones’, but how many of us actually know what that means? Here’s our guide to what they are, why they matter and how to tell if they’re out of sync What they are and what they do
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1 – THYROID
WHAT IT DOES: The thyroid gland releases hormones that act as your body’s ‘metabolic thermostat’, says Dr Cynthia Stuenkel, clinical professor of medicine at the University of California, San Diego. From your appetite and energy levels to the flow of your periods, your thyroid plays an important role in many different internal functions. It’s also the most common source of endocrine disorders in women.
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SIGNS IT’S OFF: If your thyroid produces too much of these hormones, you may overeat, feel nervous or agitated, suffer bone loss or heart palpitations or feel hot all the time. Produce too little, and everything slows down, Dr Stuenkel explains. Your thinking grows foggy, your energy levels plummet and your menstrual cycles may be longer and heavier, she says. A thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) test can help a doctor assess your levels.
2 – CORTISOL
WHAT IT DOES: It spikes when you’re stressed. It also assists with memory formation, helps control blood sugar levels and promotes or limits inflammation.
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SIGNS IT’S OFF: A flushed face, hair loss, fine hairs covering your face, osteoporosis and menstrual cycle irregularities are all signs your cortisol levels may be off. A blood test can tell your doctor what might be up.
3 – OESTROGEN
WHAT IT DOES: As the primary female sex hormone produced by the ovaries, oestrogen helps develop and maintain the reproductive system and female characteristics such as breasts and pubic hair.
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SIGNS IT’S OFF: Irregular and absent periods could indicate your body isn’t ovulating as it should, while mood swings, hot flashes and other menopausal symptoms are also signs. Your doctor may prescribe a hormonal birth control method to deal with symptoms, while lifestyle changes such as exercising to maintain a healthy weight can help.
4 – PROGESTERONE
WHAT IT DOES: As ovaries ramp up the production of oestrogen, they simultaneously slow down the production of the other sex hormone: progesterone. It’s a vital seesaw that keeps your reproductive system running. Progesterone is also an important pregnancy hormone that helps your womb accept and adapt to the presence of sperm. ‘We sometimes call it the Valium hormone because when it’s very high – around day 19 of your cycle – you feel very mellow, you sleep well and you eat more,’ says Dr Louann Brizendine, professor of neuropsychiatry at the University of California, San Francisco. Before this progesterone peak, a milder uptick in progesterone – around days 10 and 14 of the cycle – energises thinking and behaviour.
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SIGNS IT’S OFF: Pregnancy complications, irregular or abnormal periods and low energy or weight gain could all be the result of progesterone issues.
A simple progesterone blood test can check your levels.
5 – GHRELIN
WHAT IT DOES: This hormone fires up your ‘feed me’ urges. It also tells your gut to start making the digestive acids and juices that will allow it to break down the foods you eat.
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SIGNS IT’S OFF: You’re hungry again very soon after eating or you don’t feel satisfied even after eating excessively. Too little sleep and too much stress can both throw off your ghrelin levels. Ghrelin issues can also stem from carb- or sugar-heavy diets, suggests research from the British Journal Of Nutrition.
6 – PARATHYROID
WHAT IT DOES: It helps regulate your blood, organs and bone calcium levels. It also helps your body break down and metabolise vitamin D.
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SIGNS IT’S OFF: Hand or foot spasms and an irregular heartbeat are signs it’s low. Dehydration, kidney stones and osteoporosis are linked to overproduction of parathyroid. A blood test can tell your doctor if you’re making too much or too little of it.
7 – MELATONIN
WHAT IT DOES: By regulating your body’s circadian clock, melatonin helps you get to sleep at night and also plays a role in your appetite and energy levels, says Dr Michael Grandner, director of the Sleep and Health Research Program at the University of Arizona.
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SIGNS IT’S OFF: You feel sleepy during the day and energised late in the evening – the time your body should be settling down and preparing for sleep. Your appetite and energy levels may also surge and flag at odd times. A blood or urine test can tell a doctor if you’re truly deficient in melatonin. But for most people, sticking to a consistent sleep, wake and meal schedule can help get your melatonin – and your body’s circadian clock – back on track.
8 – INSULIN
WHAT IT DOES: It allows the cells in your muscles, fat and liver to absorb the glucose – or energy – circulating in your blood. This energy comes from the foods you eat.
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SIGNS IT’S OFF: Too much or too little insulin affects your body’s ability to manage blood glucose. At first, this could result in extreme thirst, urinating all the time or unusual skin patches. Later, it can develop into type 1 or type 2 diabetes. A blood glucose test (A1C) can identify insulin issues.
