Hormones are responsible for literally everything: from the feeling of hunger to the acceleration of the heart rate in case of fright. We could only live a few days without them. However, the degree of influence of these biological substances on the body is underestimated. The truth is that hormones totally control our life, and perhaps thanks to them, humanity did not die out.
Is it so good or bad - to strongly depend on the metabolic processes inherent in us by nature?
1. Hugging and stroking pets (eg cats) stimulates the production of oxytocin in humans. This hormone can relieve swelling and heal wounds faster.
2. When breastfeeding, oxytocin is produced in the mother's body. It prevents bleeding of the uterus and causes it to contract, so that it regains the same size as before pregnancy.
3. Alcohol inhibits the production of antidiuretic hormone, which helps the kidneys retain water. Therefore, people who drink alcohol notice frequent urination. Drinking large amounts of alcohol can even lead to dehydration.
4. The fulfillment of the secretory functions of our body is not limited to the eight endocrine glands that produce hormones. For example, the female placenta produces estrogen and progesterone. And in the stomach, ghrelin is produced, which is responsible for feeling hungry.
5. Scientists have found a relationship between vitamin D production and testosterone levels. The more time you spend in the sun, the more testosterone your body will produce.
6. At the beginning of the 19th century, scientists realized that the activities of all organs are regulated at the chemical level. However, the term "hormone" itself appeared only at the beginning of the 20th century.
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7. Now you will understand why the worst and most traumatic moments in life are remembered the best! It turns out that during stress, our tonsils produce critical amounts of adrenaline and cortisol. And this leads to an improvement in the function of memorizing different experiences.
8. Researchers have found that spending a week on a camping trip without electronics can restore our biological clock. The amount of the hormone melatonin (which is responsible for sleep) is produced in sync with the times of sunrise and sunset.
9. The body regulates the lack of sleep. This explains the seemingly incomprehensible lethargy - when a person sleeps 10 hours a day and does not get enough sleep! The reason is simple - last week he spent only 3 hours a day sleeping. And now his body is corny "picks up" the lack of a vital process.
10. By the way, a lack of sleep impairs the functioning of the endocrine system. Hormonal imbalance can lead to obesity, cardiovascular and other diseases.
11. During World War II, British spies tried to make Hitler less aggressive. To this end, they mixed the female hormone estrogen into the Fuhrer's food.
12. Women tend to calm down longer after quarrels and stress. This is due to the greater reactivity and lability of the nervous and endocrine systems.
13. Without wearing sunglasses, you can tan much more! Eyes that sense bright light tell the pituitary gland to release MSH, a melanocyte-stimulating hormone. And this, in turn, affects the increase in the production of melanin. The tan becomes more intense!
14. Scientists from the Weismann Institute in Israel have found that the smell of a woman's tears reduces testosterone levels in men.
15. When a person falls in love, his brain produces the same amount of hormones (dopamine, norepinephrine, serotonin) as after using drugs.
16. The body is able to convert testosterone into estrogen (for example, during an aromatherapy session). But our body cannot convert estrogen into testosterone.
17. Excessive events and communication, including on social media, can cause depression, anxiety and other health problems. Constant stress, even positive stress, shakes the stability of the endocrine system. As a result, hormones such as insulin and dopamine begin to be produced incorrectly.
18. Researchers at the University of North Carolina found that hugging for 20 seconds triggers oxytocin production and reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease.
19. Vitamin D is the only one that is also a hormone at the same time. Its deficiency can lead to serious problems, including depression and schizophrenia.
20. There is the so-called androgen insensitivity syndrome. This means that a male person is genetically resistant to male hormones. With such a pathology, a person has feminine features in the presence of a genetically male composition.
21. One day Joan Murray's parachute did not open. Falling from a great height, she crashed into a huge anthill and survived. Scientists believe that her heart did not stop thanks to the sheer amount of adrenaline she got from the ant bites.
