7 myths about hormones in which it is time to stop believing
Hormones trigger and regulate a variety of processes. - from cell growth and digestion to reproductive function and sexual desire. With age, the production of some hormones gradually decreases, while others increase, and the balance between them may be disturbed. Stress, illness, malnutrition affect the level of these substances - and the temptation to “blame” hormones for poor health becomes too high. We collected popular myths about these substances in order to dispel them together with experts: Candidate of Medical Sciences, endocrinologist of the GMS Clinic Alevtina Oranskaya, gynecologist and reproduktologist of the Stolitsa clinic network Denis Titov and certified FPA trainer Vladimir Kuksov.
Insulin release is associated only with sweets.
Increasing blood glucose is a natural reaction of the body to food. In response, the pancreas secretes insulin, the amount of which depends on what you have eaten. The main problem with this hormone is that in some conditions, the susceptibility of the cells to it decreases and more insulin is needed to return glucose levels to normal - so-called insulin resistance occurs. The pancreas fails to cope, and the concentration of glucose in the blood rises rapidly; gradually it can lead to diabetes.
Alevtina Oranskaya notes that this condition can be accompanied by a constant feeling of hunger, when you feel hungry, even after a heavy meal, and the fasting glucose level is above 5.5 mmol / l. Emissions of large amounts of insulin occur with a sharp increase in glucose levels - and this happens not only after a sweet meal, but also after high-glycemic index foods, which may even be seemingly harmless vegetables.
Cortisol does not affect the ability to become pregnant
Stress - the main negative factor causing problems with conception in women. In the case of a potential threat, the brain receives a signal that it is necessary to release adrenaline - a hormone that puts the body into a "hit or run" mode. At such moments, the body begins to accumulate strength to repel a strike or flight, and therefore it can temporarily "turn off" the ability to reproduce. Doctor Denis Titov notes that an excess of cortisol - a hormone that helps to cope with stress - increases insulin resistance. Insulin, in turn, is toxic to the ovaries and contributes to increased testosterone levels, and this is one of the main factors of polycystic ovary syndrome, which causes infertility.
High levels of cortisol can also slow down the thyroid gland, contributing to the menstrual cycles without ovulation and the development phase of the corpus luteum. We told you what to do to cope effectively with stress. For this it is also important to get enough sleep - sleep at least 6-8 hours a day. In his book "The Cortisol Connection" Dr. Sean Talbot writes that one night of insomnia leads to an excess of cortisol (sleep deficiency is also stressful for the body), and not enough sleep for two hours three nights in a row, you increase the hormone content by almost 50%.
Exercise raises testosterone to male
During exercise, the body also experiences stress. The latter encourages preparing for a fight or flight, making the muscles stronger, strengthening the blood vessels and the heart - and testosterone production increases. However, according to the personal trainer Vladimir Kuksov, even after a hard workout, the concentration of testosterone in the blood of women is almost fifteen times lower than that of men.
Therefore, without hormone doping, there is no significant muscle growth in women from outside - and the voice does not change and additional hair on the face and body does not grow.
When thyroid function is reduced, a person becomes stout
The thyroid hormones triiodothyronine (T3) and thyroxin (T4) actually affect the metabolism, and when they are abundant people lose weight much. But hypothyroidism (a decrease in thyroid function) can last for a long time without external changes: due to the fact that not enough thyroxin is produced, the pituitary gland releases more TSH - a hormone that stimulates the thyroid gland - which causes it to work for two. At the same time, in the results of the blood test, thyroid hormones will be normal, but the TSH is elevated. The diagnosis of hypothyroidism is made on the basis of recent data, despite the fact that the weight may not change and even decrease.
However, such a condition, although not externally manifested, requires treatment, which consists in taking thyroid hormones to compensate for their deficiency. According to the doctor Alevtina Oranskaya, if a person is forced to temporarily or permanently drink these hormones, treatment will also contribute to weight loss.
Estrogen emissions accelerate aging.
Any physical activity, be it training in the gym, outdoor activities or having sex, increases the level of estrogen in the blood - and this contributes to processes that are not associated with aging, but, on the contrary, the work of a young body; Estrogens can improve the condition of the skin and hair. To obtain estrogens from food (another popular myth), according to Denis Titov, is impossible, unlike phytoestrogens - plant compounds that have the properties of estrogen in the body or are able to exert an anti-estrogenic effect. They are found in some foods, such as nuts, legumes, flax seeds, beer.
Phytoestrogens can also be found in dietary supplements whose effectiveness has not been proven. But the use of these elements in cosmetics for problematic skin and anti-baldness products can give a positive result. With all the need for estrogen excess in the body does not bode well: mood swings, painful menstruation, swelling, headache usually signal a problem.
"Adrenaline addiction" does not exist
The doctor, of course, will not diagnose adrenaline addiction (there is no such classification in the classification), but an obsessive desire to experience extreme sensations in people is quite common. Unlike, for example, alcohol addiction, where the "source of pleasure" is an external factor, in the case of adrenaline craving, the cause of "dependence" lies within a person. Adrenaline is produced by the adrenal glands very quickly - and the brain focuses on the problem, the pulse quickens, the muscles tighten, the heart begins to beat more. Such a reaction occurs under any stress, including positive. If the adrenaline rush comes as a result of a pleasant experience, such as a parachute jump or the victory of your favorite team, then endorphins are produced immediately - “hormones of happiness” that ensure euphoria. In fact, it is this feeling that I want to repeat again.
Alevtina Oranskaya points out that in moderate doses adrenaline is useful, but in the constant pursuit of a new portion of thrills a person ceases to care about safety (for example, carelessly drives a car), becomes aggressive (curses with others, can be violent). In addition, if the level of adrenaline in the blood is raised too often, this leads to health problems: insomnia, cardiovascular diseases, problems with the gastrointestinal tract. Moreover, if you are fond of, for example, skiing, it does not mean that you are addicted. Check is easy: if your passion does not affect relationships with others, does not interfere with work and personal development, then this is a common hobby. Otherwise, the psychotherapist will help solve the problem.
Melatonin can be taken as a sleeping pill.
Despite the fact that melatonin is often called the “sleep hormone,” a more correct name is “the hormone of the night.” Its production is directly related to the degree of illumination and occurs during sleep. Any light - from a chandelier or a mobile phone screen - slows down or completely stops it, which can seriously worsen the condition in the future. However, melatonin is a hormone, not a sleeping pill that helps you fall asleep faster. He may be prescribed by a doctor, for example, with abrupt and frequent jet lag or elderly people as a preventive measure for a number of diseases, since his number in the body decreases markedly with age.
Experts agree that self-medicating and drinking melatonin to fight insomnia can be not only useless, but also unsafe for health. Therefore, if there are problems with sleep, for a start it is worth visiting a somnologist.
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