Hormoner

Hormones are chemical messengers produced in glands such as the thyroid, thymus and adrenal, as well as in cells and tissues such as the heart and stomach. They are responsible for digestion, metabolism and growth as well as but also have a role in our sex lives and much more. Hormones reach body parts in which they are needed via the blood. This causes chain reactions such as hunger or thirst which, once satisfied, bring the body back to its proper balance. There are already over 150 hormones that we know of so far, including sex hormones such as testosterone in men or estrogen in women, insulin (which diabetics lack), cortisol and oxytocin in personality traits, and thyroid hormones, which are responsible for energy expenditure and growth. For those with hormone disorders, either too few or too many messengers are produced, and so the body is no longer balanced. Those affected must take medication to ensure their availability and production, such as insulin for diabetics and TSH hormones for thyroid disorders.