The different types of hormones that our body manufactures not only play a fundamental role in controlling certain biological processes, whether we like it or not, they shape our behavior and even our mood, in addition, any hormonal imbalance can lead us to depression or seeing. and feel our reality in a very different way.
We all like to think that we have total control over our behavior, our thoughts and every action we take, yet we are completely subordinate to this small, powerful and often chaotic universe that are our hormones, these message proteins responsible for regulating a multitude. Metabolic processes also permeate our brains, controlling our behavior and even the kind of thoughts we may have.
- Hormones are the body’s chemical messengers.
- They travel through the bloodstream to all tissues and organs to control our development.
- Internal balance and well-being.
- However.
- Any small change can have a significant impact on our health and behavior.
We are aware that, seen in this way, it may seem disturbing, because few things can be as disturbing as not having full control over our mood, however, we must keep in mind that many of these hormonal imbalances can be corrected by eating properly, doing sports, managing stress and establishing regular visits with our trusted doctors can be of great help.
We cannot forget, for example, that many people experience various changes in behavior, impotence and apathy without knowing that they have some kind of alteration of the thyroid gland, so many of these imbalances associated with different types of hormones can be treated, either with medications or improving our lifestyle.
Carla is 35 years old and has just had her first child. She built a successful career, held a good position in the company and everything in her life was perfect until the birth of her baby, something unexpected happened, much less imagined, she felt unable to get out of bed, unable to care for her son, to return to her reality and face this new stage of her life.
Carla suffers from postpartum depression, in addition to hypothyroidism, did not choose this mood, is not a bad mother or has not given up life, this simple but common example shows us how the imbalance of a certain type of hormone affects our behavior, our emotional state and our thoughts in a truly devastating way.
In this article we will see what are the main types of hormones that influence our behavior and mood.
Cortisol is the hormone that controls the states of stress and anxiety, however, its mere presence in our body does not mean that we lose control or experience a state of anxiety, the key is in the amount that is released, in the balance.
Cortisol is a glucocorticoid hormone that is synthesized from cholesterol in certain glands of our kidneys (adrenal or adrenal), thanks to it we have enough energy to wake up in the morning, to start our daily tasks and activities, and also to react to situations that our brain interprets as dangerous.
The problem with this type of hormone is when it is over-secreted. When we believe that we are only surrounded by problems, when life becomes very demanding and everything seems to slip out of our hands, our body releases a lot of cortisol.
Thus, in the case mentioned above, it can be said that science has already shown that women who experience an increase in cortisol in the blood during pregnancy have an increased risk of postpartum depression.
Oxytocin is a ‘multipurpose hormone’. It consists of nine amino acids, regulates most of our prosocial behaviors, such as relationships, sexuality, friendship, the need for care, breastfeeding . . . A decrease in our oxytocin levels can lead to the appearance of depressive states, sadness, helplessness and an equally curious feeling. lack of empathy.
As an article published at one of the annual conferences of the British Society of Endocrinology shows, people with low oxytocin levels show worse results in empathy tasks.
Melatonin has always been of great interest to scientific institutions and their researchers, we know that it regulates our sleep and wakefulness cycles, however, in recent years it has been shown that this hormone also slows down premature aging and acts as a neurological protector.
Thyroid hormones are macromolecules whose precise balance, whether we like it or not, promotes our well-being, our mood and our health, are involved in virtually all the metabolic and functional processes of our body that regulate this endocrine universe where T1, T2, T3, T4 and TSH play an indispensable role.
For the thyroid to do its job harmoniously and accurately, it needs raw materials, such as iodine or vitamin B12. Interestingly, are these two elements that are not usually very present in our Western diet?
Any irregularities in the thyroid, whether it malfunctions or too much, will result in disorders such as hypothyroidism or hyperthyroidism.
As is often said, anxiety is an adrenaline-fuelled monster, however, is this type of hormone really that negative?Under no circumstances should we label anything, we are faced with a multipurpose substance, such as dopamine or oxytocin.
Endorphins are undoubtedly our favorite hormones, there are about 20 types of endorphins in the human body and are distributed in several areas: in the pituitary gland, in other parts of the brain and in the nervous system.
These chemical compounds interact with neural opioid receptors to decrease pain perception and act in the same way as morphine and codeine, and a good dose of endorphins makes us live states of euphoria and well-being, which usually happens when, for example, we perform tasks that our brain considers “positive”, such as doing sport, enjoying our friendships , food, sexuality?
In conclusion, we can say that there are many other types of hormones that regulate our mood, such as progesterone, testosterone or catecholamines, however, the ones we are showing here are the most common, the ones that produce the most changes in our body. and to which we should certainly pay more attention.
In addition, it is important to note that in case of any discomfort, change of mood or irregularity, either in our body or in our behavior (tiredness, apathy, sudden loss of energy?), It is important to consult our doctor. problems can be addressed, so that we can regain control of our lives.