Hormones are your body's chemical messengers. They travel in your bloodstream to tissues or organs. They work slowly, over time, and affect many different processes, including
- Growth and development
- Metabolism - how your body gets energy from the foods you eat
- Sexual function
- Reproduction
- Mood
Endocrine glands, which are special groups of cells, make hormones. The major endocrine glands are the pituitary, pineal, thymus, thyroid, adrenal glands and pancreas. In addition, men produce hormones in their testes and women produce them in their ovaries.
Hormones are powerful. It takes only a tiny amount to cause big changes in cells or even your whole body. That is why too much or too little of a certain hormone can be serious. Laboratory tests can measure the hormone levels in your blood, urine or saliva. Your health care provider may perform these tests if you have symptoms of a hormone disorder. Home pregnancy tests are similar - they test for pregnancy hormones in your urine.
-
Endocrine Glands & Their Hormones
(National Cancer Institute) - http://training.seer.cancer.gov/module_anatomy/unit6_3_endo_glnds.html
-
Endocrine System(Hormone Foundation) - http://www.hormone.org/endo101/
Also available in Spanish http://www.hormone.org/Spanish/sistema_endocrino/
- Endocrine System and Syndromes(American Association for Clinical Chemistry) - http://www.labtestsonline.org/understanding/conditions2/endocrine_table.html
- Estrogen Cream No Match for Sun-Damaged Skin(09/16/2008, HealthDay) - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/news/fullstory_69352.html
- Sun Damage Impairs Skin's Response to Estrogen(09/15/2008, Reuters Health) - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/news/fullstory_69266.html
- Low Testosterone Seen in Men with Type 2 Diabetics(09/09/2008, Reuters Health) - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/news/fullstory_69047.html
- More News on Hormones http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/alphanews_h.html#hormones
- ACTH (Adrenocorticotropic Hormone) Test(American Association for Clinical Chemistry) - http://www.labtestsonline.org/understanding/analytes/acth/test.html
- Aldosterone and Renin Test(American Association for Clinical Chemistry) - http://www.labtestsonline.org/understanding/analytes/aldosterone/test.html
- Cortisol Test(American Association for Clinical Chemistry) - http://www.labtestsonline.org/understanding/analytes/cortisol/test.html
- DHEAS Test(American Association for Clinical Chemistry) - http://www.labtestsonline.org/understanding/analytes/dheas/test.html
- Estrogen Tests(American Association for Clinical Chemistry) - http://www.labtestsonline.org/understanding/analytes/estrogen/test.html
- Evaluation Process of Adults with Growth Hormone Deficiency(MAGIC Foundation) - http://www.magicfoundation.org/www/docs/105.21/
- FSH (Follicle-Stimulating Hormone) Test(American Association for Clinical Chemistry) - http://www.labtestsonline.org/understanding/analytes/fsh/test.html
- Growth Hormone(American Association for Clinical Chemistry) - http://www.labtestsonline.org/understanding/analytes/growth_hormone/test.html
- IGF-1 (Insulin-Like Growth Factor -1) Test(American Association for Clinical Chemistry) - http://www.labtestsonline.org/understanding/analytes/igf1/test.html
- LH (Luteinizing Hormone) Test(American Association for Clinical Chemistry) - http://www.labtestsonline.org/understanding/analytes/lh/test.html
- Progesterone Test(American Association for Clinical Chemistry) - http://www.labtestsonline.org/understanding/analytes/progesterone/test.html
- Prolactin Test(American Association for Clinical Chemistry) - http://www.labtestsonline.org/understanding/analytes/prolactin/test.html
- PTH Test(American Association for Clinical Chemistry) - http://www.labtestsonline.org/understanding/analytes/pth/test.html
- SHBG (Sex Hormone Binding Globulin)(American Association for Clinical Chemistry) - http://www.labtestsonline.org/understanding/analytes/shbg/test.html
- Testosterone Test(American Association for Clinical Chemistry) - http://www.labtestsonline.org/understanding/analytes/testosterone/test.html
- TSH (Thyroid-Stimulating Hormone) Test(American Association for Clinical Chemistry) - http://www.labtestsonline.org/understanding/analytes/tsh/test.html
-
Endocrine Disruptors(National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences) - Links to PDF - http://www.niehs.nih.gov/health/topics/agents/endocrine/docs/endocrine.pdf
- Endocrinology and Environmental Estrogens(Hormone Foundation, Endocrine Society) - http://www.medem.com/medlb/article_detaillb.cfm?article_ID=ZZZJJKPNWLC&sub_cat=502
- Get the Facts: Growth Hormone Issues in Children and Adults(Hormone Foundation) - Large PDF file - http://www.hormone.org/Resources/upload/GHIssuesinChildrenandAdults.pdf
-
Hormones and Epilepsy(Epilepsy Foundation) - http://www.epilepsyfoundation.org/living/women/hormones/weihormones.cfm
Also available in Spanish http://www.epilepsyfoundation.org/contestacion/lavida/adultos/mujeres/hormonas.cfm
- Hormones and Hypertension(Hormone Foundation) - Links to PDF - In English and Spanish - http://www.hormone.org/Public/loader.cfm?url=/commonspot/security/getfile.cfm&pageid=1094
-
