What is a hormone?

The hormone is a biologically active substanceorganic nature, which has a regulating effect on the metabolism and physiological functions of the body. In this article, we will describe in more detail what a hormone is, and also consider its role in the process of vital activity.

How do hormones work?

By and large, the role of hormones isensuring the stable functioning of the body. With a certain external or internal stimulus, or, on the contrary, the production of the corresponding hormone is suspended. The hormone control center is the hypothalamus.

Types of hormones

Hormones are not only in humans, but also inanimals, plants and even insects. There are many kinds of hormones, but in a broad sense there are two types of hormones - steroids and peptides. Steroid hormones are produced by the adrenals and sex glands from cholesterol. A vivid representative of steroids is cortisol, the so-called stress hormone, which causes the body to respond to a potential threat. Peptides regulate metabolism. A typical representative of peptides is growth hormone, which gives the body the ability to burn fat and build muscle. About this hormone, read in the article What influences growth.

Hormonal disorders

Breaking the hormonal background is a serious problem. A person with a disturbed hormonal background is constantly irritated, can not resist stress, quickly becomes tired. In addition, this problem causes metabolic disorders, decreased sexual desire, obesity, etc.

How to deal with this problem, see How to restore the hormonal background.