What are hormones?
People may have heard the word "hormone" several times during their everyday lives. So what are hormones? Hormones are specific chemical messengers or signaling molecules in the human body that carry instructions to cells and tissues through the bloodstream. They influence diverse processes and functions of the immune system and even human behaviors. The hormone system, or endocrine system, manages to keep homeostasis.
How hormones work?
Hormone producers are each surrounded by blood vessels that extract ingredients to make a variety of hormones. Those hormones are pumped out in a small quantity, usually into the bloodstream. Each hormone then identifies a set of target cells to cause particular changes. Receptors, special proteins embedded on the cell’s surface, help the hormones find their targets. Those receptors identify specific hormones as they pass through and combine with them. When this happens, the combination of hormones and receptors triggers various effects. They either increase or decrease specific processes inside the cell in order to change the cell’s behavior.
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By exposing millions of cells at a time to hormones, the endocrine system drives large changes across the body.
Influence of hormones on mental wellbeing
Hormonal change is associated with mood and emotions. Hormones are controlled by a structure in the brain called the hypothalamus making huge differences in emotional states. As hormones can influence the production of certain chemicals in the brain, it causes changes in mood. One example of a hormone related to mental well-being is serotonin. Serotonin is an essential hormone responsible for mood, sleep, digestion, wound healing, and many other typical functions of the human body's stabilization and emotional well-being. They are transported through the bloodstream and are found throughout the central nervous system. Serotonins are produced from tryptophan, which is an essential amino acid and is produced in the body’s nerve cells. They move to communicate signals and stimulate physical reactions like any other hormone. The cells of the body contain serotonin receptors to receive messages from serotonins. Serotonin hormones are released when . For example, when people laugh, serotonin is released to stimulate happiness and combined with the receptors to cause positive emotions.
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