What Is an Endocrinologist?(Hormone Foundation) - http://www.hormone.org/public/endocrinologist.cfm
Also available in Spanish http://www.hormone.org/Spanish/que_es_un_endocrinologo.cfm
- Interactive DES Self-Assessment Guide(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) - http://www.cdc.gov/DES/consumers/guide/
-
Low Testosterone(Patient Education Institute) - Requires Flash Player - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/tutorials/lowtestosterone/htm/index.htm
Also available in Spanish http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/spanish/tutorials/lowtestosteronespanish/htm/index.htm
- Atlas of the Body: The Endocrine System(American Medical Association) - http://www.medem.com/MedLB/article_detaillb.cfm?article_ID=ZZZW5TZ46JC&sub_cat=514
-
ClinicalTrials.gov: Hormones(National Institutes of Health) - http://clinicaltrials.gov/search/open/condition=%22Hormones%22
References and abstracts from MEDLINE/PubMed (National Library of Medicine)
- Article: Hormonal heterogeneity of endometrial cancer. - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=18637491&tool=MedlinePlus
- Article: Endogenous hormone levels and risk of breast, endometrial and ovarian... - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=18637490&tool=MedlinePlus
- Article: Breast development, hormones and cancer. - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=18637484&tool=MedlinePlus
- Hormones -- see more articles - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=search&db=pubmed&term=hormones[majr:noexp]+AND+humans[mh]+AND+english[la]+AND+(review[pt]+OR+guideline[pt]+OR+clinical+trial[pt]+OR+jsubsetaim[text]+OR+jsubsetk[text]+OR+jsubsetn[text]+OR+patient+education+handout[pt])+NOT+(letter[pt]+OR+editorial[pt])&doptcmdl=summary&cmd_current=Limits&pmfilter_EDatLimit=last+1+Year&tool=MedlinePlus
- AACE Physician Finder(American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists) - http://www.aace.com/resources/memsearch.php
-
Directory of Endocrine and Metabolic Diseases Organizations(National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases) - http://www.endocrine.niddk.nih.gov/resources/organizations.htm
- Find an Endocrinologist(Hormone Foundation) - http://www.hormone.org/findanendo/
- Hormone Foundation - http://www.hormone.org/
-
National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases - http://www.niddk.nih.gov/
- Growth Hormone Therapy - Questions(MAGIC Foundation) - http://www.magicfoundation.org/www/docs/11.835/growth_hormone_questions_children-short-small-shots.html
-
Endocrine System(Nemours Foundation) - http://kidshealth.org/teen/your_body/body_basics/endocrine.html
Also available in Spanish http://kidshealth.org/teen/en_espanol/cuerpo/endocrine_esp.html
-
Low Testosterone
(Patient Education Institute) - Requires Flash Player - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/tutorials/lowtestosterone/htm/index.htm
Also available in Spanish http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/spanish/tutorials/lowtestosteronespanish/htm/index.htm - Low Testosterone and Men's Health(Hormone Foundation) - Links to PDF - In English and Spanish - http://www.hormone.org/Resources/Reproduction/upload/bilingual_Testosterone.pdf
- Patient Guide on Androgen Deficiency Syndromes in Adult Men(Hormone Foundation) - Links to PDF - http://www.hormone.org/Resources/loader.cfm?url=/commonspot/security/getfile.cfm&pageid=1090
- Testosterone Therapy: Can It Help Older Men Feel Young Again?(Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) - http://www.mayoclinic.com/print/testosterone-therapy/MC00030/METHOD=print
- Hormones and the Skin(American Academy of Dermatology) - http://www.aad.org/media/background/factsheets/fact_hormones.html
- Hormones, Women and Breast Cancer(Hormone Foundation) - Links to PDF - In English and Spanish - http://www.hormone.org/Resources/loader.cfm?url=/commonspot/security/getfile.cfm&pageid=1093
- Patient Guide to the Therapeutic Use of Androgens in Women(Hormone Foundation) - Links to PDF - http://www.hormone.org/Resources/Patient_Guides/upload/AndroWomen_Patient_Guide.pdf
- Why Is Oral Health Important for Women?(Academy of General Dentistry) - http://www.agd.org/support/articles/?ArtID=1369
-
Can We Prevent Aging?(National Institute on Aging) - http://www.nia.nih.gov/HealthInformation/Publications/preventaging.htm
- Human Growth Hormone (HGH): Does It Slow Aging Process?(Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) - http://www.mayoclinic.com/print/growth-hormone/HA00030/METHOD=print
- Anabolic Steroids - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/anabolicsteroids.html
- Endocrine Diseases - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/endocrinediseases.html
- Growth Disorders - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/growthdisorders.html
- Hormone Replacement Therapy - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/hormonereplacementtherapy.html
- Menopause - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/menopause.html
- Endocrine System - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/endocrinesystem.html
The primary NIH organization for research on Hormones is the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases - http://www.niddk.nih.gov/