Hormone Series Part 1: What Are Hormones and Why Should You Care?

What are Hormones and Why Do You Care?

Hormones are chemical messengers that allow the various organ systems in your body to communicate with each other. Hormones are all part of the endocrine system, which functions something like a symphony; each hormone playing a different instrument but requiring harmony and balance with one another.

To continue the metaphor, the conductor of this symphony is a part of the brain called the hypothalamus, and the pituitary gland is the first violinist. Together, they command the entire orchestra to play a particular song, while simultaneously receiving feedback from the instruments to set the right pitch and tone. If the gland is the instrument and the hormone is the sound it produces, just one gland being out of tune will cause disharmony in the entire orchestra.

Hormones can be separated into “male and female” hormones (such as estrogen and testosterone) and the adrenal hormones. Read on to learn more about the role of ‘male’ and ‘female’ hormones. Check out our posting on the adrenals here.