Essays on Hormones

Hormones are an essential part of the human body and its functioning. Hormones help regulate many different physiological functions, such as growth, metabolism, reproduction and mood. They also play a role in sexual development and fertility. Hormones are chemical messengers that are released from cells in one part of the body and travel to other parts of the body where they control particular processes or behaviors. Most hormones are produced by endocrine glands located throughout the body including the pituitary gland, thyroid gland, adrenal glands, pancreas and ovaries among others. One example of how hormones can affect us is puberty. During this time our bodies undergo dramatic changes due to fluctuations in hormone levels caused by increases in sex hormones like testosterone and estrogen which trigger physical changes such as breast development in females or facial hair growth in males. Hormonal imbalance during puberty can lead to issues with emotional regulation or even mental health disorders such as depression or anxiety if not properly addressed. In addition to these natural occurring hormonal shifts over time, lifestyle choices like dieting may also cause a disruption in normal hormone balance leading to weight gain or loss depending on which hormone is affected most drastically (such as leptin). Similarly environmental factors like stress can have an effect on certain hormones such as cortisol causing it to be released at higher than normal levels resulting in fatigue, difficulty sleeping and increased anxiety levels among other symptoms associated with high cortisol production.