7 Hormones Every Woman Needs To Understand

7 Hormones Every Woman Needs To Understand



Your brain quarterbacks your thoughts and actions. But when it comes to your body's internal workings, hormones run the show.

Actually, scratch that. Your endocrine system—the network of glands that produces and regulates your hormones—is really in charge, says Cynthia Stuenkel, MD, a clinical professor of medicine at the University of California, San Diego, and a spokesperson for the Endocrine Society's Hormone Health Network.

Working in concert, the glands that make up your endocrine system—your pancreas, thyroid, ovaries, and others—manage everything from your mood, appetite, and energy levels to your reproductive cycle and immune system. Your glands do all that by releasing and regulating hormones, which are effectively chemical messengers that tell the different systems in your body how to behave, Stuenkel explains. You're probably familiar with estrogen and testosterone—the primary female and male sex hormones. But there are many others that serve essential functions. Here are 7 you should be familiar with, why they matter, and how to tell if they're out of whack.

Thyroid

What it does: The thyroid gland's namesake hormone is your body's "metabolic thermostat," Stuenkel says. From your appetite and energy levels to the timing and strength 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, Stuenkel says. (Feel better starting today with Rodale's The Thyroid Cure, a new book that's helped thousands of people finally solve the mystery of what's ailing them.) Signs it's off: If your thyroid produces too much of this hormone, 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," Stuenkel explains. Your thinking grows foggy, your energy level plummets, and your menstrual cycles may be longer and heavier, she says. A thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) test can help a doctor assess your levels.