Skin issues,
weight gain and
low libido – are
your hormones
out of whack?
G
ot a huge pimple on your
chin? Could be hormonal.
Always sleepy? It’s your
hormones. Excess weight
you just can’t shift? Probs
the ’mones.
Hormones get a lot of stick – they’re
blamed for just about every body issue
we have, and often quite unfairly, says
associate professor Dr Warrick Inder
of the Endocrine Society of Australia.
Still, seeing as though hormones
play a role in just about every one of our
bodily functions, and all of our organs
make hormones, they have a fair bit of
responsibility. But before you blame your
hyperpigmentation on hormones, let’s
have a primer on what they actually are.
“Hormones are chemical messengers
that send signals around the body,” says
Dr Inder. “There are two main messaging
systems in the body: the nervous system,
which is sort of like electrical wiring
where nerves connect to tell each other
what needs to be done; and the endocrine
system (aka hormones), which is more
like wi-fi in that hormone-producing
glands can have a major effect on a part
of your body they’re not in direct contact
with. For instance, your pancreas (an
abdominal organ near your stomach)makes a hormone called insulin, which
controls your blood sugar. Insulin acts
all over the body, pushing sugar into
different cells such as your muscles and
brain to be used as fuel.”
The endocrine system is a self-
regulating one (so it’s good at balancing
itself out) but also highly sensitive. So
if you’re worried that your hormones
have copped a beating because you’ve
been really stressed out at work, then
you’re probably right.
“Hormones are very sensitive to
stress,” says Dr Inder. “For example, an
illness like an eating disorder is highly
stressful to the body, so your hormones
will work to shut down various functions
to allow your body to focus on the illness.
If you have an eating disorder, one of the
first hormonal responses will be to shut
down your reproductive system. Your
body doesn’t want you falling pregnant
when you’re underweight and ill.”
But sometimes it’s not these lifestyle
factors or external influences (like illness)
that are to blame; in fact, sometimes your
hormones are the issue. For instance,
excess testosterone can be associated
with weight and skin problems, and even
more serious medical conditions such as
polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS).
So hormone concerns are often
chicken-or-egg: is it your hormones to
blame, or are lifestyle factors impacting
your hormones? >?
HOR MONES
body love
All manner
of ailments
are caused
by hormone
issues.